Michigan DE Braiden McGregor has new role, ambitious goal for 2022

PAW PAW, Mich. — Braiden McGregor and the remainder of Michigan’s defensive ends have heard the offseason chatter.

With Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo each gone, electing to declare for the NFL, a few spots have opened up on the sting. And maybe simply as many questions.

“That’s the been the factor in our room, as a result of everybody’s speaking about that,” McGregor, who enters his redshirt sophomore season this fall, advised MLive on Saturday on the Karsen Barnhart-hosted soccer camp for youths.

“(They’re saying) that’s an enormous query mark, and it’s not a query mark. We’ll be all proper.”

Collectively, Hutchinson and Ojabo accounted for almost three out of each 4 sacks Michigan recorded in 2021 (they mixed for 25 of the workforce’s 34), forming the most effective edge-rushing duos within the nation. Filling that gap might be troublesome, perhaps even unattainable, however Michigan’s first-year defensive coordinator (Jesse Minter) and defensive position coach (Mike Elston) each agree that manufacturing might want to come from greater than two guys.

Which has McGregor, who got here to Michigan as a standard finish and transformed to a stand-up edge rusher final yr, salivating in any respect the probabilities.

“I’m extra of a second-and-long, third-down, dime-package (participant),” McGregor mentioned. “That’s what I’m doing this yr, and I really like that function. I’ve talked to (David) Ojabo about it … and it’s simply superior.”

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In actual fact, Ojabo — a second-round decide of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, regardless of tearing his Achilles within the lead as much as the draft — was over McGregor’s home on Friday of final week serving to him put together for the season forward.

“Final yr I had just a little hassle (adjusting), however this yr I’m excited for it,” McGregor mentioned.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 265 kilos, McGregor has the construct and body to be an edge rusher. He’s massive however not overly cumbersome and has a knack for getting off the road, evident by his high-school days doubling as a good finish.

“It was exhausting (final yr). It was robust, for certain. Taking part in defensive finish in coach (Don) Brown’s protection is quite a bit totally different than this. It was a giant studying curve.”

McGregor, a former standout at Port Huron Northern Excessive College, redshirted his freshman season in 2020 whereas nonetheless recovering a torn MCL, PCL and meniscus in his proper knee. Then he got here down with the COVID-19 virus final spring that slowed his improvement, impacting his means to get onto the sector.

He would up enjoying in 9 video games final yr, however struggled to crack the two-deep whereas nonetheless studying the place.

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This yr, nevertheless, figures to be a special story. McGregor says he’s extra assured in his function and the spots determine to be extra huge open than in years previous, even with upperclassmen Mike Morris and Taylor Upshaw again.

Each McGregor and out of doors linebacker Jaylen Harrell determine to be a giant a part of the rotation this fall, particularly in passing conditions the place attending to the quarterback might be crucial.

“We have now very several types of our bodies — sorts of athletes — within the room,” McGregor mentioned. “We’ve acquired guys that set the sting good; and I feel we’ve acquired guys that may pass-rush actually good.

“It’s going to be a mix of 4 or 5 individuals which can be actually going to place all of it collectively and actually type that defensive position like we had final yr.”

The problem this spring, McGregor mentioned, was studying either side of the road. As we noticed final yr, Michigan was unafraid to maneuver Hutchinson and Ojabo round, conserving opposing groups guessing the place they could come from. With McGregor (and others), it may very nicely be the identical story this fall.

And like his predecessors, he needs to be prepared.

“Lead the workforce in sacks; that’s the principle aim,” McGregor mentioned. The leaders are gone, so (I wish to) step right into a management function and construct on prime of what we did final yr. Truthfully, I feel our workforce acquired higher this yr, so we’re able to go. The offense, protection — we’re prepared. I simply know that individuals are going to see. I can’t wait.”

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