Where are they headed? Transfer destinations for 15 departing Michigan players

Posted by author January 22, 2025 Football

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Michigan Wolverines football has seen 16 scholarship players enter the NCAA transfer portal since the beginning of December, and 15 have chosen new schools.

OL Raheem Anderson: Western Michigan

Offensive lineman Raheem Anderson played in 16 games over the last four seasons, but never when any games were in doubt. He never quite emerged near the top of the depth chart or as a top contender for a starting job, even if he was technically in the two-deep this season.
Eligibility remaining: One year

OL Tristan Bounds: Arizona

Offensive lineman Tristan Bounds saw action in seven games over four seasons, never once vying for a starting job. He could earn time at Arizona, though, which is set to replace starting tackle Jonah Savaiinaea.

RB Cole Cabana: Western Michigan

A former four-star recruit, running back Cole Cabana appeared in only one game in his two seasons at Michigan. He originally committed to Minnesota out of the portal but flipped to Western Michigan, where his path to playing time will be much easier.
Eligibility remaining: Three years

QB Jayden Denegal: San Diego State

Signal-caller Jayden Denegal was buried on the depth chart, even amidst a weak quarterback room this season. Three different Wolverines started at the position during the 2024 regular season, but Denegal wasn’t one of them. At best, he was third string at some point this year. He appeared in just one game in a winged helmet, a 2023 win at Nebraska when he went 4-of-5 passing for 50 yards and a touchdown.

The Apple Valley, Calif., native is set for a fresh start closer to home.

“We’re going to put up a lot of numbers,” Denegal told the San Diego Union Tribune. “We’re going to get some more receivers here and we’re going to throw the ball around the yard. We’re going to get running backs and we’re going to tote the pill.”
Eligibility remaining: Two years

P Tommy Doman: Florida

Punter Tommy Doman took a step back in 2024, averaging 42.6 yards per punt compared to 44.3 the prior season. But he wore a lot of hats for Michigan, also handling kickoff and holding duties. In that sense, he’s a loss for the Wolverines and value added for Florida.

Doman enters a specialist room at Florida that includes an incoming freshman in three-star Hayden Craig. Per Gators Online, Florida wanted someone “who was day one ready.” Doman definitely is.
Eligibility remaining: One year

RB Tavierre Dunlap: Eastern Michigan

Running back Tavierre Dunlap scored a touchdown on his final of 22 carries as a Wolverine — in garbage time in a 50-6 win over Northwestern Nov. 23. He’ll use his one year of remaining eligibility just down the road at Eastern Michigan.
Eligibility remaining: One year

OL Andrew Gentry: BYU

Offensive lineman Andrew Gentry — a 6-foot-7, 327-pound 23-year-old — played in 26 games with two starts over the last three seasons. He opened two games at right tackle this past year and fared pretty well. He won that job midseason before suffering a season-ending foot injury, and it was fair to assume he was going to be a top contender to hold onto it next season.

Gentry is a Littleton, Colo., native who took a two-year Mormon mission after high school. He’ll play a bit closer to home on a team that was in contention for a spot in the Big 12 championship game last season.

Eligibility remaining: Two years

OL Dominick Giudice: Missouri

Offensive lineman Dominick Giudice opened the 2024 season as Michigan’s starter at center. He was passed up by senior Greg Crippen after being hurt and became the team’s top backup at guard/center.

Missouri is set to replace right guard Cam’Ron Johnson next season. Plus, starting center Connor Tollison suffered a season-ending injury in November, so Giudice could compete at that spot in the spring.
Eligibility remaining: One year

EDGE Breeon Ishmail: Purdue

EDGE Breeon Ishmail played in eight games in 2024, after redshirting in 2023. The former three-star recruit was buried on the depth chart and didn’t generate much buzz as being in the mix as an up-and-comer.
Eligibility remaining: Three years

S Kody Jones: Memphis

Defensive back Kody Jones played in 15 games as a reserve in three seasons at Michigan. He was buried on the depth chart for the majority of his career. Jones is a nickel by trade, and also played some safety this past season. He logged 30 of his 42 defensive snaps in 2024, never reaching the point where he was in games while they were in doubt.

Jones is headed back to his hometown of Memphis to play for the Tigers, alongside former U-M teammate Myles Pollard. The Tigers lost most of their defensive backfield production from last season.
Eligibility remaining: Two years

WR Tyler Morris: Indiana

Michigan landed Indiana wideout transfer Donaven McCulley, and the Hoosiers brought in Tyler Morris from Michigan, completing the trade. Morris appeared in 35 games with 12 starts as a Wolverine.

Morris was tied second on the team and first among the wide receivers with 23 catches in 2024. Only junior tight end Colston Loveland had more than Morris’ 248 receiving yards and 2 touchdown grabs. He played 464 offensive snaps, the sixth-most on the team and more than any other non-offensive linemen.

Indiana returns most of its primary targets from last season, but Morris has a strong chance of earning a role.
Eligibility remaining: One year

QB Alex Orji: UNLV

Quarterback Alex Orji — a 6-foot-3, 235-pounder — spent three seasons at Michigan, appearing in 20 games. He started three contests last season, going 2-1, but was benched in the middle of the loss at Washington.

A great teammate and leader, Orji completed 23 of 44 passes (52 percent) for 148 yards and 3 touchdowns with an interception. He rushed 53 times for 260 yards and a touchdown.

Orji has transferred down to UNLV, where he’ll play under new head coach Dan Mullen, who has a strong history of developing quarterbacks. The Rebels also landed Virginia quarterback transfer Anthony Colondrea, who also has a pair of years of eligibility left.
Eligibility remaining: Two years

LB Micah Pollard: Liberty

Linebacker Micah Pollard saw action in 30 career games, including two this season while dealing with injury. He was a solid special teams player and turned heads at linebacker during practices at different points in his career, including as a freshman, but it never materialized in significant playing time.
Eligibility remaining: Two years

CB Myles Pollard: Memphis

Cornerback Myles Pollard clawed his way into the two-deep at the start of this season but didn’t perform well in the opener against Fresno State or the third game of the year versus Arkansas State and didn’t see any significant snaps after that. He appeared in only 10 outings over the last three seasons.

A Brentwood, Tenn., native, Pollard is headed back to his home state.
Eligibility remaining: Two years

K Adam Samaha: North Carolina

One of the first commitments of the Bill Belichick era at North Carolina, Adam Samaha is seeking opportunities in Chapel Hill, with Michigan junior and Big Ten Kicker of the Year Dominic Zvada announcing that he will return for the 2025 campaign. Samaha may get his shot, too, with Tar Heels starting kicker Noah Burnette having transferred away this month.

The No. 1 kicker in the 2023 class per KornBlue Kicking, Samaha appeared in only one game for the Wolverines, converting on an extra point in a 52-7 victory over Indiana last season.
Eligibility remaining: Three years

DT Owen Wafle: Penn State

Defensive tackle Owen Wafle didn’t see game action as a true freshman at Michigan in 2024. He wound up with Penn State, which didn’t offer the New Jersey native out of high school but did host him for a visit in 2022. The former Notre Dame commit is the older brother of 2026 Michigan defensive line target Luke Wafle.
Eligibility remaining: Four years