The quarterback position remains arguably Michigan's biggest and most significant unknown heading into the 2024 season. The Wolverines will be tasked with replacing J.J. McCarthy, who became the first University of Michigan quarterback to be taken in the first round of the NFL Draft since Jim Harbaugh was selected by the Chicago Bears in 1987.
It's not easy to replace a talented player who was selected in the first round of the draft, but the current coaching staff in Ann Arbor seems pretty confident in the QB options they have. After all, Michigan could have used the spring portal period to fill in gaps at the position, but they didn't. Offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell, who also serves as QB coach, spoke about his confidence in UM's QBs in the spring.
“We're going to evaluate the players on our roster this spring,” Campbell said. “We're excited about them and we have no concerns that we don't have players on this roster that can lead Michigan next year.”
As it turns out, it wasn't just flattery from Michigan's OC. With less than two months until their Week 1 matchup with Fresno State in the Big House, the five QB options the Wolverines had in the spring are the same five options in fall camp. While the battle for the QB1 spot is still ongoing, the general consensus is that it will be third-year player Alex Orji who ends up earning the position when the season begins. The biggest question is whether Orji, who has only attempted one pass in his first two seasons at Michigan, can be consistent and effective through the air enough to hold onto the position.
CBS Sports recently ranked the six quarterbacks in college football who could replace first-round draft picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, and it's fair to say they don't have much confidence in Orji to replace J.J. McCarthy. Of the six quarterbacks ranked, CBS Sports placed Orji at the bottom of the list at No. 6, putting him in the category of players who could be benched for the season.
Before we get into what was said about Orji specifically, let's take a look at all six quarterbacks drafted in the first round in 2024 (in order of ranking according to CBS Sports).
1. Dillion Gabriel, Oregon – Replaces Bo Nix
2. Garrett Nussmeyer, LSU -Replaced by Jayden Daniels
3. Miller Moss, USC – Replaced by Caleb Williams
Four. Max Johnson, North Carolina – Drake May's successor
Five. Will Rogers, Washington – Successor to Michael Pennis Jr.
6. Alex Orji, Michigan – JJ McCarthy's successor
CBS Sports specifically stated Orji's position on the list:
Alex Orji is the most unpredictable quarterback prospect of the six, and his impressive size and athleticism hint at how Sherone Moore will direct Michigan's offense in 2024. Though his playing time has been limited (17 snaps last season and just eight snaps in 2022 with one pass attempt), Orji has flashed the athleticism to change the pace of Michigan's ground-and-pound attack. A dynamic athlete, he excels with the ball in his hands, but defenses will anticipate this and crowd into the box to thwart the run.
Michigan's coaching staff is confident in Orji's running skills, but his passing ability has yet to be tested. Former coach Jim Harbaugh praised Orji's prowess, noting that he had over 2,000 passing yards in high school, completed 51% of his passes with 28 touchdowns and eight interceptions. With Orji's passing ability still unknown outside the team, Michigan is expected to use heavy formations to emphasize the run.
He may continue in his situational role from last year, or he may be surpassed by a more traditional passer.
I don’t think it’s unfair to categorize Orji as the most unpredictable player of the group, especially when comparing his aerial passing stats to the rest of the group. But this assessment only shows two possible outcomes for Orji in 2024: continuing in his “situational” role from last year and being supplanted by a more “traditional” passer. There is arguably another very real possibility for Orji’s path in 2024, and that is for him to establish himself as the undisputed QB1 in Ann Arbor.
