Who will be Michigan Football’s next All-American?

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Michigan has a long and storied tradition of players earning All-American status. Even over the years as recognized voting bodies have come and gone, Michigan has remained a constant. 143 Wolverines have been named first-team All-Americans and 76 have been consensus selections. Of those 76, 28 have been unanimous, including a recent stretch where Michigan had one unanimous selection every season from 2021 to 2024. 

Unsurprisingly, no Wolverine made the cut last season. Derrick Moore was the only Wolverine to be named a first-team All-Conference player (although the media had him second team), an injury derailed any hopes for Justice Haynes, and Dom Zvada, a preseason lock, struggled to kick back, let alone kick field goals. 

But as we turn the page, Michigan has several players who could start a new streak in 2026. Here are the top candidates to earn All-American honors this season. 

DE John Henry Daley

John Henry Daley could be the best player on the team this year. Last season, he finished with 48 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 17.5 tackles-for-loss, two forced fumbles, and was named a first-team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation. Daley’s 1.59 tackles-for-loss per game were third in the country and are second among all returners this season (first in the Big Ten). Moreover, his 1.05 sacks per game were second nationally in 2025 and are the top mark among all returners in 2026. 

Michigan has only had eight players ever finish with 11 or more sacks in a single season, and only two of them (1985 Mark Messner and 1998 James Hall) were back in Ann Arbor after doing so. JHD follows in the footsteps of fellow prolific transfer Josaiah Stewart, who had 12.5 sacks in 2021 before joining the Wolverines in 2023. However, all of this is contingent on one massive ‘IF.’

Daley ruptured his Achilles tendon late last season, and although all signs indicate a full recovery, can fans ever watch him without holding their breath? Success on the edge is predicated on lower-body explosion and power, and if Daley can get back to even 80 percent of the player he was last season, he will be a threat to repeat as an All-American.

If Daley can bounce back from injury and stay healthy, he could etch his name into the program’s history books in just one season, a la Olu Oluwatimi in 2022.

RB Jordan Marshall

Speaking of health, running back Jordan Marshall averaged 6.2 yards per carry last season (the fourth most in program history for a Michigan RB with at least 150 carries) and led the team with 932 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns before getting banged up in Week 10. Marshall split time with Justice Haynes for seven games, so he is familiar with a democratic approach to running the ball. Marshall is in line to do so again with Savion Hiter, except he will be the 1-a of the tandem this season.

Marshall’s All-American chances require a delicate balancing act between too many carries and risking injury, and not enough carries to rack up the requisite yardage to be considered for any individual accolades. Michigan has not had dual 1,000-yard rushers since 1976, and with quarterback Bryce Underwood and third-string RB Bryson Kuzdzal in the mix, Jason Beck’s attack-by-committee approach could hurt Marshall’s chances but preserve Michigan’s full complement of rushers for the entire season.

S Rod Moore

Still speaking of health… The return of the King! Rod Moore has not played an entire season of football since Jim Harbaugh was the head coach and Joe Biden was the president. But when he plays, Moore has proven to be one of the most impactful players on Michigan’s defense. Last season, Moore returned for parts of the Nebraska game, Wisconsin, and USC, and in only 85 total snaps, finished tied for first among defensive backs in interceptions – albeit a down year for the group in that category.

Moore already has a legacy-defining moment under his belt (“calling game” against Ohio State in 2023) and is the only player remaining from 2021’s redeem team. Moore understands how to reach the mountaintop and, more importantly, understands how to turn a program around. Although Moore has never been named higher than third-team All-Conference, real ones know that a healthy Rod Moore is the most impactful safety in the conference, if not the country.

Also, if elected captain again, Moore will join Horace Prettyman (1884-86) as the only two three-time captains in program history. 

CBs Jyaire Hill & Zeke Berry

Okay, we’re finally done with the overarching health concerns (knock on wood). Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry have been nothing if not durable. The duo enters their third year patrolling the secondary together – a rare feat in modern college football – and although Hill has been garnering more buzz, especially in NFL circles, Zeke Berry has quietly – as quiet as the grave among national media – been Michigan’s best defensive back since Week 8 in 2024. 

After injuries derailed Will Johnson’s season, Berry kicked outside and suddenly everything made sense. Since then, even when returning to nickel or safety, Berry has flourished, even earning All-Conference recognition in 2025. But that’s not to say Hill has been bad by any means (although he unofficially led FBS in dropped interceptions last year).

Over the last two seasons, the pair have nearly identical statistics. 

Berry: 70 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 3 interceptions, 19 passes defended

Hill: 71 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 2 interceptions, 13 passes defended

In defensive coordinator Jay Hill’s new scheme, there will be no hiding. Hill’s coverages rely heavily on winning one-on-one matchups on the outside, so as these two go, the defense goes. This reliance on man coverage will make the mistakes louder, but it will also give both players ample opportunities to stand out. 

WR Andrew Marsh

Will Andrew Marsh be the first Michigan player to break 1,000 yards since Jeremy Gallon in 2013? Last season, Marsh was the best freshman wide receiver in the Big Ten, finishing with 651 yards and four touchdowns. More impressively, Marsh finished with these numbers despite six games with under 30 yards receiving, including four donuts. 

Beck’s attack is run-centric, but this is not a service academy attack either. Over the last two seasons, Beck’s top receiving targets have outpaced Michigan’s, and this was with Devon Dampier at quarterback, who is closer to a wildcat quarterback than John Elway. Beck will use the run game to set up one-on-ones for Marsh and create space for the sophomore to shine. If Underwood can consistently get his favorite target the ball, Marsh has the talent to do the rest to earn All-American honors.

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