Michigan football top-rated transfer portal additions since 2021

The Michigan Wolverines have bolstered their last few rosters tremendously through the NCAA transfer portal, a growing resource in filling needs and depth quickly within a program.

These days, the portal is as important as high school recruiting. Michigan has masterfully meshed the talent it has brought in via the prep ranks with transfers from other schools, whether it be as impact starters, veteran leadership or other contributors.

Not all additions have been headline-grabbers, but several of them have made big impacts. And some of the highest-ranked guys the program has brought in since 2021 are going to be with the team this year.

Here we ranked the 10 best transfers since the 2021 season to wear the Maize and Blue based on their On3 Transfer Portal rating.

(Italics denote currently with the program.)

T-1. Olu Oluwatimi, center (92.00)
Oluwatimi spent the 2022 season in Ann Arbor after spending 2017 at Air Force and 2018-21 at Virginia. He was a First-team All-Big Ten selection, a Consensus All-American, and the winner of the Rimington and Outland trophies. The Seattle Seahawks selected him in the 5th round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

T-1. Drake Nugent, center (92.00)
Nugent grabbed the baton from Oluwatimi and kept the strong center play intact for Michigan’s run to the College Football Playoff National Championship after four years at Stanford in 2023. He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection during his lone season in Ann Arbor.

T-1. Ernest Hausmann, linebacker (92.00)
Now in his third season with the program, Hausmann spent his freshman year at Nebraska before joining Michigan ahead of the 2023 season. He started all 13 games for the Wolverines in 2024 and led the team with 89 total tackles, and could be a candidate to be a captain this fall.

T-4. Josaiah Stewart, EDGE (91.00)
After starting his career as an uber-productive pass rusher at Coastal Carolina, including a nod as a freshman All-American in 2021, Stewart joined Michigan in 2023 to help round out its pass rush. Last season, he emerged as a starter and led the team with 8.5 sacks and worked himself into an NFL Draft pick, going this past April to the Los Angeles Rams in the third round.

T-4. Jaishawn Barham, linebacker (91.00)
Barham spent his first two collegiate seasons at Maryland before joining the Wolverines in 2024, where he started all 13 games and finished with 66 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack. He returns in 2025 to form one of the best linebacker duos in the country with Hausmann.

T-4. LaDarius Henderson, offensive line (91.00)
The Texas native started his career at Arizona State from 2019-22 before joining Michigan for his final collegiate season, appearing in 14 games with 10 starts at left tackle and earning First-team All-Big Ten status. He was a 7th-round pick of the Houston Texans in the 2024 NFL Draft.

T-4. Justice Haynes, running back (91.00)
One of Michigan’s newest portal additions for 2025 started his career at Alabama and was one of the top backs available during the offseason. The junior is expected to fill out a tandem with sophomore Jordan Marshall as the leaders of the run game.

T-8. TJ Metcalf, safety (90.00)
The second 2025 addition on this list has appeared in 24 games with 11 starts over the last two seasons, racking up 72 total tackles with 10 passes defended, 3 interceptions and a forced fumble. Metcalf is expected to be a big contributor in a deep Michigan safety room.

T-8. Brady Norton, offensive line (90.00)
The third 2025 addition in a row was a standout last season at FCS Cal Poly and one of the best pass blockers in the country. Norton is expected to compete for Michigan’s starting job at left tackle in fall camp.

10. Myles Hinton, offensive tackle (89.00)
Hinton was a top-35 prospect coming out of high school, per the On3 Industry Rankings, but was up-and-down at times at Stanford. He spent his final two seasons in Ann Arbor, headlined by ascending to the starting left tackle job in 2024. He was finally able to reach his NFL potential with the Philadelpha Eagles taking him in the sixth round of the 2025 draft.

Honorable mentions: CB Josh Wallace (88.00), EDGE Eyabi Okie (88.00), CB Aamir Hall (88.00), S Jaden Mangham (88.00), LB Troy Bowles (88.00), DT Damon Payne (87.00), DT Tre Williams (87.00), TE AJ Barner (87.00), OL Josh Priebe (87.00), Lawrence Hattar (87.00)