There’s one game left to prepare for in Michigan’s coaching draft drama, as the Wolverines prepare to face Texas in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
That’s true for everyone except Derrick Moore, Giovanni El-Hardy and Jeshawn Barham, who will all opt out of the game. CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcelo first reported the news on Sunday night.
Senior defensive end Moore announced Saturday that he will enter the NFL draft. Barham has had a solid year and could also be a draft pick, while Elhadi will likely compete for a roster spot as a third-round pick or undrafted free agent.
advertise
After struggling in his first two seasons, Moore took on a larger role on defense in the latter two seasons under defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. It wasn’t until this year that we saw him reach his full potential, finishing with 9.5 sacks and 34 pressures.
Barham also had an impressive year as a pass rusher after transitioning from linebacker to edge. El-Hardy is one of the captains on this year’s Michigan team and has been in and out of the offensive line over the past four seasons. He primarily plays left back, but also has one year of experience at right back.
With just over a week left until Michigan State and other NFL Draft prospects take the field on both sides of the ball, we’ll likely see more players opt out of bowl games in the coming days.
