The portal is getting bigger and bigger.
Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Like it or not, the transfer portal is a vital piece of the college football puzzle at this point.
Although Michigan has bigger fish to try in December, it would be negligent of the Wolverines to completely ignore the transfer portal during the open window.
Recruiting and roster building never ends. Jim Harbaugh and company have benefited tremendously from the transfer portal since its inception.
Drake Nugent, LaDarius Henderson, A.J. Barner, Josaiah Stewart and Josh Wallace have all played an integral role in Michigan’s success this season. However, the coaching staff insisted they wanted to use the portal to plug holes, not to build the program from scratch.
With that in mind, how active do you think Michigan should be in the transfer portal this offseason? Quarterback is the biggest question mark heading into 2024.
There are a number of reasons why J.J. McCarthy needs to stay in school. He could be QB1 in the 2025 draft class instead of somewhere between QB3-QB7 in the 2024 class. He could also benefit from a bigger workload in 2024 to build his draft stock.
However, there are also several million reasons why McCarthy is leaving. If McCarthy were to declare in favor of the draft, Michigan’s options in 2024 would be numerous.
The Wolverines could roll the dice and create a true freshman in Jadyn Davis. They got to see how well Alex Orji can throw the ball and build the offense around a running quarterback.
The most likely scenario in my opinion is that they are testing the waters on the portal. Several big names have already entered the portal, including Kyle McCord, Moore and Cam Ward, to name a few.
Should the Wolverines try to re-recruit Dante Moore? The program has already contacted him.
Michigan has other needs, too. Team selection is very, very difficult right now because there will be more than 20 decisions to make at the end of the season.
We’ve seen Michigan thrive with the right transfers – will that continue? There is definitely a downside to using the transfer portal.
If you put transfers before homegrown talent, those same homegrown talents may choose to transfer. It’s also much harder to create a culture when you have large groups of players in your program for just one year.
Michigan’s coaching staff has a clear strength in scouting and player development. It would be a shame if they couldn’t develop players for more than a year.
With all this in mind, what do you expect from the transfer portal as a fan? Do you want to attract all interested parties? If you want Dante Moore to be Michigan’s starter next year, J.J. Explain McCarthy?
Are you concerned that the University of Michigan’s strict admissions policies will hinder the football team’s use of the portal, as it did the basketball program?Let us know what you think in the comments below.
