Michigan football continues to make waves in the transfer portal with the addition of former Stanford starter and top-100 recruit Myles Hinton on the offensive line.
The rich are getting richer.
On the same day that Michigan football won the Joe Moore Award for the second straight season, which is awarded to the best offensive line in the country, the Wolverines added their second offensive lineman in the transfer portal in Stanford’s Myles Hinton.
Hinton joining the Michigan football program isn’t a huge shock. His brother Chris Hinton was a starter on the 2021 team before heading to the NFL.
Michigan has landed another transfer portal commitment, and it’s a familiar face. pic.twitter.com/fb5CDjHyDJ
— Aaron McMann (@AaronMcMann) December 17, 2022
Myles was recruited by Michigan football too but wound up going to Stanford and became the starting right tackle. Hinton has two years of eligibility left but did play in just nine games last season, although it wasn’t clear why.
Still, Hinton is 6-foot-7, 320 pounds, and ranked No. 41 overall in the 247 sports transfer portal rankings. He’s ranked as a four-star and gives Michigan football three of the top 41 players, which isn’t something I expected a couple of weeks ago.
Here are three thoughts on the addition of Hinton, the other transfer portal moves, and what it means going forward for the Wolverines.
Breaking down the addition of Myles Hinton
When Hinton entered the transfer portal, Michigan football seemed like a perfect fit. The Wolverines were probably the runner-up in his recruitment and with the way the offensive line has been playing and is emphasized, what big guy wouldn’t want to come to Ann Arbor?
Hinton probably isn’t quite as proven as LadDarius Henderson who has started 32 games in his collegiate career but he’s an experienced player with a lot of potential.
With a couple of years of development under Sherrone Moore, Hinton could easily be a first-round pick. He was a top-100 recruit coming out of high school and based on pure talent, he’s got as much as anyone in the offensive line room at Michigan next season.
The offensive line is going to be an interesting group to watch. Ryan Hayes is surely going to be heading to the NFL. Trente Jones and Karsen Barnhart could too along with Trevor Keegan.
We know that Olu Oluwatimi is out of eligibility and the Rimington Award winner who has been nothing short of incredible, will be getting drafted on day one or day two of the NFL draft.
Hell, Zak Zinter would find himself in the same boat. I hope he comes back and I feel like if he does, he could wind up being a first-round pick. He’s right up there with Olu in terms of pro potential.
That being said, Michigan football has tons of pros. The top six guys on this offensive line would get drafted this season. Giovanni El-Hadi has also impressed and so have both Greg Crippen and Raheem Anderson who will wage an epic battle for center.
Whoever doesn’t win can surely play guard and even if the Wolverines lose all of their top six guys to the NFL — which I don’t quite think will happen — this offensive line will be just fine.
My dream scenario, while being realistic about some departures is keeping Zinter and Barnhart. Then you could have a possible front five of LaDarius Henderson, Barnhart, Crippen or Anderson, Zinter, and Hinton with El-Hadi, Jeffrey Persi, and others right in the mix.
That still feels like the best offensive line in the Big Ten to me. Either way, adding two four-star offensive linemen is a hell of a way to start out in the transfer portal.
Michigan adds No. 1 overall transfer portal prospect
When Ernest Hausmann announced his commitment to Michigan football, 247 sports hadn’t released its transfer portal rankings quite yet.
We know that Hausmann was ranked as a four-star in the transfer portal, which was an upgrade from being a three-star out of Columbus, Nebraska.
However, when the transfer portal rankings came out, Hausmann ended up being ranked No. 1, meaning that as of right now, Michigan football has added the best player available in the transfer portal (95 rating).
There has been talk of Michigan needing to upgrade its linebacker depth for a while and it has surely done that. The tandem of Hausmann and Junior Colson should be terrifying for opposing offenses and if Michael Barrett comes back (an If at this point), it would be loaded.
Nikhai Hill-Green should be back to full strength next season plus you also have promising freshmen such as Jimmy Rolder and Micah Pollard.
Many Nebraska fans have talked about Hausmann as their best-looking linebacker since Lavonte David and now, we can see why.
What a home run for the Wolverines.
Michigan isn’t done
Michigan football is probably going to make another addition or two. The positions to watch are cornerback and tight end.
Tony Grimes, the former five-star cornerback who has played at North Carolina for the past few seasons is a name to watch. Another is Virginia’s Fentrell Cypress, who is another top player in the transfer portal and would be a huge addition as a graduate transfer.
Cypress was a former teammate of Olu’s and you’d have to think he could see himself having a similar experience at Michigan. However, with decisions of DJ Turner and Gemon Green could have something to do with it.
Frankly, if those guys stick around, Michigan football probably won’t need to add anyone at cornerback in the transfer portal. Mike Sainrisitl has already said he will return and Will Johnson is going to be a starter.
Michigan football is also expected to host Cal-Poly tight end Josh Cuevas at some point, as well as former Indiana tight end AJ Barner. Both would be solid fits and Barner was a team captain for the Hoosiers. EDGE Josiah Stewart of Coastal Carolina is another name to watch.
Mike Hart will know him from his time at Indiana. He’s a solid receiver and good blocker, which at 6-foot-6, 250 would be a big part of his role.
Regardless of what happens at those positions, Michigan football has hit a home run up to this point and with all the winning the Wolverines have done, it’s not a surprise big-time players want to come aboard. The departures have been kept to a minimum too.