Detroit, Michigan — The University of Michigan football team continued its impressive run in the 2024 NFL Draft, with six Wolverines drafted on the final day of the league's selection meeting on Saturday (April 27). The Maize and Blue led all varsity programs with 13 overall athletes selected during the three-day event held at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza.
With 13 players selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, UM surpassed the school record of 11 draft picks set in the 2017 draft. It was also the fifth time in program history that Michigan State had 10 or more players selected (11 in 2017 and 10 three times in 1972, 1974 and 2020).
tight end AJ burner The Wolverines' activities began on the third day after being selected by the Seattle Seahawks. Varner was selected 121st overall and the 21st pick in the fourth round. With the 37th pick in the fifth round, 172nd overall, the Philadelphia Eagles selected an offensive guard. trevor keegan.
The Wolverines selected four players in the seventh round and did well.Carolina Panthers used the 240th pick to select a linebacker michael barrett And nine picks later, the Houston Texans selected offensive tackle. Ladarius Henderson With the 249th selection.The last two Michigan players to come off the board were back-to-back edges. jalen harrell Played wide receiver with Tennessee Titans (252) cornelius johnson (253) was drafted by Jim Harbaugh's Los Angeles Chargers.
The remaining draft-eligible members of the Michigan State football program can sign free agent contracts with NFL teams.
Note
• Michigan State has had at least one player selected in six of the seven rounds: No. 1 (1), No. 2 (2), No. 3 (4), No. 4 (1) and No. 5 (1). , 7th place (4). The only round in which a Wolverine was not selected was the sixth round.
• The Wolverines selected a draft-record seven players in the first three rounds.
• UM ended Jim Harbaugh's nine-year tenure as head coach with 65 players selected in the NFL Draft.
• A total of 414 Wolverines were selected in the NFL Draft.
Below are bios of each Wolverines selected on Day 3 of the NFL Draft.
A.J. Varner, tight end | 6-6, 251 | Seattle Seahawks | 4th round | 121st pick
Varner was a key piece at tight end for the Wolverines in 2023. He appeared in all 15 games and started nine at tight end, recording 22 receptions for 249 yards (11.3 average) and one touchdown. His best game in a Michigan uniform came at Michigan State, where he caught eight passes for 99 yards and his only TD of the year. Varner, also a great blocker, was a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award, given to the nation's outstanding tight end. He also received All-Big Ten honorable mention.
A four-year letterman in college, Varner earned three letters at Indiana University (2020-22) before joining UM's 2023 National Championship team. He appeared in 45 career games with both programs, catching 64 passes for 610 yards (9.5 yards average) and five touchdowns. He also competed in 18 career contests. In the classroom, Varner earned his Academic All-Big Ten honors three times.
trevor Keegan, offensive guard | Philadelphia Eagles | 5th round | 172nd pick
A team captain in 2023, Keegan anchored the Wolverines' 2023 national championship team up front. He started all 15 games at left guard, earned All-Big Ten second-team honors and was an Outland Trophy candidate.
Keegan played in 45 career games, contributing on the offensive line in 43 of them, and starting 37 at left guard. He started in each of the Big Ten Championship Game and CFP Semifinals the past three seasons, and also started this year's CFP National Championship Game against Washington. A two-time All-Big Ten selection, Keegan earned first-team honors in 2022 and second-team honors in 2023. He played 2,256 career snaps and was called for just two penalties. Keegan was a starter on the offensive line who won back-to-back Joe Moore Awards in 2021 and 2022.
Michael Barrett, linebacker | Carolina Panthers | 7th round | 240th pick
Barrett is the winningest player in school history with 61 career wins. A six-year letterman, Barrett played in a school-record 64 games and started 35 at linebacker. He recorded 208 total tackles, including 12.0 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, two interceptions, six pass breakups, and two fumble recoveries.
A two-time third-team All-Big Ten selection (2022-23), Barrett was named captain of Michigan's 2023 national championship team. He made 65 stops in 2023, including 3.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and two pass breakups, earning him the Roger Zatkoff Award as the team's top linebacker. Awarded. Barrett was the team's most improved defensive player in 2022, recording career-highs with 72 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 3.5 sacks, and two interceptions. He was also named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2020.
Ladarius Henderson, offensive tackle/offensive guard | Houston Texans | 7th round | 249th pick
Henderson joined the Maize and Blue as a graduate transfer in 2023 and was a major contributor on the offensive line. He played in 14 games on the offensive line and started 10 games at left tackle. Henderson earned first-team All-Big Ten honors after helping the team advance to the Joe Moore Award semifinals.
Before joining the Wolverines' 2023 National Championship team, Henderson was a four-year letterman at Arizona State University (2019-22). He played in 33 games and started 29 for the Sun Devils, starting at both left guard (19 games) and left tackle (10 games). Henderson appeared in 47 career games over his five-year career, with 39 starts.
Jaylen Edge Harrell | Tennessee Titans | 7th round | Pick 252
Throughout his career, Harrell has been a dominant force off the edge for the Wolverines, and in Michigan's win over Ohio State in 2023, he made a key game-clinching play from pressure off the edge, making the game-winning interception. caused it. Harrell played in 46 games during his career, 40 of which were on defense. He made 31 starts on the edge. A four-year letterman, Harrell recorded 78 tackles, 19.0 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and three pass breakups.
He was named All-Big Ten honorable mention the past two seasons (2022-23) and posted nearly identical numbers in his final two seasons as a Wolverine. Harrell recorded 31 tackles, 9.0 TFL, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one pass breakup during the 2023 National Championship season. He had 30 stops, 7.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, and 2 PBU in 2022. A three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Harrell graduated with a degree in sports management.
cornelius Johnson, wide receiver | Los Angeles Chargers | 7th round | 253rd pick
A five-year letterman, Johnson played in 61 career games and started 46 as a receiver for the Wolverines. He had 138 receptions for 2,038 yards and 14 touchdowns during his career. Johnson recorded four games with 100 yards receiving, including a career-best 160 yards and 2 TDs, at Ohio State in 2022 and had at least one reception in 41 of his final 43 games with the Maize and Blue. succeeded.
Johnson started 14 of 15 games during the 2023 National Championship season. He caught 47 passes for 604 yards and one touchdown, and gained a first down or touchdown on 34 of his 50 offensive touches (68 percent).
In the classroom, he was named Academic All-Big Ten four times and graduated with a degree in communications and media.
