Top 5 players Michigan is losing to the NFL this offseason

Michigan has had some important playmakers the last few seasons who are now looking to make their mark in the NFL. Here are the top five players Michigan will miss the most next season that are off to the pros:

The Michigan Wolverines say goodbye to another group of talented players this offseason. Some of them are expected to go pretty early in the draft, foregoing another season in college to live out their dreams of playing in the NFL. Meanwhile, other players — who may also get drafted — are simply out of eligibility and had no choice but to leave.

Yesterday, Nick Durand wrote about the top-five seniors Michigan will miss the most in 2025. Today, we discuss the five players headed to the NFL — underclassmen and seniors — that the Wolverines will miss the most next season.

1. Mason Graham, DT

Michigan will miss Graham in every facet of the defense — it’s not often you get a guy with his talent. He ended the year with 46 tackles and 3.5 sacks, and during his career, he totaled 108 tackles, 61 of which were solo, three defended passes and nine sacks.

There are a handful of plays we will all remember Graham for. He had a monster game against Minnesota in 2023 and made huge plays in the Ohio State game in 2023 and 2024, but perhaps his most impactful play was on the final drive of the Rose Bowl, a game in which he won the defensive MVP.

While the Wolverines have some talented players waiting their turn, Graham is an all-timer. Michigan should still have a solid defensive line moving forward, but Graham is one of the best to ever play at Michigan. He’ll be one of the top losses in this year’s draft class.

2. Josaiah Stewart, edge

Josaiah Stewart turned out to be one of the best defenders for the Wolverines this past season, amassing 33 tackles, a whopping 8.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, including a key one on Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles right before halftime.

The Wolverines will be in good hands with experienced guys stepping in after the departure of Stewart, but his defensive leadership will be missed as well. There’s a reason he was named a captain during the bye week.

3. Kenneth Grant, DT

It’s bad enough to lose one defensive tackle to the draft, but Michigan is losing two key guys to the Draft. Kenneth Grant is someone fans have really come to love over the past few seasons. In 2024, he had 32 tackles, three sacks and five defended passes.

Grant is also the player we’ll remember for running down Penn State running back Kaytron Allen in 2023. That kind of effort and motivation will be missed on the 2025 team.

4. Colston Loveland, TE

While there’s reason to feel good about Michigan’s tight ends in 2025, Colston Loveland’s injury in 2024 showed just how much the Wolverines needed him to move the ball. Despite missing several games due to injury, he finished the year as the team’s leading receiver (56 catches, 582 yards, five touchdowns).

While there’s reason to look forward to Marlin Klein and Hogan Hansen receiving more playing time, they still have a long way to go if they want to get on Loveland’s level. Hopefully one of Michigan’s transfer portal pickups at wide receiver, as well as improvements at quarterback, will take some of the pressure off the tight ends in 2025.

5. Donovan Edwards, RB

Donovan Edwards had big runs in some of Michigan’s biggest games, but there are still portions of the fanbase that mostly see him as only capable of running through gaps as wide as a dumpster.

Some of the criticisms are fair, as Edwards only rushed for 589 yards and four touchdowns on 128 carries this past year. But the reason Michigan will really miss Edwards is because of the addition of Chip Lindsey as the offensive coordinator. The coaching staff didn’t utilize Edwards nearly enough and only had 18 receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown in 2024. While Michigan is set at running back and young star Jordan Marshall is set to carry a greater load, Edwards could have been properly used in Lindsey’s offese.

Who do you think will be a big loss for the Wolverines to the NFL Draft? Let us know in the comments below!