Things are about to start ramping up in the transfer portal for Michigan football and other programs across college football.
The Wolverines landed their first commitment on Friday night from former Indiana wide receiver Donaven McCulley. The 6-foot-5 wideout only played in a few games last season, but in 2023, he caught 48 passes for 633 yards and five touchdowns. That's Big Ten production too.
Yet, if the Wolverines are going to drastically improve one of the worst offenses in college football, especially throwing the ball, more moves need to be made.
Michigan football needs a veteran quarterback, some help on the offensive line, and more playmakers. With that in mind, here are six players in the portal who would be perfect fits for the Wolverines on the offensive side of the ball.
Billy Edwards, QB, Maryland
Billy Edwards coming to Michigan has picked up steam since he entered the transfer portal on Thursday. The 6-foot-3 quarterback who was third in the Big Ten in passing yards last season (2,881) and threw 15 touchdown passes will visit Wisconsin this weekend, before visiting U-M.
Edwards has one year of eligibility left. He completed 65 percent of his passes last season and played behind one of the worst offensive lines in college football.
Since Edwards is coming to Ann Arbor for a visit, he's not scared off by Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 overall quarterback in the 2025 class and if the Wolverines could land him, he'd be the ideal stop-gap quarterback until Underwood is ready.
Justice Haynes, RB, Alabama
There is a sentiment out there that Michigan football doesn't need a running back from the transfer portal. The Wolverines do have former top-100 running back Jordan Marshall who flashed as a freshman.
Benjamin Hall has created some buzz too, but both backs carried the ball a combined 21 times last season for 64 yards. And if the Wolverines don't add a transfer, that's all the production they would return at running back.
EJ Holland reported that Michigan football will be a contender for Justice Haynes, the former Alabama running back who just hit the portal.
Haynes had 79 carries for 448 yards last season (5.7 per carry) and has very little tread on the tires after just 104 carries in two seasons. Haynes, a former top-50 overall recruit, has gotten nearly six yards per carry in his career, and pairing him with Marshall could make the Michigan rushing attack elite in 2025.
You have to trust the players on your roster but after last season, Michigan can't afford to bet on potential. It needs proven dudes and Haynes feels like he wants to go somewhere that will allow him to pound the rock, which he'd get at Michigan.
Joseph Williams, WR, Tulsa
Yes, Michigan football added a wide receiver on Friday, but after fielding one of the worst pass offenses in college football, which was service academy level bad, the Wolverines need to do more.
One player who feels like he would be a perfect fit is Tulsa wideout Joseph Williams, who was the American Conference Freshman of the Year despite playing in just seven games last season.
Williams had 30 receptions for 588 yards and five touchdowns (in seven games). He averaged 19 yards per reception and had at least one reception of 23 yards or more in six of seven games. McCulley is capable of explosive plays, but he's more of a big-possession receiver.
Michigan needed that -- someone who can move the chains and make plays in the red zone -- but U-M needs someone to stretch the field. Incoming freshman Andrew Marsh (75th overall in 2025) and Jacob Washington (198 overall in 2025) could certainly help in that regard, but adding Williams to the fold (Michigan has offered), would be huge and would give Underwood another talented receiver to grow with who can make an immediate impact.
Gunnar Hansen, Tackle, Vanderbilt
With Myles Hinton leaving, the Wolverines need a starting left tackle. There are some candidates on the roster such as Andrew Sprague or Blake Frazier, but it feels like the Wolverines want to add a veteran, and one name that comes to mind is Gunnar Hansen.
The former Vanderbilt offensive tackle has played left tackle and left guard in his career. He started 12 games at left tackle in 2023. That's also where he started this season and was named the SEC offensive lineman of the week for his performance against Alabama.
Hansen is a three-year starter in the SEC and has one year remaining. That should make it easy for him to get into school. What I like about 6-foot-5, 330-pounder is that he spent half a season starting at guard so if one of the younger linemen is ready to go, maybe he could kick inside.
It also remains to be seen if Evan Link can hold down the starting right tackle job. He had some good moments as a run blocker, but his pass protection needs a ton of work, so adding at least one starting-caliber tackle feels like a necessity. According to Clayton Sayfie of The Wolverine, Hansen has also been offered by Michigan football.
Josh Thompson, O-line, Northwestern
Josh Thompson, a 6-foot-5, 301-pound offensive lineman from Fenton, Michigan, is another name on the radar for the Wolverines.
Thompson has played tackle and guard for the Wildcats. He would probably be a guard for Michigan football but he started 12 games at right tackle for Northwestern in 2023.
If you added Hansen and Thompson, you would be adding two guys who are capable of being the right and left tackles. They are also capable of bumping inside. That would allow Michigan football to play the five best guys on the offensive line as much as possible.
Thompson is expected to visit but is getting interest from a number of programs, so landing him won't be easy but he would be another quality piece to add from the transfer portal.
Austin Blaske, Center, North Carolina
This might feel heavy on offensive lineman, but the Michigan football offensive line wasn't good in 2024. It was one of the biggest disappointments about last season and it can't be allowed to happen again.
Blaske is the one guy on this list who hasn't been offered by Michigan football. Yet, his former offensive coordinator was just hired by the Wolverines so this move would make a lot of sense.
Blaske played 18 games for Georgia before transferring to North Carolina for last season. He started every game at center outside of one which he missed due to injury. Blaske was graded really well according to Pro Football Focus and would give the Wolverines a proven center.
The relationship with Lindsey should help Michigan if it wants Blaske. Adding him, along with Thompson and Hansen would solidify the offensive line, and hopefully turn it back into a strength.