One of Michigan football’s top targets in the transfer portal, UConn wide receiver Skyler Bell, has decided to stay put at UConn and exit the transfer portal. This is tough news for the Wolverines, as Michigan was considered the favorite for the talented wide receiver.

Bell put up 860 yards and 5 touchdowns on 50 receptions in the 2024 season and would have been a great addition to a Michigan football wide receiver room that needs help. Considering how good things looked for Michigan just a few days ago, it’s fair to wonder if this was more of an academic issue as opposed to a program fit issue.

Seeing as Bell is a junior, oftentimes Michigan admissions can prevent a player from transferring all of their credits. While it’s uncertain if something like that played a role here, it’s definitely disappointing to see Michigan miss on their top wide receiver target. With other elite receivers still in the portal, it’ll be interesting to see where the Wolverines pivot.

Other options for Michigan football at WR

Michigan football already has one wide receiver portal commit in Indiana transfer Donovan McCulley and is set to host Yale wide receiver David Pantelis soon. It’s important to note that there are likely a handful of players on teams still in the playoffs who are planning to transfer following their seasons. So it’s entirely possible that a group of new targets emerge for the Wolverines.

While it hurts to miss out on Bell, it’s not time to hit the panic button just yet. The Wolverines have committed to giving Bryce Underwood the talent he needs to win a championship, and we should remain confident in their ability to do so.