Michigan’s defensive tackles have big shoes to fill replacing Mazi Smith

Published Jun. 15, 2023, 10:15 a.m. Fiesta Bowl Michigan defensive lineman Mazi Smith (58) stands on the field during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022. (Neil Blake | MLive.com)Neil Blake | MLive.com facebook twitter 125 shares By Aaron McMann | amcmann@mlive.com Michigan’s alignment up front defensively may vary depending upon opponent and situation, but the task of trying to replace first-round NFL draft pick Mazi Smith remains top of mind. Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, a pair of tackles who rose to prominence as true freshmen last fall, will be tasked with leading the charge over the middle — a position that doesn’t get much attention in the stat sheet or on the highlight film, but remains vital to the Wolverines’ success. “It’s a great challenge. Obviously he was a great player,” Graham, who played in all 14 games and got two starts, said recently. “Saw a lot of great things when he was here. Big shoes to fill, but I’m up for it. We’re all up for it.” Graham, at 6-foot-3 and 317 pounds, is the frontrunner to line up at nose tackle this fall when Michigan deploys its base, four-man front. But that’s also contingent upon who he lines up next to, he says. The Wolverines have four or five players ready to fill the two inside positions, nose and tackle, a group that includes returning senior Kris Jenkins, sophomore Rayshaun Benny and former graduate transfer Cam Goode. “Me and Kris — he’s at tackle, I’m at nose. Me and Ray Benny — he’s tackle, I’m nose,” Graham explained. But when the 6-foot-3, 356-pound Grant is in the game, Graham said, “he’s at the nose and I’m at tackle. That’s probably the only time I’m at tackle.” More: U-M football wants more pass rush from its interior D-linemen With Smith in there at nose, Michigan became increasingly difficult to run on. The defense surrendered just 97.93 rushing yards per game, ranking it seventh nationally, and Smith’s mammoth size and ability helped clog up running lanes. And when opponents elected to do something about it, oftentimes via double teams, it freed up one of his teammates. “He just says, ‘Destroy the man first, then worry about making the play later,’ Grant, who finished the season with 8 tackles, said. “Because if you destroy the man first, your teammates will have a better opportunity to get to the man and make a play.” The hope is that Graham and Grant make enough of an impact inside to do just that. Michigan openly discussed in the spring its renewed emphasis for more pass-rush from the interior of its defensive line, one of the few deficiencies from a defensive unit that finished top-10 nationally in nearly every major statistical category. That type of play, and production, helped carry the Wolverines to an unblemished 12-0 regular season, win over Purdue in the Big Ten championship and second straight College Football Playoff appearance. “(Mazi) loves stopping the run. He has a passion for it, so right when I got in there we were always working together on that sled,” Graham said. “Just working drills to stop the run. Now we’re obviously trying to do more pass-rush stuff to while keeping the run-game strong.” The jury is out on how that will play out this fall, but this much is true: Michigan is deeper over the middle, a testament to its recruiting and player development in recent years, with a mix of superb talent and experience to help sure things up. Jenkins is a sure-fire NFL prospect next year, and there’s growing belief inside Schembechler Hall that Graham, Grant and Benny could eventually follow suit. Before they can get there, however, hard work and success must come first. They all acknowledge that and sound bought in to Jim Harbaugh’s ‘team-first’ approach, making the Wolverines the prevailing favorite to capture a third straight Big Ten title in 2023. Smith may be gone, but Graham and Grant are more than capable of picking up the work. And maybe provide a bit more. “Someone has to do the nitty-gritty stuff,” Grant said. “Somebody has to learn to love it — to make the team successful and defense successful — to get to where we want to go.”