While the offseason transfer portal cycle isn’t over yet, one key deadline has passed for Michigan.
The period to enter the NCAA’s database to find a new home has come and gone, stemming the tide of departures that took place during the first couple of weeks in January.
As of Thursday morning, 26 players from Michigan have entered with the intention of leaving. Twenty-two of them have found new homes, with four still pending. Another five members of last year’s team entered the portal and withdrew their name from consideration.
Meanwhile, the Wolverines and their new coaching staff led by Kyle Whittingham have added 20 new players via the transfer portal, filling roster spots and key needs ahead of the 2026 season.
Some thoughts as things begin to wind down on this year’s portal cycle:
Michigan Wolverines linebacker Cole Sullivan (23) on the sideline during Michigan football’s Spring Game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 19 2025.Chloe Miller | MLive.comBiggest loss: LB Cole Sullivan
If there was one player Michigan needed to retain, it was the sophomore linebacker who showed great promise in 2025. Sure, Sullivan didn’t make a start, but he was considered a rising star in a deep and talented position group, one that has lost most of its experience via the NFL draft (Jaishawn Barham, Jimmy Rolder) or expiring college eligibility (Ernest Hausmann). Sullivan was viewed as the future at middle linebacker, and his productive 2025 — 44 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks and three interceptions — signaled a big year was ahead in ’26. Instead, Sullivan opted to test the transfer market and wound up at Oklahoma.
Utah defensive end John Henry Daley rushes in during the second half of an NCAA college football game between Baylor and Utah Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)APBest player: Defensive end John Henry Daley
A case could be made for several players on the list, but Daley’s accolades at Utah made him a must-have for Michigan after losing edge rushers Derrick Moore and TJ Guy this offseason. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound end was an All American and first-team all-Big 12 player before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury in 2025, racking up 17.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks on the outside. He’s a true playmaker and became a real problem for teams off the edge, immediately shooting him to the top of Michigan’s depth chart. As long as he can heal properly, Daley was the add of the cycle for the Wolverines.
Utah tight end JJ Buchanan (81) celebrates after a play against Nebraska during the first half of the Las Vegas Bowl NCAA college football game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)APMost intriguing add: Wide receiver JJ Buchanan
Michigan needed pass-catching weapons for quarterback Bryce Underwood and landed a few via the portal, adding Texas’ Jaime Ffrench Jr. and Utah tight end JJ Buchanan. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Buchanan proved to be a game-changer for Utah as a true freshman, catching 22 passes for 351 yards and four touchdowns. He was used primarily as a receiver, lining up in the slot and the outside, a role he figures to continue in Ann Arbor. Buchanan could be new offensive coordinator Jason Beck’s mismatch against opposing Big Ten defense, who will have tough time trying to defend him.
Quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi #16 of the Colorado State Rams looks to pass during the second half of the game against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium on October 5, 2024 in Corvallis, Oregon.Ali Gradischer for The Oregonian/OregonLiveMichigan restocks QB room behind Bryce Underwood
Four Michigan quarterbacks entered the transfer portal this cycle, with three of them already finding new homes. That meant Whittingham and the new staff had to go out and backfill the room behind starter Bryce Underwood. They did, landing veteran Colorado State quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, a two-year starter who put up some big numbers for the Rams, and LSU freshman Colin Hurley. Like the Mikey Keene add last year, Fowler-Nicolosi carries starting experience and had some success at his previous stop, providing Michigan a backstop and veteran presence to help push Underwood. Hurley redshirted in 2025 but was a four-star prospect out of high school with some high-level offers. As of now, Chase Herbstreit is set to return for his sophomore season while the Wolverines added a pair of talented freshmen from the high-school ranks, Tommy Carr and Brady Smigiel.
Utah cornerback Smith Snowden (2) misses an interception attempt against the Nebraska during the first half of the Las Vegas Bowl NCAA college football game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)APDid the Michigan secondary just get better?
Yes, Michigan lost its share of defensive backs to the transfer portal this cycle: Starters TJ Metcalf and Brandyn Hillman were tough to see go, along with reserves Jaden Mangham and up-and-coming corner Jayden Sanders. But the Wolverines responded by adding a high-level cornerback in Smith Snowden and veteran safety Chris Bracy, two names who can come in and play immediately. Snowden was a second-team all-Big 12 defensive back who split time between outside corner and the inside slot. At 5 foot 11 and 185 pounds, he might be a better fit for the inside, though he and Zeke Berry will likely become interchangeable. Bracy, a 6-1, 195-pound safety, might be Michigan’s most underrated pickup of the cycle given his productive season at Memphis, where he started 11 games and led the team in pass breakups (nine). He looks to be an upgrade over Hillman in the pass-coverage department, and a pairing with a (hopefully) healthy Rod Moore and you have a solid starting safety duo.
Michigan Wolverines linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng (12) warms up before Michigan football faces Northwestern at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Saturday, Nov. 15 2025.Jacob HamiltonBiggest concern: Middle linebacker
Inside linebacker, a real strength of the Michigan defense in 2025, was gutted this transfer portal cycle. Starters Jaishawn Barham and Jimmy Rolder departed for the NFL draft, Ernest Hausmann is out of eligibility (and wasn’t playing down the stretch anyway), and the Wolverines’ future star at the position, Cole Sullivan, left for Oklahoma. While former transfer Troy Bowles and sophomores Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng and Chase Taylor are expected to play bigger roles this fall, there isn’t a ton of experience there. Michigan did add to the position, bringing in BYU’s Max Alford, Western Illinois’ Christian Pierce and North Dakota State’s Nathaniel Staehling, a group with potential upside, but remain unknown commodities at this level. Could it work out? Certainly. But Jay Hill’s defense may have to be rooted up front and in the back end, not center-out like the Wink Martindale unit was designed this past fall.