These Michigan football transfers could start in 2023

The 2023 college football season is just 9 days away as of today (Thursday), and the nation is abuzz about what this year’s Wolverines could do on the football field. Led by long-time head football coach Jim Harbaugh and an impressive transfer portal class, the sky appears to be the limit in Ann Arbor right now. Here are seven Michigan football transfers, including AJ Barner and Ernest Hausmann, who could earn a starting role on this year’s roster.

Which Michigan football transfers could start during the 2023 season?

AJ Barner — tight end

AJ Barner, one of the top new Michigan football transfers from the Wolverines’ 2023 transfer portal class, is a veteran tight end from Indiana. Not only does Barner have the perfect frame to play for Jim Harbaugh, but he also has the Big Ten experience and leadership skills (he was a team captain at IU) to match. Barner is currently battling/sharing reps with Colston Loveland at tight end.

“A.J. has been a great addition,” Matthew Hibner said of AJ Barner after the spring game. “He’s a great guy, a great player, brings a lot of height to the tight end room, brings a lot of length,” Hibner said of Michigan football transfer AJ Barner in 2023 … He does well in the run game,” Hibner continued, “I mean, I feel like all of us are just weapons in our own way, we’re not all the same people, but we all bring different things to the field, and I think we’re gonna show that this season.”

Sophomore tight end Colston Loveland added, “(It’s) obviously, a new offense for him, so I’ve kind of been helping him there, but he’s hooked on like that and got everything like that. I think having an older guy like that who played a lot of games, he’s taught me a lot. Especially like fade balls and stuff like that. He’s really good at that aspect. In the run game, he also blocks really well. So we kind of bounce ideas off each other back and forth. Great addition to the room.”

Ernest Hausmann — linebacker

Ernest Hausmann was one of the most sought-after Michigan football transfers; in fact, at the time of his initial commitment to Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines, Hausmann was the No. 1 transfer portal prospect in America. While that changed over the following months, Hausmann is still an incredible addition to the defense and is already making a big splash. Right now, he is battling veteran Mike Barrett for a starting role at linebacker.

“When I chose to go and enter the transfer portal, that’s one of the things that I knew was gonna have to be done,” Hausmann said of his position battle at linebacker. “When I came to Nebraska, I was a true freshman. Obviously, you come in there at the bottom of the depth chart and work your way up there. I have the same mentality. When I came here to Michigan, I was gonna be at the bottom of the depth chart, I have to work my way up there. And I love that. I truly love that.”

Josaiah Stewart — edge rusher

Josaiah Stewart, an ex-Coastal Carolina edge rusher, came to Ann Arbor with a chip on his shoulder, looking to prove that he belongs in the Big Ten conference. Stewart is a bit undersized for his position, though fall camp reports state that it has not impacted his play negatively at all. With an ongoing battle at edge rusher, keep an eye on this new Michigan football transfer portal addition to potentially earn a starting spot this year.

“I’m coming in hungry, I always have a chip on my shoulder,” Stewart said. “Either I am undersized, under-recruited, or whatever the case may be; I am always hungry, so nothing has changed (since being at Coastal Carolina).

“I belong here. Everybody is doubting, everybody is questioning, you know, ‘How can he play in the Big Ten?’ Well, I’m going to show you guys; that’s all there is to it.”

Myles Hinton — right tackle

Myles Hinton, the younger brother of ex-Michigan football defensive tackle Chris Hinton, was one of the first Michigan football transfers that Jim Harbaugh added. So far, Hinton has spent a few years at Stanford but has yet to really see any meaningful reps. This fall, he is looking to change that. There is an ongoing battle between Hinton and Trente Jones at right tackle, so keep an eye on this massive offensive lineman as he chases a starting spot this fall.

“I mean, the first game, you’ll see it for sure,” Briaden McGregor said. “You look at Myles — and you see Chris (Hinton) — and it’s like, yeah, that’s a Hinton for sure. I mean, he’s huge, he can move, and same with LD (LaDarius Henderson) — He’s aggressive, he’s got great hands, great feet. So definitely, it’s exciting going against them.”

LaDarius Henderson — left tackle

Opposite Myles Hinton, at left tackle, is LaDarius Henderson, who is also coming from PAC-12 country. After standing out with the Arizona State Sun Devils, Henderson is battling it out with Karsen Barnhart and others for the starting job on the left side. Like many others, this battle will continue into the season as a part of Jim Harbaugh’s “Michigan Method,” though the early suspicion is that Henderson will eventually lock the job down.

“… Very excited about LaDarius and the progress he’s made just in the several practices we’ve had with them (during fall camp),” Sherrone Moore said.

“You’re gonna have your ups and downs,” Moore continued, “and it’s gonna be something that you’re gonna have to just keep working at, but he definitely made a great transition to us, just being here in the summer, and now just excited to have him and excited where he’s at right now.”

Drake Nugent — center

Perhaps the top transfer portal offensive lineman that Michigan football signed this offseason is former Stanford captain and starting center, Drake Nugent. Not only is Nugent expected to earn the starting role at center this year, but he was also voted a preseason first-team All-Big Ten selection. He has also been described as “an angry pitbull” and more throughout fall camp, which is a great early sign for the new Wolverine.

“Yeah, Drake — I look at him as just like an angry pitbull,” said Trevor Keegan. “Everything he does is full-go, full-go, full-go. Even like winter workouts, spring workouts, and summer workouts — everything he does is 100%, and he works his tail off. Obviously, he’s a little undersized (for a Power 5 center), but his tenacity and his work ethic really make up for that. He is obviously a really good dude, and we’ve become really close (since he got to Michigan).”

Josh Wallace — cornerback

What once felt like a close battle seems to be leaning in favor of transfer portal cornerback Josh Wallace, the Wolverines’ newest addition. With Amorion Walker “banged up” during fall camp (per Jim Harbaugh), along with some standout play and quick learning from Wallace, he is another Michigan football transfer that I could see earning a starting role on Jesse Minter’s second Michigan defense.

“I use it (as motivation) a little bit, but at the end of the day, I just feel like it’s football,” Josh Wallace said when asked about the jump from UMass to Michigan football. “So it shouldn’t matter if someone’s at a bigger school or not because people are in the NFL that is undrafted that come from smaller schools — D1, D2 — I just feel like that doesn’t really matter.”

Fans will get their first look at these Michigan football transfers in action when the Jim Harbaugh-less Wolverines kick off their 2023 Big Ten Championship hunt on September 2nd at Michigan Stadium against the East Carolina Pirates.

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