Fall camp is right around the corner, and Michigan has plenty of unknowns to resolve before the season opener. One position stands out as the most concerning heading into head coach Kyle Whittingham's first year.

"Linebacker is going to be a position where the talent is certainly there, the group overall lacks experience and doesn't necessarily have a player it can rely on quite yet," SI's senior editor Josh Henschke wrote.

That is the core problem. Michigan has bodies at the position but not a single linebacker heading into camp who has demonstrated he can be counted on as an every-down starter at the Big Ten level.

Michigan lost three starting-calibre linebackers to the NFL this offseason in Ernest Hausmann, Jimmy Rolder, and  Cole Sullivan, and the group replacing them is short on proven experience.

Troy Bowles is the most likely option to earn a starting role. He played significant snaps in 2025 and had a strong spring.

Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, a former five-star who missed most of last season due to surgery, is expected to compete for the other starting spot and still needs to prove consistency before the staff hands him full responsibility for the position.

The wild card is North Dakota State transfer Nathaniel Staehling, who missed spring camp due to offseason surgery. The defensive staff brought him in specifically as someone who can make an immediate impact, but his health and readiness heading into fall camp are still unknown.

Henschke pointed to another name who could emerge unexpectedly.

"After some bright spots during his true freshman season, a strong spring put Chase Taylor in the conversation to see the field this season," Henschke wrote, per SI.

Taylor being mentioned as a real depth piece after just one year in the program shows how thin this group actually is. When a true freshman standout from last year is being discussed as a potential starter, that tells you everything about where the depth chart currently stands.

Michigan’s offensive line has its own battle that could reshape the entire front

The linebacker question is the loudest, but the offensive line is not far behind. Henschke flagged tackle and right guard as the other spots worth watching heading into fall.

Andrew Babalola was a five-star coming in. He missed all of 2025 with an ACL. He is expected back for fall camp, and if he wins the left tackle job over Blake Frazier, the whole line reshuffles.

Here is why that ripples out. Andrew Sprague can play multiple spots. Babalola at left tackle could push Sprague to right guard, which then opens up a real competition with Brady Norton and Nathan Efobi.

The Wolverines open with Western Michigan and then face Oklahoma in Week 2. Both games will reveal quickly whether the line is ready.

Do you think Michigan's linebacker room is good enough to compete in the Big Ten in 2026? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Farheen Fathima

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi