Mock drafting Michigan Football players over the last 10 seasons

The 2025 NFL Draft is drawing closer, and Michigan is expected to have as many as four players drafted in the first round. The Wolverines have a rich history of putting players into the league and regularly produce first-round talents, but how do these players stack up against each other in terms of their value to Michigan?

Today, we’ll be answering that question by doing our own mock draft, using players that have played for Michigan over the last 10 seasons. But first, we’ll set a couple ground rules to establish the merits behind each pick:

• Only players that have seen game action for Michigan between 2014-2024.
• Recruiting rankings and NFL success are irrelevant.
• Positional value matters like it does in the NFL draft (my apologies to Jake Moody).
• Transfer players are allowed, but only their time at Michigan will be considered.
• Career productivity and raw talent will both be considered.

Now that we’ve gotten the guidelines out of the way, let’s get into the draft.

1. QB - J.J. McCarthy

As Jim Harbaugh himself said, J.J. McCarthy is the standard all Michigan quarterbacks should be measured by. This one’s an easy pick for No. 1 overall, with 5,710 passing yards and 44 touchdowns in two seasons as a starter, plus a National Championship under his belt.

2. Edge - Aidan Hutchinson

The best edge rusher of the Harbaugh era capped his career with a monster senior year, where he earned unanimous All-American honors and tallied a program-record 14 sacks. Hutchinson was also a great leader, helping spark a major program turnaround in 2021.

3. DB - Jabrill Peppers

Michigan won’t ever have another player as unique as Peppers, who played offense and defense before it was cool. He was so versatile that Don Brown made him the “viper,” lining up all over the defense in addition to his duties on special teams. He was a unanimous All-American in 2016.

4. IDL - Mason Graham

Some will argue Graham was the best defensive tackle in program history, as he had 108 tackles (including 18 for loss) and nine sacks in three seasons. He also earned unanimous All-American honors in 2024 and second-team All-American honors in 2023.

5. IOL - Zak Zinter

Another unanimous All-American for the Wolverines, Zinter earned the honor during the 2023 National Championship season. As a three-year starter and two-time Joe Moore Award contributor, Zinter is as one of the best guards in Michigan history.

6. CB/WR - Mike Sainristil

Sainristil was a decent wide receiver for three seasons, but was an elite defensive back for two, even earning first-team All-American honors in 2023. He had 103 tackles and seven interceptions from the nickel spot in his two seasons playing there.

7. Edge - Chase Winovich

Winovich was another one of Michigan’s dominant edge rushers, breaking out with eight sacks during an otherwise unremarkable 2017 season. He was first-team All-Big Ten in 2017 and 2018, and was a second-team All-American in 2018.

8. CB - Will Johnson

Johnson was arguably the best defensive player for Michigan during the 2023 season, earning first-team All-American honors. He was a second-team All-American in 2024 as well, despite being sidelined with an injury for half the year.

9. RB - Blake Corum

The best running back in Michigan history ran for a program-record 58 touchdowns in his career. After being a unanimous All-American in 2022, Corum returned to help Michigan win a national championship. His overtime touchdown in the Rose Bowl is the signature moment of “Blake the Great’s” career.

10. CB - Jourdan Lewis

Jourdan Lewis was one of the best corners in the country during his time in maize and blue, snagging six interceptions and breaking up 39 passes in his career. He was a first-team All-American in 2015 and 2016. His interception against Wisconsin is one of the best you’ll ever see.

11. IDL - Maurice Hurst

Simply put, Hurst was a beast for Michigan from 2015-17. Over his three seasons as a starter, he compiled a whopping 34 tackles for a loss and 12.5 sacks. He was a consensus first-team All-American in 2017.

12. LB - Devin Bush

Despite his size, Bush was a fiery and fierce tone-setter for Michigan in 2017 and 2018. In those two seasons, he compiled 179 tackles and 10 sacks, earning second-team All-American honors in 2017 and consensus first-team honors in 2018.

13. Edge - Taco Charlton

One of the standout defenders on the early Harbaugh teams, Charlton finished his Michigan career with 18.5 sacks. He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection with his 9.5-sack campaign in 2016, but he was always an underrated player in his day.

14. DL - Kris Jenkins

“The Mutant” drew plenty of attention for his athleticism, but was plenty productive as well across three seasons as a starter from 2021-23. Jenkins had 113 tackles, including 10 for loss, and 4.5 sacks. He was a second-team All-American in 2023.

15. TE - Jake Butt

The best pass-catcher in recent Michigan history, Butt was a first-team All-American in 2015, and a consensus All-American and Mackey Award-winner in 2016. He racked up 1,646 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns across four seasons.

16. WR/TE - Devin Funchess

If Butt was the best pass-catcher in recent Michigan history, Funchess was the most unique. He played tight end for two seasons and wide receiver for one, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors at each position and totaling 1,715 yards and 15 touchdowns in three seasons.

17. Edge - Kwity Paye

Much like Charlton before him, Paye was another under-appreciated edge rusher. He had his most productive season in 2019 with 6.5 sacks and 13 tackles for a loss. Paye was also a two-time second-team All-Big Ten selection.

18. TE Colston Loveland

Loveland also has a case to be considered one of the best tight ends in Michigan history. For his career, he had 1,466 receiving yards and was a second-team All-American in 2024. He’ll likely be a first-round pick in the NFL Draft this April.

19. OL - Ben Bredeson

Bredeson became a starter on Michigan’s offensive line halfway through his freshman year and never looked back. He became one of the better guards in the country, nabbing second-team All-American honors in 2019, as well as All-Big Ten honors from 2017-19.

20. WR - Ronnie Bell

While he might not have been the best, Bell was quietly one of the most productive receivers in Michigan history with 2,269 yards in his career. His best season was 2022, when he had 889 yards on 62 receptions. It’s even more impressive considering he was coming off a torn ACL in 2021.

21. Edge - Rashan Gary

One of the more physically imposing edge rushers in recent Michigan history, Gary had a fine career with 25 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks across two years as a starter. He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2017 and 2018.

22. WR - Nico Collins

One thing was for sure in 2018 and 2019, if there was a downfield shot or jump ball situation, Collins was coming down with the reception. He had 78 receptions, 1,388 yards and 13 touchdowns in his career — a highly reliable receiver even for a short span of time.

23. S - Daxton Hill

While he was never really appreciated on a national level, Hill brought great athleticism, coverage skills and hard-hitting to the table his three seasons in Ann Arbor. He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2021 and was one of the team’s best defensive players that year.

24. DL - Kenneth Grant

Although he only started for two seasons, Grant did everything from rush the passer to chase down running backs downfield. The Indiana native quickly became one of the most fearsome defensive tackles in the country, earning All-Big Ten honors in 2023 and 2024, as well as All-American honors in 2024.

25. DL - Mazi Smith

Not much got by Smith in the middle of Michigan’s defense in 2021 and 2022. The 340-pounder was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2022 and registered 88 career tackles.

26. OL - Mike Onwenu

It’s unfortunate Onwenu didn’t get much praise until he got to the NFL, because he was big contributor on Michigan’s offensive line from 2018-19. He earned third-team All-Big Ten honors both those seasons.

27. S - Rod Moore

The only current Wolverine in our draft, Moore is entering his fifth season in the program. He’s been a standout in Michigan’s secondary since his freshman year, but his interception against Ohio State in 2023 is his trademark moment.

28. QB - Shea Patterson

This might be a hot take, but Patterson makes the cut simply for being an average-to-above-average quarterback. His 2018 season was much better than his 2019 season, but he earned third-team All-Big Ten honors each year. In 2018, he had 2,600 yards and 22 touchdowns.

29. CB - LaVert Hill

Another under appreciated player, Hill helped stabilize Michigan’s secondary after Jabrill Peppers and Jourdan Lewis left for the NFL. Hill was a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2017 and a first-team selection in 2018 and 2019.

30. LB - Khaleke Hudson

Hudson took over the “viper” spot from Jabrill Peppers in 2017 and was a dominator in the middle of Michigan’s defense, earning All-Big Ten honors from 2017-19. His game against Minnesota in 2017 was legendary, as he had 15 tackles (including eight for loss) and three sacks.

31. WR - Roman Wilson

Michigan’s leading receiver from its 2023 season, Wilson got better each year with the program. In his career, he had 1,707 yards and 20 touchdowns, 12 of which came in 2023.

32. LB - Michael Barrett

Barrett currently stands as the winningest player in Michigan history, playing in 61 wins over six seasons. He was a pretty great linebacker in his own right, too, as he was a two-time third-team All-Big Ten selection.

Just missed the cut: Edge Josh Uche, RB Hassan Haskins, WR Amara Darboh, OL Trevor Keegan, RB Karan Higdon, Edge David Ojabo, QB Cade McNamara, OL Cesar Ruiz, LB Junior Colson, OL Ryan Hayes, WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, S Josh Metellus