Michigan’s linebacker room is heading into 2026 with plenty of turnover, and Chase Taylor is one of the names that could end up mattering most.
The Wolverines have to replace Ernest Hausmann, Cole Sullivan and Jimmy Rolder, which leaves a real opening for someone young to grab hold of a bigger role. Taylor, ranked No. 16 in this series of Michigan’s 25 most important players for 2026, looks like a strong candidate to do exactly that after flashing as a true freshman.
A member of Bryce Underwood’s 2025 recruiting class, Taylor arrived in Ann Arbor as a Georgia prospect with a solid offer sheet but not a ton of national buzz. He was a three-star recruit and the 73rd-best linebacker, per 247Sports.
That didn’t keep him off the field. Taylor played in 10 games last season, logging 80 defensive snaps and finishing with 10 tackles.
This spring, though, his name has come up more and more. Michigan has listed Taylor, Troy Bowles and Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng as its top three linebackers, even with veteran help added through the portal. At 6'2" and 237 pounds, Taylor has the kind of frame that fits the position, and the buzz around him has only grown.
"He's going to be a good player," an insider told CBS Sports this spring. "Seeing his frame fill out, his athleticism, his ability at the point of attack, he's just a good player overall. And to see someone have that kind of poise and presence already at 19 years old is impressive."
That trio is still developing, but the talent is obvious. If Taylor takes the next step, Michigan could be looking at a player who gives it multiple productive seasons as a starter.
Jay Hill’s defense asks a lot from its linebackers because it’s built to attack, and that group has been central to the production in recent years. Over the last two seasons, Hill has had two linebackers finish among the top four tacklers on the team, and that kind of output should again be in play in 2026.
The only real question is which linebackers will drive it. Bowles makes sense as the veteran in the room, and Owusu-Boateng brings the kind of athletic, tackling-machine profile that can jump off the page.
Still, Taylor is hard to overlook. Even with Owusu-Boateng’s health factoring into the picture, Taylor looks like a safe bet to finish with 60-plus tackles this season.
In Other News...
Michigan Hit With Another Lawsuit As Warde Manuel Pressure Boils Over
The latest off-field headache for Michigan comes from former football assistant Chris Partridge, who has filed a lawsuit against the university, athletic director Warde Manuel, president Santa Ono, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti and the Board of Regents. Partridge says he was wrongfully fired during the 2023 season, a move that came after he was accused of discussing the investigation with a player before being cleared, and the filing adds another legal layer to a program that has already spent months dealing with fallout from the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal and the Matt Weiss investigation.
What makes this one especially combustible is the way it keeps the pressure on Manuel at a moment when his future is already under scrutiny. The allegations in the filing have not been proven in court, but they arrive as a Michigan Board of Regents meeting is expected to address Manuels status with the university, turning what might have been a routine governance matter into another flashpoint for a department that has not had much room to breathe. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Fans Have Every Right To Be Frustrated About Jordan Marshall
Michigans backfield did not get much national respect this offseason, with CBS Sports leaving the Wolverines off its top-10 college football running back groups. That omission is easy enough to argue with after Jordan Marshall emerged as Michigans most productive runner in 2025, leading the team in rushing yards and touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry and drawing a strong overall grade from PFF.
Marshall still enters 2026 as the clear lead option, but the picture around him is shifting. Freshman Savion Hiter adds another layer of talent to the room, and a new offensive coordinator will help shape how Michigan uses its backs, which makes the next step for Marshall and the offense worth watching even if the national rankings have already moved on. [Read more 🡒]