Talented freshman Jasper Parker seeks new opportunities after a crowded depth chart limited his playing time in his lone season with the Wolverines.
Change is the common theme right now with Michigan Football, with the trend being massively positive. However, with the timing of the transfer portal, hiring of recent head coach, and uncertainty of the future, some players were just inevitable to leave, and that’s okay. One of the Wolverine’s strongest position groups throughout the season was undoubtedly the running backs. The season started with a bang with the one-two punch of Hanes and Marshall but further extended to mostly just Marshall and Bryson Kuzdzal towards seasons end. With all those players, one of the names that wasn’t mentioned very much was Freshman Jasper Parker.
University of Michigan freshman running back Jasper Parker officially entered the NCAA transfer portal on Friday, January 2, 2026, after just one season with the Wolverines. The former four-star recruit out of Louisiana finished his first year in Ann Arbor with limited playing time and appears to be seeking a clearer path to the field elsewhere due to a crowded depth chart.
Parker, a highly-touted prospect from Archbishop Shaw High School, was the No. 287 overall recruit in the 2025 class, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He saw action in six games during his freshman campaign, accumulating 93 rushing yards on 25 carries and scoring two touchdowns.
Depth Chart Challenges
Despite a promising start in fall camp where he turned heads and was considered a potential candidate for the RB3 spot, Parker found himself buried on the depth chart by the end of the season. The backfield was primarily led by Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall.
Complicating matters for Parker, junior Bryson Kuzdzal and sophomore Micah Ka'apana eventually surpassed him in the rotation. Notably, Parker did not play in the recent Citrus Bowl, even with both Marshall and Haynes sidelined by injuries, indicating his position on the team's depth chart.
The impending arrival of five-star recruit Savion Hiter in the upcoming season further intensified the competition for playing time, making Parker's decision to explore other options an unsurprising development for analysts.
Program in Transition
Parker's departure is part of a larger trend for the Wolverines during this transfer portal cycle, which runs from January 2 to January 16. He is the eighth player from Michigan to enter the portal following the coaching transition from Sherrone Moore to Kyle Whittingham. The coaching change, combined with the roster dynamics, has prompted several players to look for new programs.
Parker leaves Michigan with three seasons of eligibility remaining, offering a valuable asset to any program seeking a talented, powerful running back with good vision and a physical running style. Throughout his recruitment, he held offers from numerous Power Five programs, including Alabama, Auburn, and Oregon.
He joined Michigan as a highly-decorated high school player, having totaled over 1,600 all-purpose yards and 22 touchdowns in his senior year. While his time in Ann Arbor was brief, the talent he showcased in limited bursts suggests he will be a key contributor at his next collegiate home. The specifics of his next destination remain unknown as he officially begins the process of finding a new program.