5 Michigan Football players who need to take big leaps this spring

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Michigan will hold its first spring practice on March 17, with the spring season ending with the spring game on Saturday, April 18 at 2 p.m. The Wolverines will have 15 practices under head coach Kyle Whittingham and the new coaching staff to finally get an on-field look at the players.

Here are five players we think need to take big leaps this spring.

QB Bryce Underwood

Underwood doesn’t get to hang his hat on his No. 1 recruiting ranking anymore. From listening to the coaching staff this offseason, that doesn’t seem to be his mindset either. Quarterbacks coach Koy Detmer Jr. said a few weeks ago that Underwood holds himself to a high standard and “works his tail off.” The coaches prioritized keeping him in Ann Arbor, so you know they believe Underwood has what it takes to win at the highest level. It’d be great to see some improvement from Underwood this spring.

DT Enow Etta

Etta was named to the leadership council in the offseason. He clearly has the support of his team, but it’d be great to see him take another leap on the field. He didn’t grade out too well on Pro Football Focus, finishing the season with a 62.7 grade. He had 15 total tackles and just half a sack. For someone with enough respect from his team to be voted into a leadership council, it’d be great to see Etta have a bigger presence on the defensive line.

LB Chase Taylor

Michigan’s linebacker room will look a lot different in 2026 following the departures of Ernest Hausmann, Jimmy Rolder and Jaishawn Barham. One guy that could step up is Taylor, who had 10 tackles and recovered a kick as a true freshman last season. He graded out great against the run, but has room to improve when it comes to pass rush and coverage. Looking at BYU’s defense last season, there were a handful of guys that graded out really well as pass rushers, and its possible defensive coordinator Jay Hill could help young guys like Taylor take a leap this spring.

TE Zack Marshall

Michigan will need someone at the tight end position like Marshall to step up with Marlin Klein off to the NFL. While the coaching staff brought in some transfer wide receivers to strengthen its passing attack, they’ll still need some help from their tight ends. We’ve seen flashes from Marshall over the last couple seasons, so he certainly has what it takes to help the Wolverines replace Klein’s snaps and take his game to another level.

Edge Nate Marshall

Michigan’s 2026 schedule is a gauntlet, with games against four teams projected to be in the top-25, including at Oregon and Ohio State. If the Wolverines are going to win those games, putting together a strong presence on the defensive line would certainly help.

Marshall is a talented player and flashed as a true freshman, as he put up six pressures and six total tackles in 2025. If he can take a leap this spring and reach his full potential, fans should feel much better about Michigan’s chances in some of those tough games this fall.

Who do you think needs to take the biggest leap this spring? Let us know in the comments below!

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