PFF ranks Michigan football's defensive line heading into 2025 season

Entering 2025, what's likely going to be the strength of the Michigan football defense will be the defensive line. It's been a theme of the Wolverines over the last several seasons. Michigan has gone through disruptive linemen who paved their way into the NFL. Last season, the Wolverines had Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, and Josaiah Stewart, but even after losing them, Michigan is expected to have a top defensive line unit.

According to Pro Football Focus, Michigan has the No. 6 defensive line in the country. Clemson, Alabama, Texas Tech, Florida, and Penn State are ranked ahead of the Wolverines.

The Wolverines are the fifth and final team on this list with multiple players mentioned in my edge defender/defensive tackle rankings. Even though Michigan lost two defensive tackles who were top-15 picks in Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, it has another star in Rayshaun Benny. He’s my No. 9 interior defender in America and was 16th among them last year with an 83.1 PFF grade. Derrick Moore is my No. 10 edge defender in the country and was third in the nation last year with a 23.4% pass-rush win rate.

TJ Guy is also back along the edge for the Wolverines, and he was one of eight Big Ten edge rushers last year with 75.0-plus grades both as a pass-rusher and as a run-defender. Max Chadwick (PFF)