Michigan football transfer class: Why it's 'grilled chicken and rice'

Ann Arbor — The Wolverines’ winter transfer haul checks in at No. 66 nationally, a ranking that barely moves the needle on social feeds. Yet inside Schembechler Hall the mood is upbeat, and On3 analyst JD PicKell argues the low exterior buzz misses the point.

“Michigan brought in the No. 66-ranked transfer portal class,” PicKell said. “Not Top 25, not Top 10—No. 66 in all of college football. But when you take a closer look, I think my man from the voicemail box is kind of on the money.”

The core of the class is a Utah-to-Michigan pipeline created when Kyle Whittingham joined the staff. Edge rusher John Henry Daley, cornerback Smith Snowden, defensive lineman Jonah Lea’ea and wide-out JJ Buchanan headline the group that followed Whittingham east, with safety Chris Bracy, receiver Jaime Ffrench and linebackers Aisea Moa and Max Alford adding depth. True freshman athlete Salesi Moa, already enrolled, gives the staff an extra chess piece.

PicKell likens the approach to a staple bodybuilding plate. “Michigan is kind of the grilled chicken and rice of college football,” he said. “Not super trendy, doesn’t get you excited when you see it on the menu, but it’s good for you. It’s hearty. It’s the right fuel.”

The comparison underscores a belief that proven, scheme-familiar parts matter more than star ratings. Whittingham’s 20-year, 70-percent win rate at Utah, PicKell notes, is “science,” and the players arriving helped win 10 games last fall.

Offensively, the additions appear to outshine the defensive reinforcements. Ffrench arrives as a former four-star, but Buchanan’s year of experience and comfort in the system could make him the more immediate factor. Pairing those wide-outs with quarterback Bryce Underwood and athlete Salesi Moa, PicKell says, forces defenses to honor vertical shots while also defending quarterback run elements out of similar formations.

“How much horsepower does this offense have? At a personnel level, we’ll see,” PicKell said. “I can’t promise JJ Buchanan is going to be a John Matthew Award winner, but I think he’s going to be good. He’ll be elevated by a scheme he already knows and by a playbook that puts defenses in a blender.”

The same logic applies across the roster. Daley’s pass-rush snaps will be complemented by Jason Beck’s up-tempo offense, keeping opponents from leaning heavily on tendencies. Continuity—multiple Utah players running the same calls they used in Salt Lake—accelerates install and trims busts.

PicKell concedes the schedule could deliver early lumps, yet he likes the inputs as February closes. “Football is a complementary sport,” he said. “This roster, the staff and the continuity will complement itself really well over the course of the season.”

In short, Michigan’s portal class may never trend on Instagram, but inside the building the belief is that substance, familiarity and fit will taste just fine come fall.