Skip to main content
michigan logo

Michigan defensive tackle Owen Wafle enters transfer portal

Anthony Broomeby:Anthony Broome•01/02/25•

anthonytbroome

Michigan Helmet

Michigan Wolverines freshman defensive tackle Owen Wafle has entered the NCAA transfer portal, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. He will have four seasons of eligibility remaining after preserving his redshirt this year.

Wafle, who weighed in at 6-2, 298 pounds ahead of his freshman year, did not appear in any games this season for the Wolverines. Coming out of high school, he was a three-star recruit and the No. 466 player overall, No. 45 defensive lineman and 7th-ranked player in the state of New Jersey, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

Wafle committed to Michigan on June 11, 2023 after flipping his verbal pledge from Notre Dame. He also had high school offers from Wafle from Oklahoma, Iowa, Boston College, Duke, Michigan State, Minnesota, Rutgers, West Virginia and others. He was recruited by former Michigan defensive line coach Mike Elston, who left last winter to join head coach Jim Harbaugh in the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers.

“Owen Wafle is a bulldog, a guy who can take on blocks and be physical at the point of attack,” On3 Rankings Director Charles Power said during his recruitment. He’s at his best as a run defender and plays at a high effort level. He probably projects best inside but we’ll see where gets from a weight perspective. But he understands leverage and plays with a high level physicality.”

Wafle is the 16th scholarship player to enter the transfer portal out of Michigan since the season ended, joining QBs Alex Orji and Jayden Denegal, RBs Cole Cabana and Tavierre Dunlap, WR Tyler Morris, OL Raheem Anderson, Tristan Bounds, Dominick Guidice and Andrew Gentry, EDGE Breeon Ishmail, LB Micah Pollard, CBs Myles Pollard and Kody Jones, K Adam Samaha and P Tommy Doman.

Currently, Michigan has 8 transfer portal commitments with 17 scholarship players out the door and a class that ranks No. 3 nationally, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. The portal commitments include Fresno State QB Mikey Keene, Alabama WR Justice Haynes, Indiana WR Donaven McCulley, Cal Poly OL Brady Norton, Alabama DT Damon Payne, Georgia LB Troy Bowles and Arkansas DBs TJ and Tevis Metcalf.

“On3’s Team Transfer Portal Index utilizes the On3 (P)erformance score to measure a team’s production during the transfer process, compared relative against its roster and not a comparison against other schools,” On3 says of its rankings. “This proprietary algorithm determines if a school has improved its overall team talent, stayed the same, or declined in talent during the transfer window.”

You may also like