I spoke with a handful of my most reliable NFL agent sources earlier today to get their opinions on the Harbaugh situation. They all believe the NFL would outbid Michigan for Harbaugh, as I noted in my previous 3R report. I expressed my opinion that having a say in front office choices would be important and that money wouldn’t be the decisive factor. My perspective was challenged by one of the previously mentioned agent sources from one of the more well-known sports agencies.
There never seems to be a dull moment in college football these days, especially when it comes to the Michigan football team.
The Wolverines won a national championship last week, commemorated the victory with an indoor celebration and broadcast procession, had players register for the NCAA Transfer Portal, and watched almost two dozen players choose to pursue the NFL Draft. However, as of Tuesday, those deadlines for making decisions have past, providing us with an opportunity to examine the Wolverines’ current situation in light of their start to the 2024 season preparations.
Using a first-look depth chart is how we do it first. We look at who we would currently project to start, backup, and mix in at each defensive position group while keeping track of which players have come and gone. We also provide an overview of the current situation, complete with a Transfer Portal need metre.
As usual, we don’t use ties in our depth charts, but we might give an explanation for why we chose a particular player over another. We’re limited to returning players, transfers, and recruits for this edition. Additionally, we’re not projecting breakout players who might declare for the draft in August just yet; instead, we’re staying with the lineup the Wolverines would choose if they had a month to get ready for a game.
Why is this arrangement in place? It’s difficult to dispute Jesse Minter’s assessment of Grant and Graham as the nation’s top defensive line tandem, which he shared with me following Michigan’s victory in the national championship game in Houston. Big, strong, athletic, and mean in their play, the two make superb all-around linemen who can stop the run and pass.
In terms of total defensive grades from Pro Football Focus, Graham and Grant placed fourth and thirteenth, respectively, out of 222 Power-Five defensive tackles who played 250 snaps during the previous season. They ranked eighth and forty-seventh in run-stop rate and 12th and 14th in pass-rushing production on the site. Grant is a preseason all-conference player and a dark horse first-round possibility for 2025, and Graham is expected to be an All-American.
Benny is going to be one of the defense’s most underappreciated players in 2023. Among the same group, the former four-star recruit was fourth in run-stop percentage as a redshirt sophomore, recording 27 tackles without a single missed tackle. He has the potential to significantly assist Michigan in mitigating Jenkins’s influence.
Michigan will be looking to Pierce and Atteberry, an intriguing pair, behind that trio. Atteberry played 43 snaps despite not playing defence until fall camp following years as an offensive lineman, while Pierce played the sixth-most snaps among tackles with 58, burning his true freshman redshirt. With a strengthening offseason, both, who weighed more than 300 pounds in August of last year, could be formidable forces in the centre. This spring, Alessandro Lorenzetti, Ike Iwunnah, and Brooks Bahr are among the other players aiming to advance.
Why is this arrangement in place? Similar to tackle, Michigan’s edge room sees the return of two established stars in Moore and Stewart despite the loss of a few crucial players. Combining for 72 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, 55 quarterback pressures, and 25 run stops while sharing snaps with Harrell and McGregor. Although Stewart, at 6-foot-1 and 245 pounds, and Moore, at 6-foot-3 and 258 pounds, are both tiny in comparison to NFL edge-rushers, it was hardly ever evident on tape during the previous season. Although Michigan would rather have four edge rushers in rotation, the Wolverines can start the spring knowing they have two reliable and experienced options at the edge.
