Set aside recruitment rankings. To keep track, you need wins. And no team in college football won more games than the national champion Michigan Wolverines in the most recent season. And the Wolverines, who assisted Michigan in winning its first national title since 1997, are witnessing the doubters of their draft pick be proven wrong.
The Michigan Wolverines discovered and nurtured players with a sharp blend of fierceness and football sense in an era of transfers, NIL, and pay-to-play. The NFL has observed this. Lastly. LSU’s record of 16 players was surpassed by a record 18 players that were invited to the NFL combine. And a lot of these Wolverines have shown to be just as dominant as they were during the CFP playoffs once they were in front of NFL scouts.
Harbaugh Established A Dynasty In Player Development
JJ McCarthy, a 28-1 player and CFP National Champion, has cemented his legendary legacy as a Michigan Wolverine. However, NFL Draft gurus did not give him much love until lately. JJ was projected as a late first- or early second-round pick in the draft buzz in January, just after Michigan’s national championship victory.
McCarthy is currently expected to be selected early in the first round, surpassing Oregon’s highly anticipated Bo Nix and getting closer to North Carolina’s highly regarded Drake Maye.
It goes beyond JJ. Under Jim Harbaugh, the Michigan Wolverines have consistently outperformed the NFL draft experts. Ohio State, a Big 10 foe, has dominated the recruitment rankings for the last five years. The Michigan Wolverines’ recruiting classes during the last five years rank merely #13, while Ohio State’s average national recruiting class is ranked third. However, Ohio State and Michigan have also sent 31 players to the NFL during this same period of time. Evidence of Jim Harbaugh’s dedication to player development.
Draft analysts predicted that “Michigan’s star quarterback could be coming off the board in the late first or second round” back in January, according to MaizenBrew, a hub for Michigan Wolverines fans. They made fun of him for having a “slender frame.” The same analysts predicted that Mike Sainristil, a postseason standout, would not be selected until day two and wide receiver Roman Wilson, a potential third-round choice.
A quick look at film, combined with the original recruiting rankings and the team’s size, accounted for a large portion of the early draft pessimism surrounding the Michigan Wolverines. However, the Wolverines made a concerted effort to advance player development under Jim Harbaugh. Their draft positions are still rising as of right now, following this year’s NFL combine. This especially applies to McCarthy, Roman Wilson, the wide receiver, and defensive tackle Kris Jenkins. Additionally, NFL evaluators continue to project Blake Corum as a “backup,” but Joel Klatt of Fox Sports believes he may now be the second running back selected. Corum is referred to by Klatt as the team’s “heart and soul” after they recently won the national championship.
Detroit party
Next month, the 2024 NFL Draft will take place in Detroit. The city is spending millions organizing a fiesta that will be photogenic and hospitable to fans. There will likely be thousands of visitors, journalists, and NFL officials there. The distance to the University of Michigan is less than one hour. The ingredients for a Michigan blowout include a championship team, a record amount of players invited to the combine, and an upcoming NFL draft.
It’s a short drive to Detroit for the record number of players the Michigan Wolverines sent to the combine. Perhaps they all turn up? And when everyone is looking, the Michigan Wolverines may win four or perhaps more games in the first two rounds if ESPN’s updated rankings hold true. On draft day, the Michigan Wolverines’ celebration in Houston, immediately following their national championship victory, may be equaled in neighboring Detroit.
