Michigan football 2026 transfer portal tracker

6 days ago 2

The Wolverines didn't have a mass exodus prior to the transfer portal opening on Friday, which was somewhat surprising giving the turmoil and upheaval in Ann Arbor with Sherrone Moore's abrupt firing and the hiring of Kyle Whittingham to lead the charge.

But, on Friday and Saturday, many names entered the portal, perhaps surprisingly.

Now that the new staff has been assembled and the dust is settling, there is a lot changing in and around Schembechler Hall. From new faces on the staff to players potentially leaving. So, with that in mind, this will be your one-stop shop as far as the transfer portal is concerned. Whether it's departures, players who are interested or rumored to Michigan, or otherwise, here is what you need to know as it pertains to the Wolverines and the transfer portal.

WR Fredrick Moore - leaving

A midseason entry, WolverinesWire was the first to report that Moore was no longer with the team. Having expected to be a starting wide receiver this year, he was beaten out by Channing Goodwin (who eventually lost his job to true freshman Andrew Marsh). He left the team midseason and is now searching for a new school.

OL Connor Jones - leaving

An offensive lineman from Colorado, Jones never quite developed to the point where he was seeing the field. One of the first portal entries in mid-December, the former three-star appears to be looking for a place where he could see the field regularly.

LS Evan Boutorwick - leaving

Another mid-December entry, Boutorwick had been seen as the longsnapper of the future. Greg Tarr finally took over this year, but beyond 2025, it's unclear who will take over the key special teams role.

QB Jadyn Davis - leaving

Not unexpected, the backup quarterback for Bryce Underwood is entering the portal following his second season in Ann Arbor. Once a five-star, Davis ended up being a bit of a project due to his throwing mechanics. Once Underwood committed to Michigan, the writing was somewhat on the wall, but Davis stuck it out for one more season, regardless of the talented freshman coming in. He'll have three years of eligibility remaining.

QB Davis Warren - leaving

The occasional starter in 2024, Warren was a walk-on who ended up departing Ann Arbor with wins over Ohio State and Alabama while leading the team at the position. Warren tore his ACL in the ReliaQuest Bowl against the Crimson Tide last year and made no game appearances in 2025. And while he had some issues with turnovers earlier in 2024, he's a seasoned vet who could end up starting at a relatively high-level team.

CB Elijah Dotson - leaving

The first entry once the clock hit midnight on January 2, this one was a bit of a surprise. The former Belleville (Mich.) star saw a lot of playing time as a true freshman and was expected to have a bigger role moving forward. At this juncture, it appears as if Missouri is a big contender for his services.

RB CJ Hester - leaving

Hester actually never really joined the team, as he ended up being a scratch from the roster in the preseason. A former UMass running back, Hester is now in the portal once again.

LB Cole Sullivan - in portal, status in question

Expected to be a starter in 2026 for the Wolverines, Sullivan entered the portal in the wee hours of January 2, but did come with the caveat that he's open to returning to Ann Arbor next season. This may be a case of him looking to see his market value while the new staff was in process of being set. Even so, the door is open for him to leave or return.

CB Zeke Berry - leaving

Berry has two years of starting experience at defensive back, having initially started at nickel before moving outside. He struggled at nickel last year, but when he made the midseason switch to boundary, he was very good in 2024. It hasn't been as kind of a season this year, but he still could have been a key player on this upcoming year's team. He has another year of eligibility remaining.

RB Jasper Parker - leaving

A true freshman with a bright future, it's unclear why Parker is departing. However, he does have some depth ahead of him with Jordan Marshall, Savion Hiter, Bryson Kuzdzal, and perhaps a returning Justice Haynes (if he chooses to come back) ahead of him. He has a promising future and looked good in a reserve spot this year. He has four years of eligibility remaining.

IOL Kaden Strayhorn - leaving

A MSU legacy who surprisingly committed to Michigan, Strayhorn was expected to be the center of the future, and even saw some late-season playing time, including in the bowl game, at guard, against Texas. With a new coaching staff in East Lansing, could he end up at his father's school after all?

EDGE Devon Baxter - leaving

An early-enrollee in the 2024 class, Baxter hasn't seen any time since arriving, with Dominic Nichols and Nate Marshall having seemed to pass him up on the depth chart.

S Jaden Mangham - leaving

Banged up his first year in Ann Arbor, the former Spartan was hit or miss this season when inserted into the lineup. Michigan is rather deep at the safety position, but given that Mangham was a former starter for MSU and a little-used reserve for the Wolverines, it appears as if he's seeking more time on task than what he's been getting.

RT Andrew Sprague - leaving

Something of a surprise, as Sprague is a starter, he entered the portal on Friday. Sprague didn't dress or practice for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl and with a do-not-contact tag, and reported Missouri interest; the Kansas City native may be set to return home.

WR Semaj Morgan - leaving

Morgan was a starter the past two seasons but never quite reached his full potential. Though he had a penchant for getting open, he struggled with dropping even routine catches and was much maligned by the fan base as a result. With his position coach Ron Bellamy departing, it's not a surprise to see the West Bloomfield product seek a new opportunity.

RG Jake Guarnera - leaving (possibly)

This one is a surprise on the same level as Sullivan. However, according to Maize & Blue Review's Trevor McCue, he is open to returning. He also has a do-not-contact tag, and was expected to be a key member of the future offensive line. We met with Guarnera before a Citrus Bowl practice, and he appeared amenable to the new staff.

"I think he's great. I've heard all great things," Guarnera said. "One of my buddies was a D-end at Utah, and he told me all great things about Coach Whittingham, so I'm really excited.

"I reached out to him, I called him. I was like, 'What do you think of Coach Whittingham?' I asked him a bunch of questions, and I was just really impressed with everything that he said."

We'll see if he ends up returning or leaving.

DT Enow Etta - leaving

Etta was the hypebeast of spring ball two years ago, but he never quite had the production that matched that hype. A revolving interior player, he was solid, and this could have been his year, given that the Wolverines don't have a lot of depth with so many players departing as they're out of eligibility.

WR Logan Forbes - leaving

A walk-on, Forbes didn't see the field much, if at all, but announced on his social media that he is departing the program.

Utah EDGE John Henry Daley - likely interest in Michigan

Given that he played for Whittingham in Utah, his inclusion into the transfer portal is notable. Michigan will likely be on his shortlist, and he's an elite-caliber edge rusher who could help replace one of the departing EDGEs in Ann Arbor. He was coached by new Michigan EDGE coach Lewis Powell.

This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan football transfer portal tracker: exits grow under new staff

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