Michigan OL Giovanni El-Hadi says true freshman offensive tackle will be a 'superstar'

Senior left guard Giovanni El-Hadi will be one of the leaders in Michigan football's offensive line room this season. Coming onto the Wolverines from Sterling Heights Stevenson High School in 2021, El-Hadi has slowly worked his way up the depth chart during his time with the Maize and Blue, while becoming a regular starter for the first time in his career last season with 13 starts at right guard. In 2025, El-Hadi will move over to the left side, still at guard, and will try to play his part in creating holes for his running backs and protecting quarterbacks in the passing game.

While El-Hadi is one of the lineman whose starting position is essentially solidified heading into fall camp, there was once a time where he was the one fighting for playing time as a youngster himself and trying to move up the ranks in the offensive line room to win a position battle. That's happening in real time in fall camp amongst the position group, with a few spots still up for grabs in terms of who will start at certain positions.

One of the position battles includes a true freshman in Andrew Babalola, a highly touted player coming out of high school who has already been raved about for his abilities after his performance in spring ball. He is battling at the left tackle spot with redshirt sophomore Evan Link, who really turned it on at the end of last season after moving from the right side of the line to the left. El-Hadi said both of them are doing a fine job in their own rights. He added he has established great chemistry with Link on the left side, while adding the maturity of Babalola and ability of the true freshman to learn the playbook so quickly has been impressive.

〽️ pic.twitter.com/vWXu89Cj1C
— Andrew Babalola (@AndrewBabalola4) April 4, 2025

"Link and Babs are doing a really good job," El-Hadi told reporters during a media session on Monday. Me and Link played on the right side and now we're both on the left side, and it just feels very natural there. And Babs is amazing. He's a really good freshman—so smart, I was not that smart when I was a freshman, I'll tell you guys that right now. It took me a lot longer to learn the playbook, and he already knows it. Just with the natural abilities he has, he's going to be a superstar."

Michigan OL Giovanni El-Hadi says true freshman offensive tackle will be a 'superstar'

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