The Michigan Wolverines finished 2024 with a disappointing record of 8-5, a year after the team won the national title. Now, they are looking to respond with plenty of talent returning in 2025.
Michigan’s Best Returning Players
Head coach Sherrone Moore is going to need all the help he can get, which is why it is key that he has a lot of help coming back to Ann Arbor for another year.
Here are the 10 best Wolverines that will be back on the field this Fall:
10. LB Ernest Hausmann
Hausmann is one of the true leaders of this Michigan defense. His 89 total tackles and multiple sacks proved that notion in a big way in 2024, but he is going to be asked to do more this year.
9. LB Jaishawn Barham
Barham is another leader in the middle of the defense. His 6’3″, 250-pound frame allows him to either be a force in the pass-rush or be a threat as a pass defender. He has close to 100 solo tackles and eight sacks in three years.
8. WR Peyton O’Leary
While he hasn’t been much of a statistical force in his career (10 receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown in 2024), O’Leary can still be a threat out wide. His 6’3″ size will allow him to be a matchup nightmare in the red zone for the Wolverines this upcoming season.
7. FB/TE Max Bredeson
Bredeson is one of the true brawlers in college football as a fullback.When you play fullback at Michigan, you are as tough as they come. The Wisconsin native will be back to setting the edge and opening up holes in the middle of the offensive line this Fall for Moore and Co.
6. DB Brandyn Hillman
Hillman is going to be asked to take another step in his third season this Fall. It was good to see him post 21 total tackles, along with a sack and multiple pass deflections in 2024, but it is his time to become elite in 2025.
5. RB Jordan Marshall
While Marshall didn’t have the best statistical season as a freshman (31 carries for 120 yards), he looks to be primed to take the next step as a key contributor on offense. If he can notch over 600-700 yards of total yardage, the Wolverines will be all the better for it.
4. DE Dominic Nichols
How is it possible that a player with only three total tackles from a season ago could come in at No. 4 on this list? Well, Nichols has all the intangibles to be a great one in Ann Arbor for years to come. His 6’5″, 260-pound frame could be tough to handle, along with his pass-rush moves, for plenty of Big Ten offensive linemen.
3. WR Semaj Morgan
Morgan only caught 27 passes for 139 yards and one touchdown as a sophomore this past year. But while he is undersized at 174 pounds, he is a true weapon down the field and on jet motions when given an opportunity. He is Michigan’s best gadget player.
2. QB Davis Warren
Warren struggled in his first full season as the team’s starter last year. While he completed 64.1% of his passes, he threw just seven touchdowns and nine interceptions.
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The good news is that he now has more experience and will benefit from returning to a run-happy offense.
1. S Rod Moore
Moore is the leader on the backend of this Wolverines defense. He has over 140 career tackles, six interceptions, and seven pass deflections in three years.
The former national champion and all-conference player is the glue of this defense.
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