Tag: Nico Andrighetto

2026 Season Countdown: #76-80

#76. C.J. Charleston – WR – Cleveland (OH) Gilmour Academy: Nobody really talks about this, but Charleston is a super weird eligibility story and I have no idea what’s going on when it comes to why he’s still on Michigan’s roster. The 6’0″, 190 lb. wideout started two games for Michigan back in 2024, so he has played at the Big Ten level . . . but he started his college career all the way back in 2019. Just for some context, Michigan’s headliner in the 2019 class was Daxton Hill . . . who is now entering his fifth season in the NFL. Charleston played at Youngstown State prior to Michigan and is now in his third season on the Wolverines roster. He was injured last year and the plan for him this fall is unclear. I have a hard time believing he’ll work his way back to a starting role, partly because the new coaching staff has upgraded the receiver room with transfers like Jaime Ffrench and Salesi Moa. But Charleston does have college playing experience and is the oldest player on Michigan’s roster, so maybe that will be enough to get him on the field situationally.

#77. Nico Andrighetto – S – Mountain View (CA) St. Francis: Andrighetto is a 5’9″, 190 lb. fifth year senior who has been named Scout Team Player of the Year three times during his career – on defense in 2023-2024 and on special teams in 2025. He made just 1 tackle last season but played in eight total games. We’ll see if the new coaching staff will also recognize his strengths and abilities, but I figure Andrighetto will continue to be a contributor on special teams.

#78. I’Marion Stewart – WR – Chicago (IL) Kenwood: Stewart is one of those players who came in with some excitement . . . and now it seems to be getting late early. He didn’t see the field in 2024 and suffered an ACL injury in 2025, so now he enters year three in college with zero playing experience. Once thought of as a potential kick/punt returner and a possible solution at slot receiver, he seems to be getting zero buzz. I’m giving the edge to Charleston (see above) when it comes to importance, but Stewart had higher upside coming out of high school. Is he healthy and can he translate the mental reps from the past couple years into doing some good things on the field this fall? My guess is that we won’t see much of him in 2026, but maybe he could show up as a returner on special teams.

#79. Kaden Catchings – LB – Jackson (MS) Hartfield: Michigan’s first signee out of Mississippi since Jeremy LeSueur, Catchings is listed as a 6’1″, 220 lb. freshman. He made 29 tackles and 2 sacks on defense and rushed for 336 yards and 6 touchdowns on offense during his senior season. Michigan brought in several transfer linebackers (Max Alford, Aisea Moa, Nate Staehling, etc.) and has some unproven talent in the linebacker room, so the depth chart is a little bit muddy. However, Catchings is probably not going to play much this fall.

#80. Chase Herbstreit – QB – Cincinnati (OH) St. Xavier: Redshirt freshman Herbstreit is listed at 6’1″, 198 lbs. and appears to be well down the depth chart for the Wolverines. The son of ESPN analyst – and former Ohio State quarterback – Kirk Herbstreit, Chase fell behind true freshman Tommy Carr as soon as Carr arrived on campus this winter. With former Colorado State quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi also entering the fray this summer, it appears that Herbstreit will be no higher than fourth on the quarterback depth chart. His size, athleticism, and arm strength are only so-so, which means his path to playing time will have to come from his intellect. I don’t think that will be enough for him this season, so Herbstreit will likely be a scout team guy in 2026.

2025 Season Countdown: #66-70

70. S Kainoa Winston (Fr.): Winston (4-star, #10 safety, #96 overall) has the disadvantage of not enrolling early, but he’s a speedy player who hits hard and was a top-100 recruit in the class of 2025. There has been a lot of talk about Arkansas transfer Tevis Metcalf, and perhaps for good reason, but I think Winston could emerge on special teams and perhaps at nickel toward the end of the season if the opportunity arises.

69. S Nico Andrighetto (RS Jr.): The 5’9″, 190 lb. walk-on played in four games last season and notched a half-sack against Northwestern. He will probably be a regular on special teams this season, though I don’t expect him to contribute much on defense unless it’s garbage time. Last year’s rank: #100.

68. LB Troy Bowles (RS So.): The son of NFL coach Todd Bowles, Troy spent the past two seasons at Georgia, where he played a total of seven games and made 5 total tackles. He played in just two contests last year, taking a redshirt before transferring to Ann Arbor for his third season. Michigan has some solid depth at inside linebacker, and I suppose that includes Bowles, whom Michigan recruited out of high school. With Jimmy Rolder, Cole Sullivan, and Jaydon Hood backing up Ernest Hausmann and Jaishawn Barham, I don’t think there will be many snaps left for the 6’0″, 220 lb. Bowles this season.

67b. K Stuart Blake (RS Fr.): Blake is a 6’1″, 179 lb. kicker from Jenkintown (PA) Jenkintown who was on the team but did not play in 2024. Michigan was somewhat active in the transfer portal this off-season after losing punter Tommy Doman to transfer, but they didn’t bring in much placekicking help other than a flyer on Beckham Sunderland (see below). Perhaps that shows some confidence in Blake’s abilities, but special teams are anyone’s guess.

67a. K Beckham Sunderland (RS So.): Sunderland is a former MLS – that’s soccer, folks – player who was a goalkeeper before embarking in a college kicking career at Texas State. Last season he was a backup kicker, but he sent 6 out of 8 kickoffs for touchbacks and also went 1/1 on extra points. His best chance to get on the field is probably as a kickoff specialist, but I have no idea how the competition for that job will shake out.

66. LS Dan Rosenberg (RS So): Rosenberg is a 6’0″, 245 lb. player who was a former starting long snapper at Holy Cross. He threw his name into the transfer portal this off-season, but as far as I know, he has yet to find a landing spot. He was on Michigan’s spring roster, and for now, I’ll assume that he stays in Ann Arbor. With Greg Tarr the almost certain starter this fall, the backup job comes down to Rosenberg – who has the most experience – and Evan Boutorwick and James Kavouklis.

2024 Season Countdown: #100 Nico Andrighetto

Name: Nico Andrighetto
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 190 lbs.
High school: Mountain View (CA) St. Francis
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #31
Last year: I ranked Andrighetto #136 and said he would be a backup defensive back (LINK). He played in one game on special teams.
TTB Rating: N/A

Andrighetto entered his third season on campus having played in two career contests, one in each previous season. He has been named Scout Team Special Teams Player of the Week four times over his two seasons, including three weeks in 2023. That would seem to bode well for him getting a chance to play a little bit on special teams as his career progresses. At 5’9″ and 190 pounds, he’s unlikely to ever be a serious option on defense, but special teams could be a different story.

With the likes of Caden Kolesar and other walk-ons moving past their football careers, there may be room for Andrighetto to play a little more in 2024. Punt and kickoff coverage units can be good spots to get your scholarship guys a break and let some fresh bodies sprint downfield at full speed.

Prediction: Backup safety and special teamer

2023 Season Countdown: #136 Nico Andrighetto

Name: Nico Andrighetto
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 187 lbs.
High school: Mountain View (CA) St. Francis
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt reshman
Jersey number: #31
Last year: I ranked Andrighetto #129 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He played in one game on special teams.
TTB Rating: N/A

Andrighetto is the younger brother of Lucas Andrighetto, who was a walk-on running back from 2018-2021. So there has been an Andrighetto on the team since 2018, whether you knew it or not. The younger Andrighetto is a safety who played in the 56-10 beatdown of Hawaii. With a lot of talent at safety, Nico is unlikely to play much of a role for the Wolverines in 2023.

Prediction: Backup defensive back

2022 Season Countdown: #129 Nico Andrighetto

Name: Nico Andrighetto
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 180 lbs.
High school: Mountain View (CA) St. Francis
Position: Safety
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Andrighetto was a senior in high school. He made 75 tackles, 4 forced fumbles, 3 interceptions, and 1 touchdown.
TTB Rating: N/A

Andrighetto turned down offers from Colgate and Columbia to become a walk-on at Michigan, where his older brother Lucas spent several years as a walk-on running back. Nico was a 247 Sports 2-star and the #209 running back overall. He won “Defensive Back of the Year” in the West Catholic Athletic League in California and his biggest “weakness” is his height. If he were two or three inches taller, he would probably be a Power 5 scholarship player. Chances are slim that Andrighetto becomes much of a contributor at Michigan, except perhaps as a special teams player down the road. But this season should be a redshirt year for him.

Prediction: Redshirt