Michigan edge Braiden McGregor can 'take over games' — is this is year?

Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has so much talent on his defense that it’s hard to pick out one or two breakout candidates. Some of the young guys — sophomore edge Derrick Moore, corner Will Johnson — are future NFL talents — but there are veterans, too, who have the ability to turn it up.

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Senior Braiden McGregor is one of them. The edge really started to come on last year and had a good spring — now it’s time to take it up a notch, Minter said, calling him a guy who has all the skills to take over games.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh, in fact, called him a “rising star.”

“Going back to my lessons, it’s trust the people that know what they’re talking about,” McGregor told former Michigan All-American Jon Jansen on the recent In the Trenches podcast. “I’m not going to argue with him on that. But I definitely think that the verge for me of breaking out is that, I was there at the end of the year. I felt like myself … I felt like I could go out there and make plays.”

It was a long road after returning from a knee injury suffered in high school, he noted. There were some who wondered if he’d ever get back, and he might have been one of them.

“I’m not doubting myself, not thinking too much on the plays, and now it’s just putting it all together,” McGregor continued. “I have what I think is everything I need to be successful. Just going out there every day and proving it to everyone that doubted me — everyone that said I would never be the same after my injury — I am proving it to myself. It’s been a long journey, and I just want to make it and not have any regrets.”

That journey consisted of months and months of rehab and playing behind some elite talent at Michigan. It took a handful of plays at Ohio State, in fact, before some finally started to realize McGregor’s immense talent. He had a huge stop on a short yardage running play, a pass break-up on third down and other big moments in the 45-23 win, including another pass break-up.

Michigan fans could literally see the confidence growing in him, and McGregor felt it.

“It was like nothing I’ve ever felt before. I’ve made plays before where it was like, ‘Oh that’s awesome,’ and was excited about it,” he said. “But specifically that first one … it was the second quarter. Both receivers were out wide and one of them was coming in on a slant, so I was supposed to be in that window. When I got there and got in the right spot at the right time and put my hand up … it was a little too high, but man that was awesome.

“… The second one, we called a timeout before the play and we were sitting on the sidelines. We said, ‘hey — if this running back goes out, it’s going to him.’ So, I saw the running back go out or the wide receiver hit a bubble … I started to go up field and stuck my hand out. Right place, right time.”

It was almost a pick six, he lamented, if he’d been able to hang on to the ball. Regardless, he’d gotten upfield to make the play, a huge one in the game. The Buckeyes’ vaunted offense scored only 3 points in the second half — 3 — and he was a big reason for it.

The next step is to dominate. Minter used McGregor’s name with former Michigan great Aidan Hutchinson’s in describing his ability. The senior is ready to make the move, having put in the time and effort. That includes countless hours working with defensive line coach Mike Elston as well as strength coach Ben Herbert in the weight room.

“My main goal is to put my name in that category of great Michigan defensive ends that came through here,” McGregor said. “I’ve been here with two first-rounders (Kwity Paye and Hutchinson), should have been a third one with (David Ojabo). Mike Morris is up there, too.

“Just putting my name in that category of guys who have been under coach Harbaugh who have gone on to the league, and leaving a mark in this stadium … when I walk out of there for the last time, not looking back and having any regrets and just appreciating the journey. I went from watching every game my freshman year to being able to play every game my senior year.”

And — if all goes right — leaving Michigan as a three-time Big Ten champion.

“Having two rings on my finger and having a third, and maybe even a fourth and fifth for a bowl ring and a natty and all that, it would just be surreal,” McGregor said. “For me to come in here and know that when I first got here we were good, but not to the level that we are now … to be able to leave Michigan while having all this would be awesome.”

He’s going to get that chance.