Michigan edge rushers made huge strides this spring, including a future 'high, high, high end draft pick'

Michigan didn’t get the pressure it wanted from the defensive line last year, though it had its moments. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter set out to change that this year with the help of defensive line coach Mike Elston, whose addition to the staff has proven to be huge.

Everyone on the defensive staff, in fact, could probably be head coaches or at least coordinators. They’re working together to build an even better defense in 2023 — Minter said his familiarity with the personnel in his second year was a huge advantage.

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“The biggest thing going into last season was a little bit of unknown, and it had been through spring and fall with the guys,” Minter said. “But we had really — especially at key positions — some new faces in there. Now, I know how [senior tackle] Kris [Jenkins] and those guys are going to react in big-time environments. I know what their strengths are. I know some things that maybe they need to continue to work on. I know what our strengths are as a whole … now it’s like trying to take anything that might be perceived as a weakness and turn it into a strength, so to speak.

“It’s very, very nice to be somewhere a second year and have a really good relationship with all the players and a really good understanding of what they can do well. We’ll certainly tailor the defense to that.”

One who doesn’t get enough appreciation — Jaylen Harrell. The 6-4, 246-pound senior is always in the right place, outstanding against the run, and he’s picked it up as a pass rusher. He notched 3.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss among his 30 stops last year, and he’ll be one of the leaders on the Michigan defense.

Minter called him one of the Wolverines’ “most consistent, complete players.”

“How he plays down after down, play after play, versus the run and the pass — it’s very, very technical,” Minter prayed. “I was actually meeting with him earlier today and he is one of the most self-made players in our program because he was a MIKE linebacker in high school. We moved him to the edge, and the work ethic, the way he trains, the way he goes about his business, the way he studies other players — it’s off the charts. Like … unbelievable.

“He became a force for us last year. It doesn’t always show up in stats, but his consistency, his ability to set the edge, his ability to be really disciplined and in moments like that [pass break-up at Ohio State on fourth and two] — I think that play turned that game. It gave us a little bit of momentum on defense, which we were lacking early in the game, and allowed us to get to halftime just with a chance to regroup. Whereas if that thing is more than a three-point game, like, it could have gotten away from us a little bit.”

It raised his confidence, Minter said The following week he “completely dominated the Big Ten Championship game as a rusher,” Minter noted of Harrell’s play in the Michigan win over Purdue, showing his versatility.

“If he continues on that progression, I expect another big, big year out of him, as well,” Minter said.

Pure talent on display from Michigan sophomore Derrick Moore

But the guy with the most upside as a pass rusher — Derrick Moore. He showed flashes of his ability last year, but he dominated at times in the spring and could be elite.

On one play in the spring game, Moore blew up a tackle to get to the quarterback.

“Derrick can be as good as Derrick [wants]. The best part about Derrick is he has the mindset to be a really, really high-end dominant player,” Minter said. “His skillset and his physical tools match up with that. So he has a chance to be, a high-high, high-high, high-end draft choice one day, high-end player … productive. He’s just got to stay on his process — stay on his progress that he’s on.

“Coach Herb [Michigan strength coach Ben Herbert] does a great job with him. He’s completely focused and has a really good mentality of where he wants to go, and he takes it out on people on the field. It’s really exciting to see him along with the rest of the group.”

Among them — Michigan senior Braiden McGregor. He’s made huge strides with Moore, the two battling at the same position and bringing out the best in each other.

“The two of them are just tailor-made for what we ask of that spot. They have a skill set to be both really, really high-end players,” Minter continued. “… Braiden is a guy that comes off a severe injury in high school is behind Aidan Hutchinson and all these guys. He has trusted the process. He’s worked really, really hard. I thought the second half of the year last year, he was playing some of his best ball. He made three or four plays in the Ohio State game that were game-changing.

“He’s a guy that I think he’s taken that confidence into spring. He had a really productive spring.”

His next step is to take over games at Michigan, and Minter believes he can.

One who kind of did in the spring game — Coastal Carolina transfer Josaiah Stewart. He was all over the field for the Michigan blue team.

“True freshman year he had 12 sacks. Second year, they moved his position,” Minter continued. “The D-coordinator at Coastal is a good friend of mine … he had some injuries he kind of battled. Second year, he wasn’t quite as productive, but when you watch his tape — when he plays the way you want guys to play — he’s really, really physical. He’s, in a baseball term, our change-up, in a sense of like, he’s six-foot, maybe 6-1, not as big and long as our other guys. But he has a different skill set as a rusher.

“When a tackle has to block Braiden one play, Derrick the next play, Jaylen the next play, and then all of a sudden you throw Josaiah at him, there’s good versatility there amongst those four guys. I was really happy with his spring, how productive he was. The thing that I really enjoyed about him was that kid just dove right in. He has an unbelievable mindset. He’s a worker He has changed his body already since being here, and really just fits the culture really well.”

Kechaun Bennett and TJ Guy, too, made strides and are battling.

“All of a sudden both of these guys are going into their third year. I wasn’t sure what to expect out of them going into spring, and both of them made enough progress to say, OK — ‘who’s the fifth guy? Who can take a few snaps off these guys?'” Minter said. “So, I’m happy with their progress and where they’re at, and really just excited about that group overall.”