Michigan transfer offensive linemen making impact: Two 'strong' tackles and 'an angry pit bull'

Michigan Wolverines football has won the Joe Moore Award for the nation’s top offensive line each of the last two seasons and added to the group by bringing in three transfers this offseason — graduate center Drake Nugent (Stanford), graduate tackle LaDarius Henderson (Arizona State) and senior tackle Myles Hinton (Stanford).

Henderson is battling for the left tackle job, while Hinton is doing the same on the right side. Nugent, meanwhile, is the favorite to start at center.

From the perspective of senior EDGE Braiden McGregor, who’s been involved in head-to-head battles during fall camp, Michigan made some strong pickups by adding Henderson and Hinton at tackle.

“They’re just both so strong,” McGregor said. “They’ve done so well at their previous school, and then getting them in, you knew we’re getting some good players. Being able to go against them … you look at Myles and you see [former Michigan defensive lineman] Chris [Hinton] and it’s like, yeah, that’s a Hinton, for sure. He’s huge and can move, and same with LD. He’s aggressive, he has great hands, he has great feet. So it’s definitely exciting to go against them.

“Been going against Karsen and Trente for three, four years, and it’s like, OK, you kinda figure them out a little bit, they figure you out. But when you get a new person in, it’s like, OK, I gotta figure you out, and then they change something up to get better. It makes overall the whole team better, so it’s been good.”

RELATED
• Three things we think: Big things we heard about Michigan football fall camp this week
• Ten breakout candidates for Michigan football during fall camp

On top of that, incoming Michigan transfers have brought great leadership and character to the offensive line group, graduate left guard Trevor Keegan explained.

“Hearing from guys that came from different programs — obviously they both came from struggling programs in Stanford and Arizona State — them telling us how blessed we are to be in a situation here at Michigan with these facilities and coaches who really care and how much of a business and how much everything matters here.

“Obviously, all three of them, including Drake, are really good people. LaDarius and Drake were both captains at their last programs. Just really good guys. They bring a new mentality to the room, and they’re just workhorses, they want to work. They didn’t play in the spring [due to injuries], so they’re trying to learn their role in fall camp. They’re working hard and just pushing everybody else.”

If Nugent does indeed win Michigan’s starting center job, he’ll be lining up next to Keegan every snap. Multiple teammates have said Nugent has a motor that just doesn’t quit, and Keegan echoed that.

“Drake, I look at him as just an angry pit bull. Everything he does is full go, full go, full go,” Keegan said of the 6-2, 301-pounder. “Even winter workouts, spring workouts, summer workouts. Everything he does is 100 percent, and he works his tail off.

“Obviously, he’s a little undersized, but his tenacity and his work ethic really make up for that. He’s a really good dude, and we’ve become really close since his time coming here.”

The competitions at tackle and center are ongoing, and Michigan line coach and coordinator Sherrone Moore said recently that they could go into the season. Keegan said meshing together with the starting five is important, but so is making sure the right players are out there.

“Chemistry is a huge thing,” the Michigan lineman said. “Last year, I had really good chemistry with [left tackle] Ryan [Hayes] and [center] Olu[segun Oluwatimi]. You want to build up on it.

“The guys that just came in, they didn’t play in the spring. After each play, talking, figuring out what they like, their technique, what they want to do, communicating and watching film. That’s our biggest thing right now. You’re gonna have guys rotating in. Everybody’s competing. At the same time, everybody is hungry and competitive.

“As long as we’re going full go, it’s going to take care of itself, because it’s such a long season, we’re gonna figure out how to play next to each other. It’s just gonna take some time.”

The biggest thing, Keegan added, is that Michigan has plenty of depth on the offensive line.

“The starting five, it’s a living organism,” he noted. “It’s always moving, so we’re gonna need everybody this year. I mean, there have always been injuries. There have always been guys who’ve stepped up. Last year, [senior tackle] Jeff Persi stepped in and played a hell of a game [in a win at Rutgers]. “Everybody’s opportunity is gonna come. So I think that’s the mindset right now.”