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Derrick Moore: Michigan EDGE TJ Guy ready to 'show the world' who he is

clayton-sayfieby: Clayton Sayfie07/28/25CSayf23
TJ Guy
Michigan Wolverines football EDGE TJ Guy at the 2025 spring game, fresh off of posting 5.5 sacks in 2024. (Photo by Lon Horwedel / TheWolverine.com)

LAS VEGAS — Graduate EDGE TJ Guy joined the Michigan Wolverines football program in summer 2021, but didn’t play much of a role until the 2024 season. That’s not because the former four-star recruit out of Mansfield (Mass.) High doesn’t have talent, but instead it’s due to being in a highly competitive position group that featured all sorts of NFL talent.

Throughout his time at Michigan, Guy backed up five NFL Draft picks, in addition to other talented players: Aidan Hutchinson (No. 2 overall in 2022), David Ojabo (No. 45 in 2022), Mike Morris (No. 151 in 2023), Jaylen Harrell (No. 252 in 2024) and Josaiah Stewart (No. 90 in 2025).

Now, it’s the 6-foot-4, 250-pound Brockton, Mass., native’s time to shine as a full-time starter, after receiving valuable experience and confidence last season.

“TJ is one of those guys who I feel like if you’re a younger guy, I will for point you in his direction like, ‘Look at him,'” said senior EDGE Derrick Moore, a returning starter. “TJ’s been here five years. He’s a fifth-year grad. He’s patiently waited his time. He has a lot of maturity.

“Now, he knows his worth, and I think he’s just ready to show the world who TJ Guy is.

In 2024, Guy started to put that on display. He totaled 29 tackles, including 7 for loss, and ranked second on the team with 5.5 sacks. He checked in fifth on an elite defense with 25 pressures and laid 4 hits on the quarterback.

“Working out with him, working with him and talking with him, I learn a lot from him, as well,” Moore continued. “I just feel like he’s ready. That’s all I can really say. He’s ready, and he’s definitely gonna show the Big Ten and also college football who he is.”

Guy has proven he can be a game-changer, showing out with monster performances in multiple big outings. Guy posted sacks in four clashes, with 1.5 against Washington and 2 versus Indiana.

“I wouldn’t even say Indiana,” Moore said of Guy’s best game for Michigan last season. “I would really say Washington. I feel like Washington was the game where everything just popped. The Minnesota game, Josaiah got hurt, and he stepped up and played a lead role in that defense that game. And then I ended up getting hurt, and he came out at Washington and just went crazy and dominated the game.”

The trust level has been there with Guy for some time.

“One thing about TJ is he knows the defense so well, so we could put him pretty much everywhere,” Moore stated. “We could put him at safety or linebacker, put him at corner or D-tackle, and he’s gonna go out there and he’s gonna play and perform. 

“One thing I like about TJ is he just loves football. He loves the game, and he loves to study the game.

“I’m proud to play across from him, and I’m ready to dominate every game with him.”

Michigan plans to rotate four EDGEs — Moore, Guy, junior Cameron Brandt and sophomore Dominic Nichols — this fall. Brandt was in the rotation a season ago, while Nichols had an impressive freshman year behind the scenes and played a key role in the bowl game.

“I’m pretty excited for those two going into this year,” Moore said of Brandt and Nichols. “With our defense, also our defensive line with [Michigan position] Coach [Lou] Espo[sito], he likes to rotate us a lot, so I’m really excited for those guys to come out and be in this rotation and step up to be some of those leaders in their class.

“I feel like they work hard for it, they grind hard for it. They keep their heads down, and they’ve been sponges since they’ve gotten to Michigan, learning from a lot of guys like myself and guys from the past.

“Those boys are just hungry and ready to play.”

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