Michigan freshman defender is 'flashing' in fall camp, 'could contribute' right away
Michigan Wolverines football has eight returning players at the EDGE position, including two projected starters in senior Josaiah Stewart and junior Derrick Moore. Senior TJ Guy and sophomore Cameron Brandt have received the most buzz as players in key backup roles, but there are snaps to be had behind them.
Freshman Dominic Nichols enrolled early and impressed in the spring. In the team’s April 20 scrimmage in front of fans at The Big House, the 6-foot-5, 261-pounder posted 3 tackles, including 1 behind the line of scrimmage. His TFL was on a 3rd and 5 midway through the third quarter, stopping sophomore running back Benjamin Hall in his tracks after he came screaming off the edge.
Guy believes Nichols could play a role as a freshman.
“Dom could contribute,” Guy said. “I stay on him every day. Everybody is gassing him up kinda because he’s been flashing, he’s been doing good things — but I stay on him, just as a guy that did that for me when I was younger, just so he doesn’t get complacent or comfortable, none of that, hear good things and just relax. He’s gotta keep his foot on the pedal.”
Michigan lost two household names at EDGE last season in starters Jaylen Harrell (seventh-round pick) and Braiden McGregor (undrafted), but Guy and others have expressed confidence in the team’s depth at the position.
“We have a bunch of EDGEs, a bunch of young EDGEs,” Guy explained. “You guys know the older guys, but after me and [senior] Kechaun [Bennett], they’re really all underclassmen and they’re really deep and everybody has a different skill set and everybody is talented in their own way.
“A lot of those guys are going to bring different things to the defense, but this defense is going to allow them all to flourish. They’re all going to do good things for us.”
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Guy noted that he and Michigan players didn’t panic when attempting to replace the production they lost.
“Really it just started with the work that was laid out in front of us — stuff we have to get better at, stuff I have to get better at in order to be that guy, be all I can be,” Guy said. “It was no panic, it was no, ‘Who’s missing? What are we gonna miss?’ It was, what do I have to do to get better? It was just that.”
Between Moore, Stewart, Harrell and McGregor, Michigan had four EDGEs who played 349 or more defensive snaps. Guy anticipates that the Wolverines will rotate similarly in 2024.
“It’s gonna continue to happen, just because we’re gonna be playing hard,” Guy said. “When you’re in there, we’re gonna expect you to give everything you have. So if you’re gassed, it’s not a bad thing when you’re gassed and you need to come out. If you need to come out, there should be no drop-off with the guy coming in, and we should get the job done the same way. We expect the same.”
