Here’s the scoop on 77 former Michigan Wolverines players, how their 2025 went, and where they are for 2026.
FORMER PLAYERS
Raheem Anderson, C (Western Michigan): Anderson concluded his college football career by becoming an All-MAC center for the Broncos in 2025.
Andrel Anthony, WR (Duke): Anthony concluded his college football career by catching 26 passes for 246 yards and 5 touchdowns for the Blue Devils in 2025. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Falcons.
Devon Baxter, DE (Virginia): Baxter is a 6’6″, 247 lb. redshirt sophomore for his first season at Virginia.
Jeremiah Beasley, LB (Missouri): Beasley made 19 tackles and 1 forced fumble in 2025 and is penciled in as a backup linebacker for the 2026 season.
Josh Beetham, TE (Georgia Tech): Beetham started five games and played in all thirteen in 2025, making 6 catches for 134 yards and 2 touchdowns altogether.
Kechaun Bennett, DE (UCLA): Bennett transferred to UCLA for his final college season and made 25 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 1 quarterback hurry while playing in eleven games.
Christian Boivin, LB (Saginaw Valley State): Boivin transferred to Division II SVSU and made 105 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble in 2025.
Tristan Bounds, OT (Arizona): Bounds started eight games for Arizona in 2025 and is expected to be the starting right tackle in 2026. He’s listed at 6’8″, 306 lbs. going into his sixth year.
95. DT Manuel Beigel (RS Fr.): Beigel is a 6’5″, 300 lb. German native who spent one season playing football in America as a senior in the fall of 2023 and then took a redshirt in 2024 after playing in just one game. We haven’t heard much about him since he arrived at Michigan, but scouts raved about his athleticism when he was a recruit. If we’re judging from other international prospects like Luiji Vilain (Canada), Julius Welschof (Germany), and Aymeric Koumba (France), it will take some time before Beigel is ready to contribute. With the depth on Michigan’s defensive line, I don’t expect Beigel to play much of a role in 2025. Last year’s rank: #128.
94. RB Donovan Johnson (Fr.): Johnson (3-star, #39 RB, #477 overall) has had some injury issues in the past, which deflated his recruitment. He ran just 48 times for 257 yards and 3 touchdowns in seven games as a senior after missing his junior season due to injury. Now up to a listed 6’0″, 213 lbs. on MGoBlue.com, he’s going to be swimming upstream against a pretty deep backfield. Aside from surefire contributors Jordan Marshall and Justice Haynes, the Wolverines brought in C.J. Hester from UMass and John Volker from Princeton. It always seems like a freshman sneaks in for a pretty sizable backup role, but that will be a tall task in 2025.
93. OT Daniel Taraboi (RS Jr.): The 6’7″, 328 lb. mammoth former walk-on played in one game last year, making an appearance on special teams against Northwestern. That’s probably his best opportunity for playing time, where being a big body can help on a field goal protection unit without being super mobile. Last year’s rank: #101.
92. DE Devon Baxter (RS Fr.): Baxter is listed at 6’6″ and 240 pounds on the roster, which is still rather lean for an edge rusher. He has probably added some weight to that frame this off-season, but he has not been mentioned much in the discussion for playing time. The top four edges are expected to be Derrick Moore, T.J. Guy, Cam Brandt, and Dominic Nichols. I really like his athletic potential, but he’s probably at least a year away from significant playing time. Last year’s rank: #109.
91. S Elijah Dotson (Fr.): Dotson (4-star, #11 S, #131 overall) was a late flip from Pitt to Michigan, having committed to the Wolverines toward the end of November. He was followed shortly by #1 overall player Bryce Underwood, also from Belleville High. Dotson could potentially play wide receiver, where he also starred in high school, but he’s starting out at safety in college. He seems to have flown under the radar a little bit, especially for a player who ranked #131 overall in the 247 Composite. That being said, Michigan has a pretty deep defensive backfield, so Dotson will probably have to bide his time on the sideline this fall.
RETURNING PLAYERS: Kechaun Bennett (RS Sr.), Rayshaun Benny (RS Sr.), T.J. Guy (RS Sr.), Ike Iwunnah (RS Sr.), Tyler McLaurin (RS Sr.), Derrick Moore (Sr.), Chibi Anwunah (RS Jr.), Joey Klunder (RS Jr.), Alessandro Lorenzetti (RS Jr.), Trey Pierce (Jr.), Enow Etta (RS So.), Aymeric Koumba (RS So.), Devon Baxter (RS Fr.), Edgard Lugopayi (RS Fr.), Dominic Nichols (RS Fr.) NEWCOMERS: Damon Payne (RS Sr.), Tre Williams (RS Sr.), Julius Holly (Fr.), Travis Moten (Fr.) DEPARTURES: Mason Graham (NFL Draft), Kenneth Grant (NFL Draft), Josaiah Stewart (NFL Draft)
OUTLOOK:Â Ahhhhh . . . defensive line. This is the place where Michigan fans can all take a deep breath of the happy, fresh air, where things are all fine and dandy. Michigan has had a long line of quality defensive linemen who have been fun to watch, going back years, including Chase Winovich, Maurice Hurst Jr., Ryan Glasgow, Kwity Paye, etc. More recently, we’ve seen Aidan Hutchinson, David Ojabo, Kenneth Grant, Josaiah Stewart, and Mason Graham star on the defensive line. Last year it was Graham and Grant – both of whom are projected to be 1st rounders – who really held down the middle of the line, stymying Ohio State’s rushing attack and helping Michigan preserve that sweet, sweet, 13-10 victory.
This year Michigan might have to hold its breath a little bit.
With Graham and Grant off to the NFL, Michigan has to hope someone will develop at defensive tackle who doesn’t have a great track record yet. Rayshaun Benny has already played great at times, and barring injury, he should once again be a force. Otherwise, it will be up to fifth year senior Ike Iwunnah (7 tackles, 1 tackle for loss in 2024), junior Trey Pierce (7 tackles), redshirt sophomore Enow Etta (4 tackles, 0.5 sacks), and a couple transfers to get it done inside. Luckily, the transfers were pretty good recruits. On the not-so-great side, they weren’t super productive at their previous stops. Alabama transfer Damon Payne (14 tackles, 0.5 sacks) and Clemson transfer Tre Williams (14 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks) are not stars like Graham and Grant, but they’re veteran additions.
The most impressive aspect and the biggest sign for hope is that this is a veteran-heavy position group. Altogether, the defensive line room boasts seven (7!!!) fifth-year seniors and four fourth-year players, the latter group including a couple former walk-ons in Joey Klunder and Chibi Anwunah. At a position in the trenches where physical maturity is at a premium, if you can’t win with pure talent, it’s at least good to have size, strength, and mental maturity.
On the edges, Michigan will miss Josaiah Stewart, an undersized player who won a ton of his matchups and played tougher than his 6’1″, 245 lb. frame would indicate. But rising senior Derrick Moore (23 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 2 sacks) and fifth year senior T.J. Guy (32 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks) both played well in the bowl game against Alabama; Moore came on in that game after being pretty quiet throughout the regular season, but Guy was solid for most of the year. Those two players should lead the way, but Michigan did not land any reinforcements in the transfer portal and will need to count on some young players to rotate in and find some success.
Redshirt sophomore Aymeric Koumba looks the part, and Michigan brought in a really talented trio in 2024 with Lugard Edokpayi, Devon Baxter, and Dominic Nichols. Nichols looked like he belonged, making 3 tackles in five games (one was the bowl game, so he preserved his redshirt). But there’s plenty of opportunity here for help at the edge positions to step up in the spring and stake a claim for playing time this fall.
Overall, this is a veteran group that should be solid and deep. In fact, I can’t think of a Michigan team that has had this much experience. The real question is the top-end talent and whether someone who will step up who can make consistent big plays in crunch time, something guys like Mason Graham, Josaiah Stewart, Aidan Hutchinson, and others have been able to do.
Name: Devon Baxter Height: 6’6″ Weight: 235 lbs. High school: Clinton (MD) Gwynn Park Position: Defensive end Class: Freshman Jersey number: N/A Last year: Baxter was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 55 tackles, 13 sacks, 9 pass breakups, and 3 fumble recoveries. TTB Rating: 78
Baxter was a bit of an under-the-radar recruit until Michigan jumped into the ring. He took an official visit to Michigan in mid-June of 2023, and a few days later, he publicly committed to the Wolverines. He finished as a low-ish 4-star as the #26 edge player and #337 overall in the 247 Composite, but 247 itself is highest on him, ranking him all the way up at #182 overall in the class.
Personally, I like Baxter as an athlete to get into the program. I think he could be a standout receiving tight end, and he could also be an outstanding edge rusher. He has the length, burst, and change-of-direction skills to make an impact getting after the passer, perhaps more so than anyone in the pipeline right now. Very few people in Michigan’s program have the length and quickness Baxter possesses. But he’s also very light right now at 235 pounds, and his technique is lacking. He plays as a stand-up edge mostly, but sometimes he puts his hand in the dirt or even kicks inside sometimes, too. Michigan needs to get him in the weight room and see how quickly he can put on some much needed strength, because he could be a Taco Charlton-like player, and Michigan will need some natural pass rushers in the near future.
Brandywine (MD) Gwynn Park defensive end Devon Baxter committed to Michigan on Monday evening. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Maryland, Penn State, Tennessee, and Virginia Tech, among others.
Baxter is a 6’6″, 235 lb. prospect. As a junior in 2022, he made 48 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks. He also caught 12 passes for 181 yards and 4 touchdowns.
