Six Michigan football players crack PFF's top-100 for 2024 NFL Draft

The 2023 NFL Draft is in the books with nine Michigan Wolverines selected over the course of the three-day event. But the second the final pick was sent in, draft analysts immediately began to work on their 2024 big boards.

Michigan sent a healthy dose of players to the league in this past class, but the next one has a chance to be head coach Jim Harbaugh’s best in Ann Arbor. The experts at Pro Football Focus have six Wolverines in the top 100 on its most updated big board.

Here is a look at where the Wolverines sit in addition to where players on the schedule this season ranked in PFF’s list.

NOTE: *= underclassmen

24. Blake Corum, running back

The general consensus about running backs in recent years is that it is not a high-value position in the draft. The Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions thumbed their noses at this, selecting Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs at picks No. 8 and 12 overall, respectively. Blake Corum was arguably as good or better than both last season prior to his knee injury, and with a league built now on offense, he has the chance to be one of the top weapons available in the next cycle. The Michigan star will be a Heisman contender again.

51. Zak Zinter, interior offensive lineman

Do not be surprised if Zak Zinter winds up being among the highest-drafted Michigan players next go-round. Some believed he had a shot to be a day two pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but the “One More Year” fund helped get him to return. Zinter brings positional versatility with the ability to play both guard and center and is the Wolverines’ best offensive lineman. A dominant season could shoot him up this list.

58. J.J. McCarthy*, quarterback

J.J. McCarthy has everything in his toolkit to be an NFL quarterback from the arm talent, the mobility and the poise/makeup that teams value at the position. What he ultimately decides to do after 2024 will depend on the steps forward he takes, including improving his accuracy down the field. Michigan’s run-first offense could make it difficult for him to put up huge numbers and his mechanics and consistency need to improve. It would be surprising – but welcomed – if he ascended to the level of USC’s Caleb Williams and UNC’s Drake Maye. But he could certainly push for that next tier.

62. Donovan Edwards*, running back

The same conversation we had about running backs in the Corum section applies to Donovan Edwards. In a lot of ways, he could be the more valuable of the two when it comes to the NFL. Edwards will likely leave Michigan with a lesser workload than Corum and also has shown more as a pass-catching back. Staying healthy and being more consistent carry-to-carry are improvements that can be made.

72. Drake Nugent, center

Drake Nugent has a lot to live up to filling in for Olu Oluwatimi, who won the Rimington and Outland awards last season. His predecessor lasted until the fifth round in the 2023 NFL Draft, and centers do not usually go very high unless they have elite traits. If Nugent is a top-100 pick, it means things went very well for the Michigan offensive line.

96. Junior Colson*, linebacker

Michigan has gotten very good, steady play out of Junior Colson at linebacker, and he had a lot on his plate last season without a ton of proven depth at the position. Now that Michigan has addressed that, look for the Wolverines to use Colson a little more as a chess piece moving forward, especially as a pass rusher.

Top-100 players on Michigan’s schedule

Michigan will see 17 players in PFF’s top-100 rankings next season, 12 of which come via their rivalry tilt with the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Wolverines have had OSU’s number the last few years, but the Buckeyes still return a projected loaded roster, despite question marks elsewhere.

Three of the players in the top 100 come from Penn State, while Minnesota and Michigan State have one player each on PFF’s top 100.

3. Marvin Harrison Jr.*, wide receiver, Ohio State

6. Olumuyiwa Fashanu*, offensive tackle, Penn State

10. Emeka Egbuka*, wide receiver, Ohio State

13. Kalen King*, cornerback, Penn State

17. J.T. Tuimolau*, EDGE, Ohio State

19. Chop Robinson*, EDGE, Penn State

25. Denzel Burke*, cornerback, Ohio State

40. Michael Hall Jr., defensive tackle, Ohio State

44. TreVeyon Henderson*, running back, Ohio State

46. Jack Sawyer*, EDGE, Ohio State

48. Donovan Jackson*, interior offensive line, Ohio State

50. Tyleik Williams*, defensive lineman, Ohio State

65. Jacoby Windmon, EDGE, Michigan State

78. Josh Proctor, safety, Ohio State

86. Brevyn Spann-Ford, tight end, Minnesota

88. Tommy Eichenberg, linebacker, Ohio State

94. Cade Stover, tight end, Ohio State

The 2024 NFL Draft will take place 45 minutes down the road from Ann Arbor in Detroit, Michigan from April 25-27. Round 1 will take place on April 25, rounds two and three will happen on April 26 and the event wraps up with rounds 4-7 on April 27.