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Matt Ludwig, Wolverine

Billings (MT) West tight end Matt Ludwig committed to Michigan on Tuesday. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon, Texas, Texas A&M, and lots of others.

Ludwig is listed at 6’4″ and anywhere from 230-240 pounds. As a junior in 2024, he caught 53 passes for 822 yards and 4 touchdowns. He also ran for 149 yards and 2 touchdowns as a short yardage wildcat QB.

RANKINGS
ESPN: 4-star, 80 grade, #11 TE, #297 overall
On3: 4-star, 92 grade, #5 TE, #92 overall
Rivals: 4-star, 5.8 grade, #10 TE
247 Sports: 4-star, 90 grade, #12 TE, #237 overall

Hit the jump for more.

Way Too Early 2025 Depth Chart: May 2025

The following depth chart has removed these listed players from the roster:

• RB Benjamin Hall (transfer to North Carolina)
• WR Amorion Walker (transfer to Middle Tennessee)
• DE Kechaun Bennett (transfer to UCLA)
• DE Aymeric Koumba (transfer to UCF)
• DT Alessandro Lorenzetti (transfer to Baylor)
• LB Jason Hewlett (transfer to Boston College)
• CB Ja’Den McBurrows (transfer to Appalachian State)

It assumes that every currently rostered player and every currently committed prospect will be here in the fall of 2025, which is obviously not true.

Hit the jump for the depth chart.

2025 Season Countdown: #110 Kaleb Schlecht

Name: Kaleb Schlecht
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 195 lbs.
High school: Ann Arbor (MI) Skyline
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #89
Last year: I did not rank Schlecht. He did not play in any games.
TTB Rating: N/A

Remember before the internet really existed and some guys just popped up on Michigan’s roster and you had no idea who they were and there was really no way to figure it out?

Well, Kaleb Schlecht is here to remind you.

Kaleb Schlect doesn’t have any Hudl highlights posted, except for a few basketball plays, mostly showing him being a lanky defender.

When I looked up Kaleb Schlecht on Twitter/X, he thankfully had a football highlight video linked, so I clicked on it. I thought maybe Google had just failed me.

The video showed a 6’0″ running back, which is not the same as a 6’4″ wide receiver.

So I double-checked the link, and Kaleb Schlect had simply re-posted his younger brother Ayden’s Hudl highlights.

That’s Kaleb Schlecht’s singular Twitter/X post since he signed up in January 2024.

So to sum up what I know about Kaleb Schlecht, here are Ayden’s Schlecht’s junior football highlights:

2025 Season Countdown: #111 Joshua Nichols

Name: Joshua Nichols
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 205 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Loyola
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #36
Last year: I ranked Nichols #96 and said he would be a backup safety and special teamer (LINK). He did not play.
TTB Rating: N/A

Nichols has spent the past few seasons as a scout team player, never seeing the field on a fall Saturday. He has made some appearances during spring games and does not appear to be ready for Big Ten competition, so his role is likely going to stay the same as a practice player.

While Michigan lost Makari Paige to graduation after the 2024 season, they brought in reinforcements and have guys waiting in the wings. Former starter Rod Moore will hopefully be ready for the 2025 season, and former Michigan State starter Jaden Mangham is also on hand. Meanwhile, Brandyn Hillman has made some strides, Mason Curtis has been a pleasant surprise, and Arkansas transfer T.J. Metcalf has a good amount of experience, too. The group hasn’t played together much, but there are a lot of solid pieces for defensive backs coach LaMar Morgan to piece together a back end.

Prediction: Backup safety

2025 Season Countdown: #112 Zach Ludwig

Name: Zach Ludwig
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 217lbs.
High school: South Park (PA) South Park
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #43
Last year: I ranked Ludwig #128 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He redshirted.
TTB Rating: 55

Ludwig was recruited to Michigan at a time when Ben Herbert, Ludwig’s uncle, was Michigan’s strength and conditioning coach. Ludwig was listed at 202 pounds last season, a good indication that he would not be ready to play in year one. That held true as the season came and went without his seeing the field.

Now we come out of spring with Ludwig still on the roster, listed at a slightly more reasonable 217 pounds. By weight alone, that’s still probably going to keep him off the field at linebacker. Special teams could be an option, but we’re likely looking at another season of him watching from the sidelines.

Prediction: Backup linebacker