Michigan football among top two for must-land transfer portal target

Michigan football desperately needs an offensive tackle from the transfer portal who can play right away, and New Mexico State transfer Shiyazh Pete fits the bill perfectly.

At 6-foot-8, 320 pounds, Pete has played over 1,700 snaps at left tackle in his college football career and during the 2023 season, he was All-Conference in Conference USA before an injury limited him in 2024.

Pete is one of the top offensive tackles available in the transfer portal right now. He's ranked 12th among offensive tackles via 247 Sports and 111th overall. Michigan football did add offensive tackle Brady Norton from Cal-Poly but he probably needs a year of seasoning. Lawrence Hattar has also joined the Wolverines from the portal, but he's going to play guard.

So with Myles Hinton off to the NFL and Evan Link leaving a lot to be desired, Pete takes center stage. Pete Nakos of On3.com reported that Monday that Michigan football was among the top two teams in the mix along with Nebraska. Kentucky and Stanford are some others in the mix.

Michigan football needs to land transfer portal tackle Shiyazh Pete

Nebraska just added former Alabama offensive tackle Elijah Pritchett last week, so Michigan has more of a need, it has an especially clear need at left tackle. Andrew Sprague played well as a true freshman in the ReliaQuest Bowl. He's expected to be the starting right tackle next season. Blake Frazier is another guy waiting in the wings.

Pete got a crystal ball to Vanderbilt earlier in the process and visited Nebraska last week. EJ Holland reported that a visit could be coming for the Wolverines soon, and if that visit happens, I'd feel pretty good about the Wolverines' chances of landing Pete.

Then, you'd have him to plug and play at left tackle. Link could shift inside and compete at guard, giving you Hattar and Link to compete with Giovanni El-Hadi for a starting job. Then, if the Wolverines can add Ty Haywood to a recruiting class that already includes five-star offensive tackle Andrew Babalola, the Wolverines would have two five-star tackles waiting in the wings.

Sprague was also a highly-rated four-star prospect, just outside the top 100. So even though Michigan football didn't address wide receiver the way many hoped, adding Pete, along with the other pieces on the offensive line, would give the Wolverines a formidable group up front -- one that should be much improved from last season.