Why Michigan football's 4 projected first round 2025 draft picks likely won't be captains

All it takes is a quick glance at a 2025 NFL mock draft to understand the Michigan football junior class is loaded.

Recently, an ESPN projection for next spring's draft pegged defensive back Will Johnson to go No. 3 (Denver Broncos), defensive tackle Mason Graham to go No. 7 (Minnesota Vikings) and tight end Colston Loveland at No. 14 (Indianapolis Colts).

A separate publication also projected defensive tackle Kenneth Grant to go No. 20 (Atlanta Falcons), despite none of them having played a single collegiate snap as an upperclassman.

Although those players are among the most talented on the team, senior running back Donovan Edwards told the Free Press on Tuesday while at an autograph signing event at the Born In Detroit pop-up store on Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit, there is no internal expectation for them to be formally named as the team's leaders.

It's all part of tradition.

'ONE OF ONE':Why the ‘Sack Sensei’ is all in on Michigan football’s Mason Graham

"I'll start with the seniors, because only seniors are allowed to be captains," Edwards said when asked about this year's crop of leaders. "I'll start with Max Bredeson, he's stepped up a lot. Also, Makari Paige and Josiah Stewart, it's those four guys, well those three guys and (myself) that pops in my mind.

"But you know, it's a crime, it's really a shame that (juniors) can't be voted captains. Like Colston Loveland, goodness, he's really being a vocal presence. Kenneth Grant, Mason Graham, Will Johnson, I mean I see Zeke Berry grinding his butt off. (Alex) Orji, (Jayden) Denegal, Davis Warren — Davis Warren is one who I've seen as an offensive leader who's being a lot more vocal."

The Wolverines are coming off a College Football Playoff championship campaign that was built on the backs of a deep senior class. Of the program-record 18 players invited to the NFL combine from U-M's 15-0 squad, only two (J.J. McCarthy and Junior Colson) were juniors; the other 16 players were either seniors or graduate students.

Last season, the captains were Blake Corum, Zak Zinter, Trevor Keegan, Kris Jenkins, Mike Sainristil and Michael Barrett — six players with a combined 29 years of experience. Edwards would have been the third junior to go into the draft, but after he and his team got feedback, he decided a final year in college was best.

The 2024 season kickoff is just 52 days away, and Edwards said he already feels a different role headed into it.

'CROOTIN:Michigan football lands Andrew Olesh, top-5 tight end in 2025 class

"I have a lot more say and pull," Edwards explained. "I realize I've done certain things in big games, so when guys do look to me, I do kind of feel it and see guys gravitate toward me like, 'What is he doing?'

"My obligation as a leader is for other people to get their voice out. What I've realized is you're going to be tired of one guy speaking the same message, but if 10 guys can speak that same message, other guys can be like 'OK, this is the type of team I'm on.'"

Had he not suffered an injury in the spring, senior safety Rod Moore would likely have been a perfect candidate for a captaincy as well.

Not only is he a leader on the back end talent-wise — see his game-sealing interception vs. Ohio State as evidence — but new defensive coordinator Wink Martindale compared Moore to one of his favorite defensive backs he'd ever coached, Eric Weddle.

It's not out of the question he'd still be given the role; while Moore is expected to begin the season as a player-coach as he continues his rehabilitation, defensive backs coach Lamar Morgan seemed to leave the door open for a return this year when he said on an episode of U-M's "Inside The Trenches" podcast that Moore “might not be able to play the first half of the season."

ANOTHER ONE:Michigan football flips 4-star DB Ivan Taylor, son of NFL star Ike Taylor, from Notre Dame

The public will get its first understanding of who the rest of the Michigan players and staff perceive as the faces of the upcoming team when they announce who will be sent to Big Ten media days (July 23-25) in Indianapolis.

That said, attending the event does not guarantee anything come the captain vote or in-season roles: Two years ago, rising-senior quarterback Cade McNamara was named a captain in 2022, only for his understudy, McCarthy, to win the job in fall camp.

"You best believe I'm pushing guys," Edwards said. "Say we're doing our pullups and they do three, I'm like, 'Nah bro, give me five, give me the full five reps,' and I feel like guys appreciate that.

"They see the hard work I've put in. ... Hopefully they can see if they put in that same hard work and even more, then they can be at that same level or even greater."