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Michigan Football 2024 Preview Defense: The Wolverines Might Be No. 1 Again
By Pete Fiutak,
2 days ago
Michigan Football Preview 2024: Defense
Blue Team defensive lineman Mason Graham (55) walks up the tunnel for halftime during the spring game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 20, 2024.
- Wink Martindale knows how to coach up a defense. The longtime NFL assistant - he was the New York Giant DC for the last two years - has been around several blocks, and now he’s stepping into the pressure role of keeping the Michigan defensive production going.
Michigan played Maryland, Ohio State, Alabama, and Washington in four of its last five games - fine, so Iowa was that fifth game - and still ended up No. 1 in the nation in total defense and scoring defense.
There might be several lost parts, but this group will still be fantastic around another great line.
Mason Graham is one of the nation’s best defensive tackles, and 6-3, 339-pound Kenneth Grant is a giant rock on the nose. 6-4, 296-pound Rayshaun Benny is like another tackle on the end, and the pass rushing will come from …
- The outside linebacker edge rushers will live in opposing backfields. Former Coastal Carolina transfer Josiah Stewart was exactly who the Wolverines thought they were getting with 38 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and 8.5 tackles for loss. Derrick Moore was just as strong on the other side with 34 tackles, five sacks, and six tackles for loss.
Now those two go from being key parts of the rotation to starters - they’re about to go off.
Former Nebraska star Earnest Hausmann made 46 tackles last year for the Wolverines, and now he’ll do even more inside next to Maryland transfer Jaishawn Barham who’ll take over for Junior Colson in the middle.
- The starting five in the Michigan secondary will be terrific, and it’s about to get a ton of talent coming in from the transfer portal to add some instant depth.
Will Johnson should be the best corner in college football, and now it’s up to Jyaire Hill and UNLV transfer Ricky Johnson to hold up with everyone staying away from No. 2 on the other side.
Big play safety Mike Sainristil is gone, and now it’s down to the combination of Zeke Berry and Ja’Den McBurrows to try picking up the slack.
Makari Paige is a strong tackler - fourth on the team with 44 stops - and there are plenty of options to fill in the other spots. Rod Moore is a big-time safety, but he tore his ACL this offseason and might not be back for at least half the season, at best.
Jaden Mangham made 53 tackles with four picks for Michigan State last season, and Wesley Walker is coming in to push for a spot after making 185 tackles over the last five years at Georgia Tech and Tennessee.
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