Michigan Football’s NFL Draft prospect big board: May 2023 edition

The 2023 NFL Draft is in the books with nine Michigan Wolverines selected, but the biggest storyline of the event is all of the pro-ready talents that elected to come back for another season. That has U-M poised to be one of the most talent-rich teams in the country this season.

A few months back, we put together a board of all of Michigan football’s upcoming prospects we believe have the best shot to be drafted moving forward and how we would rank them. With spring ball and the draft in the rearview mirror, now is as good a time as ever to revisit.

Here’s a look at our most updated board, regardless of draft class and eligbility.

(NOTE: Production at the college level is not the be-all, end-all in prospect evaluations. Moldable traits and NFL roles are taken into consideration)

The cream of the crop

1. Sophomore cornerback Will Johnson (Draft eligible: 2025)

Outlook: Top-10 pick

Johnson has already proven to be advanced beyond his years at the cornerback position. He has the size (6-2, 194), athleticism, ball skills and was arguably Michigan’s best corner by the end of his freshman season. He still has two years before he is draft eligible, but projecting his future is not all that difficult. On his current trajectory, he is a top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

2. Junior running back Donovan Edwards (Draft eligible: 2024)

Outlook: 1st-2nd round pick

This could be controversial to some, but Edwards’ ability to catch the ball out of the backfield as well as a knack for the big run makes him potentially more appealing to NFL front offices, especially with less of a workload while sharing duties with Blake Corum. There are those at the next level that see him as having Alvin Kamara potential. After seeing Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs go early this year, the arrow is pointing back up on value for pure offensive weapons.

3. Junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy (Draft eligible: 2024)

Outlook: 1st-2nd round pick

It has been a while since Michigan had a quarterback worthy of this type of praise. McCarthy has the best set of tools of any passer in the Jim Harbaugh era and seems tailor-made for the modern NFL. He has natural arm talent and athleticism and checks all of the intangible boxes. He still needs some mechanical work in the lab, but McCarthy has a shot to be the first Harbaugh QB drafted since Jake Rudock. U-M has not had a first-round quarterback drafted in round one since Harbaugh in 1987. That could change soon.

4. Senior running back Blake Corum (Draft eligible: 2024)

Outlook: 2nd-3rd round pick

The NFL is going to have natural concerns about Corum’s size and workload, especially now that he is coming off of a torn meniscus. But he still has elite vision and cutting ability and packs a compact punch at 5-8, 210 pounds. There were concerns last season Michigan did not have a running back that could push a pile like Hassan Haskins did. Corum quickly quelled those concerns and proved he had power and speed. If he is healthy, few match up with him as a prospect at the position.

5. Senior offensive guard Zak Zinter (Draft eligible: 2024)

Outlook: 2nd-3rd round pick

Zinter is a road grader and someone that has plug-and-play starting potential at the next level. Another year in Michigan’s run-heavy offense and Ben Herbert’s strength program should have him in the mix as one of the top interior linemen in the 2024 class.

6. Junior linebacker Junior Colson (Draft eligible: 2024)

Outlook: 2nd-3rd round pick

Colson has been rock-solid in the middle of Michigan’s defense, cleaning things up at the second level of the defense and helping stuff and blow up the run at the line of scrimmage. It still feels like there could be more to tap into here athleticly and improving in coverage, but Colson understands the job.