More than 35 former Michigan players will begin the 2024 season on NFL active rosters.
Teams had to trim their rosters to 53 by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline, and the Wolverines are well-represented across the league.
The list doesn’t include players on injured reserve, like first-round pick J.J. McCarthy, or former Michigan players who ended their college careers elsewhere, like Joe Milton and Zach Charbonnet. There’s a chance some of the ex-Wolverines who were cut Tuesday are claimed on waivers by another team and elevated to the active roster, but practice squads are the more probable outcome, whether that is with the team that released them or another.
Not surprisingly, 11 rookies are on active rosters after helping Michigan had a program-record 13 players drafted in April.
Here’s the full list:
TE AJ Barner, Seattle Seahawks
The rookie was a fourth-round pick but listed on the two-deep on the team’s depth chart.
WR Ronnie Bell, San Francisco 49ers
The 2023 seventh-round pick didn’t have much of a role on offense as a rookie but was a key contributor on special teams. He caught six passes for 68 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games and returned 10 punts for 70 yards.
OL Ben Bredeson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bredeson signed a one-year deal with the Buccaneers this offseason and is listed as the starter at left guard on the team’s depth chart. The 2020 fourth-round pick spent the previous three years with the New York Giants.
LB Devin Bush, Cleveland Browns
The No. 10 overall pick in 2019 is with his third team in the past three years. Bush is listed as Cleveland’s starting SAM linebacker and will be looking for a bounce-back season after starting three of the 13 games he appeared in last year with the Seattle Seahawks, finishing with 37 tackles and zero sacks.
WR Nico Collins, Houston Texans
Expectations will be high for the 2021 third-round pick after he finished eighth in the NFL with 1,297 receiving yards and tied for eighth with eight receiving touchdowns in 2023.
LB Junior Colson, Los Angeles Chargers
The rookie third-round pick missed a large chunk of the preseason following an appendectomy, but he returned to play in the team’s final preseason game.
RB Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams
Corum left Michigan as the program’s all-time leader in rushing touchdowns and is expected to back up Kyren Williams after being selected in the third round in April.
DE Mike Danna, Kansas City Chiefs
Danna has spent his entire career in Kansas City. The 2020 fifth-round pick was a full-time starter in 2023 for the first time and had a career-high 50 tackles and 6 ½ sacks.
OLB Rashan Gary, Green Bay Packers
The 2019 No. 12 overall pick had a strong bounce-back season in 2023 after suffering a torn ACL in 2022. He had nine sacks and played in all 17 games (13 starts). Gary has spent his entire career in Green Bay.
OL Graham Glasgow, Detroit Lions
The 32-year-old is expected to start at left guard this season. He returned to Detroit last year after a three-year stint in Denver.
DE Brandon Graham, Philadelphia Eagles
At 36, Graham is one of the oldest players in the NFL. However, his production and playing time dipped last year, finishing with 16 tackles and three sacks in 17 games after recording 35 tackles and 11 sacks in 2022. The former first-round pick has 73 sacks in his 14-year career – all with the Eagles.
DE Jaylen Harrell, Tennessee Titans
Harrell was a seventh-round pick in April but had a strong preseason to make the team, recording six tackles and two sacks.
DB Daxton Hill, Cincinnati Bengals
The 2022 first-round pick earned a much larger role last season, starting all 17 games and finishing with 110 tackles, two interceptions, 1 ½ sacks and 11 pass breakups. He should be a focal point of the secondary again in 2024.
DT Maurice Hurst, Bengals
The 2018 fifth-round pick is entering his second season in Cleveland. He played 39% of defensive snaps in 2023 and registered 22 tackles and 1 ½ sacks.
DE Aidan Hutchinson, Lions
The 2022 No. 2 overall pick is a cornerstone of Detroit’s defense and is entering year three of his rookie deal. He has 21 sacks over his first two seasons.
DT Kris Jenkins Jr, Bengals
Jenkins was a second-round pick in April and is currently listed as a backup on the depth chart. He had two tackles and a sack in the preseason.
OL Trevor Keegan, Philadelphia Eagles
The rookie fifth-round pick will begin the year as the team’s backup left guard.
CB Jourdan Lewis, Cowboys
Lewis is one of the most tenured Cowboys, now entering his eighth season with the team since being selected in the third round in 2017. He started eight of the 16 games he played in last year and made 52 tackles and forced three fumbles.
DE Braiden McGregor, New York Jets
McGregor went undrafted in April but had a monster preseason to make the team, recording four sacks.
S Josh Metellus, Minnesota Vikings
The 2020 sixth-round pick emerged out of nowhere last season and had a strong year for Minnesota, starting all 17 games and playing 94% of defensive stats. He recorded 116 tackles after having 63 combined his first three years in the league.
K Jake Moody, San Francisco 49ers
The 2023 third-round pick made 21 of 25 field-goal attempts as a rookie.
DE Mike Morris, Seahawks
Morris will be looking for a bounce-back year after suffering a season-ending injury in Week 1 as a rookie.
OLB David Ojabo, Baltimore Ravens
The 2022 second-round pick will be hoping to stay healthy this season after appearing in just five games over his first two years.
OL Olu Oluwatimi, Seahawks
The 2023 fifth-round pick will begin the year as the team’s backup center.
OL Michael Onwenu, Patriots
The 2020 sixth-round pick signed a massive contract this offseason to remain in New England. He has been a starter all four years in the league.
DE Kwity Paye, Indianapolis Colts
The 21st overall selection in 2021 is expected to be a key piece of the Colts’ defense once again. He had a career-high 52 tackles and 8 ½ sacks in 2023.
S Jabrill Peppers, Patriots
The former Heisman Trophy finalist signed a three-year extension in New England after having a career-year in 2023. The 2017 first-round pick had 78 tackles, two interceptions and a sack while starting all 15 games he appeared in.
P Brad Robbins, Bengals
Robbins will be the team’s punter for a second straight year.
OL Cesar Ruiz, New Orleans Saints
Ruiz has been a mainstay on New Orleans’ offensive line since being drafted 24th overall in 2020.
OL Jon Runyan Jr., New York Giants
The former fifth-round pick signed a three-year deal worth up to $30 this offseason after spending his first four seasons in Green Bay.
CB Mike Sainristil, Washington Commanders
The rookie second-round pick is listed as a starter on the depth chart.
TE Luke Schoonmaker, Cowboys
Schoonmaker was a second-round pick last year but didn’t have a large role in the offense, catching eight passes for 65 yards and two scores in 17 games. He is listed as the second-string tight end on the depth chart behind standout Jake Ferguson.
DT Mazi Smith, Cowboys
Smith had a tough rookie year despite being selected 26th overall, playing just 28% of defensive snaps and finishing with 13 tackles in 17 games. He is expected to have a larger role in 2024.
CB Ambry Thomas, 49ers
The 2021 third-round pick is entering his fourth season in San Francisco and is listed as a reserve cornerback on the depth chart. He does have starting experience, though, and has played over 40% of defensive snaps in two of his three years in the league.
CB DJ Turner, Bengals
The 2023 second-round pick started as a rookie and finished with 50 tackles and seven pass breakups.
CB Josh Wallace, Los Angeles Rams
Wallace transferred to Michigan from UMass ahead of the 2023 season and immediately earned a starting job. He signed with the Rams as an undrafted free agent and made the team with an impressive preseason.
WR Roman Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
The rookie third-round pick suffered an injury in practice in late July but isn’t expected to miss much time in the regular season. He should be an important target in Pittsburgh’s offense.
OLB Josh Uche, Patriots
The 2020 second-round pick signed a one-year, $3 million extension to remain in New England. His production dipped from 11 ½ sacks in 2022 to three sacks last season, though, despite playing a similar amount of snaps.
OL Zak Zinter, Cleveland Browns
The rookie third-round pick is healthy again after suffering a broken leg against Ohio State last year and is listed as the backup right guard on the depth chart.
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