The Wolverines Landed One Of The Nations Best From The Transfer Portal

In spite of all the off-season dramatics, the Michigan Wolverines have done quite well when it comes to capitalizing on transfer portal targets.

It's never an easy task trying to replace the best player at their position in all of college football, but hat's exactly what the Michigan Wolverines were tasked with following the 2022 season. 

Center Olu Oluwatimi, a graduate student and transfer from Virginia, had one hell of a year during his single-season with the University of Michigan. Not only did he start all 14 games for the Wolverines, he became just the third center in Michigan Football history to capture the coveted Rimington Award - an annual award given to the nations best center. 

With Oluwatimi now headed to the NFL Draft, a big question during the early off-season was who would replace such a critical piece to the offensive line. As it turns out, Michigan may have found a big answer in the transfer portal by landing Drake Nugent.  The 6-1, 300-pound center, formerly with Stanford, was one of the top-ten highest-rated centers in all of college football during the 2022 season, according to PFF College. 

Interestingly enough, Nugent (80.5) actually received a higher grade than Michigan's Oluwatimi (79.9).

Top 10 highest graded Centers from the 2022 season pic.twitter.com/rihT6AFkgn

— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 17, 2023

Over the last two seasons, Nugent started 24 games for the Stanford Cardinal and brings more colligate experience at that position than anyone currently on Michigan's roster. With veteran linemen like Zak Zinter, Trevor Keegan and Karsen Barnhart all returning in 2023, Nugent could serve as a critical piece in what will likely be the nations best offensive line for the third straight year. 

Time to Work #GoBlue @Coach_SMoore @UMichFootball @CoachJim4UM pic.twitter.com/xsIcK30Tjt

— Drake Nugent (@drakenugent9) December 18, 2022