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31Aug 2026

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2026 Season Countdown: #7 John Henry Daley

Name: John Henry Daley
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 252 lbs.
High school: Alpine (UT) Lone Peak
Position: Defensive end
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #90
Last year: Daley played for Utah. He made 48 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 pass breakup.
TTB Rating: N/A

John Henry Daley was a star last season. Football fans around the country were probably at least aware of the name because of the numbers he was racking up, finishing tied for #5 in the country in tackles for loss (1.59 for #3 on a per game basis) and #7 in sacks per game (1.05 for #2 on a per game basis). He was a wrecking ball coming off the edge for the Utes, hustling his way to outstanding numbers.

So, Thunder, why did you rank him at #7 in the countdown instead of in your top two?

Well, there’s a pesky thing in the back of your leg called an Achilles tendon, and Daley injured it last season. That’s why he only played in eleven games and why he didn’t participate in spring football. Head coach Kyle Whittingham insists Daley is back to full strength and even might be quicker and more explosive than he was prior to his injury, but historically, it seems like Achilles injuries are difficult to come back from in such a short time while retaining every bit of burst. So along with a tougher opponent schedule, Daley is going to be building back trust in his lower body.

I think Daley will be good. I hope he will be as good as he was at Utah. But I have my doubts. Michigan also has an array of other pass rushers to throw at other teams, so perhaps even if Daley struggles to return to form, Michigan will have guys they can put in to get the job done. Perhaps nobody else is an All-America level talent this season like Daley, but the coaching staff seems pretty confident in the defensive end group.

Prediction: Starting defensive end; 45 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 7 sacks

25Jan 2026

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John Henry Daley, Wolverine

Utah defensive end John Henry Daley is transferring to Michigan.

Coming out of Alpine (UT) Lone Peak, Daley was a 3-star, the #45 athlete, and #613 overall in the 247 Composite. He started his career at BYU in 2023, making 3 tackles in three games and redshirting. He then transferred to Utah, where he made 4 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 sack in seven games in 2024. He followed that up this past season with a Walter Camp First Team All-America performance, making 48 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 pass breakup while playing in eleven games.

At 6’4″ and 255 pounds, Daley tied for #5 nationally in tackles for loss (everyone tied with or above him played 12+ games) and #7 in sacks (same story). In other words, he was #3 in TFLs per game and #2 in sacks per game.

Daley has a lot of football in his bloodlines, including a brother who’s a captain at Rice (after starting his career at BYU, too), a dad who played at BYU, and several uncles who played at BYU, including Taysom Hill.

Watching some of Utah this season and some highlights of Daley, I’m definitely curious to see if his playmaking ability translates to the Big Ten. Most of the wins I saw were where he just came off the ball like a rocket, attacked half a man, and was able to beat the tackle around the edge. There’s not much nuance to his game. There’s definitely a path to success with that approach, but he will have to face better tackles in the Big Ten. Furthermore, he is overcoming a lower body injury (rumored to be an Achilles issue), so his contribution may just depend on how quickly he can get back to full speed. Luckily, he has two seasons of eligibility remaining, so Michigan fans could potentially see him at full strength in 2027, too.

If Daley gets back to form in 2026, he is pretty clearly Michigan’s best edge defender. Mix in some Dominic Nichols, Nate Marshall, Cam Brandt, etc., and it’s a decent group of players.