The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1542067
JANUARY 2026 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 61 H ead coach Sherrone Moore was fired, and M i c h i ga n Wo lve r- ines football is seeking a new leader of the program. In the meantime, its roster is at risk of being poached, even if the NCAA transfer portal doesn't open until either five days af- ter the new coach is hired or on Jan. 2 with the rest of the sport. It'd be naive to think that other schools aren't back-channeling or flat-out tampering with the Wolver- ines' top talent. Here are six players who Michigan can least afford to lose to the transfer portal, with an emphasis on under- classmen because of what's ahead of them collegiately: Freshman QB Bryce Un- derwood: Michigan has put all of its eggs in the Bryce Un d e rwo o d ba s ke t . T h a t includes monetarily, and he doesn't have a buyout in his NIL contract, according to On3's Pete Nakos, so it would sting to lose him be- cause he's been paid at a high level, but also more importantly due to his im- mense talent. "The next hire will play a key role in determining if Underwood stays in Ann Arbor or explores opportunities in the transfer portal," Nakos wrote. The 6-foot-4, 228-pound Under- wood completed 61.1 percent of his passes for 2,229 yards with 9 touch- downs and 6 interceptions while add- ing 323 rushing yards and 5 scores on 74 carries during the regular season. Sophomore RB Jordan Marshall: Michigan running back Jordan Marshall is a savage warrior, the king of yards after contact and falling forward, and he be- came the heartbeat of the offense down the stretch during the regular season, when he was healthy. He amassed 932 yards and 10 touchdowns on 150 carries, on pace to surpass the 1,000-yard mark in the Citrus Bowl against Texas Dec. 31. Marshall is only a redshirt freshman eligibility-wise this season, and has a bright future ahead of him. He's also almost certainly going to be a captain if he remains at Michigan, so losing him would be a big hit on the leadership front. And the Wolverines need as many great leaders as they can get right now. Freshman WR Andrew Marsh: One of the top breakout players in the Big Ten, wideout Andrew Marsh is leading the Wolverines with 42 recep- tions for 641 yards, and has 3 touch- down grabs. The 6-foot, 190-pound Texan looks like the type of future elite receiver that Michigan has lacked for so many years. He's in house now, and keeping him should be at a premium. That likely means ponying up big NIL money, because someone's going to. Sophomore OL Jake Guarnera: Jake Guarnera entered the 2025 season as the team's fourth guard, and now he's a full-time starter on the right side and Michigan's highest-rated offensive lineman (68.8) by Pro Foot- ball Focus. The 6-foot-4, 311-pounder appears to be the center of the future, and that's an impor- tant position where it is great to have continuity, if possible, even though the Wolverines have had success with trans- fers in the past. S o p h o m o re L B C o l e S u l l iva n : Se n i o r J i m my Rolder could be listed here, but his decision is much more likely to be between the NFL and returning to Ann Arbor. Michigan would love to have the second-team All-Big Ten selection back, of course. Next in line is Cole Sul- livan, a Pittsburgh native who plays with athleticism and instincts that are off the charts. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder racked up 37 tackles, including 5 for loss and 2 sacks, 1 fumble recov- ery and 3 interceptions in the regular season. Junior CB Jyaire Hill: Unless Jyaire Hill surprises and heads to the pros, Michigan won't send a cornerback to an NFL roster for the first time since after the 2021 season. While Hill isn't on the level that Will Johnson was when healthy, the 6-foot-2, 190-pounder has grown immensely during his time in Ann Arbor, and put together a strong 2025 regular season, earning honorable mention All-Big Ten recognition. Hill has started 21 games and would provide experience in a defensive back- field that didn't have much of it this sea- son, especially when graduate safety Rod Moore was out with injury. Hill has put up 33 total stops, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble and 1 interception through 12 games. ❏ SAYFIE BLITZ ❱ CLAYTON SAYFIE Players U-M Can't Afford To Lose Sophomore running back Jordan Marshall has rushed for 932 yards and 10 touchdowns on 150 carries and is on pace to surpass the 1,000-yard mark in the Dec. 31 Citrus Bowl against Texas. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL Staff writer Clayton Sayfie has covered Michigan athletics for The Wolverine since 2019. Contact him at Clayton.Sayfie @on3.com and follow him on X (Twitter) @CSayf23.