Wolverine Digest

Michigan reels back in top offensive lineman for 2026 season

The Wolverines' O-line is coming together very nicely.
Trent Knoop|
Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

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Michigan Wolverines

The 'LFG147' campaign is starting to heat up for Michigan football and its ability to retain key pieces. We already saw players like Bryce Underwood, Andrew Babalola, Blake Frazier, Evan Link, and Zeke Berry -- who reversed course --all share they were coming back.

And on Tuesday night, Michigan got more great news. Interior lineman Jake Guarnera nearly left Ann Arbor via the transfer portal, but he, like Berry, opted to withdraw from the transfer portal and return to Michigan for the 2026 season.

RELATED: Michigan transfer portal tracker: Every player coming in and out of the program in 2026

As of now, Michigan has lost Andrew Sprague to the portal, but with the retention of Guarnera, Link, Babalola, and Frazier, among others, Michigan should have a very good offensive line in 2026 under new offensive line coach Jim Harding.

Jake Guarnera and his future

When Jake Guarnera signed with Michigan in the 2024 cycle, he was regarded as the Wolverines' future center. But with Greg Crippen in Ann Arbor, Michigan had to figure out another place for Guarnera in 2025. The Wolverines opted to play the Florida prospect at RG and he excelled.

In the 12 games he played, playing in 710 snaps, Guarnera was Michigan's best run blocker with a 68.0 grade, per Pro Football Focus. He also had a 66.4 pass blocking grade, which was toward the bottom of the starting five, but with the expectation of Guarnera moving to center in 2026, he will have more help in that area.

According to PFF, Guarnera allowed 11 pressures and two sacks in 2025.

Coming out of high school, Guarnera was a three-star prospect and ranked as the No. 508 player in the 2024 class. He chose the Wolverines over programs like Florida, FSU, Miami, Ole Miss, and Penn State, among others.

The 6-foot-4, 311-pound lineman was All-Big Ten Honorable Mention this season for the Wolverines and will another year of experience under his belt, we would expect Guarnera to have another great season in Ann Arbor.

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Trent Knoop
TRENT KNOOP

Trent began writing and covering Michigan athletics back in 2020. He became a credentialed member of the media in 2021. Trent began writing with Sports Illustrated in 2023 and became the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI during the 2025 football season. Trent also serves as the Publisher of Baylor Bears on SI. His other bylines have appeared on Maryland on SI, Wisconsin on SI, and across the USA TODAY Sports network. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.

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