Sherrone Moore calls emerging Michigan LB an 'absolute freak show'

Entering 2025, Michigan football is expected to have one of the top defenses in the country. The Wolverines' front seven should be a nightmare for most offenses. The front four will be deep, and the linebacking corps is going to be another strength for Wink Martindale's defense.

Michigan returned both Ernest Hausmann and Jaishawn Barham -- the two leading tacklers from last season. Hausman had 89 tackles and Barham had 66 tackles. In an interview with 247Sports' Sam Webb, Moore also mentioned bringing back Jimmy Rolder, who he views as the third starting LB.

But there is another LB Moore is very high on and that's sophomore Cole Sullivan. After playing in 12 games last year, mostly on special teams, Sullivan had four tackles. But entering 2025, Moore called the Pittsburgh native 'a freak show'.

“But a guy that not a lot of people are talking about is Cole Sullivan," Moore told Webb. Sully is an absolute freak show. Sully is 6'5, 240 something pounds, and he moves like he's 210 and long, physical.

"And he's a linebacker. So if he walked in the room, you think he's an edge. So he's a guy that we can do a lot of things with too. So we're excited about his growth.”

Two other linebackers flashing

But it's not just Sullivan Michigan can lean on in rotation for its starting three. Moore is also high on what true freshman, four-star LB Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng provides. The 6-foot-1, 203-pound LB, who played for IMG Academy 'flashed' according to Moore.

“Yeah, I mean, Nate flashed a lot in the spring ball," Moore said of the true freshman. "He's just not always knowing exactly what to do. But when he did it, he did it super fast and physical."

Then there is the Georgia transfer. Michigan landed Troy Bowles, the son of Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles. After two seasons with the Bulldogs, Bowles is now a Wolverine, and Moore believes at some point, he's going to be a really good player for Michigan.

"Troy was working through something. Troy is fully healthy now," said Moore of Bowles' health. "And Troy is going to be a really good player for us as well.”