Wolverines showed up all over the NFL in Week 1, with a handful of former Michigan players making real noise in the box score and a few others logging their first snaps in new roles.
Kwity Paye had the biggest day of the bunch. In the Las Vegas Raiders’ 27-13 win over the Miami Dolphins, Paye piled up six tackles and two sacks. Across the league, Aidan Hutchinson matched that kind of disruptive impact for Detroit, finishing with five tackles and two sacks as the Lions edged the New Orleans Saints 31-30.
The defensive production kept rolling in other games, too. Mason Graham was active for Cleveland in a 34-10 loss to Jacksonville, posting five tackles, two for loss and one sack.
Dax Hill helped Cincinnati in its 33-27 win over Tampa Bay with seven tackles, while Kris Jenkins added a sack. DJ Turner chipped in four tackles, and William Wagner handled snapping duties for four field goals, one punt and three extra points.
On the other side, Ben Bredeson was on the field for 57 snaps at left guard for Tampa Bay.
Detroit also got a debut from Derrick Moore, who played 18 snaps at defensive end in his NFL debut. New Orleans had Cesar Ruiz on the field for 90 snaps at right guard.
Blake Corum was busy in the Rams’ 27-7 loss to San Francisco, carrying 10 times for 54 yards. Josaiah Stewart added six tackles for Los Angeles, while Josh Wallace logged seven snaps at safety.
Nico Collins was one of Houston’s top targets in a 36-31 loss to Buffalo, catching seven passes for 75 yards and a touchdown. Marlin Klein also made his NFL debut for the Texans, finishing with one catch for 16 yards.
Minnesota’s 39-22 win over Green Bay included contributions from Josh Metellus, who had four tackles. Trevor Keegan appeared on five special teams snaps in his team debut, and Max Bredeson played 24 offensive snaps in his NFL debut.
There were more Wolverines around the league beyond the main stat lines, including AJ Barner in Seattle, Devin Bush, Colston Loveland in Chicago, Rashan Gary in his team debut, Luke Schoonmaker in Dallas, Will Johnson in Arizona, Braiden McGregor with the Jets, Mike Onwenu in New England, Jon Runyan, Dominic Zvada in his NFL debut with the Giants, Mike Sainristil in Washington, Josh Uche in Miami and Roman Wilson in Pittsburgh.
Michigan’s footprint also showed up on coaching staffs. Mike Elston is the defensive line coach for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Larry Foote serves as run game coordinator/outside linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Harold Goodwin is the assistant head coach/run game coordinator for the Carolina Panthers.
Jim Harbaugh is the head coach of the Chargers. Cato June is the assistant linebackers coach for the Indianapolis Colts.
Jeff Kastle is an assistant tight ends coach for the Buccaneers. Kevin Koger is the tight ends coach for the Atlanta Falcons.
Jordan Kovacs coaches safeties and the secondary for the Cincinnati Bengals. John Spytek is the general manager of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Adam Stenavich is the offensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers.
In Other News...
Michigan Just Made An Early Move That Should Excite Basketball Fans
While the football team was entertaining Oklahoma, Michigan basketball used the same weekend to work its own recruiting circuit, bringing in several top prospects for campus visits. Among the headliners were 2028 five-star forwards Dylan Betts and Brady Pettigrew, a sign that the staff is already thinking far ahead as it tries to build relationships with the next wave of elite talent.
The visits also included time with head coach Mike Boynton and former players, giving the recruits a fuller look at what Michigan can offer beyond the practice gym. Pettigrew has sparked some buzz because of the possibility that he could move up a class, but that remains unconfirmed for now, leaving the bigger question open: how much traction did Michigan gain with two of the most coveted names on its early board? [Read more 🡒]
Michigan May Have Gained Real Recruiting Momentum After Beating Oklahoma
Michigans win over Oklahoma did more than improve the mood around the program. It also gave the staff a chance to put several high-profile visitors in the middle of the atmosphere, with five-star wide receiver Dakota Guerrant and four-star prospects Nasir Richardson, Mekhi McNair, Asa Burch and Armani Strong among the recruits on hand. The setting mattered, and the reactions afterward suggested the day landed the way Michigan hoped it would.
The buzz extended beyond the field, too, with recruits and their families speaking positively about both the game-day environment and the broader feel around the program. Guerrant, who is currently committed to Oregon, is among the visitors now taking a harder look after the trip, which is the kind of momentum Michigan has been trying to build on the trail. The game provided a backdrop, but the real question is how far that visit can move things in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Shouldn't Overlook The UTEP Threats That Could Test This Opener
Michigan opens the season as a heavy favorite, but the spread alone will not make UTEP disappear. The Miners bring a few players who give this matchup some real shape, starting with quarterback EJ Colson Jr., who gives their offense a dual-threat element, and Kam Thomas, a versatile piece who can move around and create problems in different spots. Add running back Tavorus Jones to the mix and UTEP at least has enough skill talent to make the Wolverines stay alert early.
Defensively, the Miners also have a few names that could make the first game of the year feel less like a tune-up than Michigan would prefer. Linebacker Jayden Wilson has been one of the more active pieces on that side, while cornerback Justin Content brings the kind of coverage ability that can challenge timing throws. Michigan should still expect to control the game, but if UTEP is going to make it interesting at all, it will probably come through a handful of those individual matchups rather than a broad team upset push. [Read more 🡒]