Michigan football LB Nikhai Hill-Green transferring out of program

Michigan football is losing another defensive player to the transfer portal, this time in the form of senior linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green. Green missed most of the 2022 season with a soft tissue injury and will now look to make an impact for another program.

On3’s Matt Zenitz was the first to report Hill-Green’s departure.

Hill-Green had been working on re-entering the competition at linebacker this spring for Michigan. He will have two years of eligibility remaining at his next stop.

“It was a soft tissue injury, and it was just like something you couldn’t see,” Hill-Green said. “I could still run; I could still do everything. It was hard, because I was always pushing through it, and the coaches were like, ‘Are you good?’ I’m never going to say, ‘I can’t go.’

“They just didn’t want me to make it worse. I don’t really even know how to explain it. You really couldn’t see it.

The injury forced Hill-Green, who played 14 games and made six starts in 2021, into a support role and being a student of the game on the sidelines as opposed to on it.

“It was one of the hardest things in my life,” he said. “I just feel like I did what I’m supposed to do, put in the work. I outworked everyone. I overdo it during my process. It was hard. I didn’t deserve it, but it made me better as a person and a football player. I’m just glad. It just makes me appreciate the journey just way more.”

There were times last year when it appeared Hill-Green was on the verge of a return, but he would never do more than dress for a handful of games.

“I practiced and I just kept trying to push through it. I would push through it during the week, prepare for the game,” Hill-Green said. “That’s why some games I dressed, because I was actually trying to play, but it wasn’t worth it. They didn’t want something that was temporary to be long-lasting. And we learned that because I ended up missing my whole season. This [injury] happened in training camp.

“Now I feel like I’m back, and I’m better. I’m just ready to prove it.”

He will now look to prove it with another program.

This story is developing.