The Michigan Wolverines have been on a tear lately with outstanding defensive tackles. Prior to the “gifts from the football gods,” Jim Harbaugh and staff developed guys like Maurice Hurst, Chris Hinton, Mazi Smith and Kris Jenkins, among others, into NFL draft picks. Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant will only add to that list in two months.

Assuming both are first-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, it’s now time to turn our attention to who’s returning to Michigan. It will be impossible to replace Graham and Grant one-for-one. However, the cupboard is far from bare as the interior appears to be a position of strength yet again.

Players to Know

Returning players: Rayshaun Benny (RS SR), Ike Iwunnah (RS SR), Chibi Anwunah (RS JR), Alessandro Lorenzetti (RS JR), Trey Pierce (JR), Enow Etta (RS SO), Ted Hammond (RS FR), Manuel Beigel (RS FR), Deyvid Palepale (RS FR)

Incoming transfers: Damon Payne Jr. (RS SR), Tre Williams (RS SR)

Incoming freshmen: Travis Moten

Note: True freshmen Bobby Kanka and Benny Patterson will not be on campus this spring

What to Watch

Expect Benny to be the unabashed leader of this group. The veteran would have played a predominant role at just about any school in the country in 2024. At Michigan, he was the third-fiddle behind Graham and Grant. Benny will be asked to step up and be the vocal leader of the defensive line.

Behind Benny, it will be a heated competition between transfers Williams and Payne. They have far and away the most on-field experience, but spring practice should give us a hint as to whether they will be major factors or simply just depth pieces. You can never have too much depth at defensive tackle, so no one will complain if they are only rotational pieces.

Pierce could make some noise this offseason and be a dark horse to start alongside Benny. He has appeared in 20 games with mixed results, but is one of the rare non-redshirted linemen. This offseason is as big for Pierce as anyone else on the team, so he is one to keep an eye on.

Iwunnah and Etta have made spot appearances here and there throughout their careers. Both are pressing from behind and have a great opportunity to cement themselves in the rotation this spring.

After that, it becomes a bit of a crap shoot. The staff appears high on Palepale, but he is likely another season away from significantly contributing. Moten was a late-riser in the recruiting rankings, but it would be surprising to see significant snaps out of him in 2025. The same can be said of both Hammond and Beigel — both were developmental prospects that may see the field later down the line, but likely not this year.

To put it succinctly, this spring is massive for Pierce, Iwunnah and Etta. All three of them are likely to see the field this fall, but the pecking order behind Benny is about as blurry as any position at Michigan. Keep an eye on the defensive interior all spring long.