Nate Marshall is starting to sound like the kind of edge presence Michigan football has been searching for.
That matters because a real pass rush is never built around just one guy. The Wolverines already know they have a premier threat in John Henry Daley, the preseason All-American who arrived from Utah after posting 11.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss last season. Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham said Daley looks "more explosive than ever" as he comes back from a season-ending injury, but even that kind of talent needs help.
Marshall may be the answer. The top-50 overall recruit in the 2025 class played in 11 games as a freshman, though his role was limited. Still, his talent has become impossible to miss, and Whittingham singled him out as one of three Michigan players who significantly boosted their stock during fall camp.
That kind of rise could end up being huge for the defense. Outside of Daley, Michigan doesn’t have another proven pass rusher locked in on the roster.
Cameron Brandt should see plenty of snaps because of what he brings against the run, but he has only 3.5 sacks over the past two seasons. Dominic Nichols is another name to keep in mind, and Carter Meadows also appears positioned for a meaningful role.
The depth chart suggests Daley, Marshall, Nichols and Meadows are the four edge players most likely to see the field the most this season. And that’s where Michigan’s ceiling gets interesting.
Whittingham went even further this week, saying Marshall might be the best pass rusher on the team. If that holds, the Wolverines could have a nasty one-two punch off the edge with Daley and Marshall, while Meadows and Nichols give the unit enough depth to keep everyone fresh.
That doesn’t mean every rusher will play in equal chunks. Last season, Michigan’s defense seemed to rotate that way at times.
But the idea here is bigger than that: waves of pressure, not just one isolated star. As the season approaches, it looks like Michigan may finally have enough edge talent to build the kind of pass rush an elite defense needs, and Marshall is a big reason why.
In Other News...
Michigan Fans Just Got An Early Sign About The Backfield Choice
The early glimpse into Michigans backfield picture offered a reminder that roster decisions can shape a season long before conference play settles in. Justice Haynes, who left the Wolverines via the transfer portal and showed up for Georgia Tech in a recent game against Colorado, was part of the backdrop to a move that now looks increasingly intentional from Michigans side, with the program choosing to build around the backs already in the building.
Jordan Marshall is the headliner in that group after a strong previous season, and he has already put himself in the conversation as a potential Heisman contender if that level continues. Michigan also made the call to keep freshman Savion Hiter in the fold, a decision that signals confidence in the current depth chart and a willingness to move forward without Haynes as part of the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Opener Still Comes With One Injury Question Up Front
Michigan heads into its season opener with most of the injury noise already sorted out, and that is a relief for a program that has spent much of camp trying to get healthy in the right spots. John Henry Daley and Rod Moore are both available after earlier injury concerns, which gives the Wolverines some welcome stability as they begin the year with expectations attached and little margin for early-season mistakes.
Andrew Babalola will not be part of that opening-day group after a minor setback, leaving one more question up front as the team finalizes its first-game rotation. Michigan has already absorbed bigger blows in the offseason with Micah Kaapana and Ace Hamilton lost for the year, so even a short-term absence matters when the roster is being layered back together for the start of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Underwood Faces Michigan Test That Will Define The Hype
Bryce Underwood entered Michigans offseason with the kind of billing that turns every throw into a talking point, but the early signs out of fall camp suggest the sophomore quarterback is settling into his next step with a little more polish. The No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 class has been working under new offensive coordinator Jason Beck in a revised scheme, and coaches have pointed to noticeable progress in his consistency and decision-making since spring.
Underwoods development matters because Michigan is not just waiting on talent anymore, it is waiting on proof that the hype can survive game planning, pressure and the regular rhythm of a season. He spent part of the offseason training with quarterback Jordan Palmer and Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burrow, and now the real test is whether those lessons show up when the Wolverines start asking him to run the offense instead of simply flash what he can do. [Read more 🡒]