Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh said prior to the season his team may set a new record for selections at the upcoming 2024 NFL draft in Detroit.
At this rate, U-M is trending in that direction. Here’s a list of the Wolverines who have declared for the professional ranks in the past week, highlighted by quarterback J.J. McCarthy who announced the decision Sunday afternoon.
*This list does not include graduate students without any remaining college eligibility.
QB J.J. McCarthy
McCarthy declared for the draft Jan. 14, the biggest domino to announce his departure. He’s a projected first-round draft pick by USA TODAY and ESPN among others as he figures to be one of the more polarizing quarterback prospects in this year’s class.
McCarthy was a straight winner in college, his 27-1 record is the best winning percentage (.964) among any Division I quarterback since 1970 (minimum 20 starts) while he didn’t lose a Big Ten game as a starter. McCarthy was named 2023 Big Ten Quarterback of the Year and 2024 Rose Bowl game
RB Blake Choir
Blake Corum declared for the draft Jan. 14 — it was merely a formality, prior to the season it was known this was his final year in Ann Arbor — after doing everything he’d said he’d do in Ann Arbor.
Corum returned to lead U-M to a national championship, which he did, as he scored a Michigan-record 27 touchdowns this season and set a new career program rushing touchdown record (58) in the process. He was a unanimous All-American as a junior and named All Big Ten as a senior as he scored at least one touchdown in all 15 games.
LB Junior Colson
Junior Colson never became “senior” Colson after he became the first of Michigan’s third-year players to announce his intentions to head to the NFL.
The 6-foot-3, 247-pound junior, led the Wolverines with 95 tackles — no other player had more than 65 — including 44 solos and two for loss. A second-team All-Big Ten selection, Colson won the Lott IMPACT Trophy, awarded each season to the college football player who makes the greatest impact on and off the field, last month.
CB Josh Wallace
He may have only spent seven months in Ann Arbor, but the UMass transferred filled in opposite Will Johnson at cornerback and was consistent both in pass defense and run support as he helped elevate Jesse Minter’s unit to be the best in the country.
Wallace, the 6-foot, 190 pound defensive back who declared for the draft on Jan. 14, finished with 33 tackles (22 solo) including two for loss and two fumble recoveries during his lone season at U-M.
Edge Jaylen Harrell
Jaylen Harrell hopes to be the latest in a long line of edge rushers to go from Michigan to the NFL after he declared on Friday. The 6-foot-4, 242 pound-pound end appeared in 44 games (31 starts) across his career as he finished with 78 tackles (39 solo), 20 for loss and 11 sacks.
Most of that damage was done this season as he finished with a team-high 10 TFLs and 7.5 sacks as in his first full year as a starter as he was named an All Big Ten honorable mention.
Edge Braiden McGregor
Another edge who waited his turn, Braiden McGregor made his commitment to the NFL official just moments after the Wolverines’ championship celebration wrapped up on Saturday night.
McGregor, a 6-foot-6, 267-pound edge didn’t have numbers that popped off the screen, but made an impact frequently as he shared the team’s defensive player o the week award six times and finished as an All Big Ten honorable mention. McGregor recorded 26 tackles, nine of which went for loss to go with 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
DT Kris Jenkins
The face of U-M’s defensive line and the man who won the team’s enthusiasm unknown to mankind award, defensive tackle Kris Jenkins made his decision to pursue the next level official on Friday night.
Projected by many as a top-50 selection come April, Jenkins finished this year with second-team All Big Ten honors and ended the season with 37 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
OL Zak Zinter
A Unanimous first team All-American (2023) and two-time Joe MOore Award winning offensive lineman (2021-22), and an Academic All Big Ten honoree each of those seasons, Zinter leaves a legacy behind at U-M.
The 6-foot-6, 322-pound lineman appeared in 45 games (42 starts), all but one of which came at right guard. He broke his tibia and fibula in the third quarter against Ohio State and had surgery later that day, but has been walking and beginning to rehab and said he hopes to be ready to return to the field by late spring.
Who is else is there?
- As of Sunday afternoon, Karsen Barnhart, Trevor Keegan and Drake Nugent have all said they plan to go to the NFL draft, but have not yet publicly declared.
- Last week wide receiver Roman Wilson and tight end AJ Barner have both accepted senior bowl invitations — a step toward preparing for the next level — but neither have commented publicly on their future.
- WR Cornelius Johnson, LB Michael Barrett, DB Mike Sainristil, OL LaDarius Henderson, DT Cam Goode and K James Turner were all out of collegiate eligibility and either have, or are expected, to declare for the NFL.
- Junior Donovan Edwards, Rod Moore and Makari Paige have until Monday to declare for the NFL draft, or return to college.
Michigan fans! Celebrate the national title with our two commemorative books: “Blue Reign: The Story of the 2023 Michigan Wolverines’ Legendary Run to the National Championship” and “Maize & Grand: Michigan’s Epic March to the 2023 National Title” — Preorder now to save! You can also buy a commemorative copy of the front page of the Detroit Free Press from the morning after U-M’s historic championship victory, and purchase our four-page special Stadium Section.
2024-01-14 21:43:55
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