NFL rosters reinforce that Michigan football is O-line U

A recruit who visited Michigan football earlier this spring called the Wolverines, “O-line U.” Based on the fact that the Wolverines have more offensive linemen in the NFL than any other program, he’s not wrong.

Most OL by School Currently on NFL Rosters💪 pic.twitter.com/ynlLgwVGUZ

— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 6, 2024

Michigan football is O-Line U

Calling Michigan football the best developer of offensive line talent isn’t hyperbole. It’s backed up by data as the Wolverines have 14 alums playing offensive line in the league. LSU, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin are tied for second with 11, followed by Alabama (10) and Ohio State (9).

That number could even grow. Trente Jones and Karsen Barnhart signed with the Packers and Chargers respectively, as rookie free agents. I expected both players to be drafted, at least Barnhart. But Jim Harbaugh knows exactly what he can do and as a full-time guard, Barnhart can make it in the NFL.

Jones is an interesting prospect. It would have been nice to have him come back to Michigan football for another season, but the Packers are a great fit. They love versatile linemen and turning tackles into guards.

Trente is a force in the run game. He also held up pretty well against Dallas Turner in the Rose Bowl and with the Packers penchant for keeping rookie free agents, he’s got a fighting chance to make the 53-man roster.

The NFL pipeline should continue under Sherrone Moore

Myles Hinton oozes potential and could be a first-round pick if he puts it all together. Greg Crippen and Giovanni El-Hadi will be draft picks down the road. That’s my evaluation at least. Both players could have started last season and fans wouldn’t have noticed much dropoff, if any.

I’m excited to see what they can do. Josh Priebe is another proven player at guard. If the Wolverines can settle the other tackle spot, they should be solid up front again.

Michigan football also landed the second-best recruit in the state of Michigan for the 2025 class, who is an offensive lineman (Avery Gach). With Sherrone Moore, a former offensive line coach, leading the program, Michigan’s identity of O-line U should remain for 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 Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms.