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Michigan football: how will transfers impact the O-line in 2023

Michigan football has picked up several offensive linemen in the transfer portal. How will this translate to next season?

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Oct 15, 2022; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Blake Corum (2) receives congratulations from teammates after scoring a touchdown in the first half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osent

Michigan football has been one of the best in the country when it comes to the transfer portal this year. How will this impact the Wolverines in 2023?

Portal opens for Michigan football

Just a few seasons ago, Jim Harbaugh showed hesitation regarding the transfer portal and only brought in three transfers this past offseason. Clearly, something has changed in that department, as the Wolverines now have seven transfer commits, gaining two more yesterday alone.

Out of the seven, three have been offensive linemen, and each has the potential to be an immediate starter. Taking a transfer offensive lineman is nothing new to the Wolverines program, as just a year ago, center Olu Oluwatimi transferred to Michigan and made an immediate impact.

In fact, Oluwatimi was so successful in his first year with the Wolverines that he would go on to win both the Rimington Award (nation’s best center) and the Outland Award (nation’s best interior offensive lineman).

This is significant because, as of right now, Michigan will lose at least one of its five offensive linemen next season. Olu Oluwatimi is out of eligibility and will likely be one of the top offensive linemen in the NFL draft this offseason. The other four have eligibility remaining and could return if they so choose to.

Who will stay?

I would be shocked if all five offensive linemen chose to leave for the NFL, but don’t be surprised if we see three or four decide to test the waters.

Ryan Hayes, Trevor Keegan, and Zak Zinter all can go to the NFL and become a starter early in their careers. All three have been starting for the Wolverines these past two seasons and were integral reasons why Michigan football has had the best offensive line in the country both years.

Hayes only has one more year of eligibility, so I view him as the most likely to leave for the NFL, but I could see both Keegan or Zinter giving it a shot.

If any are to return, it’s more than likely to be Keegan, as he still has the most left to prove out of the three. While he’s shown that he is more than capable and has the strength and skill to play at the next level, he unfortunately had to work through some injuries this season. As he missed time with injuries in multiple games this season, it could do him wonders to return and show that he can stay healthy.

Regardless, I’m getting the feeling the Wolverines will be looking to replace at least three offensive linemen this off-season, as that’s been a big part of their transfer portal efforts.

Transitions being made

The most apparent transition will likely be the center position, as we know Oluwatimi is leaving for the NFL. We also know Drake Nugent, a transfer from Stanford, is more than capable of filling in that hole almost immediately. Nugent started two years at Stanford and will be more than capable of stepping immediately into the starting position at Michigan.

From there, the next most likely position Michigan football will need to fill could be right tackle. Two Wolverine transfer commits can play the tackle position as LaDarius Henderson, out of Arizona State, and Myles Hinton, out of Stanford, have experience there.

Hinton is the most likely to take a spot at offensive tackle, as he’s played the position for the last three seasons at Stanford. It certainly helps that he still has two more years of eligibility remaining and could be a multi-year starter for the Wolverines if he chooses.

Finally, the commitment of Henderson leads me to believe that the Wolverines will be losing at least one of their offensive guards in the offseason.

What will the line look like in 2023?

For obvious reasons, I hope all three players with eligibility return to Michigan football for at least one more season. Still, it wouldn’t necessarily be a bad idea if they were to give the NFL draft a chance. In recent years, plenty of Wolverines in the NFL have found success, many of which played as part of Jim Harbaugh’s teams.

Players like Taylor Lewan, Jon Runyan, Mike Onwenu, Ben Bredeson, and many others have become integral parts of their teams.

Regardless, if they were to choose the NFL path, Michigan football has put itself in a position where it will have plenty of replacements if need be. These players are all good enough to keep up the level of play the Wolverines have grown used to seeing from their offensive line.

Would they be good enough to win the Joe Moore award for the third year in a row? Who knows, but these are all seasoned veterans who will be able to fill in with ease.

The deadline to declare for the NFL Draft is January 16, 2023, so we won’t have to wait much longer to know what the Wolverine offensive line group will look like next season.

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Four-star Michigan football target expected to commit soon

This four-star Michigan football target is about to announce his commitment.

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Michigan football, recruiting, 2024 recruiting class, Brian Robinson
Dec 4, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Conference championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Wolverines are one of the five remaining teams for Brian Robinson, a blue-chip edge rusher from Ohio, who is reportedly close to making a college decision. Robinson, who was once a prominent four-star Michigan football target in the 2024 recruiting class, was initially strongly leaning towards Michigan, but now it appears to be more uncertain. His commitment would be a significant and unexpected acquisition for Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines.

Four-star Michigan football target Brian Robinson close to a final call

According to recent reports, Brian Robinson is nearing a decision and aims to conclude his recruitment within the next week or so. Robinson is currently ranked as the No. 131 recruit in the 2024 recruiting class. Given that the Wolverines have recently lost a substantial amount of talent on the defensive side of the football, especially at edge rusher, Robinson could be a major addition for Jim Harbaugh.

It doesn’t appear that Robinson is favoring the Wolverines right now, although Michigan football recruiting has seen significant changes recently, so anything is possible. At one point this year, it seemed highly likely that Ann Arbor would be Robinson’s eventual destination; however, his recruitment has become much more complicated in recent months.

If Jim Harbaugh can land Robinson, it would be huge for the 2024 recruiting class

The remaining schools in contention, aside from Michigan football, are Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Penn State. According to the RPM, Robinson’s preferred landing spot right now is the Kentucky Wildcats, with the Maize and Blue firmly in contention at the No. 2 spot.

As per the On3 industry rankings, Robinson is a highly sought-after four-star Michigan football target, ranking as the No. 131 player nationally, the No. 9 edge rusher in the 2024 recruiting class, and the No. 5 player in the state of Ohio.



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Major Michigan football target set to visit Penn State white out

This major Michigan football recruiting target, Bryce Underwood, is about to make the trip for a Penn State white out game.

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Michigan football, recruiting, Bryce Underwood, Penn State white out
© Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

This weekend is one of the biggest on this year’s college football calendar and is arguably the biggest of the season thus far. While the Wolverines kick off their Big Ten slate, top-priority Michigan football recruiting target Bryce Underwood — a five-star QB — will be in Happy Valley for the Penn State white out game. Underwood, who is the No. 1 recruit in the nation, is thought to be favoring the Maize and Blue right now; however, there are a number of schools still making a strong push.

Top Michigan football recruiting target Bryce Underwood to visit Penn State white out

The Penn State Nittany Lions are not currently considered a major threat to Michigan football recruiting when it comes to top-ranked target Bryce Underwood. That said, this weekend’s Penn State white out game against a ranked Iowa squad, which is led by former Michigan quarterback and Big Ten Champion Cade McNamara, could change things if James Franklin plays his cards right.

With Underwood’s commitment date (Jan. 6th, 2024) approaching quickly, a number of teams are starting to make a strong push for the elite five-star QB. Underwood is the No. 1 recruit in the nation, per On3 and 247 Sports composite, and is currently leaning towards the Wolverines, per the Recruiting Prediction Machine.

Still, teams like LSU, Colorado, Ohio State, and clearly, Penn State, are still in the mix, so seeing where this weekend’s white out visit leads could be a good storyline to track for fans of the Maize and Blue.



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Three-star Michigan football commit continues to impress

This three-star Michigan football commit has been nothing short of impressive so far this fall.

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Michigan football, Micah Kaapana, 2024 recruiting class
© Kirthmon F. Dozier via Imagn Content Services, LLC

The Wolverines, known for their rushing attack under Jim Harbaugh, have a few incredible running back recruits currently locked down in the 2024 recruiting class. That said, as four-star Jordan Marshall (the top player in the class) continues to impress, three-star Michigan football commit Micah Kaapana is being overlooked a bit. Still, the Las Vegas-based future Wolverine continues to impress each week.

Three-star Michigan football commit continues to impress

So far this year, Micah Kaapana has played in all five of his school’s games and is averaging over 12 yards per carry this fall. Kaapana is one of the more recent Michigan football commits, as he officially pledged to the Wolverines earlier this year.

While he is not the highest-ranked recruit in Jim Harbaugh’s 2024 recruiting class — he is a three-star Michigan football commit — he has been quite impressive so far.

Micah Kaapana is averaging over 12 yards per carry, nearly 12 yards per reception

Last weekend, Micah Kaapana carried the ball five times for 61 yards (12.2 yards per carry) during his school’s fifth-straight victory of the season. His solid rushing performance moves him to 436 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns so far this year. The fact that he has only received 36 carries and is posting stats like these (averaging 12.1 yards per carry) is quite impressive.

The three-star Michigan football commit has been a solid pass-catching back as well, hauling in 11 receptions thus far for over 130 yards (11.8 yards per reception). This is a skillset that Sherrone Moore is trying to optimize with Donovan Edwards right now, so Kaapana should fit right in when he gets to Ann Arbor next fall.

The future of the program is in good hands with the 2024 recruiting cycle

While Micah Kaapana is not getting the publicity that other top Michigan football commits are, he is a great find for the coaching staff and could be a difference-maker for the Wolverines in years to come.



Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on TwitterFacebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!

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