Michigan center Olusegun Oluwatimi named a player 'who could headline the 2023 NFL Draft'
Michigan Wolverines football has seen one of its players picked in the first round of the last four NFL Drafts, with Aidan Hutchinson (No. 2 overall to Detroit Lions) and Dax Hill (No. 31 overall to Cincinnati Bengals) being the most recent examples in 2022.
Hutchinson was the talk of the entire cycle, with most analysts projecting him No. 1 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars much of the way. He dropped to No. 2, of course, but still topped big boards. Coming from Michigan, especially after a legendary 14-sack season and winning the Big Ten, Hutchinson drew tons of attention.
It’s early, but the NFL Draft cycle is a 365-day thing these days, and The Athletic pegged 12 returning college football players at the 11 main position groups (plus a bonus quarterback) who ‘could headline the 2023 NFL Draft.’
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The obvious names made the cut — Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, Ohio State signal-caller C.J. Stroud, Buckeyes wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and others.
But there was also a few surprises at the less-sexy positions, one of them being a Michigan player who hasn’t even suited up for a real game in the winged helmet (he played in the spring game) — graduate center Olusegun Oluwatimi, a 2021 finalist for the Rimington Award and second-team All-American.
He was the pick at interior offensive lineman, a position that had three first-round draftees in late April. That means Oluwatimi, with a big year at Michigan, could find himself going in the opening round despite getting feedback this offseason that had him as a 2022 Day 3 pick or undrafted.
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“A Rimington Trophy finalist last year at Virginia, Oluwatimi (6-3, 310) transferred to Michigan for the spring semester as a graduate student and will anchor the Wolverines’ run-heavy offensive line,” Scott Dochterman wrote. “Oluwatimi boasted the third-highest run grade [for a center] by Pro Football Focus last year and steps into a unit that won the Joe Moore Award as the nation’s best O-line.”
What Oluwatimi’s addition does for Michigan offensive line
Oluwatimi isn’t just playing for his NFL Draft stock, he wants to win. He saw what Michigan did last season, notching more rushing attempts than any team not named Minnesota and churning 214.4 yards per game on the ground, and he wanted to be a part of it. The Wolverines also made the College Football Playoff, and instead of be part of a rebuild at Virginia or some schools he considered while in the transfer portal, he wanted to be a key piece on a good or great team (Clemson was a finalist but he said he preferred Michigan’s style of play and academics).
He steps right in and replaces Andrew Vastardis, who was a sixth-year senior and two-time team captain who was the heart and soul of the unit last season. Oluwatimi is expected to be an upgrade by some, at least in the physical talent department, and enrolling early has allowed him to build up that chemistry.
The Maize and Blue were named the country’s top offensive line last season, and with three returning starters, Oluwatimi and two viable options at right tackle — seniors Karsen Barnhart and Trente Jones — Michigan could be even better up front this fall.
