Michigan football transfer portal report: Positions of need and potential targets

May 28, 2024

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — A year ago at this time, Michigan was preparing for the College Football Playoff while scouring the transfer portal for players who could help the program return in 2023.

It worked, as all nine of Michigan’s transfers contributed in some fashion to a 13-0 season and a third consecutive CFP berth. As the team prepares to face Alabama in the Rose Bowl, Michigan is taking a similar approach to the December transfer window, sifting through the glut of names for players who could contribute next year.

“That’s just college football,” defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said. “You’re always thinking about roster construction and the best way to build your team. We know what we’re going to have until hopefully Jan. 8. After that, you’ve got to have eyes towards what you want the roster to look like next year.”

Whereas last year’s team returned all but a few of its major contributors, this year’s team stands to lose key players at virtually every position. That could make for a more active transfer window, though the portal is only one avenue for filling those roster spots.

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Of the more than 500 players who entered their names in the portal on Monday, only a small percentage could realistically contribute at Michigan. The Wolverines have developed internal depth to offset the departures of up to 18 starters who are seniors or draft-eligible juniors, but Michigan will be monitoring the portal for players who could ease the transition.

“Similar to last year, you’ve got to keep your eyes on guys,” Minter said. “We have some positions where we’re really looking, knowing we may or may not have some guys back. That’s part of it in college football. The timing of it is different than the NFL where you play the season and free agency opens down the road. With the portal, it’s an ongoing deal.”

Here’s a look at a few positions of need and players who might fit.

Defensive back

Mike Sainristil and Josh Wallace are fifth-year seniors who used their extra year of eligibility in 2023. Safety Makari Paige is a true senior with a year of eligibility remaining, and Rod Moore is a third-year junior who will be eligible for the NFL Draft.

At a minimum, Michigan will have new starters at nickel and cornerback next season. Ja’Den McBurrows has worked his way into the rotation as a backup nickel, but Amorion Walker hasn’t challenged for a starting job as originally projected. Adding a player or two with experience in the secondary would make a lot of sense.

One player to watch is Western Kentucky transfer Upton Stout, who reported an offer from Michigan on social media. At 5-foot-9, Stout is a playmaking cornerback in the Sainristil mold who has five interceptions in two seasons for the Hilltoppers.

Western Kentucky CB transfer Upton Stout with a remarkable play here. Top of the screen comes all the way across the field for PBU. #Michigan and others have already offered. 5 INT's last two years @upton_5tout pic.twitter.com/Cgn7O6Lwsc

— Clint Brewster (@clintbrew247) December 4, 2023

Offensive line

It’s hard to build an offensive line through the transfer portal. Michigan has a good track record with offensive line transfers, but sustaining that success year after year is difficult. The Wolverines got a taste of that this season as they integrated three transfers on an offensive line that, while still very good, hasn’t been the dominant unit that some projected before the season.

Stanford transfer Drake Nugent, a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, filled in admirably for Virginia transfer Olu Oluwatimi at center. At tackle, Michigan has been searching for consistency from Karsen Barnhart, LaDarius Henderson, Myles Hinton and others.

Michigan’s top seven offensive linemen are seniors, which means the Wolverines could be headed for a complete overhaul up front. On the interior, Greg Crippen, Giovanni El-Hadi and Raheem Anderson waited behind established veterans and should be ready to go next season. Michigan doesn’t have ready-made replacements at the tackle spots and will have to decide whether to promote from within or look for help in the portal.

Defensive line/edge

On paper, this is the position that should return the most talent next season. Kris Jenkins is a senior, as are Braiden McGregor and Jaylen Harrell. There’s still a talented core coming back with Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant and Rayshaun Benny on the interior and Derrick Moore and Josaiah Stewart on the edge.

Adding a choice transfer or two could help Michigan offset its losses. One player to watch is Harvard transfer Thor Griffith, who was No. 8 on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List. The 6-foot-2, 320-pound defensive tackle has 33.5 tackles for loss in his career and has said he wants to use his final year of eligibility at Michigan or Ohio State. Defensive tackle Walter Nolen, a five-star recruit who picked Texas A&M over Michigan out of high school, is another big-name prospect in the portal.

Wide receiver

Cornelius Johnson is out of eligibility, and Roman Wilson is a senior who could enter the NFL Draft. That would leave Michigan’s future in the hands of Tyler Morris, Semaj Morgan and a handful of young players.

This will be a pivotal offseason for Darrius Clemons, a top-150 recruit in the Class of 2022. He’s a talented player with a wide-open path to playing time in 2024. Morris and Morgan are smaller slot-type receivers, whereas Clemons is a 6-3 outside receiver who could fill Johnson’s shoes next year. In a perfect world, Clemons would develop into a productive starter and Michigan could use the portal for depth rather than relying on transfers to step in right away.

Quarterback

Nobody knows what J.J. McCarthy is going to do. Because Michigan is in the CFP, there won’t be any clarity on McCarthy’s future until the season ends in January. That puts Michigan in a tricky spot when it comes to pursuing quarterbacks in the portal.

The obvious player to watch is Dante Moore, the five-star prospect from Detroit’s King High School who entered the portal after one season at UCLA. Moore didn’t have great numbers as a freshman, throwing nine interceptions in 213 pass attempts. But he’s a huge talent from Michigan’s backyard who gave strong consideration to the Wolverines before committing to Oregon and eventually signing with UCLA.

Would Moore consider Michigan without assurances that the quarterback job will be open in the spring? Is Michigan in position to take a big-name quarterback transfer with blue-chip prospect Jadyn Davis committed for 2024? Could Alex Orji contend for the starting job if McCarthy declares for the draft? These are big questions that may not be answerable in December.

At a minimum, Michigan is set to lose Indiana transfer Jack Tuttle, who decided to use his final year of eligibility as a veteran backup to McCarthy. Adding an experienced quarterback from the portal makes sense regardless of what McCarthy decides. There are plenty of teams out there with starting jobs to offer and the NIL money to attract a top-notch quarterback transfer. For Michigan, it’s a wait-and-see approach until McCarthy makes a decision about the NFL.

(Photo of Dante Moore: Ric Tapia / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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