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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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Menominee, Michigan man arrested on sexual assault charges involving a minor

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Menominee, Michigan man arrested on sexual assault charges involving a minor


MENOMINEE, Mich. (WLUK) — 24-year-old Ethan Raymond Masters of Menominee was arrested on sexual assault charges June 30th, according to the Menominee County Sheriff’s Office.

According to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office, deputies learned of an incident involving a 24-year-old man and a 12-year-old girl which happened in Menominee June 22nd. Following a sexual assault investigation, police charged Masters.

Masters was arraigned July 2nd on 2 counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct First Degree. He remains in the Menominee County Jail on a $250,000 cash bond.

Menominee City Police and the Michigan State Police Crime Laboratory of Marquette assisted with the investigation.

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Michigan immigration advocates react after Supreme Court ruling on Temporary Protected Status

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Michigan immigration advocates react after Supreme Court ruling on Temporary Protected Status


Twenty-four thousand immigrants in Michigan have Temporary Protected Status (TPS), but a recent Supreme Court decision could put their protection in jeopardy.  

TPS is a humanitarian protection granted to U.S. immigrants fleeing dangerous situations in their home countries, often from natural disasters or political instability. The status allows immigrants from the designated countries to live and work in the U.S.  

The Supreme Court overturned those for 356,000 Haitians and Syrians in a recent decision. While the court’s decision directly impacted Haitian and Syrian immigrants, it also established that the Secretary of Homeland Security has the authority to determine TPS status without judicial review or input from the courts.

That means that the Secretary of Homeland Security can eliminate TPS for any immigrant group that is currently in the U.S. under protection. That puts 1.3 million immigrants in the U.S. at risk of deportation. In Florida, 113,000 healthcare workers with TPS are at risk of deportation. The Haitian population in Philadelphia is also expressing concerns about what comes next for them.  

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“The Supreme Court turned its back on our moral and legal commitments to people seeking safety,” said Christine Sauvé, manager of Policy and Communication at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. “The decision eliminates legal protections for people fleeing danger and allows the Trump Administration to really advance its mass deportation agenda.”

Left without the ability to live or work in the U.S., these Haitian and Syrian immigrants with TPS now face deportation. But going back home could still be incredibly dangerous.

“It’s not really an option to go back to their home country,” said Melanie Goldberg, immigration attorney with the Institute of Metro Detroit. “In the case of Haiti, they don’t even have an airport in Port-au-Prince that’s operational. Yet they say it’s safe for these citizens to go back.”

In Michigan, immigrants with TPS have contributed $349 million to the state’s economy, a sign that they are deeply embedded in the community, according to Sauvé.  

“Many TPS holders have been in our communities for a very long time,” Sauvé said. “They’ve really spent decades building their lives here in Michigan. We welcomed them here, only to see that completely ripped away with the stroke of a pen.”

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The Michigan Immigrant Rights Center encourages Haitian and Syrian immigrants with TPS, as well as any immigrants in the U.S. with a TPS designation, to seek out a qualified legal service provider and review the “Know Your Rights” Materials on the MIRC’s website



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Sherrone Moore’s former assistant sues University of Michigan over alleged FOIA violations

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Sherrone Moore’s former assistant sues University of Michigan over alleged FOIA violations


A former University of Michigan assistant whose relationship with ex-coach Sherrone Moore was under investigation is accusing university officials of refusing to provide records related to the probe.

Paige Shiver filed the lawsuit on Wednesday in Washtenaw Circuit Court, claiming that U of M “arbitrarily and capriciously” violated the Michigan Freedom of Information Act by repeatedly denying her requests. Shiver and her legal team are seeking a court order requiring the university to disclose the records.

The lawsuit also alleges that throughout Shiver’s four-year employment with U of M, she was “discriminated against and subjected to a hostile work environment on the basis of her sex, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Michigan law including Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act.”

“The lawsuit filed today demands transparency and accountability from the University of Michigan, President Grasso and the Board of Regents,” said Shiver’s attorney, Andrew M. Stroth. 

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On Wednesday, CBS News Detroit reached out to U of M, which says it has no comment.

The investigation led to Moore’s firing in December 2025. At the time, it was determined that he was in an inappropriate relationship with a staffer, who was later identified as Shiver. 

Moore was arrested hours later after authorities said he went to Shiver’s home and threatened to harm himself. He was charged with third-degree felony home invasion, as well as misdemeanor counts of stalking and of breaking and entering. Moore was sentenced to 18 months’ probation after pleading no contest to the two misdemeanor charges.

According to the lawsuit, Shiver filed a FOIA request in February 2026 for audio, video and transcripts of interviews of herself, her father, Jeff Shiver, and Moore. The lawsuit alleges that the university denied her request, citing the ongoing investigation.

The lawsuit alleges that Shiver submitted a similar request months later, in June, but was told by the university that it was “overly broad and vague” and “does not describe a ‘public record sufficiently to enable the public body to find the public record.’”

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The lawsuit claims that requests were submitted in March and May, respectively, for all emails sent to the law firm Jenner & Block (UMconcerns@jenner.com) and for recordings of Shiver’s meetings by the university through Jenner & Block. However, those requests were denied because the university cited that it had no responsive records, according to the lawsuit.

The law firm was hired by U of M to investigate Moore and Shiver’s relationship. The university later expanded the investigation to include the athletic department.

The lawsuit also claims that Shiver requested copies of emails between Moore and athletic director Warde Manuel that contained the words “affair,” “discipline,” “pregnancy,” “baby” and “abortion.” The university denied the request, citing the communication between U of M employees as “exempt information,” according to the lawsuit.

However, Shiver’s legal team argued that the university has not shown evidence that the emails are exempt.

“This public university paid Jenner & Block $12 million to investigate the Sherrone Moore scandal and the abuse, Title IX and Title VII violations within the athletic department and Schembechler Hall, yet now refuses to release the investigation’s findings. It was important for our client to file this initial FOIA lawsuit to ensure the truth and facts come out,” Stroth said.

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Shiver appeared on ABC News’ “Good Morning America” in April to discuss her relationship with Moore. In the interview, she said she became pregnant by Moore and sought an abortion after medical complications were discovered about the pregnancy.


Note: The video above previously aired on April 14, 2026.



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