Former PHN star Braiden McGregor relishes increased role as Michigan football chases national title

This is what Braiden McGregor always wanted.

Now in his third year with the University of Michigan football team, the defensive end's role has grown considerably this season. His playing time has increased and he's appearing in more crucial situations.

McGregor is doing this for a program that won its second straight Big Ten championship and is two wins away from a national title. And the Port Huron native is doing it for the school he grew up following.

"It's been a dream come true," McGregor said. "I was always a Michigan fan. It's kind of weird, I had a Denard Robinson jersey and now he's on the (coaching) staff ... I've been able to contribute and be on the field in front of 110,000 people every Saturday. It's awesome. It feels like a dream to me."

The dream began at Port Huron Northern High School, where he starred as a defensive end from 2016-19.

"We brought him up for the playoffs as a freshman," Northern coach Larry Roelens said. "We put him in the game, he made a few plays and we knew that he was going to be special."

"Probably the biggest thing that stood out was that he's a natural born leader," Northern defensive coordinator Brett VanDrew said. "His work ethic was top notch and kids followed to that. He was a very motivated kid."

McGregor became a fixture with the Huskies as a sophomore. That's when he bulked up and first emerged as a leader.

"Going into his (junior) summer is when the recruiting started," Roelens said. "That's when the process, for me, showed how tremendous he is as a person. He was very humble (about it). He's a very thoughtful person."

The 6-foot-6 pass rusher received offers from 36 schools, including Alabama, Clemson, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame and Ohio State.

"His recruitment and his opportunities have been the biggest that our school has ever seen," VanDrew said. "To see him go through that entire process and not change who he was, that's a testament to the type of character he has and the type of kid he is."

McGregor verbally committed to Michigan as a junior in May 2019. A promising senior season was cut short when he tore his MCL, PCL and meniscus, in a win over Port Huron on Oct. 11, 2019.

Two months later, McGregor officially signed with Michigan. He enrolled early in January 2020. But adversity followed him to Ann Arbor.

"My freshman year, I was coming back from that knee injury," McGregor said. "With (the coronavirus pandemic) too, it was just kind of a wash year for me. It was hard. But I knew that I had to grind even harder to get on the field. Because watching my friends play and all that — it was hard sitting on the sideline."

"It was kind of like everything was stacking against him," VanDrew said.

While McGregor made a full recovery, he remained buried in the depth chart during the 2021 season.

"Last year, it was kind of the same deal," McGregor said. "(I was) behind Aidan Hutchinson, David Ojabo, Mike Morris — all those guys."

McGregor appeared sparingly in nine of the Wolverines' 14 games in 2021. He totaled five tackles (four solo, one assisted) and one tackle for loss. But the defensive end didn't play against rivals Michigan State and Ohio State, or in the Big Ten Championship Game against Iowa.

"Going into my junior year, I sat down with my parents and just talked to them," McGregor said. "I was like, 'I need to be on the field. I'll do whatever it takes.' So I got with the strength staff and Coach (Ben) Herbert. He pushed me as hard as he could every single day in the weight room."

He gained 15 pounds of muscle in the offseason. During that time, McGregor also made changes to his diet and sleep schedule.

"I had a pretty good fall camp and it translated to the first four games," McGregor said. "Then I got a little banged up there for the next two or three. (But) then I got back on the field and I was getting more playing time. I definitely think it was the offseason training (that helped) — all the stuff that everybody always preaches."

"That's the thing that I'm most proud of him for," VanDrew said. "His perseverance and 'stay the course' mentality. Things weren't always rosy for him. They weren't always perfect. But as he went into this year, he started to see more snaps."

McGregor has played in all 13 games this season. He's recorded 15 tackles (eight solo, seven assisted), 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. Some contests stick out to him more than the rest, including two in particular.

"This year against Michigan State ... we hadn't beat them since I've been here," McGregor said. "They recruited me hard and I got a sack against them. I think it really changed the momentum in the game. That was one of the big ones."

The other shouldn't come as a surprise.

"The whole Ohio State game," McGregor said. "I played a lot of snaps and felt like I finally started to make myself known around the country with what I did that game."

"What a coming out party down in Columbus," VanDrew said.

"Watching that Ohio State game was fantastic," Roelens said. "That was awesome. I told my wife and my family I was getting texts from college buddies and friends because I coached him. Seeing that, it was only a matter of time with him. Because he's such a dynamic athlete and such a playmaker ... he's doing a great job there."

Added Roelens: "I'm just very proud of what he's doing. He's just a great kid."

McGregor's lifelong dream is now a reality. But considering all that's still in front of him, he's far from satisfied.

His immediate focus has shifted to the Fiesta Bowl, where the Wolverines will meet TCU on Dec. 31. A berth in the national championship is on the line.

"I'm looking forward to the whole game, the atmosphere and being able to see how we match up against (TCU)," McGregor said. "But I'm also looking forward to being able to do my part, contribute what I can and getting us a win so that we can hopefully get a rematch against Ohio State or Georgia."

Regardless of how this season plays out, McGregor already has his next goal in mind.

"I've had this dream ever since I came here to contribute on the field as much as I can," McGregor said. "But as I've gotten older — having (played with) Hutchinson, Ojabo and all those guys that got drafted — I really want to put myself in the (conversation) of being one of the best edge defenders to ever come out of Michigan.

"We've had a lot of great ones. So just to be able to have my name in that conversation would be a blessing."

Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendenWelper.

This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Braiden McGregor relishing increased role with Michigan football