Ten former Michigan players to watch in 2025 NFL season

Michigan Wolverines football has dozens of former players in the NFL entering the 2025 season. Here are 10 to watch closely this fall.

WR Nico Collins, Houston Texans

The 6-foot-4, 222-pounder played in only 12 regular-season games last season and still ranked No. 22 in the league with 1,006 receiving yards, adding 9 catches and 7 touchdowns. That marked his second-straight campaign with 1,000-plus yards, having recorded 1,297 in 2023. Collins checked in No. 32 on the NFL top 100 list as voted on by the players themselves.

RB Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams

Two drives, 2 touchdowns for the former Michigan running back in a 31-21 preseason win over the Dallas Cowboys Aug. 9, a potential sign of what’s to come. Corum had an interesting rookie season, carrying only 58 times for 207 yards. He backed up lead back Kyren Williams, who ranked third in the NFL in rushing attempts (316). Corum figures to have a larger role in 2025, with Los Angeles Times writer Gary Klein predicting that he could shoulder more of the load to keep Williams fresh this fall.

DL Rashan Gary, Green Bay Packers

The No. 80 player in the NFL’s top 100 list, Gary led Green Bay with 7.5 sacks and 49 pressures last season. Gary is “on a mission” this season, he told Fox Sports, and much more comfortable in coordinator Jeff Hafley’s system heading into year two. With 39 career sacks in six seasons, Gary continues to be a mainstay in the NFC North.

Gary now has another high-level edge rusher on the other side of the line, with the Packers recently trading with the Dallas Cowboys for linebacker Micah Parsons, who’s accumulated 12-plus sacks each of his four seasons in the league.

DT Mason Graham, Cleveland Browns

Michigan’s third-highest drafted defender since the AFL-NFL merger in 1966 (Aidan Hutchinson, Charles Woodson), the No. 5 overall selection is a projected starter heading into his rookie campaign. Browns radio broadcaster Lance Reisland said Aug. 14 that Graham “already looks like a vet,” and has “elite hand usage.” 

DT Kenneth Grant, Miami Dolphins

The No. 13 overall choice in the 2025 NFL Draft is “building confidence” with every rep, he told reporters, and has noted that he’s improved “in the run game and with the power structure.” The 6-foot-3, 335-pounder is expected to be a big part of the defensive tackle rotation as a rookie.

DE Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions

Before going down with a season-ending leg injury week five, Hutchinson was leading the league with 7.5 sacks and 39 quarterback pressures, the favorite to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors. By all accounts, he’s come back just as strong — if not better — in 2025 training camp. The Lions have implemented a ‘Hutch Rule,’ where the play keeps going even if Hutchinson records a hypothetical sack in practice, so that the offense can get its rep in. “If you can’t block Hutch and he’s going to blow every practice up, then that’s not good,” head coach Dan Campbell said.

CB Will Johnson, Arizona Cardinals

Lauded for his lockdown coverage all of training camp, including on second-year wideout and former Ohio State star Marvin Harrison Jr., Johnson is off to a strong start in Arizona, after being picked in the second round this spring. NFL.com’s Dan Parr wrote that the Cardinals have been looking for “stability” at the position for years, and that if Johnson can provide that this season, it would “be a huge lift” to a defense that’s expected to be one of the better units in the league. According to the unofficial depth chart released by the team, Johnson is currently a starter.

TE Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears have shored up the offensive line and added weapons around second-year quarterback Caleb Williams, with Loveland — the No. 10 overall pick in this year’s draft — being one of the playmakers. Listed as a starter alongside fellow tight end Cole Kmet, Loveland will be a big factor in the pass game.

QB J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings cleared the deck for McCarthy, who missed his rookie season with injury, to be the starting quarterback in 2025, with last year’s signal-caller, Sam Darnold, moving on to the Seattle Seahawks. ESPN analyst Peter Schrager named McCarthy one of the five ‘most pivotal’ players in the league this season, since he’s taking the reins on a team that went 14-3 last regular season.

McCarthy played one drive in a preseason game Aug. 9, completing 4 of his 7 passes for 30 yards and picking up a first down with his legs, leading the team to a made field goal. 

CB Mike Sainristil, Washington Commanders

Sainristil capped off a strong rookie season with an outstanding playoff showing, highlighted by his 2-interception night in a win over top-seeded Detroit. Sainristil tallied 93 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery and 2 picks in the regular season. ESPN’s Ben Solak tabbed the 5-foot-10, 182-pound versatile DB as one of the 20 most important second-year NFL defenders in 2025.