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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
National champion Michigan received a boost on both sides of the ball Monday as running back Donovan Edwards and edge rusher Josaiah Stewart announced their intentions to return for the 2024 season.
Edwards and Stewart revealed their decisions on social media after a weekend that saw several prominent Michigan players declare for the NFL draft, including quarterback J.J. McCarthy, running back Blake Corum and defensive linemen Kris Jenkins and Jaylen Harrell.
Stewart, who transferred to Michigan from Coastal Carolina in December 2022, finished second on the team in sacks (5.5) and tied for third in tackles for loss (8.5). He earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors from the league’s coaches. Stewart had a breakout freshman season for Coastal Carolina in 2021, recording 12.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.
Edwards has played behind Corum for much of his career and saw his production fall off this season until the national championship game, when he had touchdown runs of 41 and 46 yards to propel Michigan to a 14-3 lead over Washington. The junior finished with 104 yards on only six carries in the championship game, and had 497 rushing yards and five touchdowns for the season.
He had his most productive stretch late in the 2022 season, after Corum sustained a knee injury. Edwards rushed for 216 yards and two touchdowns in an upset at Ohio State, and then followed with 185 yards against Purdue in the Big Ten championship game and 119 yards against TCU in a CFP semifinal loss.
Edwards will enter the fall with 1,662 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, and also has 200 or more receiving yards in each of his first three seasons with the Wolverines.
Safety Rod Moore also announced he will return for the 2024 season. Moore had the game-clinching interception against Ohio State and finished with two interceptions and 38 tackles, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors.
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