The expectation is for the Wolverines to have a top defense again in 2024.
We are just over a month away from kickoff of the 2024 football season and the Michigan Wolverines defending their national championship. For the team to get back to the Big Ten Championship and repeat as the best in the country, they’ll need their defense to be just as elite as it was a season ago. That won’t be an easy task after some prominent leaders on that side of the ball moved on from the program.
Still, there are plenty of talents that remain in Ann Arbor on the defensive side of the ball that have a lot to prove for the Wolverines to achieve their goals. Here are the three most important guys on that side of the ball that need to take the next step in 2024.
3. DL Enow Etta
The Wolverines must have depth beyond Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham on the interior this fall. Last season there was a healthy rotation of guys that would keep the middle of the defense fresh and hungry throughout the course of the game. However, Michigan has lost two of them as Kris Jenkins and Cam Goode are now in the NFL.
Someone who has been playing both on the inside and outside since he arrived in Ann Arbor is Enow Etta. The former four-star recruit had a quiet freshman season, redshirting after appearing in the season’s first three games.
Off the field, though, Etta started to stand out midway through the year leading to a strong spring.
“I know it wasn’t just me but everybody started seeing flashes of him, even when he’s on scout going against the one-on-one. So I feel like we all saw really good flashes towards the end of the year and kind of just carried the offseason,” said 2024 defensive standout Mason Graham in March. “He’s gotten bigger, stronger. He’s doing some different stuff. So he’s kind of just everywhere right now. But I’ve seen really good things from him. Expect him to contribute this year.”
At 6-foot-5 and nearly 300 pounds, the rumor is that Etta is now lining up more on the interior after playing most of his career on the outside. According to his 247sports scouting report from 2022 , Etta has put on almost 80 pounds in the last two and a half years. He’s primed to compete with Rayshaun Benny as the third guy on the rotation up front, and depending on how things shake out, Etta could wind up seeing some snaps next to Graham and Grant. A rise from Etta will be important not just for keeping the two guys ahead of him fresh, but also for the overall health of the position moving forward.
2. DB Ja’Den McBurrows
There are several positions in the Michigan secondary up for grabs, but arguably the most important will be at cornerback. Last season, Jim Harbaugh elected to go to the transfer portal and grab a veteran in Josh Wallace to start opposite superstar Will Johnson at corner. Again this year, Sherrone Moore added Aamir Hall from Albany and Michigan State corner Jaden Mangham. Both will be threats along with Zeke Berry, Quinten Johnson, and Jyaire Hill for a role in the secondary.
But, Ja’Den McBurrows has been in the Michigan defense the longest. Yes, he’ll see his third defensive coordinator in four seasons at Michigan as Wink Martindale takes over. However, all three have the same core structure to their defense. McBurrows’ knowledge of that will immediately give him a leg up.
Another thing that makes McBurrows stand out from the pack is his experience on the field. He appeared in 11 games last season, playing both nickel and outside corner, which means he will compete to replace either Wallace or Mike Sainristil on the Michigan defense this fall.
McBurrows likely would have competed to be a starter in 2022 after a strong freshman campaign had he not torn his ACL, missing the entire season. Back on the wagon on 2023, the redshirt junior is primed to finally take that step, and it could be vital with opponents like Texas, Ohio State, and Oregon on the schedule this fall.
1. LB Jaishawn Barham
One of the most underrated players in the Michigan defense last fall was Junior Colson, and there is a reason Jim Harbaugh was sure to select him in the third round of the NFL Draft to lead his defense at the next level. Mike Barrett, a long-time staple of the Michigan defense, has also departed to the NFL waters.
Now, many are pointing to Maryland transfer Jaishawn Barham to take the reigns, leading the middle of the defense alongside Ernest Hausmann. From my readings of the fanbase, I get the sense that there is more confidence in Hausmann, but more excitement because of the unknown of Barham.
No matter which one earns the top peg on the depth chart, both will be paramount to the Wolverines’ success this fall and will very likely be the starters at the position. Barham brings experience with 95 tackles, 9.5 TFLS, and seven sacks during his two seasons at Maryland.
“I think the biggest thing with Jaishawn and what you can respect — he does come in with some Big Ten stripes, but you wouldn’t know that with him walking in the building,” said linebacker coach Brian Jean-Mary on the In The Trenches Podcast in March. “He wants to immerse himself in this Michigan culture and wants to be a part of the Michigan defense. I think with that mentality, I expect him to have a great year and be even more productive wearing the maize and blue.”
All reports thus far are good ones from Barham who is ingratiating himself in Ann Arbor, learning a completely new defense. Being a transfer himself, Hausmann’s role in Barham’s success will come both on and off the field. Hopefully, they’ll form a bond that will show on the field this fall for the Wolverines.