Michigan Football Reportedly Working Toward Hiring Former NFL Scouting Director

First-year Michigan football head coach Kyle Whittingham has already made a splash in hiring individuals to help the Wolverines in the front office.

In February, Whittingham replaced former general manager Sean Magee with Dave Peloquin, who was with Notre Dame for 21 seasons and was most recently working in a GM role with Athletes First.

Then, earlier this month, Whittingham made another hire by adding Skylar Phan to the staff, who was the Director of Recruiting Strategy at USC and had previous stops at North Texas, Texas and an internship with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Now, according to a report from The Wolverine's Ethan McDowell, the program wants to add an individual with some extensive NFL experience to the personnel department.

According to the report, Michigan is targeting Chris Pettit—a longtime NFL scout, to fill the role of assistant general manager for the football program.

Jan 2, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines football head coach Kyle Whittingham speaks to the crowd during a time out in the first half against the Southern California Trojans at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Pettit's background

If the hiring of Pettit becomes official, he certainly seems like a person who would bring valuable experience to Ann Arbor in terms of player evaluation and how to deal with the operational side of football.

As The Wolverine pointed out in its report, Pettit spent 18 years with the New York Giants, working as the director of college scouting for more than four years of that tenure.

The report stated he would work directly under the wing of Peloquin in his role.

"A 20+ year NFL executive who played an integral role in two Super Bowl-winning teams, contributing to the success through scouting excellence and strategic insights," Pettit describes himself on LinkedIn. "Demonstrated adaptability and resilience in high-pressure environments, contributing to a winning culture within the organization. Skilled in building and leading diverse teams, fostering a culture of excellence and inclusion."

Pettit joined the Giants in 2004 and was there until 2022. Before taking on that role, he was an assistant coach for the Wisconsin Badgers football program.

Dec 31, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; Michigan Wolverines helmets sit on the field before a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Similar to Peloquin, Pettit recently took a step outside of the world of football, as he co-founded Scout Smarter, an AI company, according to his LinkedIn profile.