Michigan receives unfortunate news on former five-star ahead of season opener

No. 14 Michigan is expected to be without one of their top 2025 signees after an unfortunate injury during preseason practice.

Backed by a substantial NIL war chest, second-year head coach Sherrone Moore's Wolverines signed the nation's No. 6 class in the 2025 cycle. Headlining the star-studded group is a pair of five-stars in quarterback Bryce Underwood and offensive tackle Andrew Babalola.

While Underwood, who signed a reported NIL deal worth upwards of $10 million, continues to fight for the starting role this upcoming season, Babalola reportedly suffered a knee injury that could keep him out the entire year.

The 6-foot-6, 300-pound lineman was battling for the left tackle spot with Evan Link before going down with the injury, according to CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz. Babalola, holding a $719,000 NIL valuation, was expected to be a "factor" for the Wolverines as a true freshman.

Losing a talent like Babalola is never a welcomed challenge for a program, especially for Michigan, which struggled mightily on the offensive side of the ball last season. Moore and Co. finished 113th in scoring offense, 131st in passing and 76th in rushing in the 8-5 season.

There is some hype around the potential for No. 1 quarterback signee Underwood to help address those issues. But finding a dependable option in Babalola's place has just become another priority with two weeks before the season kicks off.

The Wolverines are slated to open the season at home against New Mexico on Aug. 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET (NBC).