For those of us more interested in college football than the NFL, the Super Bowl is an opportunity to cheer on some of our favorite former Michigan Wolverines. This year, the Seattle Seahawks will take on the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, and there are four former Wolverines healthy enough to participate.
TE A.J. Barner (Seattle Seahawks)
Tight end A.J. Barner transferred to Michigan ahead of the 2023 national championship season, and he had a solid final year in college with 22 receptions, 249 yards and one touchdown. The
numbers don’t do his season justice, but he was a crucial part of Michigan’s run game as a blocker and was a reliable receiver when targeted.
He was taken by Seattle in the fourth-round of the 2024 NFL Draft. This season with the Seahawks, Barner has 52 catches for 519 yards and six touchdowns.
DE Mike Morris (Seattle Seahawks)
Defensive end Mike Morris was at Michigan for four seasons. He ended his college career with 40 tackles, 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble and an interception. He was an All-Big Ten Selection and the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2022.
Morris, who has 18 total tackles this season, was a fifth-round selection in the 2023 draft.
OL Olu Oluwatimi (Seattle Seahawks)
Offensive lineman Olu Oluwatimi is one of the best centers to ever play for the Wolverines, and we’ve had some pretty good offensive linemen come through. He was the Rimington Award (a first for a Wolverines) and Outland Trophy winner in 2022. He was a consensus All-American and All-Big Ten selection as well.
Oluwatimi was taken by Seattle in the fifth-round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and according to Pro Football Focus, he has played 318 snaps this season.
OL Mike Onwenu (New England Patriots)
Offensive lineman Mike Onwenu played four seasons with the Wolverines from 2016-19. He started in 35 games during his time with the Wolverines and played in 46 total games. Onwenu was a sixth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Patriots, and he’s been a solid part of their offensive line ever since. He’s been on the field for 1,273 snaps this season and has an overall PFF grade of 76.8.
Coaches
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald, special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh and outside linebacker coach Chris Partridge all spent time in Ann Arbor. Macdonald helped Michigan reach the top of the Big Ten by putting together one of the best defenses in the country in 2021. Jay Harbaugh helped Michigan have one of the best special teams units in the country, and that has continued in Seattle. Partridge served multiple stints as the linebackers coach at the university, coaching up guys like Junior Colson and Michael Barrett.
Who are you rooting for in the Super Bowl this year? Let us know in the comments below!
