It’s been awhile since Clint Brewster covered Michigan football directly for 247Sports, but the analyst and former Minnesota and Tennessee Tech quarterback has remained plugged in.
Brewster covered the Wolverines remotely for a few seasons until 2015 for what was then Wolverine247 and now is a national analyst for 247Sports. And in one of his conversations, he’s hearing big things about one of the contenders for starting QB in 2024.
That quarterback is Alex Orji, who appeared in six games last year and did not attempt a pass. Instead, he ran 15 times for 86 yards and a touchdown — 5.73 yards per carry and fifth overall on the team in 2023. In his college career, Orji has only thrown one pass, which he completed for five yards. Yet, the junior-to-be has impressed someone in Ann Arbor, so much that they told Brewster that Orji will be just like Alabama standout Jalen Milroe, but perhaps better at throwing the ball.
One person at Michigan told me Alex Orji will be Jalen Milroe but a more natural passer 👀 #GoBlue
— Clint Brewster (@clintbrew247) February 22, 2024
We’ll see, of course. As many commenters noted, Joe Milton often received Cam Newton comparisons, but many of those were from outside the program, including Urban Meyer and Matt Leinart.
Orji did mimic Milroe in preparation for the Rose Bowl, so Michigan has gotten something of a look at him playing that style of ball. Of course, he’ll have to win the starting job in order to be put in that position — not an easy task with Jack Tuttle returning for a seventh year, and Jayden Denegal also likely challenging him this offseason.