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5 Michigan players ranked among ESPN’s top 100 in college football

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5 Michigan players ranked among ESPN’s top 100 in college football


Michigan lost a program-record 13 players to the NFL draft this year, but the cupboards are far from bare in Ann Arbor.

The Wolverines have several key contributors returning as they begin their national title defense – contributors who are considered top talent in all of college football. ESPN released its rankings of the top 100 players for the 2024 season, and five Wolverines cracked the list: junior defensive tackle Kenneth Grant (No. 75), senior running back Donovan Edwards (No. 72), junior tight end Colston Loveland (No. 26), junior cornerback Will Johnson (No. 4) and junior defensive tackle Mason Graham (No. 2).

Michigan’s five players was second in the Big Ten behind Ohio State, although the Buckeyes didn’t have anyone in the top 10. No other Big Ten players made the top 10, which was headlined by Tennessee defensive end James Pierce Jr. at No. 1. The rankings were determined by a panel of ESPN experts.

Johnson, Graham and Loveland’s rankings are no surprise given their high ceilings after stellar sophomore seasons. All three are widely projected first-round picks in 2025.

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Graham’s stat line in 2023 might not have been eye-popping – 35 tackles and three sacks – but he was a gap-plugging fixture in the middle of the defense.

“The 320-pound Graham is back to anchor the inside of a revamped but still talented Michigan defense that lost several players to the NFL draft,” ESPN wrote. “Graham, a second-team All-American last year, had 7.5 tackles for loss on a Michigan defense that led the nation in defensive EPA.”

He and Grant have the potential to be the most imposing defensive tackle duo in the country this season. The 6-foot-3, 339-pounder is No. 3 on Bruce Feldman’s annual “freaks” list for clocking a sub-5.0 in the 40-yard dash, maxing out at 18.75 mph on the GPS and pressing an 115-pound dumbbell 34 times on his right and 27 times on his left.

“In his second season at Michigan, Grant quickly became not just one of the defensive stalwarts of a stout defense but one of the most physically imposing players in the country,” ESPN wrote. “Grant tallied 16 solo tackles and 3.5 sacks, including a key one in the national championship game. Going into his third season, the sky seems to be the limit for a player ready to once again showcase his talent and unique physicality.”

Johnson was a five-star recruit out of Grosse Pointe South High and his lived up to the billing.

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“A consensus All-Big Ten performer, Johnson had four interceptions last year, including a pick on the first play of the second half in Michigan’s national title victory over Washington,” ESPN wrote. “Opposing QBs had a QBR of just 4.3 (scale of 0-to-100) targeting Johnson last year, easily the lowest score for Big Ten DBs.”

Loveland was a first-team all-Big Ten selection last season and should have an even larger role in 2024. With the team losing its top two receivers in Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson, the former four-star recruit from Idaho could be Michigan’s top target in the passing game this season.

“Now that Brock Bowers is playing in the NFL, Loveland takes his rightful place as the premier tight end in college football, especially with his skills as both a receiver and blocker,” ESPN wrote. “The 6-5, 245-pound junior is incredibly athletic and finished third on Michigan’s national championship team last season with 45 catches, averaging 14.4 yards per catch.

Edwards had a lackluster junior season in a supplementary role behind Blake Corum, but he has home run potential in the open field – both as a receiver and runner.

“After three years of playing behind standout backs Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum, Edwards gets his chance to be Michigan’s lead back,” ESPN wrote. “The timing couldn’t be better as he’s on the cover of the College Football 25 video game. Edwards showcased his speed late in 2022 when he had 520 rushing yards on only 70 carries in Michigan’s final three games.”

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Michigan opens the season Aug. 31 against Fresno State. View ESPN’s full top 100 here.



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Michigan Football S Jordan Young enters transfer portal

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Michigan Football S Jordan Young enters transfer portal


Announced on Tuesday evening, Michigan true freshman safety Jordan Young has entered the transfer portal.

A former four-star prospect from Monroe, North Carolina, Young flipped his commitment at the last moment from Clemson to Michigan in the 2025 class. He played in nine games this season for the Wolverines and had 15 tackles and three pass breakups, with all three pass breakups coming in the final four games of the season.

We wish Young the very best at his next college football program.



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Tom Izzo angry at former Michigan State star for courtside ejection

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Tom Izzo angry at former Michigan State star for courtside ejection


EAST LANSING – Michigan State was rolling to a win against USC when there was a stoppage in play with six minutes remaining in the second half on Monday night.

It had nothing to do with what was happening on the court at the Breslin Center.

Referee Jeffrey Anderson blew his whistle to eject a fan sitting a few rows off the floor. The individual booted happened to be Paul Davis, who starred at center for the Spartans from 2002-06.

“He kind of got after the official and he was 150 percent wrong,” Izzo said of Davis after the No. 12 Spartans (13-2, 3-1 Big Ten) won 80-51 against the Trojans on Monday, “and for a guy like me to 150 percent agree with the official, it’s almost illegal.”

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Michigan State fans were upset about a foul call on the other end of the floor when Davis stood up and said something Anderson immediately objected to. That led to a hook.

Despite being tossed, Davis attempted to stay in his seat while taking a drink from an alcoholic beverage container. Anderson didn’t let it slide and provided an explanation to Izzo, who was less than thrilled and yelled across the court questioning what his former player was doing.

Davis finally stood up after being told to leave by associate athletic director Seth Kesler but took his time and brushed two hands against his chest. That prompted Izzo to scream, appearing to tell his former center to “get outta here.” Davis was walked up the stairs and watched the rest of the game from a concourse box.

“I love Paul Davis, I really do, he’s one of my favorite guys … but what he said he should never say anywhere in the world and that ticked me off,” Izzo said. “Just because it’s 25, 20 years later, I’m going to have to call him tomorrow and tell him what I thought of it. You know what he’ll say, ‘I screwed up, coach, I’m sorry.’”

Former Los Angeles Clippers center Paul Davis (40).AP

Izzo claimed he was told what Davis said was nothing racial or sexual in nature but it was obviously enough to get the boot.

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“It was just the wrong thing to say,” Izzo said, “and I’ll leave it at that.”

Davis ranks 10th on Michigan State’s career scoring list with 1,718 points, was a second-round NBA pick by the Clippers and spent four years in the league. Izzo praised the work Davis does with current players but the Hall of Fame coach in his 31st season leading the Spartans has never been ejected from a game.

“He made a mistake but he’s been really good with our players too,” Izzo said of Davis. “In the summer he comes up and helps work a guy out or he’s just around. Jud Heathcote used to always tell me sooner or later the game makes fools of us all. Once in a while, the game makes fools of our fans and definitely it’s made a fool of me more than a couple times.”



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Former Michigan star RB promoted to Eastern Michigan assistant head coach

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Former Michigan star RB promoted to Eastern Michigan assistant head coach


Former Michigan running back and assistant coach Mike Hart is getting a promotion on Chris Creighton’s staff at Eastern Michigan.

The school announced Monday that Hart is being elevated to assistant head coach and will oversee the receivers in 2026. Michigan’s all-time leading rusher spent last season as an offensive analyst for the Eagles.

“Coach Hart is a winner,” Creighton said in a news release. “He has the ‘It’ factor. He selflessly helped us this year as an offensive analyst and made a positive impact. We know that he will be a major addition as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach.”

Hart has 14 years of college coaching experience, including a three-year stint as Michigan’s running backs coach from 2021-23. He served as interim head coach for one game during the Wolverines’ 2023 national championship season when Jim Harbaugh was suspended.

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Under Hart, Michigan’s running backs thrived. Blake Corum rushed for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons and was a third-round pick by the Rams in 2024. The Wolverines won the Big Ten all three years Hart was on staff, but they did not renew his contract after the 2023 campaign.

The 39-year-old began his coaching career at EMU in 2011 and also has had stints at Western Michigan (2014-15), Syracuse (2016) and Indiana (2017-2020).

As a player at Michigan, Hart was a two-time Doak Walker Award finalist and finished fifth in the 2006 Heisman Trophy voting. Last season, EMU finished 4-8 but was No. 2 in the Mid-American Conference in passing yards per game.

“I am excited to be a part of Eastern Michigan football,” Hart said in a release. “Coach Creighton is one of the best leaders of men I have ever been around, and I look forward to learning and being a part of his program. EMU football and the Ypsilanti community have always held a special place in my heart, and I am excited to help the team reach our goals for the 2026 season.”



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