Predicting the 2023 Michigan football captains

Four of the five captains from last year’s Wolverines have left the program: two went to the NFL Draft (Ronnie Bell and Mazi Smith), and two transferred to Iowa (Cade McNamara and Erick All). As the team heads into the 2023 season, players such as JJ McCarthy, Blake Corum, Junior Colson, Kris Jenkins, and more appear poised to take on this massive role for the Maize and Blue this fall. Who will be the 2023 Michigan football captains?

Which players will be named 2023 Michigan football captains?

Out of the five Michigan football captains from last year’s team, only one remains on the 2023 squad: veteran cornerback Mike Sainristil. With the 2023 Michigan football season just 14 days away from its official kickoff (against East Carolina on September 2nd), the announcement of new captains is imminent. Here are the five Wolverines I believe will be entrusted with leading the locker room this year.

Mike Sainristil

Cornerback Mike Sainristil has consistently received praise this fall for both his on-field performance and his leadership skills, making this situation the easiest to understand. As one of the few veteran cornerbacks this year, Sainristil’s presence holds immense value for the Maize and Blue. He is also the sole returning captain from last year’s team, which secured the program’s 44th Big Ten Championship and more. Therefore, it’s only fitting that he garners similar recognition this year.

Kris Jenkins

Kris Jenkins, affectionately referred to as ‘the mutant’ among other names, has garnered mention from nearly every player and coach during fall camp media availabilities so far. While Michigan football has high expectations for Jenkins on the field, his teammates and even Head Coach Jim Harbaugh emphasize his off-field excellence as well. As a veteran star player with extensive leadership experience and immense respect within the locker room, the decision to appoint Jenkins as a captain this year seems almost self-evident.

Junior Colson

The last defensive player I anticipate being named a 2023 Michigan football captain is third-year linebacker Junior Colson, who has impressed in both of his previous seasons with the Wolverines. Last year, Colson cemented his status among the Big Ten’s premier defenders, and this season, he could realistically continue trending upward, perhaps becoming the conference’s top linebacker. Much like Jenkins, Colson commands significant respect within Schembechler Hall and beyond, rendering him an ideal candidate to be named a 2023 Michigan football team caption this year.

JJ McCarthy

I am not sure that I really need to explain this one. JJ McCarthy has assumed a vocal leadership role within the Michigan football program ever since his commitment to Jim Harbaugh several years back as a five-star high school football standout. As he embarks on his junior season in Ann Arbor, JJ consistently displays leadership, character, and composure, both on and off the football field. It’s possible that no one in Ann Arbor garners more adoration than McCarthy, hence it’s only fitting that he assumes the responsibility of leading this year’s Wolverines.

Blake Corum

Similar to JJ McCarthy, this choice feels like a given. Blake Corum embodies the qualities of a workhorse and has played a pivotal role, both through his vocal presence and his actions, in steering the Wolverines back on course. Corum rose to the occasion emphatically in 2021 and repeated the feat in 2022. What’s the common denominator in those two seasons? Michigan football ran over Ohio State in both years, clinching the Big Ten title, and securing a place in the College Football Playoff as a result. As he enters his senior season, it’s widely anticipated that Corum will be named a captain this year.

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