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The NCAA transfer portal has not been kind to Michigan football this offseason.
Yes, that’s what happens when you have a wholesale change on the defensive side of the ball, but part of the surprise of the latest entry is not only timing, but also the fact that he now has a compatriot on the coaching staff.
The Wolverines program is full of West Bloomfield Lakers at the moment, from players to former head coach Ron Bellamy, who now is the safeties coach in Ann Arbor. Lakers alums, safety Makari Paige and running back Donovan Edwards are potential future stars at their positions, but linebacker Cornell Wheeler intends to try his hand elsewhere, as he’s entered the NCAA transfer portal.
The @Freepsports has learned Michigan LB Cornell Wheeler has entered the NCAA transfer portal. A former three-star recruit from West Bloomfield.
— Rainer Sabin (@RainerSabin) June 2, 2021
Michigan is already very thin on linebacker depth, with Ben VanSumeren, Adam Shibley, Adam Fakih and William Mohan all departing this offseason. But with outside linebackers now likely being defensive end-types, a potential loss in the middle isn’t quite as costly as it could have been if the Wolverines were still in a 4-3 look.
Wheeler was a true freshman in 2020 and was one of the first recruits in that class to commit. He will have a full complement of eligibility awaiting him.
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