Alex Orji is emerging as top QB option for Michigan football

We’ll get a better idea of where the Michigan football quarterback battle stands after the spring game, but right now, you get the feeling that Alex Orji is starting to emerge.

It’s not just based on the fact that he’s been the star of a couple of social media videos, although they were impressive. Orji dropped a dime to Colston Loveland in one video.

The latest to make the rounds is Orji running for a touchdown in Michigan football practice, then beating up some kind of dummy — sort of like the Wolverines did to Ohio State the past two seasons.

Alex Orji is ready for Fight Club pic.twitter.com/INlKBXMJxa

— Trevor Woods (@WoodsFootball) April 4, 2024

Is Alex Orji QB1 for Michigan football?

The idea that Orji is emerging as QB1, at least during Michigan fooball spring practices, is based more on what players or coaches are saying. No other quarterback is consistently mentioned like Orji. Even this week, he’s gotten praise from Mason Graham and Josaiah Stewart.

Graham talked about how Orji’s running ability brings a different element to the offense: “Alex Orji can make plays with his legs … You don’t know what he’s doing, even when he doesn’t have the ball because he’s a weapon. … when there’s somebody back there that can just run at any given time and you’ve gotta chase him down, it’s in the back of your mind throughout the game.”

Stewart pushed back on the idea that Orji couldn’t throw.

“He can escape the pocket, but believe it or not, he can throw,” Stewart said. “People might not believe that social media or whatnot, say he can’t throw, but he can throw. I’ve seen him throw dots down the field, and it’s worse when you just almost get there and he gets the ball off, and it’s a touchdown. He’s great at doing that. He’s great at escaping and getting the ball downfield.”

Jadyn Davis is having a solid spring

Jadyn Davis has also gotten some positive buzz. That’s a good thing for the future and many are feeling hopeful that he’ll be the guy in 2025 and beyond. Plus, he just inked his first NIL deal as a Michigan football player. Davis probably won’t be quite ready to start this fall, however, I always thought he would be ready to play fairly early in his career.

Michigan freshman QB Jadyn Davis landed his first NIL deal.

Brighton Ford signed a deal with Davis, a four-star and top-10 QB prospect in the 2024 class. He'll appear at events, autograph signings and other promotions in the future.

On3 NIL Deal Tracker: https://t.co/LfJ0LEajYn pic.twitter.com/QY95CggoC0

— Jeremy Crabtree (@jeremycrabtree) April 4, 2024

Jack Tuttle is the other name I keep coming back to. He completed a high percentage of passes last season — in garbage time — and I feel he could be the Cade McNamara of 2021 for this team. Not on the same level, but supplemented with Orji and a spectacular defense, it just might work.

For now, though, Orji feels like the best in-house option to be the starting quarterback next season.

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