Michigan’s defensive line is ready for more in 2024 With Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant at the center

The Michigan football team’s defensive line is already creating issues.

Throughout one of the most “competitive and challenging” spring practices of graduate running back Kalel Mullings’ time in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines’ defense, particularly their defensive line, has consistently tested their offense.

“The defense, they’re definitely throwing some things at us right now,” Mullings said. “But, at the same time, the good news is that we are all improving. We are testing them, and they are testing us every day.”

Michigan’s defensive line has a high ceiling and even higher expectations, thanks to the return of talented junior defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant.

Last season, Graham and Grant demonstrated how disruptive they can be. Graham’s agility, along with Grant’s ferocity, stymied opposing offenses. The former garnered 2023 second-team All-American accolades, while the latter was named second-team All-Big Ten, confirming their roles on the nation’s top-ranked defense.

With some of last year’s major leaders leaving for the NFL, including former lineman Kris Jenkins, the dangerous combo will take over a defensive line with a lot of potential.

“They’re two studs in the middle, like they can do anything,” junior edge rusher Derrick Moore explained. “You can double team them, but they’ll still beat it. You can triple-team them, and they will still win. You may drop them into coverage; they will strap you down. They can do whatever they want. It’s crazy. I’ve never seen any D-tackles do it, and I’ve worked with a lot of fantastic D-tackles. But they are really different.”

Moore and senior edge rusher Josaiah Stewart will be valuable complements to Graham and Grant. Stewart completed his 2023 season strong with a big play on Michigan’s game-winning defensive stop in the Rose Bowl, and he’ll aim to carry that energy into the fall.

T.J. Guy, a senior edge rusher, has also begun to turn heads this spring, earning recognition and praise from a number of teammates and coaches. Guy appeared in nine games on defense and a few on special teams last season, and he’ll likely play a larger role in the defensive line rotation in the future.

In addition to player turnover, Michigan is experiencing considerable coaching staff changes, and the defensive line is no exception. In fact, less than a week after former coach Greg Scruggs resigned, the Wolverines recruited a new defensive line coach.

Lou Esposito, a familiar character in Michigan but new to the Wolverines program, took over the post. Esposito has had continuous success coaching defensive linemen at the college level, and Michigan believes he can continue that in Ann Arbor.

“We’re still also coming in together and meeting and things like that, but (Esposito) also seems like a great guy,” Moore went on to say. “He’s now teaching me a lot about my footwork, hands, and eyes, among other things. So it’s been a little hectic, but I’ve run into a lot of amazing people.”

Despite the chaos of rebuilding and adjusting to coaching turnover, the defensive line has made an impact early in spring practice. As the new components begin to gel, with Graham and Grant at the helm, they will seek to expand and enhance their presence into the fall.