Too Early 2024 Michigan Football Defense Depth Chart

With the transfer portal window closed for everyone but grad transfers and the NFL declaration deadline passed, we now know who has left and stayed for 2024.

Michigan could still address some needs in the transfer portal, but this is how the depth chart currently projects weeks before spring camp.

Who are the projected starters? Where could Michigan look in the portal? Who are the breakout candidates in 2024?

ALSO READ: Too Early Michigan Football Offense Depth Chart

Here is the too-early Michigan Football depth chart for the defense and questions for each position group.

EDGE

DEPTH	PLAYER

Strong Side Starter	Derrick Moore
Weak Side Starter	Josaiah Stewart
SS Backup	Enow Etta or Cam Brandt
Rush Backup	TJ Guy or Kechaun Bennett
Depth	Tyler McLaurin, Aymeric Koumba, Breeon Ishmail, Devon Baxter, Dominic Nichols, Lugard Edokpayi

How good can the duo of Derrick Moore and Josaiah Stewart be? Who will earn a spot in the rotation among the group of young players and veterans? Will any of the freshmen have breakout campaigns?

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

DEPTH	PLAYER

NT Starter	Kenneth Grant
3T Starter	Mason Graham
5T Starter	Rayshaun Benny
Rotation	Trey Pierce, Ike Iwunnah, Reece Atteberry
Depth	Brooks Bahr, Alessandro Lorenzetti, Owen Wafle, Ted Hammond, Deyvid Palepale, Manuel Biegel

Will Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham be the best defensive tackle duo in the nation? Can Rayshaun Benny be consistent enough to replace Kris Jenkins? Who among the loaded group of sophomores and freshmen can crack the two-deep?

LINEBACKER

DEPTH	PLAYER

MIKE Starter	Jaishawn Barham
WILL Starter	Ernest Hausmann
MIKE Backup	Jimmy Rolder
WILL Backup	Jaydon Hood
Depth	Micah Pollard, Semaj Bridgeman, Hayden Moore, Jason Hewlett, Jeremiah Beasley, Cole Sullivan, Mason Curtis

Can the duo of Jaishawn Barham and Ernest Hausmann replace Colson and Barrett, and who will be the group's leader? Are Jimmy Rolder and Jaydon Hood ready to be contributors? Two straight loaded recruiting classes at linebacker, is there a breakout star in the group?

CORNERBACK

DEPTH	PLAYER

CB1	Will Johnson
CB2	Ja'Den McBurrows OR DJ Waller OR Jyaire Hill
Nickel	Keon Sabb
Backups	Kody Jones, Myles Pollard,
Depth	Jo'Ziah Edmond, Jeremiah Lowe, Jacob Oden

Who starts opposite Will Johnson? With a loaded safety group, does Michigan move its best cover safety to nickel with Keon Sabb? Who breaks through between DJ Waller and Jyaire Hill? Will Michigan continue to look at the portal for a nickel hybrid?

SAFETY

DEPTH	PLAYER

FS Starter	Rod Moore
SS Starter	Makari Paige
FS Backup	Quinten Johnson OR Zeke Berry
SS Backup	Keon Sabb OR Brandyn Hillman
Depth	Cristian Dixon, Jaden Smith

We still don’t know if Quinten Johnson will return. How good can Rod Moore and Makari Paige be in their third straight season starting together? Will Keon Sabb stay in safety rotation or move to Nickel? Can Zeke Berry have his breakout season? Will Brandyn Hillman crack the rotation?

---

Discuss this article with our community on our premium message boards

Not a subscriber to Maize & Blue Review? Sign up today to gain access to all the latest Michigan intel M&BR has to offer

Follow our staff on Twitter: @JoshHenschke, @Berry_Seth14, @TrevorMcCue, @DennisFithian, @BrockHeilig, @JimScarcelli, @lucasreimink

Subscribe to our podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify

Check out Maize & Blue Review's video content on YouTube

Follow Maize & Blue Review on social media: Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram