Michigan Football: Transfer portal commitment embracing rivalry with Ohio State

Originally posted on Michigan Wolverines on SI
By Chris Breiler | Last updated Dec 17, 2024 1:19 PM ET

Michigan had a fruitful night on the recruiting trail on Monday. as three prospects from the transfer portal announced they were headed to Ann Arbor. One of those three prospects was offensive lineman Brady Norton, one of the most coveted prospects in the portal this cycle. And while Michigan fans will certainly embrace any player who chooses to come to Ann Arbor, Norton's commitment announcement is sure to earn him some extra points with the fan base.

On his Twitter/X account, Norton simply wrote "Committed." Except he used a red "X" in place of the "O", as any true Michigan Man would do. Of course, opting to use an "X" in place of an "O" is a direct nod to the rivalry with Ohio State.

C❌️mmited@UMichFootball pic.twitter.com/oA1LvwGL25
— Brady Norton (@BradyNorton9) December 17, 2024

Norton was considered one of the top offensive tackles in all of FCS in 2024. As Michigan On SI's Trent Knoop pointed out earlier this week, the Wolverines are certainly going to need some help up front given the struggles on the offensive line and the expected turnover during the off-season.

"Michigan is set to lose plenty of offensive linemen from its 2024 team. The Wolverines will lose Myles Hinton and Josh Priebe to graduation. Both Greg Crippen and Gio El-Hadi have eligibility remaining if they choose to use it, but we don't know those answers quite yet. Additionally, Michigan lost right tackle Andrew Gentry to the portal after he won the starting job halfway through the season."

Norton was one of the most coveted offensive linemen in the transfer portal as he posted a 91 PFF pass-blocking grade and did not allow a sack in 704 snaps during the 2024 season. He is currently rated a three-star transfer prospect by 247Sports and has three years of eligibility remaining.

This article first appeared on Michigan Wolverines on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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