Michigan Football: A bunch of Wolverines will go in 2024 NFL draft

As we bid farewell to the 2023 draft, it’s never too early to peek ahead to who is going to be drafted in 2024 for Michigan football.

Nine Wolverines were selected over the three-day event, but it could be a lot more in 2024. That number might somehow, inconceivably double in 2024.

That’s how loaded this Michigan football team can be this coming fall. For those wondering, that would set a record for most prospects chosen in one draft, which is currently held by the defending national champions.

The maize and blue are one of the favorites to take home that gold this year, but they have to get that monkey off their back first. Below is a list of realistic draft-eligible players who are able to make the jump to the pros in 2024.

A bunch more Michigan football players are poised to be drafted

J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards, Trevor Keegan, Zak Zinter, and Drake Nugent, just on offense alone. On defense, there is Kris Jenkins, Josaiah Stewart, Jalyn Harrell, Junior Colson, Mike Sainristil, Rod Moore, and Makari Paige. That’s not even counting a handful of guys who may get drafted or are borderline priority-free agents.

Those include Jack Tuttle, Kalel Mullings, A.J. Barner, Myles Hinton, Karsen Barnhart, Trente Jones, LaDarius Henderson, Cornelius Johnson, Roman Wilson, Braiden McGregor, Cam Goode, Rayshaun Benny, Michael Barrett, Quinten Johnson, German Green, and James Turner. Not all of them will leave or get drafted, but those are the names to keep tabs on.

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McCarthy is obviously the biggest name on the board for Michigan football and he has the potential to be a first-rounder, however, he’ll have to show more, like he did against Ohio State, than just being a game manager who hands the ball off 50-plus times a game.

Corum and Edwards should go early too if they stay healthy in the autumn. Pro football focus has Corum listed as a first-round talent in their mock draft simulator.

Zinter has a chance to be one of, if not the top interior lineman selected, especially if the line can three-peat as the Joe Moore Award winner again.

Colson is Michigan’s highest-rated defender who reeks of a Thursday night pick. He’s a tackling machine. Besides him, a bevy of Michigan football players are prepared to get taken on defense, but none are as sought after as Colson will be.

The coaches will have the backups ready to play when they feel is right, as we’ve seen in the past seasons. It will be interesting to see who carves out a breakthrough role like Colston Loveland did at tight end and Mason Graham did at defensive tackle. They went from freshman unknowns to starters in the blink of an eye. Which freshman will follow in their footsteps this season?