‘I can hang.’ Michigan OL Evan Link enters 2025 with shot of confidence

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — He was thrown into the fire as a first-time starter, and while the season didn’t go exactly as planned, it ended on a high note for Evan Link.

The redshirt sophomore went from not playing a single snap along Michigan’s offensive line in 2023, a national championship team that was loaded up front, to starting the season opener last year at right tackle.

And while it came as a welcomed surprise, Link found himself learning on the job for a good chunk of the year.

“A tremendous honor,” Link, who spoke to reporters for the first time on Wednesday, said. “Obviously it was a bit of a challenge.”

The 6-foot-6, 328-pound tackle found himself playing against some of the best teams in the country, starting 11 of the Wolverines’ 13 games last season on an offense that ranked amongst the worst in the country. Link was a contributing factor in that, admitting to having some “ups and downs” during the season, overreacting to what opponents were sending his way. According to Pro Football Focus, Link surrendered a total of 30 pressures on the season, including five hits on the quarterback and two sacks.

The biggest issue? Not translating what he was practicing to Saturdays, a common issue for younger players, he says.

“When you get into a game it’s a little bit different situation, things are a little bit more heightened,” Link said. “There’s a crowd. You have an audience. You’re in your head thinking maybe you have to do something different.

“That definitely got me a few times early in the year.”

That youth shined through in the loss to Texas, when he allowed nine pressures on the QB in 37 pass-blocking snaps, and he struggled later in the year against a rush-heavy Indiana team (five pressures, one hit).

Link was eventually able to settle in, playing much better down the stretch as Michigan picked off wins over Northwestern, Ohio State and Alabama. He even got to move back to his more natural spot, left tackle, for the ReliaQuest Bowl, giving up just one pressure all game.

“In high school I played left the entire time,” Link said. “So getting to right, there was definitely a bit of a learning curve there. It was hard to get used to it that fast because I had played left for so long, everything felt so comfortable.”

Grant Newsome, the Michigan offensive line coach, says Link has carried that momentum into the spring. Link is back at left tackle and tried out at both guard spots as the Wolverines search for their five best offensive linemen.

And while Link may have struggled last year, Michigan isn’t willing to give up on the former four-star recruit yet.

“He played his two best games down the stretch,” Newsome said. “It’s always what you hope for with any guy, that you play your best when your best is needed. And that was definitely the case with him.”

Link says he’s spending the spring focused on improving his fundamentals, like timing, footwork and hand placement. He’s thankful to be back at his more natural spot, on the left side, where he believes he’s best.

Just like last year, though, it’s going to come down to what he does in the games. And with one full season under his belt, Link believes he has the confidence to get it done.

“The Ohio State game was really special for me, just because I grew up going to Columbus every year,” Link said. “My father went to Ohio State and I grew up watching those games every year. Getting a chance to play in that game — and be told I was playing in that game and starting that game — it was one of the best experiences of my life up to this point.

“If they think I can be here, I can be here. I can hang. I say I did, and I did the best I could, and we ended up winning the game. That was a huge confidence boost.”