Michigan football fans, buckle up—there’s a new face in Ann Arbor, and he’s bringing plenty of pedigree with him. On January 8, 2026, former Oklahoma running back Taylor Tatum officially announced his transfer to the University of Michigan, setting the stage for one of the most competitive backfields in the country as the Wolverines gear up for the upcoming season.
Tatum’s arrival comes as the latest move in a whirlwind offseason for Michigan, who recently saw sophomore Jordan Marshall confirm his return and welcomed five-star 2026 recruit Savion Hiter to campus. Yet, despite already boasting a deep running back room, head coach Kyle Whittingham and his staff made a splash by securing Tatum—the No. 1 ranked running back in the 2024 recruiting class and a top-40 overall national prospect, according to both 247Sports and Rivals.
For those keeping track, Tatum’s journey to Michigan has been anything but ordinary. Hailing from Longview, Texas, where he finished his prep career as Longview High’s all-time leader in rushing touchdowns, Tatum was highly sought after by top programs nationwide. He initially chose Oklahoma, making an immediate impact as a freshman in 2024. That year, he appeared in 11 games—starting three—while racking up 278 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 56 carries. He also proved himself as a receiving threat, catching five passes for 41 yards and a touchdown.
But college football is nothing if not unpredictable. Tatum’s sophomore campaign was derailed by a nagging hamstring injury, limiting him to just a single game and one carry for a loss of one yard. Injuries and ball-security concerns kept him sidelined for much of 2025, and by season’s end, he found himself buried on the Sooners’ depth chart behind the likes of Tory Blaylock and Xavier Robinson. With playing time uncertain and his health finally on the mend, Tatum entered the NCAA transfer portal, seeking a fresh start.
“After much prayer, reflection, and discussion with my family, I have decided to enter my name into the NCAA Transfer Portal to pursue the next chapter of my athletic and academic career. Thank you OU! Boomer Sooner,” Tatum wrote in a heartfelt post on X, publicly thanking Oklahoma for his time in Norman.
Michigan wasted little time pouncing on the opportunity. Running backs coach Tony Alford, who had previously recruited Tatum while at Ohio State, played a pivotal role in bringing the talented back to Ann Arbor. For new head coach Kyle Whittingham, who took the reins in December 2025 after a storied tenure at Utah, Tatum’s addition is a clear sign of intent. “You’ve got to get to the playoffs. That’s our expectation. That’s my expectation,” Whittingham declared at his introductory press conference. “Big Ten championship, obviously, will get you to the playoffs, but if you can get to that 10-win mark, that usually is a pretty good indicator that you will be in the playoffs, especially when they expand, which is going to happen at some point soon. And so that’s the bar. At the University of Michigan, how can it be any different than that?”
Tatum joins a Wolverines squad that finished 9-4 overall and 7-2 in Big Ten play last season, narrowly missing out on a College Football Playoff berth for the second straight year after their national title run in 2023. The program has seen its share of roster turnover in recent months, with running backs Bryson Kuzdal and Jasper Parker departing via the transfer portal and linebacker Cole Sullivan heading to Oklahoma—essentially completing a hypothetical trade between the two storied programs.
With three years of eligibility remaining, Tatum is expected to compete immediately for snaps. The Wolverines’ backfield picture is crowded but tantalizing: Jordan Marshall, a proven contributor, is back; Savion Hiter, the No. 1 running back in the 2026 class, is already turning heads in practice; and the status of 2025 breakout star Justice Haynes remains up in the air as he weighs a return to Michigan against a leap to the NFL. One thing’s for sure—no one’s expecting Tatum to settle for fourth on the depth chart.
“While Tatum will have to earn his reps, it’s unlikely the former top running back in the nation came to Ann Arbor to be the No. 4 in the backfield, even coming off a disappointing campaign,” wrote Tony Garcia, Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. The competition promises to be fierce, and with Whittingham’s penchant for a balanced, physical attack, every carry will be hard-fought.
Behind the scenes, Tatum’s commitment is also a testament to Michigan’s aggressive approach in the transfer portal under Whittingham. He’s the Wolverines’ first non-special teams portal addition this offseason and the fourth overall, reflecting the staff’s determination to reload and contend at the highest level. At the time of his commitment, Tatum was ranked as the No. 25 running back in On3’s 2026 Transfer Portal Player Rankings—hardly shabby for a player looking to bounce back from injury.
Of course, the story doesn’t end with Tatum’s arrival. Michigan and Oklahoma are set to clash in Week 2 of the upcoming season at The Big House, adding an extra layer of intrigue as Tatum faces his former teammates in maize and blue. Will the “hypothetical trade” between the two schools—Tatum for Sullivan—prove decisive on the field? Only time will tell, but you can bet all eyes will be on Ann Arbor when the Sooners come to town.
For now, the focus is on integration and recovery. Tatum brings size, vision, and a nose for the end zone, but he’ll need to prove he’s fully healthy and ready to reclaim the form that made him the nation’s top back just two years ago. The Wolverines, meanwhile, are counting on his upside to help push them back into playoff contention and restore the program’s recent championship luster.
As the dust settles on a busy transfer season, one thing is clear: Michigan’s backfield is stacked, and Taylor Tatum’s next chapter is just beginning. The Wolverines’ faithful will be watching closely as the new-look running back corps takes shape under Whittingham’s leadership, eager to see if this latest addition can help Michigan return to the pinnacle of college football.
