2025 Michigan Offseason Thread

[Mdot21]

We now live in a universe where any and every player, on every team,  outside of those without eligibility are a free agent at the end of every season

ok this is true. but the NIL market for an above average let's say B- or B interior OL- not elite A or A+ interior OL- probably isn't that high. I think El-Hadi could make a jump in Year 2 of starting, but he's not exactly an elite player or high level draft prospect....yet.

DT Rayshaun Benny and LB Jaishawn Barham returning gets me going more. These guys both could have giant breakout years. The raw talent/ability is there and has really flashed for sure. These guys both could've gone pro and would've been drafted somewhere imo. They have the size/athletic traits for their positions the NFL drools over.

[Mdot21]

All-B1G free safety Rod Moore is returning for his 5th year instead of going pro. That's pretty big news for Michigan's 2025 defense.

[Mdot21]

Michigan apparently very close to adding another 5* OT in the 2025 class in Ty Haywood (#20 player overall, #4 OT) who just visited. 5* Andrew Balabola at LT + 5* Ty Haywood at RT protecting Bryce Underwood....sign me up for that.

Michigan not recruiting 4*, top 100 overall player DE/EDGE Zahir Mathis anymore. He was suppose to visit and they canceled his visit. Senior film sucked ass but he's 6'6 and athletic- hence the ranking. 

Michigan also apparently in the hunt for OG Rocco Spindler- starter on ND's OL who just hit the portal. He's from the state of Michigan, was a top 60 overall player in the 2021 class and he'll be a 5th year SR who has started 23 games in his career at ND. I'd take him all day long to add depth to the OL.

[MrNubbz]

Hell ya and booger would approve and Rocco will land there unless someone ponies up more. Prolly wants to get even with the Buckeyes and figures this is his best shot to do so

[FearlessF]

Rocco isn't landing for depth dollars

Rocco gonna get paid

Rhule has $$$ to spend

[FearlessF]

Nakos, a college football insider for On3.com, reported, along with Steve Wiltfong, that Nebraska football is one of the teams “heavily involved” for Spinder, a 6-foot-5, 325-pounder who was a top-100 recruit coming out of high school.

Spindler is from Clarkston, Michigan. The Wolverines made a strong push for him coming out of high school, but Notre Dame won out. Spindler has started 23 career games for the Irish. That includes the final 13 of the 2024 season, although he wasn’t a starter coming out of fall camp.

Even so, Spindler was effective down the stretch and many expected him to be a starter next season for Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish weren’t expecting him to enter the portal.

Of course, landing his commitment won’t be easy. Fans want the Huskers to add offensive linemen and the coaching staff does too. The problem is that tons of other programs need O-line help too. According to Nakos, Indiana has received a visit from Spindler already. Pittsburgh, Virginia, and Michigan are also in the mix.

My gut tells me that Spindler ends up playing for a Big Ten school. Michigan makes sense, but Nebraska also has a starting job to offer and has been aggressive with NIL. Spindler would be an upgrade at guard and would allow Justin Evan-Jenkins to take over the center position for Ben Scott.

[MrNubbz]

Hope the 'Skers land him FF,good luck

[CatsbyAZ]

Pardon The Interruption yesterday evening:

“HAPPY 45TH BIRTHDAY, DREW HENSON! As time goes by Henson becomes more valuable as a trivia answer: Who’s the guy who forced Tom Brady into a part-time role as quarterback at Michigan? Henson and Brady were there for two years. In 1999 there were games where Henson and Brady split the first two quarters, then waited for Lloyd Carr to choose who would play the second half.”

“Henson was also a baseball player and after his junior year when Brady had already gone to the NFL, Henson signed a six year $17 million dollar contract with the Yankees as a third baseman. Ultimately Henson only played eight major league games. He went back to football and played nine games as a quarterback for Dallas and Detroit.”

Always wished Henson had stayed at Michigan for his Senior year.

[ELA]

Kid and his dad were a**holes, and leveraged MLB or going to FSU to get more and more promises out of Lloyd

[Mdot21]

Kid and his dad were a**holes, and leveraged MLB or going to FSU to get more and more promises out of Lloyd

100%, that is exactly what happened. although I will say I don't blame the kid as much as the dad- the dad was micromanaging psycopath meddling toxic stage dad.

Henson should've quit baseball and he should've redshirted his first year at Michigan- he was raw because he spent his off-seasons playing baseball and not fine tuning his QB/football skills. he was a great baseball prospect, but he was a generational QB prospect. his upside and talent in football was just on another level than his baseball upside/talent. you had to see him live in person to understand it. he was basically John Elway reincarnate- Andrew Luck before Andrew Luck- but more athletic with a bigger arm. he was truly a special talent- haven't seen a QB with his talent ever at Michigan before or since. JJ McCarthy was closest but still a good bit short. Hopefully Bryce Underwood will be at that level- he certainly seems to possess incredible talent- we'll see.

Henson took the upfront money and the Yankees fame & fortune instead of playing the long game with football. He'd have been a #1 overall NFL draft pick and had a long successful NFL career had he given up on baseball and stuck with football.

[MrNubbz]

Henson took the upfront money and the Yankees fame & fortune instead of playing the long game with football. He'd have been a #1 overall NFL draft pick and had a long successful NFL career had he given up on baseball and stuck with football.

Nurse Mdot's out again

Um,no that's a leep and alot of matter of fact fabricatioin that fits the yarn your spinning. Sure he had a 152 QBR,1st rd probably depending on his senior season. But Kurt Warner got off the matt at 27 as a walk on working in a Grocery store . Let's have a looksee @ 2000 season Anthony Thomas @ RB & Marquise Walker, David Terrel at WR,TE Jorrru along with the usual suspects on the O-line led by Jeff Backus & Steve Hutchinson both No 1 px & Mo Williams 2nd rd & sprinkled with others who went  to the League. Michigan/Henson had weapons, the 2001 team had to re load somewhat and Henson chose to play baseball so 1st rd and prolly washes out 4-5-6 yrs later like a host of other that weren't dialed in like the 6th rounder that played with Drew in '98/'99

[CatsbyAZ]

Henson should've quit baseball and he should've redshirted his first year at Michigan- he was raw because he spent his off-seasons playing baseball and not fine tuning his QB/football skills.

To end that PTI segment on Drew Henson, Wilbon goes on to lament the loss of the two-sport pro athlete: “…which used to happen much much more. But adults, in a supervisory way, and the AAU, have killed that. When you have to play one sport now you can’t even discover who might be great at multiple sports.”

he was a great baseball prospect, but he was a generational QB prospect. his upside and talent in football was just on another level than his baseball upside/talent. you had to see him live in person to understand it. he was basically John Elway reincarnate- Andrew Luck before Andrew Luck- but more athletic with a bigger arm. he was truly a special talent- haven't seen a QB with his talent ever at Michigan before or since.

He'd have been a #1 overall NFL draft pick and had a long successful NFL career had he given up on baseball and stuck with football.

Through the years I’ve persistently heard this exact "would've/could've been" from Michigan fans close to the program, which is saying A LOT given Michigan's run of quarterback rooms. I don’t doubt it either. I thought Brady was very underrated coming out of Michigan, and thought Henson, watching them trade snaps in 1999, had more upside.

Going back to the Dad…

100%, that is exactly what happened. although I will say I don't blame the kid as much as the dad- the dad was micromanaging psycopath meddling toxic stage dad.

…will someone enlighten me more in regards to Mr Henson? 

This happens more often than fans realize, whose helicoptering and lobbying usually remains relegated to “internet rumors” (like Kyle McCord’s Dad), and I’m always amazed that a parent of one kid on an eighty-five man roster thinks they can wield ultimatums over coaching staffs of programs worth upwards of $100M annually.

[FearlessF]

those parents don't now any better, it worked for them in little league, Jr. high, and high school
why should college be any different?

[MrNubbz]

I don't blame the kid for grabbing big offers though because the minute he get's turf toe offers are pulled. And injuries are damn near quaranteed at some point better to have a cash settlement ahead of time then see how things shake out