Two Michigan players ranked as top-25 players through seven weeks

Trent Knoop | 6 Hours Ago

Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press

Michigan football might be 4-2 in the six games its played, but it's not due to lacking star power. The Wolverines have four players who are viewed as being first-round selections in the 2025 NFL Draft -- all being juniors. Michigan also has veteran talent, but the maize and blue just didn't put it all together during the first half of the 2024 season.

ESPN put together a list of the top-25 players through the first seven weeks and two Wolverines cracked the list.

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cornerback Will Johnson was the preseason No. 4 player on ESPN's preseason ranking, but Johnson has fallen a litte to No. 17.

"One of the top lockdown cornerbacks in college football, Johnson has two interceptions in five games, both returned for touchdowns. He missed the 27-24 win over Minnesota on Sept. 28 with an injury, but had a 42-yard interception return for a touchdown the week before in a 27-24 win over USC. In the loss to Texas in Week 2, Johnson allowed just one reception. The 6-2, 202-pound junior has three pass breakups on the season and is the Michigan career record-holder with three interceptions returned for touchdowns. He had an 86-yarder to cap the 30-10 win over Fresno State in the season opener."

Through the first six games -- Johnson only playing in five of them -- he has tallied 12 tackles, two interceptions, two touchdowns, and three pass breakups. The Wolverines' passing defense is way down from last season and even Johnson has been picked on a few times, but he's still arguably the best defensive back in college football. Johnson is on track to being a top-10 pick next Spring.

Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Defensive tackle Mason Graham is looked at as the No. 13 player at the midseason mark, but has also gone down from being the preseason No. 2 player in college football.

"An integral player on Michigan's national championship team, Graham has continued to be one of the nation's best interior linemen. Graham has 3.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries and a blocked field goal attempt, and he recorded his first multisack performance in a win against Minnesota. But the numbers hardly capture the impact he has at the defensive tackle spot. Michigan isn't the same team as it was in 2023, but the Wolverines continue to excel against the run, allowing only 76.3 yards per game, and Graham is a big reason why."

Graham got off to a slow start in the first couple of weeks, but has came on strong. Graham has 21 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and four TFLs through six games. Michigan's run defense is one of the best in college football and between Graham and Kenneth Grant -- they are getting the job done. The Wolverines will continue to lean on that duo in the last six games of the season.

- Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI -