Michigan has a long-standing tradition of keeping its depth chart under wraps, and new head coach Kyle Whittingham isn’t about to change that.
Whittingham has made it clear that he isn’t a fan of releasing depth charts, meaning Michigan fans and the media will have to wait until Saturday night against Western Michigan to see exactly how the Wolverines’ lineup looks when the team takes the field.
Still, there are plenty of clues to be found throughout fall camp.
From practice observations to comments from coaches and players, we’ve been able to piece together a clearer picture of Michigan’s likely rotation for Week 1. While some Wolverines have seen their stock rise during camp, others haven’t generated quite as much buzz as expected.
With the season opener approaching, three Michigan players in particular appear likely to see less action than they may have originally anticipated.
Edge Lugard Edokpayi
Coming out of spring practice and entering fall camp, Lugard Edokpayi looked like a player who could carve out a meaningful role along Michigan’s edge.
There were signs that Edokpayi had worked his way toward the Wolverines’ two-deep, making him a name worth watching as the season approached.
However, the conversation surrounding the edge position has changed considerably throughout fall camp.
John Henry Daley, Dominic Nichols and Cameron Brandt have emerged as the players most frequently mentioned as Michigan’s starting edge rushers. Behind them, Nate Marshall, Benny Patterson, Carter Meadows and Tariq Boney have also received attention as potential contributors against Western Michigan.
Edokpayi, meanwhile, hasn’t been mentioned nearly as often.
That doesn’t necessarily mean his season is headed in the wrong direction, but it does suggest that he may have slipped down the pecking order during the final stages of camp.
For Saturday’s opener, Edokpayi appears unlikely to be a major part of the defensive rotation unless Michigan builds a sizable lead and begins getting younger players onto the field.
TE Deakon Tonielli
The tight end position could be one of the more interesting rotations to watch when Michigan opens the season.
Zack Marshall appears to have a strong chance of earning the starting nod, but that doesn’t mean he’ll have the position all to himself.
Whittingham has indicated that Michigan plans to rotate its tight ends this season, with personnel groupings and the performance of individual players helping determine who gets the most snaps.
Marshall should see plenty of action, while Hogan Hansen is another player expected to have a significant role. Hansen was Michigan’s best pass-catching tight end in 2024 and remains an important part of the Wolverines’ plans.
Freshman Mason Bonner has also emerged as an intriguing name during camp.
Bonner could eventually follow a path similar to JJ Buchanan and transition from tight end to wide receiver, but for now, he’s still part of Michigan’s tight end room.
That creates a numbers problem for Deakon Tonielli.
With Marshall, Hansen and Bonner all competing for opportunities, there may not be enough snaps to go around—unless Michigan opts to use four or even five tight ends.
Tonielli brings valuable experience to the room, but despite that veteran status, his role could be smaller than many expected entering the season.
WR Jamar Browder
Michigan’s wide receiver room has also become increasingly crowded, and that could leave Jamar Browder fighting for opportunities.
Andrew Marsh and JJ Buchanan appear to be the Wolverines’ clear top two receivers heading into Week 1. Behind them, Channing Goodwin has reportedly secured the WR3 spot.
That leaves Jaime Ffrench and Salesi Moa competing for additional playing time.
The competition doesn’t end there.
Travis Johnson and Kendrick Bell have both received mentions throughout fall camp, while Whittingham and offensive coordinator Jason Beck have expressed confidence in having seven wide receivers they can trust heading into the season.
That’s encouraging news for Michigan’s depth, but it’s potentially bad news for Browder.
Browder entered the program with plenty of expectations last season, and his second year was expected to be an opportunity to establish himself as a bigger contributor.
Instead, the depth of Michigan’s receiver room could make that difficult.
With Marsh, Buchanan, Goodwin, Ffrench and Moa already positioned ahead of him—and Johnson and Bell also receiving positive attention—Browder could find himself on the outside of the regular rotation.
What It Means for Michigan’s Week 1 Rotation
None of these players should be written off after a single week of camp, particularly with Michigan refusing to publish an official depth chart.
Fall camp developments can change quickly, and injuries, game situations and personnel packages can dramatically alter playing time once the season begins.
Still, the signals coming out of Michigan suggest that Lugard Edokpayi, Deakon Tonielli and Jamar Browder may not play as prominent a role against Western Michigan as they once expected.
Saturday night will provide the first real answer.
Until then, Michigan’s unofficial depth chart remains a puzzle—and these three Wolverines appear to be among the players who have seen their positions on that puzzle shift the most.
