John Henry Daley
Michigan#43 overallDraft Movement
Down 5 spots since Jun 8
Scouting Report
John Henry Daley exploded onto the 2027 radar as a first-year starter at Utah before a non-contact Achilles rupture ended his breakout season and he transferred to Michigan. Football runs in the family, his father Neal played linebacker at BYU and his uncle is former NFL standout Taysom Hill. A three-star recruit from Lone Peak High who served a two-year mission in Brazil, Daley waited behind Logan Fano and Van Fillinger before winning the edge job opposite Fano in 2025. The production arrived fast: through 11 games he posted 48 tackles, 17.5 TFL (leading the FBS), 11.5 sacks (second nationally when he went down), and two forced fumbles. ESPN Research credited him with the fourth-best edge pressure rate in FBS at 19.6 percent, and PFF ranked him first in Pass Rush Total Points among defensive ends. The honors stacked up, including Walter Camp First Team All-America, AP Second Team, and First Team All-Big 12. At 6'4" and 247 pounds, ESPN's Steve Muench calls him a proven plug-and-play veteran who is stout against the run, advanced with his hands, and wins as a rusher more with strength and motor than elite bend. The Achilles rupture is the central variable, and Michigan's tougher Big Ten slate will give evaluators a cleaner read on whether his numbers were scheme-aided. His ceiling is a 10-sack edge defender; a redshirt ramp-up year is a sensible path.
Strengths
- Led FBS with 17.5 TFL and ranked second nationally with 11.5 sacks across just 11 starts
- Fourth-best FBS edge pressure rate at 19.6 percent per ESPN Research
- First in Pass Rush Total Points among all FBS defensive ends per PFF
- Advanced hand usage for a first-year starter with a clean long-arm and chop-rip
- Bend and flexibility to corner tight around the arc without losing speed
- Converts speed to power on bull rushes from a low pad level
- Counter ability shown with two sack-fumbles created different ways vs Wyoming
- Stout and physical setting the edge, reads pulling guards and down-blocks quickly
Weaknesses
- Non-contact Achilles rupture in November 2025 is a major medical red flag affecting burst
- Lighter 247-pound frame can get washed out against in-line tight ends
- Wins more with strength and motor than elite first-step bend and corner speed
- Inconsistent tackling in space, overruns ball carriers and misses
- Limited coverage reps and looks uncomfortable dropping into zone
- Only 11 full starts of tape, real sample-size and projection risk
- Production may have been partly manufactured by Utah's scheme matchups
NFL Comparison
Boye Mafe (speed-to-power edge with motor and developing bend); Carl Lawson (undersized power rusher who wins with hands and leverage); Josh Sweat (long, productive edge whose stock hinged on a major medical)
College Stats
2023 BYU: 3 G after two-year mission. 2024 Utah: rotational, minimal snaps behind Fano/Fillinger. 2025 Utah (11 G): 48 tackles, 17.5 TFL (1st FBS), 11.5 sacks (2nd FBS), 2 FF, 1 PBU, 19.6% pressure rate; season ended by Achilles rupture. Transferred to Michigan for 2026.
Measurables
Awards & Honors
2025 Walter Camp First Team All-America; AP Second Team All-America; First Team All-Big 12; Chuck Bednarik semifinalist; Lott IMPACT quarterfinalist; B/R 7.0 grade (Round 3); HS All-State first-team