A Portal Primer
FIRST OFF: DUNNO. Give or take Matt Hibner, who stopped playing in order to maintain a redshirt and transfer somewhere next year, Michigan is the last P5 team without someone in the transfer portal. This obviously isn't going to last, but I mention it because that fact combined with the peak COVID-shirt year means just about anyone could come back, or leave, for 2024. Michigan only definitively loses six contributors: Cornelius Johnson, Cam Goode, Mike Barrett, Mike Sainristil, Josh Wallace, and James Turner.
I'm going to wave a wand and assert that the following players will not be back next year because their eligibility has expired or they head to the draft:
QB: Jack Tuttle
RB: Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards
WR: Cornelius Johnson, Roman Wilson
TE:
OL: LaDarius Henderson, Trevor Keegan, Zak Zinter
DE: Jaylen Harrell
DT: Kris Jenkins, Cam Goode
LB: Mike Barrett
CB: Mike Sainristil, Josh Wallace
S: Rod Moore
The following players are in the maybe category:
QB: JJ McCarthy
RB:
WR:
TE: AJ Barner
OL: Drake Nugent, Karsen Barnhart, Trente Jones
DE: Braiden McGregor
DT:
LB: Junior Colson
CB:
S: Makari Paige, Quinten Johnson
Aaaaand the following extant contributors (ie, persons who have played non-garbage-time snaps who are not DJ Waller or Amorion Walker) are highly likely to return next year:
QB: Alex Orji
RB: Kalel Mullings
WR: Tyler Morris, Darrius Clemons, Semaj Morgan
TE: Max Bredeson, Colston Loveland
OL: Myles Hinton
DE: Derrick Moore, Josiah Stewart
DT: Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Rayshaun Benny
LB: Ernest Hausmman
CB: Will Johnson, Ja'Den McBurrows
S: Keon Sabb
That maybe category is huge in impact if not in numbers, and it's not out of the question that guys like Clemons or Benny could alight for greener pastures. But we have to put them in bins, and now they are in bins.
UPSHOT
Michigan doesn't really need a whole lot. The existing roster could enter next year with a pretty good shot at the Big Ten title. The only spots where things could get hairy is QB (if JJ leaves) and OL (if they don't get more than one potential sixth year guy back).
But they can up their chances and set themselves up for down the road. Michigan portal priorities:
- Potential starting WR
- CB #2 or nickel
- Established LB
- Versatile OL
- DE
- DT
- Developmental QB.
I'd expect them to hit on 1 and 2 and then fill two or three of the other spots to end up with a slightly smaller portal class than last year.
[After THE JUMP: position by position.]
QUARTERBACK
the funniest option [Barron]
NEED: Ask JJ.
Michigan does not have a clear Next Man Up here. They do have Alex Orji, who will be a dude if he can throw the ball, Jayden Denegal, who's flashed some things, and Davis Warren, who seems to have faded from the conversation of late. They also add Jadyn Davis in this recruiting class. All of those guys seem like they're a year away.
If McCarthy returns, Michigan could either stand pat—particularly likely if they feel they've got the inside track with Bryce Underwood—or add a developmental guy who is willing to spend a year apprenticing and then get in a war to succeed McCarthy in 2025.
If McCarthy goes to the NFL, it looks like stopgap time. The problem is that by the time McCarthy announces his decision it will be early or (hopefully) mid-January and the vast bulk of the QB options in the portal will be off the board.
OPTIONS: Unless certain players are willing to wait it looks like Michigan is likely to strike out on plug-and-play veterans. The funniest thing would be to grab Kyle McCord, but that's deeply unlikely.
Dante Moore, the highly-touted in-stater who flipped his commitment from Oregon to UCLA, is the only name that's been linked with Michigan so far. Moore had a rough freshman year, completing 53% of his passes for 7.5 YPA, 11 TDs, and an alarming 9 INTs. There are some mitigating factors—41% of his dropbacks were pressured and 10% of his throws were dropped—but Moore looks like another guy to add to the 2025 battle, not a plug-and-play stopgap. Webb reports that his coach is asserting Michigan is a "perfect fit" for Moore. Oregon is the other main option.
RUNNING BACK
NEED: Meh. Even if Donovan Edwards does go to the draft, which we expect, Michigan will have Kalel Mullings, Ben Hall, CJ Stokes, and incoming freshman Jordan Marshall, amongst others. Mullings has shown enough to believe he can be a feature back, and there's plenty of depth.
If Adrian Peterson pops up in the portal, sure, but short of that Michigan can stand pat.
OPTIONS: No one obvious.
WIDE RECEIVER
McCulley is my #1 [Fuller]
NEED: I am going to put a checkmark next to slot. We're good.
On the outside, Michigan could use somebody. Michigan returns Morris and Clemons and has Karmello English and Fred Moore entering their second years. Peyton O'Leary is also a guy who has been garnering attention, and of late the occasional target. I don't think Michigan needs to do a ton here, but one proven guy would go a long way to solidifying this next season.
OPTIONS: IU transfer Donaven McCulley stands out as a guy who knows a couple of dudes on Michigan's roster and performed well. McCulley is 6'5" and broke out this year after converting from QB as a freshman—you may remember McCulley as the vastly-out-of-his-depth QB Indiana was forced to field in the 2021 game. 48 catches, 644 yards, 65% completion rate when targeted, a few drops. His contested catch rate was an impressive 67%. Michigan offered today and he told Wiltfong that Michigan "100 percent catches my eye" and that he wants to get to Ann Arbor "as soon as possible."
Staying in the state of Indiana, Purdue transfer Deion Burks is a Michigan native with a purportedly maize and blue family. Burks is an unexpectedly big name in the portal, ranked the #1 WR by 247 and sporting the offers to match despite season numbers that are good but not eyepopping: 47 catches, 629 yards, a 49% completion rate when targeted. PFF thought he was fine but just fine. Maybe Burks's production looks a lot better in context: Purdue's passing game was a trainwreck after their starting tackles went out for the season. FWIW, Burks is the guy who gave Mike Sainristil the business at the tail end of the Michigan-Purdue game. So he's got that going for him.
Burks told Steve Wiltfong that agents are saying he could have a second- or third-round grade, FWIW, and did not mention Michigan as an option. Webb reports that Michigan is interested but did not put feelers out to anyone before they were officially in the portal for obvious wrath-of-the-NCAA reasons.
TIGHT END
NEED: If AJ Barner comes back, none. If he leaves Michigan could use the closest thing to Barner they can find.
OPTIONS: Nothing obvious, and given the situation here is basically the same as QB it's likely that Michigan will be picking over scraps if Barner does declare for the draft.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Hinton is both an exemplar and a major swing guy for next year [Fuller]
NEED: Anywhere from nah to desperate, as there are a ton of moving pieces here. Michigan could return Nugent, Barnhart, and Jones for sixth years, feel that Hinton's improving rapidly, plug in Gio El-Hadi in the other guard spot, and call it a day. Or the former three could decide five years is enough and move on, leaving Michigan with zero returning starters, give or take Hinton.
Even in that situation something like Gentry-El-Hadi-Crippen-Anderson-Hinton is probably fine. That line would be guys in at least their third year on campus; all are four-stars. El-Hadi played a bunch last year, and Hinton played a bunch this year.
I wouldn't be surprised if Michigan added someone; I would be surprised if they took three like they did last year.
OPTIONS: ND C Zeke Correll is in the portal but is nowhere near the level of Nugent/Oluwatimi and I'd probably rather roll with Crippen. So is former Wolverine Zach Carpenter, who wasn't bad for Indiana last year. Still seems like he's not an obvious upgrade on Crippen.
Another IU player is an interesting option at tackle: Carter Smith. Smith survived against OSU, Michigan, Penn State, and Purdue as a redshirt freshman. He wasn't exactly good against the top teams but he was pretty decent against everyone else, posting a season grade of 69 at PFF. North Dakota's Easton Kilty is a Wisconsin native who is 247's #1 portal OT; if Michigan kicks the tires he'd probably have some interest.
DEFENSIVE LINE
NEED: I mean, I guess if they want to have nine playable guys again they'll need to add someone but of the nine they're likely to get five or six back, so they do not have starter's snaps to offer. They can point out that everyone eats and even if you're nominally second string you'll be on the field for critical snaps.
There does not look to be anyone pushing through as a must-play dude, so Michigan probably wants to add a DT to keep that two deep stocked. Maybe a DE as well.
OPTIONS: Penn transfer Joey Slackman is one of two confirmed Michigan portal offers to date. Slackman has the kind of PFF stats you want to see for an FCS up-transfer, going from 77 to 85 to 90 over his three years on the field. (Slackman originally intended to wrestle at Penn and did not play football as a freshman.) He grades out as an elite run defender.
Another Ivy transfer, Harvard's Thor Griffith, told Bruce Feldman that he'd like to go to Michigan or Ohio State. Griffith has graded out as a monster in all three of his years, with season grades of 92, 91, and 89; he also made Feldman's freaks list this fall:
The 6-2, 320-pound powerhouse, who packed on 10 more pounds this offseason thanks to a diet, he says, of 6,000-8,000 calories a day, bench-pressed 225 pounds 45 times and improved his 40-time two-tenths of a second from a year ago, down to 4.95. His 10-yard split is 1.65 to go with a 4.57 pro shuttle time. To put that in perspective, Oklahoma’s Jalen Redmond, almost 30 pounds lighter, clocked the fastest time among defensive tackles at this year’s NFL combine, going 4.51 in the shuttle.
Michigan has not been mentioned beyond Griffith's initial conversation with Feldman. I am antsy about this one.
There are no obvious DE targets; so far the portal is a bunch of guys looking like down-transfers after washing out at powers. FSU's Patrick Payton is the exception, but that's a kid from Miami with no obvious connections to Michigan. Duke's RJ Oben is going to be a hot name; he went to Duke and was a Jersey kid before that so he might be a guy with an interest in the winged helmet.
LINEBACKER
NEED: Chances are Junior Colson goes to the draft. Michigan can plug in Ernest Haussmann and maybe Jimmy Rolder—one perspective on Rolder's two not-very-good snaps against Ohio State is "wow, they must like Jimmy Rolder a lot to put him in the OSU game after barely playing all year!" Rolder also played about 150 snaps as a true freshman, so they probably think there's something there.
Then they have a large, amorphous mass of guys: Micah Pollard, Jaydon Hood, Tyler McLaurin, Semaj Bridgeman, and Hayden Moore. Depending on how they feel about the amorphous mass, that may be sufficient. It wouldn't be a surprise to see them add someone.
OPTIONS: Maryland's Jaishawn Barham has a ton of experience but looks like two-down guy at this point in his career, with coverage grades at PFF that are in the 40s. Princeton's Ozzie Nicholas is another Ivy guy with gaudy PFF grades who might be worth kicking the tires on.
SECONDARY
Huskey is not in any of our photos, which is probably a good thing [Barron]
NEED: Similar to last year but less severe. Will Johnson returns; seems likely that Michigan gets Paige back for a fifth year and Quinten Johnson for a sixth. Keon Sabb also has a bunch of experience. Nickel and the second corner spot are question marks but Michigan has a promising set of underclassmen who are likely to produce a hit or two. Ja'Den McBurrows has flashed as the Sainristil heir apparent, DJ Waller and Amorion Walker keep getting into the game in the first half, and Jyaire Hill will be coming off a redshirt raring to go.
One guy would be good, raising the floor considerably.
OPTIONS: WKU transfer Upton Stout is one of three confirmed Michigan portal offers thus far. Stout has pretty PFF numbers—81 coverage grade—and survived against OSU. More to the point, he was avoided. Stout is 5'9" and this more likely ticketed for the nickel spot if he comes here.
First team All-MAC CB Jalen Huskey posted excellent PFF grades and was targeted just once when Michigan played BGSU; that fell incomplete. BGSU coach Scot Loeffler is of course a former Michigan coach and could do M a solid here.
SPECIALISTS
NEED: Depends on how Michigan feels about Adam Samaha or their various walk-on competitors at K.
OPTIONS: Your guess is as good as mine.
December 7th, 2023 at 10:11 AM ^
3rd round picks get north of a mill but it must be weighed against more games, practices and punishment. At M he can remain a kid a little longer while still getting paid. C Webb lamented leaving early.
December 6th, 2023 at 3:52 PM ^
Feel better about next year’s roster reading this.
Not that I felt “bad,” just that I didn’t think much about it because I’m on the “This is the year” train and note all the crucial experienced guys we’re going to lose.
But Michigan now has a track record of getting quality transfers and developing guys.
Biggest Qs look like receiver, OL (it’s a step back this year and one assumes the guys behind aren’t at the same level yet), and, of course, QB. I have no idea if JJ stays or goes and I’m behind him either way. If he comes back the ceiling is very high; if he leaves Michigan would have a shot at a quality guy, but only if he knows what he’s doing already and Michigan gets a commit before January.
Banking everything on a true freshman seems like a risk. FWIW all the smoke about Moore seems to be coming from Moore’s camp.
December 6th, 2023 at 4:00 PM ^
I also feel better about the roster...Unless our academic department does not accept the Harvard transfer credits.
December 6th, 2023 at 4:10 PM ^
Squints uncomfortably. "Michigan of the East, you say...?"
December 6th, 2023 at 4:41 PM ^
Had to login just to upvote this. Nice!
December 6th, 2023 at 10:20 PM ^
Remember Michigan transfer rules essentially make it to where we can either/only take a 2nd year player (like Dante Moore) or a grad transfer due to the credit transfer b.s rule.
I bring this up because, yes, the portal will close by Jan 2nd I believe but Grad transfers can jump in the portal at anytime.
If Mich QB job became available because JJ waited to declare until after winning the natty (with that roster returning) I'm sure we'd be the number 1 spot so someone would probably jump in. Assuming OSU already filled theirs.
I hope so anyway.
December 7th, 2023 at 7:15 AM ^
We'll take a guy who's spent one, two or four years of college elsewhere (provided the fourth-year guy is a grad transfer). It's not that big of a hardship. Michigan wants a guy who gets an undergraduate degree from here to have completed half his credits here. That's perfectly reasonable. People need to stop bitching about it.
December 6th, 2023 at 3:54 PM ^
No mention of Walter Nolan surprises me. To use Brian's lingo we should kick the tires right?
December 6th, 2023 at 4:04 PM ^
Not a freshman, grad transfer, or coming from a good enough academic institution for him to make sense as a candidate. Same for Domani Jackson (referenced by another comment below). The barrier for entry from the admissions office means they'll most likely land somewhere else, so why tease us unless there is some serious noise there?
And even if there is a commitment, I wouldn't be excited until it is announced. Caleb Love looks great for #1 Arizona, huh?
December 6th, 2023 at 7:31 PM ^
Jackson and Nolan are true sophomores finishing their fall semester, same as Josiah Stewart. Shouldn't be an issue for them to transfer in for winter semester and maintain class standing.
Caleb Love was a true junior which is basically impossible to transfer in and maintain class standing. His plan was to graduate from UNC, but in hindsight that was woefully naive.
December 6th, 2023 at 8:19 PM ^
And to your point the 6'5" WR from Indiana we are after burned his redshirt in 2021 and played a lot the past 2 years so he's a true Junior. He also didn't come in winter semester so I don't see anyway we get him in unless he can graduate next summer at IU and join us for fall camp.
December 7th, 2023 at 9:21 AM ^
Oh dang, I thought McCulley was a RS Junior. It's possible that he took enough summer classes during his time at IU to graduate in the spring or summer, but yeah, that would eliminate him from participating in spring practice.
December 6th, 2023 at 3:55 PM ^
It certainly seems like, barring injury, Dono coming back and getting #1 RB snaps next season will move him way up the draft boards.
December 6th, 2023 at 4:41 PM ^
Unless, he just is what he is at this point as a running back with decent vision.
December 7th, 2023 at 7:09 AM ^
If he gets #1 RB snaps next year we are in trouble. Purely as an RB (not including receiving prowess) he is definitely behind Mullings and perhaps even #3. Use his talent properly and maybe he gets take in a late round NEXT year.
December 7th, 2023 at 9:47 AM ^
He has break-a-way speed that Corum doesn't and he's probably the best receiving RB we've had in recent memory. He's been the #2 back behind Corum for 2 years while Mullings has gotten very limited snaps behind Edwards..... I'm not sure how anyone would expect he's going to be behind Mullings next year.
For the last two years most of college football recognized Corum and Edwards as the best backfield in the country..... this season our OL run blocking was notedly a step or two off, which is why Blake's rushing yards were down almost 500 yards on 30 more carries.
I'm not sure the slight to Dono is warrented, but that's just my opinion.
December 6th, 2023 at 3:55 PM ^
No Domani Jackson? Could definitely see him opposite his good friend Will Johnson.
December 6th, 2023 at 4:03 PM ^
Would love to see it, keep McBurrows at NB.
December 6th, 2023 at 5:09 PM ^
Has he entered the portal?
December 6th, 2023 at 8:51 PM ^
I guess not, just looked and he isn’t on there. Could have sworn I saw a post about him leaving SC last week.
December 6th, 2023 at 3:59 PM ^
Want Slackman, I do.
December 6th, 2023 at 4:02 PM ^
I am curious about the (continuing) apparent NFL interest by Harbaugh and the impact of that on portal recruits. I suspect there's no single answer and perhaps there is an understanding that Moore is next in line, and kids are good with that.
December 6th, 2023 at 4:03 PM ^
Since we're predicting, and I didn't do that in my post...
I think these guys all return:
- Donovan Edwards
- A.J. Barner
- Drake Nugent
- Karsen Barnhart
- Trente Jones
- Jaylen Harrell
- Braiden McGregor
- Rod Moore
- Makari Paige
- Quinten Johnson
Fire the money cannons at them!
I think J.J. would return to be the #1 overall pick and best QB in the '25 draft, *BUT* I think we win the national championship this coming January and he wins game MVP.
With that momentum, I think he waits until the last day, agonizing over the decision, but ultimately goes pro. Nothing left to accomplish (he's not winning a Heisman in this offense).
Nugent is the next one, but where is he going to go? He's an undersized C. Maybe it's just time for him, but his limitations may be the reason he returns.
December 6th, 2023 at 9:00 PM ^
JJ was the Vegas front runner for Heisman just a few weeks ago. Next year, we won’t have Corrum to lean on, so JJ and Edwards (in a Gibbs type role) would be the focus of the offense. I , for one, would definitely not rule JJ out for Heisman next year. All of that said, right now the focus is on winning these next two games.
December 7th, 2023 at 1:30 PM ^
I'm sure we all want the best players we can get, but there is a "it's my time" issue with a few guys on the OL. Crippen, Anderson and El Hadi all fall into this category and I'd be happy with those three making up the interior OL for the next two years. If any of those three guys does not see a clear path to the field next season, I'd expect them to transfer.
Jones is our best RT right now and will be next year. Then you have several highly rated tackle recruits who've been here for 2-3 years who can develop on the field and be 2-3 year starters, as opposed to bringing in 1-year stopgap guys every year and telling the recruited kids to stand down again.
December 6th, 2023 at 4:04 PM ^
Lorenz just posted that Michigan might go after Chase Bisontis, true freshman RT from A&M who started 12 games and was a freshman AA. He’s from NJ and we recruited him out of high school
December 6th, 2023 at 4:22 PM ^
This would be a massive get!
December 6th, 2023 at 4:10 PM ^
Interesting name at TE: Jack Velling is entering the portal from Oregon St. Michigan recruited him out of high school, and he had 8 TDs this year.
December 6th, 2023 at 4:50 PM ^
The coaches will absolutely take a TE. This offense can’t have enough tight ends. If you’re a tight end and considering transferring, then Michigan should be high on your list of desired schools.
If you’re an offensive lineman or a running back, then Michigan should be a top choice, too. I think we’re set at running back even if Edwards leaves, but if Ettienne enters the portal, you have to take him if he wants to be at Michigan. Mullings and him would be dynamic, with Marshall and Hall getting carries, too.
December 6th, 2023 at 8:52 PM ^
I can see OL, TE and RB's wanting to come here but the issue is probably more about admissions than interest from players.
Grad transfers and freshman are the best bets to get admission but if they've played 2-3 years (and haven't graduated) it's unlikely those guys wanna deal with the Michigan admissions process for transfers. This alone eliminates a significant number of kids, interested in Michigan or not.
December 6th, 2023 at 9:08 PM ^
Unfortunately he’s likely following his coach to MSU.
December 6th, 2023 at 4:11 PM ^
McCord is worth it for the Trolling factor alone. And hey, he might be really successful behind a Sherrone Moore Oline.
December 6th, 2023 at 4:47 PM ^
Beating OSU with someone they ran out of town would be glorious!!!
December 6th, 2023 at 5:03 PM ^
I think McCord is a take for sure, even if he is a Tuttle-Bowman type.
Think of the NIL tie-ins. “Remember me?” Holds up binoculars. “I have your siiiiiiiignnnnssss….”
December 6th, 2023 at 5:18 PM ^
And .... he already knows OSU's signals!
December 6th, 2023 at 4:12 PM ^
If McCarthy goes to the draft and M can't get a reasonably experienced portal QB to run the offense for a year, then I am all in favor of the full-time OrjiCat.
December 6th, 2023 at 4:31 PM ^
Yeah I was thinking about something similar. Worst case you run a Denard Robinson style offense with Orji, with a better OL and better defense. Michigan won 11 games with Denard completing 55% of his passes with 20 TDs and 15 Ints, while rushing for 1200 yards. The running was obviously super dynamic, but the passing is nothing crazy. Those numbers could be repeated and Michigan could still make a 12 team playoff going 10-2/9-3.
December 6th, 2023 at 4:58 PM ^
Can Orji throw?
Seems like if they were talking about him as a kick returner, one might think he may be long term suited for other positions. Don't get me wrong, I love a running QB, but not a one dimensional running QB.
December 6th, 2023 at 5:14 PM ^
He was 4/6 for 47 yards and 1 TD in the spring game.
December 6th, 2023 at 11:16 PM ^
We definitely can, throw an Orji.
December 6th, 2023 at 6:40 PM ^
I thought it was a WildOrji.
December 6th, 2023 at 7:54 PM ^
You had me at full-time Orji
December 6th, 2023 at 4:13 PM ^
I'm 100% fine with Edwards leaving foir the NFL.
Immediately following his 18 catch 450 yard 6TD draft-send-off-spectacular in the next two games.
December 6th, 2023 at 4:22 PM ^
I know it's been talked about a lot, but as a WR I don't see why guys would choose to come to Michigan. They talked all offseason about being a 50/50 run/pass offense with a "generational" QB and that has resulted in... a moderate increase in passing yards. JJ actually has fewer attempts this season than last and won't eclipse that number unless they beat Bama. They're still not approaching 50/50.
It's the same question we ask about why any OL would want to go to PSU over Michigan. Certain schools use and develop certain positions better than others. WR is not one of those positions for Michigan.
December 6th, 2023 at 6:04 PM ^
Nice try, Ryan Day.
December 6th, 2023 at 8:41 PM ^
Roman Wilson has 11 TDs, tied for 5th in nation. I bet somebody would like to sign up for the opportunity to take that production in the offense.
December 6th, 2023 at 8:53 PM ^
He has 3 TDs in the 2nd half of the season. He's had 5 receptions in the last 4 games.
Michigan just doesn't throw the ball enough and utilizes TEs to the point where as a WR you're going to maybe crack 700 yards in the best of years. That just not an attractive offense for WRa. It's hyperbole, but why would Trevor Lawrence go play for a triple option team?
December 6th, 2023 at 10:11 PM ^
It’s hilarious that one of the greatest WRs of all time came from a triple-option team
December 7th, 2023 at 9:20 AM ^
You don't remember what GA Tech was during Johnson's time.
Reggie Ball threw 330, 379, and 304 passes the 3 years Johnson was there. They weren't a triple option team at that time. Paul Johnson came in after Calvin Johnson went to the NFL.
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