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WATCH: Michigan WR Donaven McCulley, OL Giovanni El-Hadi talk spring ball

clayton-sayfieby:Clayton Sayfie•04/02/25•

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Giovanni El-Hadi
Michigan Wolverines football offensive lineman Giovanni El-Hadi is repping back at left guard this spring. (Photo by Clayton Sayfie / TheWolverine.com)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan Wolverines football graduate wide receiver Donaven McCulley and graduate offensive lineman Giovanni El-Hadi met with the media Wednesday afternoon at Schembechler Hall. Watch video of their sessions with reporters below.

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Graduate wide receiver Donaven McCulley

Graduate offensive lineman Giovanni El-Hadi

El-Hadi discussed being a fifth-year senior and one of the leaders and oldest players in Michigan’s offensive line room.

“It’s kinda crazy,” El-Hadi said. “But yeah, I’ve embraced it the last couple years, and it’s good. Teaching the young kids that I went through this — we know how this all goes. We felt the same way. Just trying to give them pointers, tell them not to overthink things. If you overthink it, you’re gonna mess up your mind even more.”

Michigan’s offense — including the offensive line — didn’t live up to its standard last season. The Wolverines are intent on making it right this year.

“Last year was unacceptable,” El-Hadi said. “Toward the end of the season, we jelled together. We played the way that we were supposed to. But there’s no more of that. We gotta play to our absolute best, and show the country that we’re one of the best offensive lines.”

McCulley, meanwhile, is new to the Michigan program. He considered transferring to the Wolverines before the 2024 campaign but ran into an admissions snag and is now in Ann Arbor heading into 2025.

“Just a new environment and new goals,” McCulley said of joining Michigan. “Just being able to take my game to the next level here and being a part of something great.”

The Wolverines’ wide receivers didn’t have much production last season, but McCulley wasn’t deterred by that.

“They kinda showed me what they wanted to do in the passing game, and bringing in [new offensive coordinator] Coach [Chip] Lindsey helped a lot. Bringing in quarterbacks and you’ve got guys that could really throw the ball. I think that really helped me make the decision on coming here.”

Lindsey brings a new offense to Michigan, but the mentality of being physical still remains. McCulley discussed the vision for the offense.

“Fast paced,” he said. “We’re gonna throw the ball down the field. And that’s his vision. Of course we’re gonna set the line of scrimmage and stuff like that with the run game, but I think he really wants to get the ball down the field a lot more.”

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