Michigan Wolverines high upside pieces in transfer portal
After Jim Harbaugh opted to take the head coaching job with the Los Angeles Chargers, the stability of the Michigan Wolverines program came into major question. Would there be a mass exodus? Would the next coach be able to keep everything together and build off the recent success?
With Sherrone Moore taking over as head coach, sustaining that momentum seems far more likely. He is very familiar with the program and the standard. Now the keys to the program are his and he has a chance to build it in his image.
The transfer portal has become such a hot topic of conversation in modern college football. Let’s take a look at how the University of Michigan has utilized it this offseason.
When you are talking about the underrated offensive lineman in college football, Josh Priebe should be on the shortlist. While at Northwestern, there was conversation about moving Priebe to left tackle to replace current Tennessee Titan standout Peter Skoronski. The 6-foot-5, 310-pound offensive lineman ended up staying at offensive guard, where he was an All-Big Ten honoree.
Some thought Priebe might have tested the portal last year but he opted to return. Then the talented offensive lineman chose to return to school one more year instead of entering the 2024 NFL draft. Michigan has done a great job developing offensive linemen the last couple of years, and Priebe has some argument as one of the more talented offensive linemen they have gotten to work with under Sherrone Moore.
During the 2022 season, Jaishawn Barham looked like he was going to be the next big thing for Maryland. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound linebacker collected 58 total tackles, 6.5 tackles and four sacks. He was utilized both as an off-ball linebacker and as a blitzer for the Terrapin defense. It wasn’t totally surprising Barham made that type of impact considering he was such a well-regarded recruit coming out of St. Frances Academy. He was a top 150 overall player on three recruiting platforms.
Unfortunately, Barham had a down sophomore campaign and didn’t make the next step. There are some rare athletic gifts to work with here. Michigan hopes to unlock that level of talent, getting a versatile weapon on the second level. Barham has superstar upside if he puts it together.
