Ranking The Top 10 Michigan Football Defensive Players Heading Into 2023 By PFF Grade

The Michigan defense is loaded once again in 2023. It's even more apparent after looking at the grades from PFF.

Michigan begins fall camp on August 2 and the college football season is right around the corner. 

I'm going to continue our fall preview content by switching gears to the Wolverines' defense. I just got done ranking the top 10 Michigan offensive players by their Pro Football Focus grade -- you can see that here.

The Wolverines had one of the best defenses in college football a season ago. Even after losing Mike Morris, Mazi Smith, and DJ Turner to the NFL -- Michigan is still loaded. It's even more apparent after looking at the grades per PFF. 

In order for a player to be on the list, they had to have played more than 164 snaps a season ago and they must be on the roster heading into the '23 season. 

1. Will Johnson (CB) Grade: 88.2 (488 total snaps)

2. Rod Moore (S) Grade: 83.8 (726 total snaps)

3. Mike Sainristil (CB) Grade: 83.3 (689 total snaps)

4. Kris Jenkins (DT) Grade: 80.7 (536 total snaps)

5. Mason Graham (DT) Grade: 80.3 (303 total snaps)

6. Makari Paige (S) Grade: 79.1 (485 total snaps)

7. Josaiah Stewart (Edge) Grade: 78.3 (541 total snaps at Coastal Carolina)

8. Michael Barrett (LB) Grade: 75.7 (629 total snaps)

9. Junior Colson (LB) Grade: 75.5 (727 total snaps)

10. Rayshaun Benny (DT) Grade: 73.8 (164 total snaps)

Other notables:

Kenneth Grant (DT) Grade: 72.7

Josh Wallace (CB) Grade: 70.1 at UMass

Jaylen Harrell (Edge) Grade: 69.1

Derrick Moore (Edge) Grade: 67.9

Braiden McGregor (Edge) Grade: 66.5

Ernest Hausmann (LB) Grade: 51.9 at Nebraska