2012 Positional Breakdown: Linebacker

As far as defense is concerned, the Linebacker position was arguably the least hit at the end of the 2011 season. The only two players lost to graduation were backups Brandon Herron and J.B. Fitzgerald. All starters return, and there is a lot of depth to back them up the already great talent going out there.

What really makes these players special is the scheme they play within. Defensive coordinator Greg Mattison loves mixing up the look he gives an opposing offense and does a tremendous job of disguising the pressure from Linebackers. It's one of the biggest reasons the Wolverines were able to make that huge jump in defense from 2010 to 2011. They did an incredible job of keeping the offense on its toes and mixing things up.