Predicting Michigan Football's 2024 Captains

The Wolverines may have lost a lot of talent to the NFL during the off-season, but there's still plenty of veteran leadership remaining on the roster.

Chris Breiler | Jul 5, 2024

Dec 3, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; A Michigan Wolverines player s helmet before the Big Ten Championship against the Purdue Boilermakers at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

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Michigan Wolverines

The Michigan Wolverines will need to replace all six captains from the 2023 squad, including linebacker Michael Barrett, defensive lineman Kris Jenkins, cornerback Mike Sainristil, running back Blake Corum, left guard Trevor Keegan, and right guard Zak Zinter. While that's a significant group to have to replace, the 2024 Michigan squad features no shortage of guys who are worthy of earning the title of "captain" for the upcoming season.

It's worth noting that the opportunity to be named a captain at the University of Michigan is traditionally reserved for seniors and graduate students, meaning guys like Will Johnson, Colston Loveland, Mason Graham, and Kenneth Grant wouldn't necessarily qualify. It's certainly possible that Sherrone Moore could make an exception for all three of those guys, especially when you consider their leadership role within the program. But assuming that Moore continues the old tradition moving forward, here are the guys that seem most likely to be named a captain for the 2024 season.

Donovan Edwards, RB - Senior

Michigan running back Donovan Edwards runs against Washington during the second half of U-M's 34-13 win in the College Football Playoff national championship game in Houston on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

This is a selection that you can take to the bank. In addition to the fact that he's unquestionably the most lethal offensive weapon on the roster, Donovan Edwards has also taken a huge step forward as a leader during the off-season. He's become a mental health advocate, using his own struggles to try and help those around him. He's taken on more of a charitable role by hosting youth camps and visiting local schools, and he understands that his role as a Michigan Wolverine is far bigger than what he does on the football field.

Max Bredeson, TE - Senior

Jan 6, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Michigan Wolverines tight end Max Bredeson (44) looks on during a practice session before the College Football Playoff national championship game against the Washington Huskies at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Max Bredeson isn't a guy who gets a lot of recognition on the highlight reels, but he's certainly a guy who's critical to the Michigan offense - as well as the Michigan locker room. Every team needs a guy who's willing to do the dirty work on the field, and Bredeson is that guy for Michigan. Whether it's in his capacity as a tight end or at the H-back, Bredeson's smash-mouth style of play is perfect of a Michigan offense that loves to bully you in the trenches.

Rod Moore, DB - Senior

Nov 25, 2023; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive back Rod Moore (9) celebrates after he makes an interception in the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports / Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

A torn ACL could sideline Rod Moore for most - if not all - of the 2024 season, but there's very little doubt he'll serve as a captain this season. He's one of the top leaders on the roster, and he's used his injury to transition into more of coaching role while he works toward recovery. Defensive backs coach LaMar Morgan recently shared his thoughts on the veteran DB:

"I mean, he hurt his leg and the next day he's in the front row of our meeting. I haven't seen that in my career. I know I haven't been coaching for 40 years, but it's just crazy the way that he's wired. He has a smile on his face, he's in there working right now walking on the treadmill, working on all of these different things."

Makari Paige, DB - Graduate Student

Jan 8, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive back Makari Paige (7) against the Washington Huskies during the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Makari might be relatively quiet at the microphone when he's meeting with the media, but he let's his play on the field do most of the talking for him. The veteran DB made 13 starts at safety during the 2023 National Championship season, and the absence of Rod Moore means that it will be even more critical for Paige to assume a leadership role on the football field in 2024.

Wild Cards

Davis Warren, QB - Senior

I don't expect Davis Warren to be named the starting QB in 2024, but there's no doubt he is a leader on the roster. Alex Orji referred to him as the "guru of all things QB mechanics" following the spring game, and I could see him working with JJ McCarthy during Michigan's Pro Day. When you add in his backstory and battle with Leukemia, as well as his charitable work within the community, its not hard to see a scenario where Warren is named captain.

Greg Crippen, C - Senior

It honestly wouldn't have been all that surprising to see Greg Crippen enter the transfer portal at some point over the last two seasons. As a sophomore, he saw incoming transfer Olu Oluwatimi win the starting job at center in 2022. During his junior year, it was incoming transfer Drake Nugent who assumed the starting role. But instead of taking it personally and looking for greener pasutures elsewhere, Crippen remained with the program and continued to put in the work. By all accounts, he's the guy at center for the Wolverines in 2024. Sticking it out and earning your way (even when it's difficult) is definitely something that can make you a captain at the University of Michigan.

Giovanni El-Hadi, OL- Senior

Another guy on the offensive line that's had to pay his dues and wait his turn. Under any other circumstance, Giovanni El-Hadi would have been a starter at the University of Michigan well before the 2024 season. The biggest issue is that he was playing behind two big-time NFL talents in Zak Zinter and Trevor Keegan, meaning he needed to remain patient. However, he has appeared in 21 games on the offensive line during his first three seasons, and even made three starts at left guard in 2022 as Trevor Keegan battled injury.

Josaiah Stewart, EDGE - Senior

Josaiah Stewart is an interesting choice. He was No. 2 on the team in sacks with 5.5 during the 2023 season, and made some huge plays that helped propel Michigan to the National Championship. He switched from No. 5 to No. 0 for the 2024 season, a number the carries a ton of weight after Mike Sainristil wore it during his final two years at Michigan. If Stewart does earn the honor of becoming a captain, he would become the first incoming Michigan transfer to do so.

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