Michigan football: No drop-off on the defensive line? It’s possible
Every year for the past several, Michigan fans have lamented the losses of outstanding players up front defensively, wondering how the Wolverines would compensate. Each season, though, U-M has seen several step up through development to keep it a team strength.
It appears 2025 will be no different. The young defensive tackles have come along, but veteran Rayshaun Benny and transfers Tre Williams and Damon Payne should be the catalysts that make running on this unit tough once again.
“Rayshaun’s done an outstanding job,” Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore said. “He had a really great offseason and looks great. Ironically, he changed his number to Mason [Graham’s] old number [55], but that was his high school number. So, he came up to me, and it’s funny with these numbers — sometimes guys [just] want to change it, but there’s some personal relationship with him. With him being a senior, being an older guy, I said, ‘yeah, absolutely, we can do that.’
“But he’s done really well. And Tre and Damon have been awesome. They’ve just assimilated into the culture. They put their head down and work. They’ve been great. It’s been a very seamless transition for both of them, and they’ve done a really good job in the first three practices.”
The edges, meanwhile, are in great hands with Derrick Moore and TJ Guy. Both were dominant at times and played extremely well in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama, and they expect an elite season from Moore, especially.
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“It’s huge for the experience piece, huge from a talent standpoint, but from a leadership standpoint, and especially TJ … both of those guys have grown so much as leaders, not just physically but vocally,” Moore said. “I think that’s a big piece to it. Everybody says you lead by example. Well, yeah, you’ve got to lead by example. But sometimes you’ve got to say something, and he’s definitely taken that next step in being one of those guys to be a force on the field and off the field in a positive way, so I’m very proud of them.
“It was important that we got both those guys back. I think they’ll be a dynamic duo in college football next year, along with Dom Nichols and Cam Brandt. Those guys have shownup just as much as they have. I feel like we’ve got four guys on the edge that are going to be pretty good.”
Guy also changed his number to 4, though he was hesitant to ask.
“He mentioned to me about that number, and then he kind of held back on it. I said, ‘dude, you’ve earned it. You’ve earned that right,’” Moore said. “What he’s done off the field, changing his body, the leadership he’s taken … I felt like he deserved that.”
Many believe there will little if any drop-off up front given what they’ve seen of the depth. Regardless, with those guys and other talents waiting in the wings, it appears the Michigan defensive line will be a strength once again.
