Michigan Football: Evaluating cornerback after Gemon Green to NFL

Michigan football lost another starting cornerback to the NFL draft in Gemon Green and here’s a quick look at the options on the table for the Wolverines in 2023. 

In another move that wasn’t necessarily a shock, Michigan football cornerback Gemon Green has declared for the 2023 NFL draft.

DJ Turner also declared for the draft this week, which means that Michigan football is currently heading into the 2023 season without two of its top three cornerbacks.

I’m happy for Green though who should be a fairly early selection in the 2023 draft. He’s a tall corner with good man coverage skills. He’s also played a lot of football. He’s 6-foot-2 and had 13 pass breakups but just one interception during his four seasons.

Still, he will be missed. It was thought that the Wolverines could lose both Turner and Green to the NFL draft but there was hope that one might return. The good news is that Michigan still has Will Johnson who emerged as the top cover guy by the end of the season.

Mike Sainristil also announced he was coming back prior to the Fiesta Bowl and he’ll be a huge asset for Michigan in the slot once again.

That leaves one starting job open. The transfer portal could be an option, but things are pretty picked over at this point. There are some former four-stars from high school in the portal but no sure-fire starters or upgrades.

Things can change obviously. There is also going to be another transfer portal window after the spring, so Michigan could make a move then. But as of now, I don’t see it.

That means the Wolverines will be depending on the current roster and here’s a breakdown of the potential depth chart heading into 2023.

Looking ahead to the 2023 Michigan football depth chart

Will Johnson is obviously going to be the No. 1 cornerback for Michigan football and that’s a pretty good place to start. Sainristil will man the nickel job again.

That means there is one starting job open, although there are going to be more snaps with two of the top three guys departing for the NFL draft.

Ja’Den McBurrows is one name to keep in mind heading into the spring. He’s really talented and has flashed at Michigan, he just hasn’t been able to stay healthy. McBurrows is 5-foot-11, 205 pounds, and could be a solid option.

Another option is Myles Pollard, a 6-foot-1, 191-pound cornerback that was a three-star recruit out of high school but was viewed as a key part of the 2023 class. He’s a guy who could push for playing time and there’s also a chance that some freshmen could see early time too.

Jyaire Hill was one of Michigan football’s highest-ranked signees in the 2023 class. The 6-foot-1, 170-pounder out of Illinois is ranked 195th overall in the 247 sports composite rankings for 2023 and he’s a really talented player.

Hill has been viewed as a potential early contributor and with Green leaving for the NFL, the door is even more wide open. Cameron Calhoun (No. 456 overall) is another underrated player from the 2023 class that could push for the job.

I’m a little concerned about the depth and a transfer could help with that, but adding someone from the portal is easier said than done, especially with the current options available.