Michigan Football: Why addition of DT Jordan Whittley would be huge

Michigan football is the favorite to land Oregon State defensive tackle transfer Jordan Whittley and here’s why that would be huge for the Wolverines. 

Former Oregon State defensive tackle and current Michigan football transfer target, Jordan Whittley is a big man and that’s exactly why the Wolverines want/need him.

At 6-foot-1, 358 pounds, Whittley is the kind of presence Michigan football needs in the middle of its defense, not even as a starter necessarily, but for the depth he would provide.

And in some new reporting, Whittley opened up about Michigan’s recruitment of him. He told Sam Webb of the Michigan Insider that the Wolverines contacted him literally one minute after he entered his name into the transfer portal.

That’s probably also why Whittley told Webb that Michigan is “No. 1 on the list.” Webb has put in a crystal ball projection for the defensive tackle to end up at U-M, which would satisfy what has been the No. 1 weakness the coaching staff has been trying to address.

Why Whittley is so needed

Right now, Michigan has some solid talent that could be starting on the defensive line. Lots of teams would love to have Chris Hinton, Mazi Smith, and Donovan Jeter to turn to up front.

More from GBMWolverine

• 3 things to watch for Michigan football vs. Rutgers
• Michigan football vs. Rutgers: Prediction, Odds, Spread and Over/Under for College Football Week 4
• Michigan Wolverines news: Jim Harbaugh wants J.J. McCarthy ‘gunslinging’, plus a drop in recruiting rankings
• Grades, game balls for Michigan football vs. Bowling Green
• Michigan Wolverines news: Jake Moody is money in the NFL, plus more

But one thing Michigan really lacks is depth. When you are going up against teams like Wisconsin and Iowa, you’ve got to have some depth, and right now, the Wolverines just don’t have it.

There are other positions that need to be addressed. It would be nice to see a linebacker added via the transfer portal and the Wolverines could probably use some help in the secondary, and at wide receiver.

Yet, the biggest priority has been defensive tackle.

Now, Whittley isn’t a sure thing. He will be a seventh-year player after not suiting up for the Beavers in 2020. Back in 2019, he played in just nine games but finished with 13 tackles and three tackles for loss.

Fans were excited about Willie Allen but he wasn’t up to snuff and already transferred somewhere else. But Whittley is worth taking a shot on because guys who have the potential to be quality nose tackles don’t last long in the portal and he might be the best option.