Wayne State University Athletics

Football 8/6/2025 4:40:00 PM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

WSU Football - 2025 Linebackers Preview

DETROIT -- Over the next three weeks, we will continue previewing each position on the 2025 Wayne State University football team with each position coach highlighting their respective units. This segment is the linebackers preview with coach Ahmed Saleh.

Between the "Mike", "Will" and "Star" linebacking spots, first-year linebackers coach Ahmed Saleh has seven returnees from previous seasons with the Green and Gold.

Headlining the "Mike" position group is two-year letterwinner Quincy Salter (Livonia, Mich. / Stevenson). He appeared in all 22 games over the last two seasons, making 48 tackles (21-27), including 2.5 for loss (1 solo, 3 assisted).

Transfer Martell Williams (Hillside, Ill. / Proviso West [Rochester Community & Technical College and Norfolk State]). Williams, who transferred to WSU in January, played in all 12 games for Norfolk State last fall and ranked sixth on the team with 43 tackles.

Providing depth in the middle are freshmen Micah Calhoun (Port Wentworth, Ga. / Robert W. Groves), Mason Conklin (Sparta, Mich.), Ryan Spate (Boyne Falls, Mich. / Boyne City) and Kasim Gozic (Detroit, Mich. / U. of Detroit Jesuit).

The lone returning Warrior at "Will" is redshirt sophomore CJ Gordon (Benton Harbor, Mich. / Berrien Springs), who appeared in all 11 games last season, and made a career-high five tackles (2-3) at Grand Valley State.

Transfer Logan McGraw (Wyandotte, Mich. / Roosevelt [Tennessee State / Hutchinson C.C.]) will be pushed by a trio of freshmen in Luke Johnson (Oxford, Mich.), Marvin McCallum (Detroit, Mich. / Cass Tech) and Johnny Nelson (Harper Woods, Mich.).

The "Star" spot has the most returning experience in redshirt junior Devon Brown (Detroit, Mich. / Martin Luther King), along with redshirt freshmen Max Edwards (Los Angeles, Calif. / American Fork [Utah]), Kaleb Jefferson (Detroit, Mich. / Harper Woods) and Gavin Troy (Port Huron, Mich.).

Also "returning" is redshirt junior Nahji Mabry (Flushing, Mich.). After dressing for six games as a true freshman in 2022, Mabry has spent the last two years at UM-Flint. Providing additional depth at "Star" is true freshman Daylon Doe (Harper Woods, Mich. / Grosse Pointe North).

Wayne State begins fall practice on Monday, August 11th with the players reporting the weekend prior. The home and season opener will take place on Thursday, Sept. 4 with a 6 p.m. kickoff against the Tiffin Dragons. Both season and single-game tickets are available by clicking here. WSU Athletics supporters can also join the W-Club by clicking here.

Other Position Previews
Season Preview
Quarterbacks Preview
Defensive Backs Preview
Wide Receivers Preview

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#32 Devon Brown: Star; 6' 2"; Redshirt Junior

#33 Max Edwards: Star; 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman

#50 CJ Gordon: WLB; 6' 2"; Redshirt Sophomore

#34 Kaleb Jefferson: Star; 5' 10"; Redshirt Freshman

#44 Quincy Salter: MLB; 6' 2"; Senior

#45 Gavin Troy: Star; 5' 10"; Redshirt Freshman

#53 Mason Conklin: MLB; 6' 3"; Freshman

#36 Daylon Doe: Star; 6' 3"; Freshman

#57 Ryan Spate: MLB; 6' 2"; Freshman

#52 Luke Johnson: WLB; 6' 0"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#32 Devon Brown
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Junior
: Star

#33 Max Edwards
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman
: Star

#50 CJ Gordon
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Sophomore
: WLB

#34 Kaleb Jefferson
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Freshman
: Star

#44 Quincy Salter
: 6' 2"; Senior
: MLB

#45 Gavin Troy
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Freshman
: Star

#53 Mason Conklin
: 6' 3"; Freshman
: MLB

#36 Daylon Doe
: 6' 3"; Freshman
: Star

#57 Ryan Spate
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: MLB

#52 Luke Johnson
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: WLB