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Michigan named transfer portal winner by CFB coaches for replenishing OL depth
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Michigan had a successful campaign in 2022, rolling to a second straight B1G title and College Football Playoff appearance. While the Wolverines will lose some key pieces to the NFL, head coach Jim Harbaugh and his staff hit the transfer portal for some reinforcements.
The Wolverines were active early in the transfer portal window and landed some major players, particularly along the offensive line. LaDarius Henderson (Arizona State), Drake Nugent (Stanford) and Myles Hinton (Stanford) are all expected to play significant roles for the program in 2023.
That group of transfers being added to an offensive line unit that won the Joe Moore Award in 2022 has drawn rave reviews, including from coaches in college football. In an anonymous panel compiled by ESPN, coaches recognize the body of work done by Harbaugh’s squad in the portal.
“Michigan did a great job with offensive line help,” a Power 5 personnel director said. “You know what you’re going to get with LaDarius Henderson and the Hinton kid. They may be better than the guys they have now.”
Some of the other impact transfers landed by the Wolverines include Nebraska LB Ernest Hausmann, Coastal Carolina Edge Josaiah Stewart and Indiana TE AJ Barner. While the locker room dynamics remain to be seen, there’s no denying the quality products Michigan added in the portal.
“They’ve done a pretty good job with some key guys,” a Big Ten personnel director said. “They’ve gone pretty heavy. It will be interesting — the dynamics of the locker room with the current guys, that’s always a concern. But they’ve gotten some good pickups.”
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.