Utah transfer TE JJ Buchanan commits to Michigan

Utah transfer tight end JJ Buchanan has committed to play for Michigan in 2026, On3’s Hayes Fawcett has learned. Buchanan played one season with the Utes and will have three years of eligibility remaining.

Buchanan appeared in 12 games this past year as a true freshman and led all freshman tight ends with 427 yards receiving and five touchdowns on 26 catches. He’ll surely make an impact right away for the Wolverines.

Buchanan played high school football for Coronado (NV), where he was a three-star prospect in the 2025 class. He ranked as the No. 573 overall player and No. 11 athlete in the cycle according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services.

As a transfer, Buchanan ranks as the No. 106 overall player and No. 5 tight end to enter the portal so far this offseason according to On3. He is the ninth player in the Wolverines’ transfer class so far, including the first tight end.

Buchanan follows former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, who takes over at Michigan following the firing of Sherrone Moore. He is the third Utes player to make the move to Ann Arbor, along with edge rushers Jonah Lea’ea and John Henry Daley.

Buchanan will also have the same offensive coordinator that he did last season, as Jason Beck takes over the position for the Wolverines after working under Whittingham at Utah last year. That all points to a similar role for the talented young tight end that he had with the Utes.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

More on the transfer portal in 2026

The 15-day transfer portal this winter will be the only window, opening Jan. 2 and closing on Jan. 16. The NCAA opted to eliminate the spring transfer portal window for football, meaning this will be the only opportunity for student athletes to enter their names.

The move to a one-time-only portal is supposed to allow schools to finish their season with their entire team before the transfer portal opens. As has been the previous standard, athletes on College Football Playoff teams still playing would have 5 days beginning the day after their team’s final game to enter the transfer portal.

This season’s CFP semifinals took place Jan. 8 and 9. The CFP national championship game between Miami and Indiana is scheduled for Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.