We got our first glimpse at some of Michigan Football’s true freshmen in the spring, but let’s not forget about the guys that didn’t get to enroll early. Here is a look at the players who just recently got to Ann Arbor for summer conditioning:
After signing a Top-10 high school recruiting class — including the No. 1 overall prospect in Bryce Underwood — the future of the Michigan Wolverines is as bright as ever.
We’ve already seen guys like Underwood, Andrew Marsh, Andrew Babalola and others this spring, but we still have a handful of true freshmen that are just getting in their first workouts in Ann Arbor. Today, let’s talk about the guys who didn’t have the opportunity to enroll early and see what their impact at Michigan might be.
QB Chase Herbstreit
The son of famous Ohio State Buckeye and ESPN commentator Kirk Herbstreit, Chase is the lowest ranked prospect in Michigan’s 2025 class and will likely only be a depth piece for the Wolverines. Crazier things have happened, but look for Herbstreit to redshirt in 2025 and provide depth for Underwood moving forward.
RB Jasper Parker
Parker may very well be the sleeper of this class. He’s tall for a running back at 6-foot, and a slasher with open field speed. His running style and build are reminiscent of Donovan Edwards, although his recruiting ranking was much lower.
Given Michigan’s one-two punch of Jordan Marshall and Justice Haynes, it is difficult to imagine Parker getting many carries as a true freshman, but if he can learn the playbook quickly and do the little things like picking up blitzes, he may have chance of seeing the field a little bit.
WR Jacob Washington
Washington committed around this time last year, and it was clear based on his recruitment that Michigan was actively looking to get bigger at the wide receiver position. Washington fits that criteria, as he is listed at 6-foot-3 with a frame that can add more muscle.
“Smooth with long strides” is how I would describe Washington’s game — he may not be the quickest receiver on the tram, but once he gets a step, he does seem to separate. Given his length, the box out fade towards the pylon is also part of his game and he does a good job of catching with his hands on contested balls.
OL Ty Haywood
A Texas native, Haywood was a borderline five-star prospect that was initially committed to Alabama, but ended up decommitting from the Tide and signing with Michigan. Given he is getting to campus just shortly before the season and only weighing 285 pounds, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he redshirts while learning the playbook and adding some weight. But the talent is surely there and he is someone to look forward to watching in years to come.
DL Benny Patterson
Patterson was a late-rising prospect and looks like a bit more of a project given he’s only 245 pounds. It will be interesting to see what weight he is officially listed at when the fall roster is published. He certainly has the frame at 6-foot-4 to develop into a monster, but adding some muscle will be key for him moving forward.
Edge Nathaniel Marshall
Michigan had to battle to the very end with Auburn, but Marshall finally flipped back to the Wolverines about a month before signing. He has a very impressive build at 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds. He is super athletic and has the power to run over offensive linemen, but the speed to go around tackles and run down ball carriers.
Given the ridiculous amount of depth at the moment, Michigan will have the luxury of letting Marshall develop and learn behind the likes of TJ Guy, Derrick Moore, Dominic Nichols and Cameron Brandt. The potential pairing of him with Carter Meadows will surely have Big Ten quarterbacks sweating.
DB Kainoa Winston
Winston is a speed demon — posted a 21.58 time for the 200-meter dash in high school — and is built to defend the modern day passing attack. His tape shows more than just speed. He is not afraid to play in the box, defend tight ends and make sound tackles. He’ll likely play sparingly, if at all, in the secondary as a true freshman, but he could make a name for himself on special teams given his speed and desire to lay a hit.
DB Elijah Dotson
Dotson was a priority for Michigan, as he attended local Belleville High School and was high school teammates with Underwood. Similar to Winston, Dotson was a track star in high school and flashes a ton of athleticism. At 6-foot-2, he has the prototypical size and may even get a chance to play outside corner given Wink Martindale’s affinity for tall, lanky and physical corners.
DB Jayden Sanders
Much like Dotson, “tall, lanky and physical” is also a great way to describe Sanders. He projects as a disruptive boundary corner that can also help stop the run. He should add to the punishing secondary that Wolverines fans have grown accustomed to.