Too Early 2024 Michigan Football Defense Depth Chart
Team 145 for Michigan Football is starting to take shape.
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.
| 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?
| 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?
| 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?
| 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?
| 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?
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