Michigan football misses out on massive OT from transfer portal to unlikely school

Trent Knoop | Jan 5, 2025

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan landed a big fish from the transfer portal on Saturday when the Wolverines secured a commitment from Clemson defensive tackle Tre Williams, but Michigan also lost two players that appeared to be locks.

UConn wide receiver Skyler Bell was the first to announce he wouldn't be coming to Ann Arbor and instead, he was staying with the Huskies. Following Bell's announcement, the massive Washington State offensive tackle Fa'alili Fa'amoe announced he would be signing with Wake Forest. 247Sports' Matt Zenitz was the first to announce Fa'amoe's intention.

Ex-Washington State star offensive tackle Fa'alili Fa'amoe is expected to transfer to Wake Forest, sources tell @CBSSports/@247Sports.

Fa'amoe, the No. 2 ranked transfer portal offensive tackle this cycle, visited Nebraska, LSU and Michigan but is ultimately set to reunite with… pic.twitter.com/jLEKiNQpJh
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 4, 2025

Turns out, Wake Forest hired Fa'amoe's former offensive line coach Jared Kaster who helped bring him to the Deacons. The Wolverines were initially battling LSU and Nebraska to land the coveted 6-5, 316-pound lineman from the portal, but Wake Forest won in dramatic fashion.

Fa'amoe checks in as the number 23 overall prospect in the 247Sports transfer rankings and the number two overall offensive tackle. He'll have one year of eligibility remaining.

The Wolverines did land FCS Cal Poly offensive lineman Brady Norton, but after some attrition from the offensive line, Michigan is still searching for more players to bring into the fold.

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