ESPN had an article written on which college football teams were recruiting the best on offense, and Michigan was mentioned among the best at recruiting running backs. On Friday, Tom VanHaaren with ESPN switched gears to the defensive side of the ball.
To no surprise, he mentioned the Wolverines when it comes to recruiting the defensive line.
There are some younger players on the roster, including George Rooks, TJ Guy, Kris Jenkins and Mike Morris, who will help this coming season, but the staff needs more players up front and especially on the edge.
Michigan has had elite talent on the defensive line for a very long time, even in the early 2000s with the likes of Brandon Graham, Lamar Woodley, Rashan Gary, and Chase Winovich to name a few.
Then, of course, the duo from the 2021 season that left a mark on the Michigan record books: Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo. Hutchinson had 14 sacks in 2021, which is now a single-season sack record at Michigan. Ojabo came out of seemingly nowhere last year and became a staple in college football after he ended the season with 11 sacks.
The cupboard is not bare in Ann Arbor though. Nobody can replace Hutchinson or Ojabo, but the Wolverines return plenty of talent. Taylor Upshaw, Kris Jenkins, Mike Morris, and Mazi Smith are going to be expected to step up for the maize and blue. Michigan also has newcomers Cam Goode, via the transfer portal, Derrick Moore and Mason Graham who could make an immediate impact on the defensive line in 2022.
While it’s hard to believe anyone can match the production that the duo from 2021 had, the Wolverines can still have a formidable line in 2022.
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Top 10 Michigan football defensive lineman since 1995
