The new world of college football is recruiting, the transfer portal, and NIL (name, image, and likeness).
The cycle is never-ending.
Michigan football brought in one of the best transfer classes in the 2023 recruiting/transfer cycles. The Wolverines brought in some type-caliber offensive linemen, an experienced quarterback, starting-caliber linebackers, and a stud tight end.
Looking back to the 2023 transfer cycle, USA TODAY came out with the top 10 college football transfers for the 2023 football season.
At no. 7 Paul Myerberg marked Michigan linebacker/edge defender Josaiah Stewart. Stewart played his first two years at Coastal Carolina where he was a sack machine during his freshman season totaling 12.5 sacks. With the loss of Mike Morris from last season, Michigan will look to Stewart, Jaylen Harrell, and Braiden McGregor to fill the void and add production.
The Wolverines added another promising defensive transfer in former Nebraska linebacker Ernest Hausmann. But Stewart has a longer track record of production on the Group of Five level for the Chanticleers. As a freshman in 2021, he ranked fifth nationally with 12½ sacks and earned first-team All-Sun Belt honors. While his numbers dipped last season, he was still a second-team all-league pick.
According to MGoBlue, here are some of Stewart’s accomplishments prior to attending Michigan:
• Two-year letter winner at Coastal Carolina
• Appeared in 24 games with 17 starts (six at defensive end; 11 at buck linebacker)
• Program record-holder in single-season sacks (12.5, 2021)
• Freshman All-American (2021) by the FWAA, ESPN, 247Sports, The Athletic; honorable mention by Phil Steele
• Two-time All-Sun Belt (first team, 2021; second team, 2022)
• Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year semifinalist (2021)
• Totaled 17 starts in 25 games played with 79 tackles (36 solo) with 25.5 tackles for loss including 16.0 sacks, four forced fumbles and one pass breakup
Top-ranked outgoing Michigan transfer:
It’s worth noting the 10th-ranked player on Myerberg’s list — Cade McNamara.
Rounding out the top 10 list is former Michigan starting QB McNamara. He led the Wolverines to a Big Ten title, a win against Ohio State, and a College Football Playoff birth in 2021. But was unable to hold onto the starting job after J.J. McCarthty outplayed him last spring and during the first two regular season football games.
McNamara transferred to Iowa where he is projected to start and hopes to regain his 2021 form.
McNamara was the given the chance to hang onto the starting role in 2022 but lost an extended competition to J.J. McCarthy that drifted into the first two weeks of the regular season. As the starter in 2021, he threw for 2,576 yards and 15 touchdowns to help lead Michigan to a win against Ohio State, the Big Ten championship and a playoff berth. Even taking away the infectious confidence McNamara has brought to Iowa’s much-maligned offense, his skills and experience make him a drastic upgrade over what the Hawkeyes have used at quarterback the past several seasons.
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