ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The Wolverines will have a revamped pass-rushing room this season after losing Derrick Moore, TJ Guy, and Jaishawn Barham from their ranks. But Michigan football players feel pretty good about who will be stepping in. The defensive line has been cited as the strength of the team, and with All-American John Henry Daley transferring from Utah, there's at least one ringer at the edge rusher position.
But who are the other standouts? After all, there are a lot of names, potentially going eight deep.
Though Cam Brandt, Nate Marshall, Lugard Edokpayi, Benny Patterson, and the two true freshmen -- Carter Meadows and Tariq Boney -- are all making waves, the one player who appears to be impressing the most in fall camp is third-year end, Dominic Nichols.
Asked which player is impressing him the most, senior right guard Nathan Efobi proffered that Nichols is the one player to watch on the team.
"On the other side of the ball, Dom Nichols," Efobi said. "People haven't heard a lot about him, but he's a feisty guy, and he's ready to show y'all this year for sure."
He's not the only one. Left guard Evan Link was asked which pass rusher gives offensive linemen fits, and his answer was Nichols as well.
"Probably say Dom Nichols," Link said. "Yeah, Dom's a tremendous pass rusher. A lot of moves; he can do anything he wants. He's really, really good and taking a lot of steps forward."
Certainly, Brandt would have loved to have heard his name as the one standing out in the position group, but at the same time, he fully agrees with the offensive linemen's assessment that Nichols has taken his game to another level.
He shared more about why Nichols is becoming a problem for opposing offensive linemen.
"Honestly, I'd probably say that as well," Brandt said. "I feel like it's probably just his mindset and just how he attacks it. He's very fluid, very athletic, and just feels like he knows what he's doing out there. So yeah, when it comes to pass rusher, it definitely comes natural."
Nichols will likely earn the starting role opposite Daley along the defensive front. Fans will get their chance to see him in action on September 5 when Michigan football hosts Western Michigan at The Big House.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Dominic Nichols emerging as Michigan football's top pass rusher
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