Michigan was preparing for the College Football Playoff last year while searching the transfer portal for 2023 players.
All nine Michigan transfers helped the team go 13-0 and reach the CFP for the third straight year. Michigan is searching the December transfer window for players who could help next year as the team prepares to play Alabama in the Rose Bowl.
Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator, said, “That’s just college football.” “You’re always thinking about roster construction and team building. We know what to expect until Jan. 8, hopefully. After that, think about next year’s roster.”
Last year’s team returned all but a few key players, but this year’s team will lose almost every key member. That might make the transfer window more busy, but the gateway is only one way to fill roster spots.
Only a small percentage of the more than 500 players who put their names in the portal on Monday may contribute to Michigan. Michigan has enough depth to replace up to 18 seniors or draft-eligible juniors, but it will watch the portal for players who can help.
“Like last year, you’ve got to watch, guys,” Minter said. “We’re looking at some positions where we may or may not have guys back. College football includes that. The timing is different from the NFL, where you play the season and free agency starts later. With the portal, it’s ongoing.”
Here are some open roles and potential candidates.
Defensive Back
Five-year seniors Mike Sainristil and Josh Wallace, both defensive backs, utilized their extra year of eligibility in 2023. Safety Rod Moore is an NFL Draft-eligible third-year junior, and Makari Paige is a true senior with one year left.
New nickel and cornerback starters are expected for Michigan next season. Ja’Den McBurrows has solidified his spot as a backup nickel, but Amorion Walker hasn’t competed for the starting role. An experienced supplementary player or two would be wise.
Western Kentucky transfer Upton Stout, who tweeted a Michigan offer, is worth watching. Stout, a 5-foot-9 playmaking cornerback like Sainristil, had five interceptions in two seasons for the Hilltoppers.
Offense line
Building an offensive line through the transfer portal is difficult. Michigan has an excellent record with offensive line transfers, but repeating that success is challenging. That happened this season when the Wolverines added three transfers to an offensive line that is nonetheless excellent but not as dominant as some predicted.
Stanford move Drake Nugent, a Rimington Trophy finalist, played center well for Virginia transfer Olu Oluwatimi. Michigan needs consistency from Karsen Barnhart, LaDarius Henderson, Myles Hinton, and others at tackle.
Michigan’s top seven offensive linemen are seniors, so a major rebuild up front is possible. Interior players Greg Crippen, Giovanni El-Hadi, and Raheem Anderson waited behind veterans and should be ready next season. Michigan doesn’t have replacements and must determine whether to promote from within or use the portal.
Defence line/edge
On paper, this position should return the most talent next season. Kris Jenkins, Braiden McGregor, and Jaylen Harrell are seniors. With Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Rayshaun Benny, Derrick Moore, and Josaiah Stewart returning, the team is still talented.
Michigan might recover with a few choice transfers. Harvard transfer Thor Griffith, No. 8 on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List, should be watched. The 6-foot-2, 320-pound defensive tackle has 33.5 tackles for loss and wants to play his senior year at Michigan or Ohio State. Another top talent in the gateway is five-star defensive tackle Walter Nolen, who chose Texas A&M over Michigan in high school.
Wide Receiver
Wide receiver Cornelius Johnson is ineligible, while senior Roman Wilson may pursue the NFL Draft. Tyler Morris, Semaj Morgan, and a few young players would lead Michigan’s future.
Darrius Clemons, a top-150 2022 recruit, will have a crucial offseason. He’s a talented player with high 2024 playing time prospects. Morris and Morgan are smaller slot receivers, while Clemons is 6-3 and could replace Johnson next year. Ideally, Clemons would become a productive starter, and Michigan could use the gateway for depth instead of relying on transfers.
Quarterback
Nobody knows J.J. McCarthy’s plans. McCarthy’s future won’t be clear until January because Michigan is in the CFP. That makes portal quarterback recruiting difficult for Michigan.
The five-star talent from Detroit’s King High School who entered the gateway after one season at UCLA is the obvious player to watch. Moore had nine interceptions in 213 pass attempts as a freshman. However, he is a talented Michigan native who considered the Wolverines before choosing Oregon and UCLA.
Without guarantees of a spring quarterback opening, would Moore consider Michigan? With Jadyn Davis committed for 2024, could Michigan sign a top QB transfer? If McCarthy declares for the draft, could Alex Orji start? These fundamental questions may not be answered in December.
At minimum, Michigan will lose the Indiana transfer. As an experienced backup to McCarthy, Jack Tuttle used his final year of eligibility. Adding an experienced gateway quarterback makes sense regardless of McCarthy’s decision. There are several teams with starting jobs and NIL money to sign a top QB transfer. Michigan is waiting until McCarthy decides on the NFL.
