Michigan defensive line plans to be 'same product, different guys out there'

Michigan Wolverines football lost three top-90 NFL Draft picks from last season along the defensive line — tackles Mason Graham (No. 5, Cleveland Browns) and Kenneth Grant (No. 13, Miami Dolphins) and EDGE Josaiah Stewart (No. 90, Los Angeles Rams). However, the expectations and standard for position coach Lou Esposito‘s group hasn’t changed.

“It’s gonna be the same product, different numbers, different guys out there,” graduate EDGE TJ Guy pledged. “We got a lot of talent out there, so it’s gonna be fun.”

The entire defense, too, has picked up where it left off at the end of last season, when it held its last three opponents — Northwestern (6), Ohio State (10) and Alabama (13) to 29 total points. The entire staff is back on that side of the ball.

“It just gives us a better base to start from,” Guy said of the continuity. “It’s not a new coach and D.C. this year working with new guys. We pretty much all know each other, so it’s gonna build more continuity for us.”

Guy posted 5.5 sacks last season — the most among returning Michigan players — as a backup and spot starter. Now, he’s stepping into a more prominent role in the starting lineup opposite of senior Derrick Moore, who recorded 9 total sacks over the last two seasons.

“Derrick’s a pro in everything that he does,” Guy said. “I try to tag along with everything that he does, as well, because he just has good habits and he’s really working toward his goals.”

As for Guy’s goals: “Be the most dominant player I can be this season for my team, produce a lot, flash, be dominant in the run, things like that.”

Michigan plans to rotate at least four players at EDGE, with Guy and Moore set to be spelled by junior Cameron Brant and sophomore Dominic Nichols.

“They’re both improving a lot,” Guy said. “They’re both starters at any other program in the country, for sure. Cam looks really good, and Dom looks really good, too.”

Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale said this week that Brandt — a 6-foot-4, 270-pound Californian — is a “bruiser.”

“He’s got heavy hands,” Guy said of Brandt. “We’ll have drills with arm shields and swipes that we’ll do with each other, and you gotta watch out when he goes because his hands are heavy as hell, bro, for real.”

Sophomores Lugard Edokpayi and Devon Baxter, and freshman Nate Marshall are all competing for spots behind those four.

“Lu and Dev are really competing, after us four, for those next [spots],” Guy said. “Nate is looking really good. He’s just really raw and talented, a freshman young guy [who’s] gotta learn the system, but I think he has a lot of talent. Lu and Dev look really good, too.”