Ranking the NFL rookie seasons for the Michigan Wolverines

With only a few weeks remaining in the NFL season, a rookie class loaded with national champion Wolverines is about to wrap up. We rank their season’s based on performance:

It has been over a year since the Michigan Wolverines were crowned the national champs of college football. At some point in the NFL season, teams had 18 players from that squad on their rosters, and 13 were selected in the NFL Draft in April.

Unfortunately, several of them had injuries that cost significant playing time, and even full seasons for some. Let’s recap and rank how those players did in their first NFL season.

Practice Squad Players

No. 19 – OL Trente Jones

Jones was the sixth offensive lineman for much of his career in Ann Arbor, and he signed with the Green Bay Packers after the draft. His NFL days were short after deciding to retire in May.

No. 18 – K James Turner

Turner was excellent in his one season at Michigan, but he never really showed NFL distance efficiently. He signed with the hometown Detroit Lions after the draft, but was waived before the season. A week later, he had a month-long stint with the Packers before being released.

No. 17 – OL LaDarius Henderson

It was a surprise when Henderson was selected by the Houston Texans in the seventh round. A non-football foot injury cost him his roster spot in July.

No. 16 – LB Michael Barrett

Following a long career in Ann Arbor, Barrett was picked in the seventh round by the Carolina Panthers . He was then traded to the Seattle Seahawks and his former defensive coordinator, now head coach, Mike Macdonald. However, he was waived five days later. He then signed with the Cleveland Browns ’ practice squad, but was cut less than a month later. In November, he went up north to Green Bay, again for a practice squad role. Barrett was elevated in Week 18 to the active roster, but didn’t see playing time. He was not signed to a futures deal.

No. 15 – WR Cornelius Johnson

The Chargers picked Johnson in the seventh round, but he was released from the practice squad in late August. In September, Johnson signed with Green Bay, where he signed a reserve/future contract for 2025.

No. 14 – OL Drake Nugent

Nugent was a transfer from Stanford who started at center for the Wolverines during their championship run. After going undrafted, he inked a deal with the San Francisco 49ers and signed a futures contract with them for 2025.

No. 13 – OL Karsen Barnhart

After starting for the Wolverines in 2024, Barnhart signed as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Chargers and Jim Harbaugh. He signed a future/reserve contract with the Chargers this week that will keep him with the franchise in 2025.

Injured Reserve

No. 12 – WR Roman Wilson

An injury-riddled season cursed Wilson’s rookie campaign with the Pittsburgh Steelers . They took him in the third round and expected him to perform in 2024. Instead, he served two stints on the IR thanks to ankle and hamstring injuries. He played only five snaps in his rookie season.

No. 11 – QB J.J. McCarthy

All reports out of training camp were that McCarthy was dealing for the Minnesota Vikings . Sam Darnold was still the favorite to be the starter, but many suspected McCarthy would win it at some point during the season. Fate had other plans, as he tore his ACL and missed the entire year. With a collapse from Darnold in the final two games of the season, leading to an early exit from the playoffs, McCarthy could be the guy in 2025.

Active Roster

No. 10 – OL Trevor Keegan

The Philadelphia Eagles have one of the most dominant lines in the NFL, and Trevor Keegan had the opportunity to sit and observe in his first year with the NFC’s No. 2 seed. Playing just 35 snaps (most of them coming in Week 18 when starters rested), he looked promising and graded out at 66.4 overall, per Pro Football Focus. He’ll hope for a larger role in 2025.

No. 9 – Edge Braiden McGregor

Many were alarmed when McGregor went undrafted, but he found a home quickly with the New York Jets. He played 83 snaps with them and recorded five tackles and three quarterback hurries. He has another two seasons on his rookie contract with an incredibly low cap hit if they decide to move on with a new coach and GM on the way.

No. 8 – CB Josh Wallace

Wallace was used sparingly as a rookie with the Los Angeles Rams after signing as a UDFA. He played just over 150 snaps, allowing just eight receiving yards in games that had mostly been decided already. The Rams take on the Eagles in the Divisional Round this weekend, and Wallace’s role will very likely be limited to special teams, if at all.

No. 7 – RB Blake Corum

There was some question about who would be the lead back in the Rams’ offense after they took Corum in the third round, but Kyren Williams had a stranglehold on the starting gig the entire season. In the final game of the regular season, the Rams rested their starters, giving Corum his opportunity in the spotlight. Unfortunately, Corum broke his arm early in the game, ending his season early. He finished his rookie season with 58 carries for 207 yards.

No. 6 – LB Junior Colson

Harbaugh wanted to keep the commander of his 2024 defense at Michigan around, so he drafted Colson in the third round. Colson’s role with the Chargers was far less important than at Michigan, playing in 218 snaps. PFF ranked him as the No. 180 linebacker out of 189 qualified players at the position. He has a long way to go to be a consistent role player at the next level.

No. 5 – Edge Jaylen Harrell

The Tennessee Titans have a new GM on the way after Ran Carthon was fired. His last pick in the 2024 NFL Draft was Harrell in the seventh round. As far as seventh rounders go, Harrell had more responsibility than most. He logged 286 snaps, but recorded only five pressures. PFF ranked him as the No. 205 edge among 211 players at the position in 2024.

No. 4 – OL Zak Zinter

Coming off a brutal injury in the Ohio State game, Zinter was drafted in the third round by the Cleveland Browns in what was a very odd season for the last-place team in the AFC North. Due to injuries at tight end, Zinter played a “muscle tight end” role in early September, and then saw more than 200 snaps at right guard toward the end of the season. He’ll like play a backup role again in 2025.

No. 3 – DL Kris Jenkins Jr.

Jenkins was a rotational piece on the defensive line, seeing 496 snaps in his rookie campaign, recording 17 tackles, 11 pressures and three sacks. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo was fired by the Cincinnati Bengals after the team failed to make the playoffs. A new coach coming in for the defense could sway his role in either direction after the Bengals spent a second-rounder on him.

No. 2 – TE A.J. Barner

It’s safe to say Barner was the second-best rookie tight end out of the 2024 class behind Brock Bowers. For a fourth-round pick, the Seahawks have to be absolutely thrilled with his performance as TE2 in his first season in Seattle. Barner finished second in tight end rookie receiving touchdowns with four, and also had 245 receiving yards on 30 receptions. With Noah Fant becoming a free agent this offseason, there is a chance Barner is the starter in 2025.

No. 1 – CB Mike Sainristil

It has been a complete turnaround for the Washington Commanders in the first year under head coach Dan Quinn. They went from last place in the NFC South to a playoff team thanks to an entirely new front office, rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, and pieces like Mike Sainristil on defense.

Immediately, Sainristil became a starter at corner. He finished third in tackles for the cornerback position across the league with 76. He will cross the 1,000 snap threshold this week against the Detroit Lions, and has two interceptions, nine pass breakups and a forced fumble this year. He’ll be a building block for this defense moving forward.