Michigan’s defense has been getting the kind of fall camp buzz that usually belongs to the stars, but the real story might be the guys buried a few rungs down the depth chart. If this team is going to have the kind of defensive depth that holds up over a season, it may come from a few players who won’t start, but could still matter plenty.
That shift in tone has been noticeable. Earlier in the summer, head coach Kyle Whittingham said at Big Ten Media Days that Michigan’s depth issues made him think the team was still “year or two away.” Last week, though, he said that timeline may have changed fast.
“The reason for that statement was a little bit of a shortage of depth at certain spots, but that has started - there’s been guys starting to come to the table there… Guys are starting to elevate their play and feeling much better about things than back when I made that statement.”
A few names have already broken through in camp, including Shamari Earls. But there’s more going on behind the headlines, especially with defensive tackle Jonah Lea’ea also in the mix. Three players in particular stand out as rotational pieces who could end up being a lot more important than their depth-chart labels suggest.
Bobby Kanka is one of them. The 6-foot-4, 295-pound sophomore first popped with a big hit in the spring game, and the momentum has only built from there. Defensive tackles coach Larry Black has been impressed with how Kanka has handled the physical side of the job.
“He’s following the footsteps of those older guys,” Black said. “He shows up, and he’s put good weight on himself, which is naturally helping him on the inside with the double teams and the combo blocks.
You see a guy who wants to strike and use his hands and play with pad level more consistently and dominate his gap. I always tell those guys, especially as a young guy: if you want to play right away, show that you can come out and dominate a double team and a base block, and then we’ll build it from there.
“So he’s been able to help himself by doing that daily. Bob’s a smart kid too - he’s always gonna know his assignment and his alignment and be able to operate from there. He’s been crushing it.”
Trey Pierce, Enow Etta and Jonah Lea’ea look set as the main three up front, with Kanka and Deyvid Palepale pushing to give Michigan a five-man interior rotation. That kind of depth is exactly what coaches want, and if Kanka can give the defense 15-20 strong snaps a game, that could end up swinging a one-score game or two.
Then there’s true freshman Tariq Boney, who has already gotten attention alongside five-star Carter Meadows. Meadows, at 6-foot-7 and 252 pounds, has been the obvious headline grabber. But Jay Hill said last Thursday that both freshmen “have done unbelievable things,” which says plenty about where Boney is right now.
At 6-foot-1 and 243 pounds, Boney fits into a very specific Michigan mold: the undersized edge rusher who plays much bigger than he looks. The list of comparables at the school includes LaMarr Woodley, Josh Uche and Josaiah Stewart.
Boney’s high school tape showed a player with relentless energy and force, the kind of edge presence that can wreck a play in a hurry without losing control of himself. That restraint may be part of what’s winning over the staff.
His role this season probably won’t be massive, but a third-down pass-rushing job can still be huge, especially when a defense is trying to close out games and protect a lead.
The third name worth watching is I’Marion Stewart, a junior and former wide receiver who has moved to defensive back. Stewart was a three-star in the 2024 class and never found a real home on offense, so he has shifted over in search of a better fit. It’s the kind of move Michigan has seen work before, with players like Mike Sainristil and Tripp Welborne making similar transitions.
There is reason to take Stewart seriously, too. The secondary already has three standout starters in Jyaire Hill, Zeke Berry and Smith Snowden, but the competition behind them is wide open. Rod Moore, Michigan’s first three-time captain since the 19th century, said earlier in camp that Stewart looks like “a natural at DB,” which is a meaningful endorsement for a player still trying to carve out a role.
Stewart already knows the route tree and receiver releases from the other side of the ball, and if he can hold up against the run, he could be next in line to help a defense that suddenly looks deeper than it did a few weeks ago.
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