Nine of those Wolverines were selected in last week’s draft, though the actual number may have been higher if other players had opted to leave school earlier.
Since several Michigan draft prospects have chosen to stay for their senior or fifth season and since the outstanding 2022 sophomore class will be eligible for the draft the year after, the 2024 event in Detroit could be historic for the Wolverines.
After many Big Ten titles and College Football Playoff participation, Michigan is once again considered one of the leading contenders for the 2023 title. This season, NFL scouts will be paying careful attention to the Michigan Wolverines because of the abundance of talent at Jim Harbaugh’s school on both sides of the ball.
Michigan record is 11 players selected in a draft, but it may break that record next year. Here is an early assessment of Michigan’s top professional prospect for the upcoming season, despite the fact that a lot could change before then:
McCarthy is already projected to go in several first-round mock drafts for the year 2024, while it is not a guarantee that he would declare for the draft after his junior season. While Bleacher Report projects him to go to Green Bay with the 25th overall pick, Dane Brugler of The Athletic projects him to go to the Las Vegas Raiders with the 15th overall pick.
These forecasts presumably assume that the 6-foot-3, 196-pounder gets better as a second-year starter in 2023. Talent has never been an issue for the former five-star prospect; even as a freshman playing a reserve position, he showed off his strong arm and mobility. Although his 2022 statistics weren’t particularly impressive, it’s hard to argue with the team’s performance—a 13-1 record. His 194.2 passing yards per game in the Big Ten ranked 10th, but he also threw 22 interceptions as opposed to only five, two of which came in the national semifinal loss to TCU.
Since Michigan’s top two running backs are returning, it is anticipated that Michigan will continue to rely heavily on its ground game, as it has done under Harbaugh. Though perhaps Michigan will loosen the reins a little bit and give McCarthy more to work with in 2023 with a more seasoned McCarthy.
Pre-Season Rank and Expectations
Without McCarthy the Wolverines are sure to flounder. The young signal caller was involved in almost every offensive snap last season. It’s true that Michigan has recruited well and will always have players sitting in the wings. But McCarthy has the years of experience at this high level to get the job done.
Free picks has the Wolverines rated in the top 10 preseason rankings. However, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Michigan Wolverines struggle a little bit. The Big Ten is a very competitive conference. Beating Ohio State again is a tall order for Michigan. We can actually see them losing to Ohio State and one or two other Big Ten teams and having to settle for a New Year’s Eve bowl game.
