Tag: 2025 season countdown

2025 Season Countdown: #9 Jyaire Hill

Name: Jyaire Hill
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 190 lbs.
High school: Kankakee (IL) Kankakee
Position: Cornerback
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #20
Last year: I ranked Hill #20 and said he would be a starting cornerback with 25 tackles and 2 interceptions (LINK). He started nine games and made 35 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 interception, and 9 pass breakups.
TTB Rating: 88

Hill had an odd season in 2024. It was both a breakout season and an odd season. He became a starter for the first time, making nine starts in a defensive backfield that had Will Johnson, Zeke Berry, and Aamir Hall. The season included his first career interception, a very nice play against Minnesota.

And then against Northwestern, he didn’t start, played only seven snaps, and wore #35 in what appeared to be a disciplinary move. It’s not often that a player changes numbers for a single game, but the whispers behind the scenes for the past couple years have been that Hill is extremely talented but still has some work to do with the choices he makes.

Can Hill take that next step in 2025? He should be a starter at cornerback, and he reportedly took steps forward last year with his preparation. With a good season this fall, he could potentially jump to the NFL. But if those questions persist and NFL general managers are concerned, he might have to spend another year in college in 2026. So this could be a giant swing year for Hill, and if he can lock down opposing receivers, he could be a hugely valuable asset for the Wolverines.

Prediction: Starting cornerback; 40 tackles, 2 interceptions

2025 Season Countdown: #10 Zeke Berry

Name: Zeke Berry
Height: 5’11″
Weight: 196 lbs.
High school: Concord (CA) De La Salle
Position: Cornerback
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #10
Last year: I ranked Berry #22 and said he would be the starting nickel with 35 tackles, 3 sacks, and 2 interceptions (LINK). He started twelve games (7 at nickel, 5 at cornerback) and made 37 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 9 pass breakups, 2 quarterback hurries, and 1 forced fumble.
TTB Rating: 82

Berry went from not playing much at all in 2023 to being a guy Michigan felt they could plug in everywhere in 2024. He started off the season playing nickel and made an interception against Fresno State in his debut. But things in coverage were a little iffy during the first half of the season and he got lost at times.

Then star cornerback Will Johnson suffered an injury and missed the second half of the year. As coaches often say, “Get your best eleven on the field.” So rather than putting in a backup cornerback who wasn’t ready for prime time, Michigan reshuffled pieces in the defensive backfield and moved Berry to cornerback, moving safety Makari Paige to nickel. I wasn’t sure if Berry would be able to pull it off because he can be a little bit stiff in the hips, but his speed and physicality paid off. Michigan’s defense improved in the last third of the season as players got used to new defensive coordinator Wink Martindale and his deployment of personnel.

Now Berry is a key part of the defense going into 2025. He’s solidly in the starting lineup and expected to play corner all season. In fact, last year he was named the team’s defensive player of the year, probably largely because of his versatility to play a variety of positions. (I don’t think he was a better overall player than Mason Graham, for example.) I think Michigan has more depth at cornerback than some people think because there are talented players on the roster, but there is a general lack of experience outside of the two starters and backup transfer Caleb Anderson.

Prediction: Starting cornerback; 30 tackles, 2 interceptions

2025 Season Countdown: #11 Andrew Sprague

Name: Andrew Sprague
Height: 6’8”
Weight: 315 lbs.
High school: Kansas City (MO) Rockhurst
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #54
Last year: I ranked Sprague #79 and said he would be a backup offensive tackle (LINK). He played in four games, including one start.
TTB Rating: 89

It’s not often that any player, let alone a redshirt freshman, shoots up from #79 one year to #11 the next, but that’s the case for Sprague.

And it was kind of the case for Sprague during the season last year, too.

In some ways, Michigan seemed super deep at offensive tackle in 2024 with upperclassman who just couldn’t get on the field, like Jeff Persi (now at Pitt) and Andrew Gentry (now at BYU). Those two were boxed out by Myles Hinton and then redshirt freshman Evan Link. Unfortunately, most of Michigan’s line played poorly in 2024. And by the time the bowl game rolled around, Hinton opted out to prepare for the draft and in stepped Sprague, then a true freshman.

Going into the 2025 season, there’s been some chatter that Sprague might be Michigan’s best lineman right now, and his right tackle starting spot seemed to have been solidified by the spring, if not before. Sprague hasn’t been in a position battle like Link at left tackle or Brady Norton at right guard. He’s been The Man, even though he’s played fewer college snaps than any of the other projected starters.

It’s still awkward to think of #54 starting at right tackle, because I’m used to the tackles at Michigan sporting numbers in the 70s. But unless he has a change of heart to want to be the next great #77 like Jake Long or Jon Jansen or Taylor Lewan, I’m going to have to get used to it. If Michigan’s offense makes a big leap this season, we’re probably going to see a lot of highlights of the 6’8″ #54 caving down his side of the line.

Prediction: Starting right tackle

2025 Season Countdown: #12 Max Bredeson

Name: Max Bredeson
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 250 lbs.
High school: Hartland (WI) Arrowhead
Position: Tight end/Fullback
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #44
Last year: I ranked Bredeson #17 and said he would be a part-time starting tight end/fullback (LINK). He started six games and caught 3 passes for 24 yards.
TTB Rating: N/A

If you’re an off-ball linebacker on Michigan’s schedule, there’s probably nobody else in the league you would less want to meet face-to-face than Max Bredeson. He’s somewhat of a rarity in modern college football: a fullback.

In modern football coaches use RPOs and RROs to control defenders and make space, but in ye olden days, they used fullbacks to create extra gaps. The advantage of lining up in the I-formation has largely been twofold:

1. You create a good angle for a kickout block.
2. Wherever the fullback goes, you create an extra gap that requires an additional defender to overlap and/or beat their block to stop the ball carrier.

Of course there are other things coaches can do with fullbacks (hand off to them, fake handoffs to them, use them as pass catchers out of the backfield, etc.), but those are historically the main two.

Bredeson was exploring his post-Michigan options this off-season before deciding to come back for year five in a winged helmet, but he ultimately decided to come back and ply his trade for another season. He was a captain in 2024 and will be again in 2025. His expertise can largely get overlooked when Michigan running backs are doing their thing, but if you want to see some slobberknockers against opposing linebackers, safeties, and defensive ends, keep an eye on Bredeson.

This season the Wolverines appear to have a different version of fullback developing behind Bredeson, and that’s former walk-on Jalen Hoffman. Hoffman is less physical and more of a pass catcher, as evidenced by his 88-yard touchdown in the spring game. That gives the Wolverines a variety of skills they can throw out there in different packages, and tight ends coach Steve Casula has talked about having several guys that can go out there and play tight end right now – Bredeson, Hoffman, Marlin Klein, Zack Marshall, and Hogan Hansen.

Prediction: Part-time starting fullback/tight end

2025 Season Countdown: #13 Jaishawn Barham

Name: Jaishawn Barham
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 243 lbs.
High school: Baltimore (MD) St. Frances
Position: Linebacker
Class: Senior
Jersey number: #1
Last year: I ranked Barham #7 and said he would be a starting middle linebacker with 65 tackles, 4 sacks, and 1 interception (LINK). He started all thirteen games and made 66 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 pass breakups, and 5 quarterback hurries.
TTB Rating: N/A

After playing two seasons at Maryland, Barham transferred to Michigan for the 2024 season and immediately stepped into a starting role. Consistently discussed as perhaps the most imposing defender for the Wolverines, he had some troubles adjusting to Michigan’s defense. There were some missed reads and his coverage was questionable, but as the year went along, he and the entire defense improved as they got used to new defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. By the time the season ended, that unit was clicking and only allowed 49 points over the final four games, which included three top-11 teams in Indiana, Ohio State, and Alabama.

Barham probably shouldn’t be as low as #13, but I couldn’t justify ranking him higher in importance because the guys ahead of him in the countdown don’t have backups approximating their level. In the case of inside linebacker, Michigan has basically a third starter in Jimmy Rolder and then another guy that everyone raves about in Cole Sullivan. Add in fifth year senior Jaydon Hood and Georgia transfer Troy Bowles, and Michigan has a lot of depth. The talk is that Barham will be used in a variety of ways this year, including rushing off the edge, but Michigan has four solid guys on the edge, too. Barham should be fun to watch in year two wearing a winged helmet.

Prediction: Starting weakside linebacker; 60 tackles, 3 sacks

Another name in the LB class to be aware of is Michigan LB Jaishawn Barham. Has the athleticism and length to not only be an impactful off ball LB, but also a disruptive blizter pic.twitter.com/oYVYSSKCzX

— Joe DeLeone (@joedeleone) May 8, 2025