By the numbers: Jim Harbaugh produced 66 NFL Draft picks in nine years, Michigan leads nation with 13 selections in 2024

Michigan Wolverines football was one of the stars of the show at the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit, parading the national championship trophy through the crowd and on stage at the beginning of night two and seeing a program-record 13 players selected.

This was also the ninth and final draft for the program under head coach Jim Harbaugh, who left this offseason to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. The final tally is 66 selections for his U-M tenure.

It’s time to go by the numbers on Michigan’s draft.

Here’s a look at Michigan’s 2024 draftees:
• QB J.J. McCarthy — first round, No. 10 overall to the Minnesota Vikings
• DT Kris Jenkins — second round, No. 49 overall to the Cincinnati Bengals
• CB Mike Sainristil — second round, No. 50 overall to the Washington Commanders
• LB Junior Colson — third round, No. 69 overall to the Los Angeles Chargers
• RB Blake Corum — third round, No. 83 overall to the Los Angeles Rams
• WR Roman Wilson — third round, No. 84 overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers
• OG Zak Zinter — third round, No. 85 overall to the Cleveland Browns
• TE AJ Barner — fourth round, No. 121 overall to the Seattle Seahawks
• OG Trevor Keegan — fifth round, No. 172 overall to the Philadelphia Eagles
• LB Michael Barrett — seventh round, No. 240 overall to the Carolina Panthers
• OG LaDarius Henderson — seventh round, No. 249 overall to the Houston Texans
• EDGE Jaylen Harrell — seventh round, No. 252 overall to the Tennessee Titans
• WR Cornelius Johnson — seventh round, No. 253 overall to the Los Angeles Chargers

By the numbers: Michigan and the 2024 NFL Draft

3 Michigan quarterbacks have been drafted in the first round — McCarthy (No. 10 in 2024), Harbaugh (No. 26 in 1987) and Forest Evashevski (No. 10 in 1941). While he was technically chosen in the third round, George Ceithaml was picked by the Brooklyn Dodgers No. 19 overall in 1943. McCarthy is the 18th U-M quarterback overall to be selected. He’s the highest-drafted quarterback in Vikings franchise history.

3 Michigan defensive tackles have been drafted in the top 50 this century — Jenkins (No. 49 in 2024), Mazi Smith (No. 26 in 2023) and Alan Branch (No. 33 in 2007).

3-Straight years with three Michigan players chosen in the top 60 overall picks. It’s the fifth time in the last six seasons that at least three Wolverines have gone in the top 100.

7 Top-100 picks for Michigan in 2024, cementing a new program record.

7.3 NFL Draft picks per year under Harbaugh. Former Alabama head man Nick Saban, who retired in January, just finished his career in Tuscaloosa with 7.8 picks per year (133 in 17 seasons).

9 Times has Michigan had eight or more NFL Draft picks in a single event, with four of those occurrences happening in the last five years: 2024, 2023, 2021, 2020, 2017, 1975, 1974, 1972 and 1948.

9 2024 First-round players competed against — and lost to — Michigan during the 2023 season: Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (No. 4 pick), Alabama offensive tackle JC Latham (No. 7), Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (No. 8), Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze (No. 9), Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu (No. 11), Alabama EDGE Dallas Turner (No. 17), Washington offensive guard Troy Fautanu (No. 20), Penn State EDGE Chop Robinson (No. 21) and Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold (No. 24).

10 First-round selections for Michigan during Harbaugh’s tenure, with McCarthy being the latest, joining defensive back Jabrill Peppers (No. 25 in 2017), defensive end Taco Charlton (No. 28 in 2017), linebacker Devin Bush Jr. (No. 10 in 2019), outside linebacker Rashan Gary (No. 12 in 2019), center Cesar Ruiz (No. 24 in 2020), defensive end Kwity Paye (No. 21 in 2021), defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (No. 2 in 2022), defensive back Dax Hill (No. 31 in 2022) and defensive tackle Mazi Smith (No. 26 in 2023). The Wolverines have had at least one first-rounder five straight years and in seven of Harbaugh’s nine drafts.

11 Michigan edge rushers have been selected in the NFL Draft since 2017, with Harrell being the most recent. The Wolverines have had at least one edge rusher come off the board seven of the last eight years.

12 Michigan offensive linemen have been drafted over the last five years, including three this year in Zinter (third round) Keegan (fifth round) and Henderson (seventh round).

13 Draft picks in 2024 set Michigan’s all-time record for the most in a single year. The Wolverines’ previous high was 11 in 2017. This year’s mark stands as the fourth-most by a college program in a draft, behind Georgia in 2022 (15), Ohio State in 2004 (14) and LSU in 2020 (14).

22 Picks by Michigan over the last two years, leading the country in that timeframe. Trailing behind are Alabama (20), Georgia (18), Texas (16), Oregon (14), Penn State (14), Clemson (12) and LSU (12).

30 Michigan players have become top-100 picks during Harbaugh’s coaching career.

42 Selections for the Big Ten in 2024, with Michigan making up 30.9 percent of them. The league ranked third among conferences, trailing the SEC (59) and Pac-12 (43).

45 Draft picks for Michigan over the last five years, leading the current group of Big Ten schools. Ohio State is next up with 36 selections, followed by Penn State (33), Oregon (24), USC (21), Washington (20), Iowa (19), UCLA (17), Wisconsin (17), Minnesota (15), Purdue (14), Illinois (13), Maryland (12), Michigan State (10), Nebraska (9), Northwestern (7), Rutgers (4) and Indiana (3). Michigan produced more draft picks this year than six Big Ten teams have over the last five. Michigan’s total of 45 ranks third nationally in that span, behind Georgia (49) and Alabama (46).

53 First-round picks in Michigan history, with McCarthy joining the group of elite company. He’s one of 22 Wolverines to be taken inside the top 10.

66 Picks during Harbaugh’s tenure, the most among Michigan head coaches since the draft moved from 12 rounds to seven in 1994. Lloyd Carr had 62 picks (10 first-rounders) in 13 years from 1996-2008, Rich Rodriguez produced seven selections (1 first-rounder) in three drafts from 2009-11 and Brady Hoke churned out 11 draftees in four years from 2012-15. The legendary Bo Schembechler had 121 picks in 21 years from 1970-90.

86 Consecutive drafts with a Michigan player picked, dating back to 1938. That stands as an NCAA record, tied with USC. The next-best mark is Florida at 73 consecutive years.

414 All-time selections by Michigan, ranking fifth all time. According to Athlon Sports, the Maize and Blue trail only Notre Dame (532), USC (529), Ohio State (489) and Oklahoma (417).

1974 Was Michigan’s last pre-Harbaugh-era draft with 10 or more selections. During Harbaugh’s nine seasons at the helm, the Wolverines had three drafts with double-digit picks — 13 in 2024, 11 in 2017 and 10 in 2020. Before Harbaugh, Michigan’s record for most draft picks in a year was 10 in 1972 and 1974.