Every Michigan Football Transfer Expected to Make an Impact in 2026

Michigan took several notable players from the transfer portal this off-season, including a handful of players who followed new head coach Kyle Whittingham over from Utah. John Henry Daley is the one most fans and media are circling as the star of the group, and rightfully so, but they have a number of them who will immediately come in and start and a couple more who will immediately slot into the two deep. Let's dive into all the transfers Michigan took this off-season that will contribute right away.

John Henry Daley

I'll start with the obvious one, John Henry Daley is going to come in and start immediately for Michigan at defensive end. At Utah last season he finished with 48 total tackles, 11.5 sacks, 17.5 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles. He is quite simply a force to be reckoned with on the defensive line. He'll immediately enter at Michigan as their best defensive end and one of the best in the Big Ten this season.

JJ Buchanan

Another Utah transfer, JJ Buchanan started last season at Utah as a true freshman at tight end. After playing a few games at tight end he actually made the switch mid-season to wide receiver. He ended up catching 26 passes for 427 yards and 5 TD's, finishing third on Utah's team in all three categories. It was a very impressive true freshman campaign, and he'll immediately come to Michigan as the number two wide receiver and start opposite of Andrew Marsh out wide.

Smith Snowden

Another Utah transfer, Smith Snowden comes over as a cornerback who played a lot last fall for the Utes. He was a very good player for them and at Michigan looks to have the inside track at the starting nickelback role. He will also go out wide at cornerback in various alignments. He's not a huge cornerback, listed at 5'-10" and 185 lbs but he is good in coverage and he's not afraid to be physical either. He will come in and play a lot this season for the Wolverines and will be their number one option for that nickleback role that's so common in today's college football.

Chris Bracy

Chris Bracy is a safety transfer who came to Michigan via Memphis this past off-season. He was a very highly rated player per PFF in run defense and will look to bring his skills and experience to Michigan. Kyle Whittingham mentioned him this week at Big Ten media days as being a starter at safety as Michigan enters fall camp and he'll certainly play a big role in how Michigan's defense performs this season under new defensive coordinator Jay Hill.

Nathaniel Staehling

Nathaniel Staehling is a linebacker transfer Michigan took this off-season from North Dakota State University. He played really well for NDSU in 2025, as he racked up 91 total tackles, 1 pass deflection, 1 sack, and 3 interceptions. It was his first year as a starter for NDSU and he really showed out. Now at Michigan, he'll need to bring his play to the next level but he should immediately slot into Michigan's two-deep at linebacker at minimum. He may not start, but he should play quite a bit this year for Michigan and could end up being their best linebacker by season's end.

Jonah Lea'ea

Jonah Lea'ea is another Utah transfer who should see the field quite a bit this fall for Michigan. He'll rotate in at defensive tackle for the Wolverines and play a big role in keeping Enow Etta and Trey Pierce fresh all season long. He's been more of a solid backup type player so far in his career, but maybe with the scheme familiarity he already has, he can take his game to another level in Ann Arbor. Either way he'll be in the two-deep for Michigan this fall on the interior of Michigan's defensive line.

Jaime Ffrench

Jaime Ffrench is a transfer wide receiver who came to Michigan via Texas this past off-season. He was a very highly rated recruit, but his freshman season at Texas he was simply blocked by older and better players on the depth chart this past fall for the Longhorns. Now at Michigan as a redshirt freshman, he should have an easier time getting on the field for the Wolverines this season. He's in the mix for a starting role at wide reciever, but either way, will get a lot of snaps this fall. He's got a lot of potential as he's got good foot speed and he's pretty slippery to tackle. Look for Jason Beck to try to get him the ball in space this fall.

Salesi Moa

Although he's technically a transfer, Salesi Moa will be a true freshman this fall for Michigan. He signed with Utah as a recruit in the class of 2026 but opted to hit the portal once Kyle Whittingham became Michigan's next head coach.

Salesi Moa was a very highly rated recruit and ranked as a top-100 player in last year's recruiting class. He had a lot of positional flexibility, as he could either play in the defensive backfield (cornerback or safety), or at wide receiver, where he'll start his career at Michigan. He should immediately slot into the two-deep as well at wide receiver and is in the mix to start along with Jaime Ffrench. Similar to Ffrench, no matter if he ends up starting, he will rotate in this fall for Michigan and will play a role on this team right away.

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