2024 NFL Draft Results: Michigan
Here are the results of the 2024 NFL Draft for Michigan players:
2024
1st round: J.J. McCarthy – QB – Minnesota Vikings (#10 overall)
2nd round: Kris Jenkins, Jr. – DT – Cincinnati Bengals (#49)
2nd round: Mike Sainristil – CB – Washington Commanders (#50)
3rd round: Junior Colson – LB – Los Angeles Chargers (#69)
3rd round: Blake Corum – RB – Los Angeles Rams (#83)
3rd round: Roman Wilson – WR – Pittsburgh Steelers (#84)
3rd round: Zak Zinter – OG – Cleveland Browns (#85)
4th round: A.J. Barner – TE – Seattle Seahawks (#121)
5th round: Trevor Keegan – OG – Philadelphia Eagles (#172)
7th round: Michael Barrett – LB – Carolina Panthers (#240)
7th round: La’Darius Henderson – OG – Houston Texans (#249)
7th round: Jaylen Harrell – DE – Tennessee Titans (#252)
7th round: Cornelius Johnson – WR – Los Angeles Chargers (#253)
Jenkins joins a Michigan-heavy defense with the Bengals, who spent a first round pick on S Daxton Hill a couple years ago and a second round pick on CB D.J. Turner II in 2023.
The Chargers are coached by former Michigan head man Jim Harbaugh, who drafted Colson and Johnson, both of whom play positions of need for the team. The Seahawks are led by Mike Macdonald, whose lone pick from Michigan (A.J. Barner at #121 overall) didn’t overlap with Macdonald’s one season at defensive coordinator in 2021. Barner transferred from Indiana for the 2023 season. However, former Michigan assistant coach Jay Harbaugh is on Seattle’s staff.
The following players signed undrafted free agent contracts with NFL teams:
Karsen Barnhart – OG – Los Angeles Chargers
Trente Jones – OT – Green Bay Packers
Braiden McGregor – DE – New York Jets
Drake Nugent – C – San Francisco 49ers
James Turner – K – Detroit Lions
Josh Wallace – CB – Los Angeles Rams
McGregor is the biggest draft snub of these players, in my opinion. At 6’5″ and 257 pounds, I thought he showed adequate enough production and athleticism to get taken somewhere prior to the end of the draft. He was injured as a senior in high school and took a few years just to get back on track. I always thought he should have stayed in college one more year to continue ascending since 2023 was his first year as a starter; perhaps with that previous injury, he thought this might be the best time to try to make a jump for the NFL rather than risking another year in college.
Additionally, three former Wolverine signees were taken in the draft:
1st round: Xavier Worthy – WR – Kansas City Chiefs (#28)
4th round: Erick All – TE – Cincinnati Bengals (#115)
6th round: Joe Milton – QB – New England Patriots (#193)
Worthy signed with Michigan but was unable to enroll, so he transferred to Texas. All played at Michigan for three seasons (2020-2022) before transferring to Iowa in 2023. Milton spent three years in Ann Arbor (2018-2020) and then spent the next three seasons (2021-2023) at Tennessee.
