How Michigan's 2024 championship roster led by J.J. McCarthy turned into NFL busts and disappointments image
Michigan's 2023 season was rocked by a sign-stealing scandal, but the Wolverines stayed the course and won a national championship without a blemish.
That seemed to put to rest the idea that Michigan's success was fraudulent. Jim Harbaugh was pursued by NFL teams and ultimately joined the Chargers, while the Wolverines saw a school-record 13 players drafted the following spring.
As Michigan's 2024 draft class heads into its third year in the NFL, the results simply haven't been there. Some former Wolverines have been more successful than others, but J.J. McCarthy's relegation to a backup role with the Vikings dealt another blow to what was supposed to be a deep crop of talent.
Here's a look at each player drafted and how they have fared in the NFL.
MORE: 6 landing spots for J.J. McCarthy if Vikings trade QB
Michigan 2024 draft class
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Vikings
Pick: No. 10
Quarterbacks are no safe bet, even in the first round, but the J.J. McCarthy experiment has not gone according to plan in Minnesota. McCarthy didn't exactly put Michigan on his back during the 2023 season, but the hope was that his decision-making and youth would be enough for an NFL team to mold him into a long-term starter.
Instead, McCarthy's decision-making proved to be a liability at times in 2025 after missing all of 2024 with an injury, and he couldn't beat out Kyler Murray for the starting job this summer despite reports indicating Murray didn't exactly do much to separate himself in camp. Unless McCarthy can turn his career around, he's trending toward the "bust" label.
MORE: Why Vikings named Kyler Murray starter before preseason
Kris Jenkins, DT, Bengals
Pick: No. 49
Michigan didn't have another player selected in the first round or in the top half of the second round, which is an important caveat. 13 draft picks is 13 draft picks, but a program with five first-round picks is naturally going to produce more NFL talent than one with only one top-40 pick.
With that being said, Jenkins is a player who hasn't fulfilled expectations to this point. The run-stuffer started nine games as a rookie, but he only earned four starts in 2025 for a Bengals defense that could use all the help it can get.
Jenkins' lack of development played a role in the Bengals feeling the need to go out and trade for Dexter Lawrence, and Cincinnati's unofficial depth chart lists the Michigan product on the third team heading into 2026.
Mike Sainristil, CB, Commanders
Pick: No. 50
Drafted to upgrade the Commanders' secondary at the start of the Dan Quinn era, Sainristil showed promise as a rookie but regressed in 2025 just when Washington was hoping he would emerge as a legitimate defensive cornerstone. Sainristil had four interceptions in his second season, but he posted a 52.7 Pro Football Focus rating and was a major reason the Commanders' pass defense suffered during a five-win season.
Junior Colson, LB, Chargers
Pick: No. 69
Colson was drafted by his college coach, reuniting with Jim Harbaugh and Jesse Minter, but he didn't show much as a rookie with just one start across 11 games and missed all of 2025 after undergoing shoulder surgery. Colson is listed behind two starters and two reserves on the Chargers' unofficial depth chart entering 2026.
Blake Corum, RB, Rams
Pick: No. 83
Corum was a Heisman Trophy contender at his best at Michigan, but he was considered a Day 2 prospect in the NFL Draft largely due to his size and lack of impact as a pass-catcher. With that in mind, Corum has largely fulfilled expectations with the Rams. After a quiet rookie season, he emerged as a legitimate weapon next to Kyren Williams out of L.A.'s backfield, rushing for 746 yards and six touchdowns on an efficient 5.1 yards per carry.
Roman Wilson, WR, Steelers
Pick: No. 84
The Steelers love to invest in Day 2 wide receivers and had a need when they selected Roman Wilson, but the former Wolverines receiver has struggled to carve out a role in Pittsburgh. Wilson only played five snaps as a rookie and recorded 12 catches in 2025, so he still has a long way to go to prove himself in the NFL.
Zak Zinter, OG, Browns
Pick: No. 85
Zinter might have been selected higher if not for a season-ending leg injury suffered during his final season at Michigan, but he was able to play in all 17 games for the Browns during his rookie season. After starting three games as a rookie, Zinter saw minimal playing time in year two even as Cleveland battled offensive line injuries. With nearly the entire starting offensive line hitting free agency this spring, the Browns declined to hand Zinter a starting role and signed a slew of interior linemen to fill the void instead.
AJ Barner
AJ Barner, TE, Seahawks
Pick: No. 121
Barner has been a nice surprise for the Seahawks, stepping up with 519 yards and six touchdowns on his way to a Super Bowl win in his second season. Regardless of what the future holds, Barner has already justified Seattle's fourth-round selection with 54 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl win over New England.
Trevor Keegan, OG, Eagles
Pick: No. 172
A fifth-round pick isn't necessarily supposed to become an impact player, but Keegan only lasted one year with the Eagles before landing with the rival Cowboys; he has appeared in only three games through two seasons.
Michael Barrett, LB, Panthers
Pick: No. 240
Barrett was traded by the Panthers before his rookie season and currently plays in the UFL after stints with five different NFL teams but no appearances in a regular-season game. The Barrett trade did bring back starting CB Mike Jackson for Carolina, so the selection worked out in one way.
LaDarius Henderson, OG, Texans
Pick: No. 249
Henderson didn't make the Texans' final roster in his rookie season and has never appeared in a regular season game despite spending time with three teams.
Jaylen Harrell
Pick: No. 252
Harrell has played above his weight as a seventh-round pick, as he emerged as a key reserve linebacker for the Titans in 2025 with 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
Cornelius Johnson, WR, Chargers
Pick: No. 253
Another player from this class who hasn't appeared in an NFL game, Johnson went from Jim Harbaugh in Los Angeles, to John Harbaugh in Baltimore and now to former Harbaugh understudy Jesse Minter with the Ravens, hoping to stick around with the AFC North squad.