Big Ten Media Days are here. The three-day event starts late Tuesday morning and will stretch through Thursday. Coaches and key players will get a chance to speak to the media and answer valuable questions going into the 2024 football season. With the event taking place, it means that football is right around the corner and we are just a little over a month away before Michigan takes the field against Fresno State.

In the meantime, outlets are still putting together predictions and analyses during the preseason. 247Sports put together a list of strengths for every preseason top 25 football team. 247Sports has Michigan ranked No. 7 in its top 25 rankings and the author, Brad Crawford, names the entire Wolverines’ defense as their biggest strength in ’24.

There’s first-round ability at all three levels defensively, so we’re going with the entire position unit under first-year coach Sherrone Moore. Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant return at the line of scrimmage and Michigan can handle the loss of Colson with Ernest Hausmann and Maryland transfer Jaishawn Barham taking over in leadership roles. Makari Paige is back too, and Will Johnson — one of the nation’s top cornerbacks. Safety Keon Sabb leaving for Alabama was the only major portal casualty following the coaching change. Impressive.

– Brad Crawford – 247Sports

Michigan defensive back Will Johnson celebrates after intercepting a pass from Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

While you could make a strong case that the front four is actually Michigan’s biggest strength, it’s just fine to lump the entire defense in there. The Wolverines have playmakers all over the defensive side of the game. Michigan already has three-to-four defensive players being looked at as possible first-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant make up the best defensive duo in football. Derrick Moore and Josaiah Stewart just might be an upgrade over last season’s pair of Braiden McGregor and Jaylen Harrell — who were both very good. At linebacker, Michigan just might have one of the best duos there as well. Then in the secondary, it’s not easy replacing Rod Moore who went down with a major injury. But Sherrone Moore went out and brought in four veteran players via the transfer portal who will all compete for a job this fall.