Fourteen Michigan players selected in Dane Brugler's NFL mock draft

Michigan Wolverines football has a legitimate shot at breaking Georgia’s all-time record with 15 NFL Draft picks in 2022. The Athletic analyst Dane Brugler dropped a seven-round mock draft April 16 that included 14 Wolverines, led by a top-five pick in quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

Brugler projected McCarthy No. 4 overall to the Minnesota Vikings, who he has trading with the Atlanta Falcons from their original spot at No. 11.

The analyst predicts Michigan will have just one first-rounder, but he placed six Wolverines inside the top 69 picks.

That included two that he believes will end up with their former head coach, Jim Harbaugh, with the Los Angeles Chargers — defensive tackle Kris Jenkins (No. 35 overall, second round) and running back Blake Corum (No. 69 overall, third round). Brugler pegged two other Wolverines as Chargers selections — offensive lineman Trevor Keegan (sixth round) and linebacker Michael Barrett (seventh round).

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Here’s a look at all of Michigan’s selections in Brugler’s seven-round mock:

QB J.J. McCarthy: First round, No. 4 overall to the Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings are a QB-needy team that has been rumored as one that will potentially move up to draft their signal-caller.

“It is no secret that the Vikings are quarterback shopping in the NFL Draft, but how high can they trade up to secure their guy?” Brugler wrote. “In this scenario, Minnesota jumps to No. 4 for McCarthy, which would mark the first time in NFL Draft history we see quarterbacks drafted 1-2-3-4 overall.”

In the mock draft, the three quarterbacks off the board before McCarthy are USC’s Caleb Williams (No. 1 to Chicago), LSU’s Jayden Daniels (No. 2 to Washington) and North Carolina’s Drake Maye (No. 3 to New England).

McCarthy has the chance to become Michigan’s third quarterback to be picked in the first round, with Harbaugh being one (No. 26 overall in 1987) and Forest Evashevski being the other (No. 10 overall in 1941).

DT Kris Jenkins: Second round, No. 35 overall to the Los Angeles Chargers

Harbaugh has long been an admirer of Jenkins, even giving him a helmet sticker for having the most enthusiasm on the 2023 Michigan team that won the national championship.

“It will feel like an upset if the Chargers don’t draft either Jenkins, [linebacker] Junior Colson or [defensive back] Mike Sainristil — all Michigan products — early in Round 2,” Brugler wrote. “I could make an argument why any of the three would make sense, and it will be interesting to see which former Wolverine Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter prefer.”

Before last year, Michigan didn’t have a defensive tackle picked in the first two rounds since Alan Branch went No. 33 overall in the second round in 2007, but Mazi Smith was taken No. 26 overall in the first round in 2023.

CB Mike Sainristil: Second round, No. 42 overall to the Houston Texans

Sainristil registered 6 interceptions last season and has emerged as one of the top nickel backs in the draft. Former Michigan graduate assistant Stephen Adegoke is the safeties coach in Houston, so there’s a connection between Sainristil and that staff under head man Demeco Ryans, a defensive savant.

Brugler projects five cornerbacks off the board in the first round and two others in the second frame before Sainristil is selected at No. 42.

LB Junior Colson: Second round, No. 50 overall to the Philadelphia Eagles

Brugler ranks Colson as the top linebacker in the draft class and prognosticates that he’ll be the first one to be chosen this year. According to Sharp Football Analysis, linebacker is second on the list of needs for the Eagles heading into the draft.

WR Roman Wilson: Second round, No. 51 overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers

This year’s wide receiver class is widely considered to be at a much higher level than what’s typical, and Wilson is a reason why. Despite being a projected second-round pick at No. 51 overall, Wilson is the 11th wideout to come off the board in Brugler’s mock draft.

RB Blake Corum: No. 69 overall to the Los Angeles Chargers

Corum, who led college football with 27 rushing touchdowns last season, is another one of Harbaugh’s favorites (most of this draft class can be put in the same category, with Michigan finishing 15-0 and being crowned national champs). The Chargers have picked up running backs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins since seeing Austin Ekeler walk in free agency but still have a need at the position.

Corum is the second running back to be picked in the mock, just four selections behind former Texas back Jonathon Brooks. Believe it or not, the Wolverines have had just two running backs chosen in the draft since Mike Hart in 2008 — Chris Evans (sixth round in 2021) and Hassan Haskins (fourth round in 2022).

Eight other Michigan players appear in Dane Brugler’s mock draft

Here are the other Michigan draft choices in Brugler’s mock:

• OL Zak Zinter: Fourth round, No. 132 overall to the San Francisco 49ers

• EDGE Braiden McGregor: Fifth round, No. 164 overall to the Detroit Lions

• OL Trevor Keegan: Sixth round, No. 181 overall to the Los Angeles Chargers

• EDGE Jaylen Harrell: Sixth round, No. 188 overall to the Houston Texans

• WR Cornelius Johnson: Sixth round, No. 220 overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• TE AJ Barner: Seventh round, No. 235 overall to the Seattle Seahawks

• OL LaDarius Henderson: Seventh round, No. 242 overall to the Tennessee Titans

• LB Michael Barrett: Seventh round, No. 253 overall to the Los Angeles Chargers