Michigan Football: Top-Five Transfers Of Harbaugh Era

Entering his ninth season as head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, here are the top-five transfers of the Jim Harbaugh era.

Entering his ninth season as head coach at Michigan, Jim Harbaugh has had no problems seeking out talented transfers with the potential to make an immediate impact on his program. For evidence, look no further than the massive haul that Harbaugh pulled in heading into the 2023 season - bringing in a total of seven transfers, with five that have the potential to earn a starting role. 

Here's the full list:

1. Drake Nugent, C - Stanford (Graduate Student)
2. Myles Hinton, OT - Stanford (Senior)
3. Ernest Hausmann, LB - Nebraska (Sophomore)
4. Josaiah Stewart, EDGE - Coastal Carolina (Junior)
5. AJ Barner, TE - Indiana (Senior)
6. Jack Tuttle, QB - Indiana (Graduate Student)
7. LaDarius Henderson, OL - Arizona State (Graduate Student)

With so much potential for transfers to make an immediate impact in 2023, we decided to revisit some of the most impactful transfers during the Harbaugh era (2015-present). Here are the top-five:

5. Daylen Baldwin, WR (2021)

• One-year letterman
• Appeared in all 14 games at wide receiver with five starts
• Caught 17 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns in 2021
• Signed with Cleveland Browns as undrafted free agent in 2022 

4. Mike Danna, DL (2019)

• One-year letterman
• Appeared in all 13 games with one start along the defensive line
• 38 tackles including three for loss with three sacks and one forced fumble in 2019
• 2020 NFL Draft: 5th round pick (No. 177 overall), Kansas City Chiefs 

3. Jake Rudock, QB (2015)

• One-year letterman
• Appeared in 13 games with 13 starts
• Became just the second Big Ten player in the last 20 years to throw for over 400 yards and six touchdowns in a game
• 2015 All-Big Ten honorable mention
• 2016 NFL Draft: 6th round pick (No. 191 overall), Detroit Lions 

2. Olu Oluwatimi, C (2022)

• One-year letterman
• Made 14 career starts at center (2022)
• Rimington Award Winner (2022)
• Outland Trophy Winner (2022), the first in Michigan history
• Consensus All-American (2022)
• All-Big Ten selection (first team, coaches, second team, media)
• Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Winner (2022)
• Named the team's Hugh H. Rader Award (2022)
• Part of a Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line 
• Semifinalist, Rotary Lombardi Award

1. Shea Patterson, QB (2018-19)

• Two-year letterman (2018-19)
• Appeared in 26 games with 26 starts
• Two-time All-Big Ten selection (third team, coaches, 2018-19, media, 2019; honorable mention, media, 2018) 
• Recipient of the 2019 Bo Schembechler Most Valuable Player Award, 2018 Team Offensive Player of the Year Award 
• Only player in program history with four-plus touchdowns in consecutive weeks (Nov. 16-23, 2019; nine total TD passes)
• Only player in program history with three consecutive 300-yard passing games (Nov. 16, 23, 30, 2019)
• Highest three-game passing total in program history (384 yards, 366 yards, 305 / 1,055 yards, Nov. 16-23-30, 2019)
• Most touchdown passes in regulation in a single game in Michigan history (five, at Indiana, Nov. 23, 2019)
• Second-fastest passer to 5,000 yards in Michigan history (24 games played) with the fourth-fewest attempts needed (619 attempts)
• Third quarterback in program history with 3,000 passing yards in a single season (3,061 in 2019 - second-most all-time)
• Finished his career ranked No. 1 in passing yards per game (217.7), No. 7 in passing yards (5,661), and No. 6 in touchdown passes (45) 
• Signed with Kansas City Chiefs as undrafted free agent in 2020