Unraveling the Mysteries of the Transfer Portal in College Football

Last Offseason's Transfers

Last offseason, the Wolverines brought in a diverse group of nine transfers. S Ricky Johnson from UNLV, S Jaden Mangham from Michigan State, S Wesley Walker from Tennessee, CB Aamir Hall from Albany, WR/CB Amorion Walker from Ole Miss, WR C.J. Charleston from Youngstown State, K Dominic Zvada from Arkansas State, OG Josh Priebe from Northwestern, and LB Jaishawn Barham from Maryland. These transfers added depth and potential to the Michigan roster.

Among them, Zvada may have been the most impactful. His near-perfect performance throughout the year culminated in kicking the game-winning field goal against Ohio State. Alongside him, Hall, Priebe, and Barham also stepped up as starters, providing valuable contributions to the team.

Offensive Misses

With J.J. McCarthy's late decision to enter the NFL Draft, Michigan found itself in a bind at the quarterback position. The only name they were tied to was Detroit-native Dante Moore. Having previously spurned Michigan during high school recruitment, he again chose to transfer to Oregon to be Dillon Gabriel's backup. With Gabriel staying healthy all season, Moore saw limited action, appearing in only three games and completing 7-of-7 passes for 49 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.

At wide receiver, the Wolverines faced some setbacks. They missed out on Deion Burks and Donaven McCulley. Burks, highly touted out of Purdue, chose Oklahoma over Michigan and others. In Norman, he struggled with injuries and was able to play in only five contests. Despite the limited playing time, he still made an impact, catching 31 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns. Michigan may get another chance to face him when they take on Oklahoma in 2025.

McCulley played at Indiana in 2023 and entered the portal after the season. Michigan was widely regarded as the favorite to land him, but he ended up re-joining Curt Cignetti and Indiana. Unfortunately for him, he fell out of favor with the new staff and played in just two games, catching two passes. He has since re-entered the portal, and Michigan remains a favorite, but no commitment is imminent.

Defensive Line Misses

On the defensive line, Michigan was linked to Joey Slackman from Penn and Thor Griffith from Harvard. Slackman chose Florida over Michigan and failed to live up to expectations. Despite undergoing knee surgery in September, he still managed to appear in only five games, accumulating just five tackles.

Griffith was initially seen as a battle between Michigan and Ohio State but ended up at Louisville. He has shown promise there and has even made some NFL Draft boards as a potential day three selection. Recently, he made headlines by being ejected for targeting in Louisville's regular season finale, which will result in him sitting out the first half of the bowl game.

Secondary Misses

In the secondary, aside from the players who committed to Michigan like Ricky Johnson, Jaden Mangham, Wesley Walker, and Aamir Hall, the Wolverines missed out on some big-name players. Upton Stout, a nickel prospect, visited Ann Arbor at least once but decided to withdraw his name from the portal and stay at Western Kentucky. This season, he has been a standout, making 52 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and one interception.

Domani Jackson's recruitment has been a long and uncertain journey. He flirted with Michigan as a high school senior and again as a transfer. Last offseason, he chose to transfer from USC to Alabama instead of Michigan. At Alabama, he quickly became one of the stars of the Crimson Tide defense, a top-10 unit nationally. This season, he has amassed 47 tackles, a forced fumble, and two interceptions, with one of his interceptions sealing Alabama's win against South Carolina.

In conclusion, Michigan clearly missed out on some talented players. While some misses were more significant than others, it's a reminder that the transfer portal is a gamble. There are hits and misses, and identifying and developing talent remains the key in college football.