Podcast: J.D. PicKell joins to make Michigan predictions for 2025 season

On this episode of The Wolverine Podcast, Clayton Sayfie is joined by On3’s J.D. PicKell to make predictions on the Michigan Wolverines football season and judge Clayton’s CFP top four seed picks. They discuss the college football landscape as a whole and more.

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Michigan has recruited well lately, ending the 2025 class with a bang and getting on fire this summer during the 2026 cycle. As PicKell puts it, the Wolverines are recruiting like a “progrum.” He shouted out general manager Sean Magee and the way the Wolverines are building for the future.

“The architect behind the Michigan roster, general manager Sean Magee, he’s working with different firepower, obviously, with the NIL and the momentum from what last year was and all of those things,” PicKell said. “But I don’t know how many casual college football fans understand, that’s the same dude that was pretty instrumental in putting together the roster that eventually won a national championship. He wasn’t on the staff, but he was a pretty key piece in getting some of those guys in the boat that eventually hoisted the national title trophy in Houston.

“So, you have a lot of the same, I would have to imagine, principles, when it comes to evaluating and landing these guys. You’re maybe just shopping at a different aisle in the grocery store but you’re making the same kind of meal, if that’s a fair type of metaphor for it.”

Sayfie and PicKell discussed Michigan’s momentum before getting into the 2025 season and more. Take a listen above.