Michigan Football Named Potential Landing Spot For Texas QB

Maalik Murphy, a quarterback for Texas Longhorns football, recently hit the transfer portal, almost immediately becoming a major target for a number of the nation’s top programs. JJ McCarthy has an NFL decision to make before Michigan football can go after a new QB1 in the portal, though if McCarthy is to declare for the draft after the 2023 season, ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel believes that Michigan is a “potential landing spot” for the ex-Longhorn QB.

Pete Thamel names Michigan football a potential landing spot for ex-Texas Longhorns quarterback

Maalik Murphy will be transferring from the Texas Longhorns football program, largely due to the fact that Quinn Ewers will be coming back in 2024, and Arch Manning — a former five-star prospect — will likely be his Ewers’ replacement in 2025. That said, while Murphy was likely not in line for the starting job anytime soon, he is a former four-star quarterback who ranked among the top 10 QBs in his class.

Entering his third season of college football, Maalik Murphy is still yet to see any real game action. He did not see the field for Texas during his freshman year in 2022 and saw limited action during seven games this fall. He completed 56 percent of his throws in 2023 for 477 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions.

Michigan’s interest could largely depend on what JJ McCarthy does

According to ESPN college football insider and reporter Pete Thamel, who has been quite critical of Jim Harbaugh and his Wolverines as of late, Michigan football could be a potential landing spot for Murphy next fall. That said, he cites a few other teams as having more immediate interest — a key factor in whether or not Michigan football gives chase here is what JJ McCarthy decides to do. Thamel said as much on College Football Live (ESPN) on Thursday.

Wolverines maintain interest in Dante Moore in transfer portal as well

The Wolverines are also interested in adding Dante Moore, a transfer portal quarterback from UCLA, who is less interested in starting right off the bat. Of course, Moore was formerly the No. 1 recruit in the state of Michigan, so there seems to be a lot of mutual interest there, regardless of who is starting quarterback for the Wolverines next fall.

JJ McCarthy and Michigan football have a national title to win before McCarthy’s NFL Draft decision can be made, and while the team remains interested in a few transfer portal quarterback targets — including Dante Moore and Maalik Murphy — there is no doubt that Michigan’s best outcome is McCarthy deciding to stick around for another season.

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