Who they lose:
Following the conclusion of the 2021 season, both Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo declared for the NFL Draft. Aidan Hutchinson ended up going #2 Overall to the Detroit Lions, while David Ojabo went #45 Overall to the Baltimore Ravens. In total, they took with them 97 tackles, 28.5 TFL, 25 sacks, and 7 forced fumbles off the Wolverine defense as they head into 2022. This begs the question, how will the Wolverines replace all that production from their DE position?
While there is no way to sugarcoat the losses of both Hutchinson and Ojabo, the cupboard at DE for Michigan is not completely bare. They return Mike Morris, Taylor Upshaw, Jaylen Harrell, Braiden McGregor, Julius Welschof, and bring in top-50 recruit Derrick Moore. No two starters, whoever they end up being, will be able to replicate the kind of production that the former two starters had in 2021. However; I think that the group as a whole can still be good if each player can take a collective step forward.
Top Edge Options in 2022
To me, the players with the best chances of having a breakout 2022 season are Mike Morris, Jaylen Harrell, and Braiden McGregor. Mike Morris looks like an NFL player already. He’s a big, strong, good athlete at 6’6″ and 278 lbs. He also runs a reported 4.7 40-yard dash, showcasing good speed off the edge to go along with that big frame. He also has the versatility to play anything from a 5-tech to a 9-tech, which is the role Hutchinson played in 2021.
Jaylen Harrell is a rising Junior who played some in a rotational capacity as a Freshman and Sophomore. His best fit is in the Ojabo role as a combination of a Sam LB and Edge rusher. He started 4 games at OLB last season, and played his best couple games down the stretch. He had a nice TFL against the Buckeyes in a big moment, made 4 tackles, 1 TFL, with a QB hurry against Iowa, and also made 4 more tackles against Georgia in the National Semifinals. With how he played down the stretch there, I wouldn’t be surprised if he saw a big uptick in playing time in 2022.
Braiden McGregor is another top option for me as well. As a top-100 level recruit in the Class of 2020, many analysts compared him physically to Aidan Hutchinson when coming out of high school. Both were in-state recruits who loved the Wolverines and have similar physical profiles. The big difference between the two is McGregor tore his ACL during his senior year of High School, and has thus pushed back his development. After getting his feet wet in 2021, I expect him to to play a big role in 2022.
Rotational Options in 2022
As for the rotational options, Taylor Upshaw has played a lot of snaps for the Wolverines in his career. He has always flashed solid upside with his athleticism and effort. As a Senior now, with his first real opportunity to showcase what he has, should be a big part of the rotation at Edge in 2022.
The same can also be said for Julius Welschof, who is a freak of an athlete. Bruce Feldman listed his as one of the “Biggest Freaks” in College Football in 2021, as he’s posted a 10’5″ Broad Jump, and a 4.68 40-yard dash at 288 lbs. As a former recruit from Germany, he was always going to take additional time to develop, and with a big opportunity for playing time in 2022, he could step up and have a big season as well.
True Freshman early enrollee Derrick Moore will also likely contribute during his true Freshman season. the jury is still out on how much he’ll play this upcoming season, but I expect him to play more and more as the season goes on.
With all of these names I’ve mentioned, the Wolverines have good options and solid depth at DE heading into 2022. Who will step up and become that elite edge-rusher? Maybe no one, but with the options they have, the unit as a whole should all step up and take a pass-rush by committee approach in 2022.