4 Players Michigan Football Will Regret Losing in the Transfer Portal

The Wolverines made some excellent additions through the transfer portal, but there are some Michigan will likely wish it had back.

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Once Michigan fired Sherrone Moore for inappropriate relations with a staffer, the ship could have sunk in Ann Arbor. But instead, Biff Poggi helped smooth things over as the interim head coach, and Kyle Whittingham came in as the new coach and did as good of a job at roster retention as one could've hoped.

He added 18 transfers, at least 10 who should play a big role in 2026 for Michigan, but there are a few players who got away that the Wolverines would like to have had back. Here are four players Michigan would love to have this season and beyond.

LB Cole Sullivan (Oklahoma)

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Let's start with the obvious one. Despite starting just three games last year, you would say that Cole Sullivan was a starter for Michigan. The then-sophomore linebacker was as key as any linebacker the Wolverines had last season, including seniors Jimmy Rolder and Ernest Hausmann.

Sullivan had 44 tackles, two sacks, and led the team with three interceptions as a linebacker. Sullivan was always in the right place at the right time and knew how to bring down the ball carrier. Michigan wanted him back, but visits with Oklahoma steered him in the Sooners' direction.

Entering 2026, the linebacker position is one of the question marks on Michigan's defense. The Wolverines are likely starting three players, who are talented, but very raw. Having Sullivan anchor that unit this season would be massive.

CB Jayden Sanders (Notre Dame)

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Sanders was part of the stellar defensive back class a year ago, and he played in 13 games for Michigan, including two starts. The 6'1" cornerback out of Texas was thrown into the fire early, but he was impressive.

Sanders had 23 tackles and a pass breakup, earning him Defensive Rookie of the Year on the Wolverines' defense. He opted to transfer out following the Moore debacle and landed at rival Notre Dame.

Cornerback depth is very thin, and while adding Smith Snowden is going to pay dividends this year, the future at the position is a major question mark. Having Sanders for at least two more seasons would've been nice for Michigan.

CB/S Elijah Dotson (Missouri)

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Another freshman defensive back from last season, and a high school teammate of Bryce Underwood. The 6'1" defender played in 12 games, seeing time on both the defensive side and special teams — named Michigan's Rookie of the Year on Special Teams.

He recorded 11 tackles and one interception this past year. While he didn't record a ton of stats for Michigan, Dotson had a lot of experience and, like Sanders, would've been big to keep him in the fold for the next two-three years.

Dotson can play either corner or safety and would've been a swiss army knife on Jay Hill's defense.

OT Ty Haywood (Alabama)

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Sherrone Moore wasn't the best Xs and Os head coach, but he knew how to recruit. He landed two five-star offensive linemen in the 2025 class, pairing Andrew Babalola and Ty Haywood together.

Babalola remains at Michigan, but Haywood opted to transfer to Alabama, a place he was committed to before signing with the Wolverines. Haywood saw action in three games last season, redshirting a year ago.

Last year, he was at 316-pounds and is an ideal tackle to play across from Babalola. Michigan could've had two five-star offensive tackles playing with one another in the next two or three years.