Michigan didn’t just land a transfer this offseason - they landed a game-changer. Former Utah edge rusher John Henry Daley is headed to Ann Arbor, and if his 2025 numbers are any indication, the Wolverines just added one of the most disruptive defenders in the country.
Daley racked up 48 tackles, 11.5 sacks, and forced two fumbles last season before an Achilles injury cut his year short. But even that hasn’t slowed down the momentum around his arrival. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 255 pounds, Daley has the frame, the motor, and the production to make a serious impact in the Big Ten - and he’s already turning heads on the recovery trail.
Speaking recently about his rehab, Daley gave an update that should have Michigan fans feeling optimistic.
“It’s going better than expected,” he said. “Everybody’s blown away with the progress I’ve made so far.
It’s been very, very encouraging on all fronts - better than I expected, better than the surgeon expected, and we are flying along in the process. Got to be patient with this, can’t rush anything, but, at the same time, they want an aggressive approach to it, and I’m feeling great, walking just fine, doing everything great and just looking at the next steps now.”
That kind of progress - especially for a player coming off a ruptured Achilles - is no small thing. It’s a notoriously tough injury for any athlete, let alone a pass rusher who relies on burst, bend, and explosiveness. But Daley’s recovery seems to be ahead of schedule, and he’s attacking it with the same intensity he brings off the edge.
The buzz around Daley isn’t just local, either. He’s already earned a spot on ESPN’s 2026 Way-Too-Early All-America Team - a nod to both his past production and his potential ceiling. And according to Daley, what we saw last season might only be scratching the surface.
“I feel like that’s the floor - not the ceiling - of what I’m going to be able to do,” he said. “Obviously, I just need to keep on attacking my rehab and doing everything that’s necessary, but I’ll be back, and I won’t be back to where I was, but I’ll be better than I’ve ever been.”
That’s not just confidence - that’s conviction. And it’s coming from a player who already proved he can wreck an offensive game plan.
If Daley’s fully healthy come fall, Michigan’s defensive front could be downright scary. He brings proven production, high-level athleticism, and a relentless mindset - the kind of edge presence that can tilt a game, or even a season.
For a program that’s coming off a national title and reloading in key areas, Daley could be a cornerstone piece in the next chapter of Michigan’s defensive dominance. Keep an eye on his rehab this spring and summer. Because if he’s anywhere near 100% by Week 1, offensive coordinators across the Big Ten are going to have a whole new problem to game-plan for.