Subscribe
Follow Us
The Michigan football team recently lost running back Benjamin Hall to the college football transfer portal, and the Wolverines wasted no time finding a replacement as UMass transfer CJ Hester committed on Saturday. That makes Monday's news a bit surprising as Michigan has landed another RB out of the transfer portal. Princeton transfer John Volker is coming to play for the Wolverines, and Michigan is now in great shape when it comes to depth at the RB position.
“Princeton running back transfer John Volker has signed with Michigan, @chris_hummer and I have learned for @cbssports/@247sports,” Matt Zenitz said in a post. “Ran for 514 yards at Princeton last season.”
John Volker has been at Princeton for the past four seasons, and he has had a productive career. During his time with the Tigers, Volker ran the ball 244 times for 1,175 yards and 17 touchdowns. He averaged 4.82 yards per carry during his career.
There is a lot of good talent in the Michigan football RB room, but Volker's advisor, Mike Fenske, thinks that he is still going to impress.
“The thing that stands out is he’s a freak athlete,” Fenske said, according to an article from On3. “If you look at his running numbers, his 40, his vertical and his lifting numbers, he would be up there with anybody at this year’s NFL combine. He has a 40-inch vertical and a legitimate 4.4 40. He ran 4.4 in high school. He’s solid at 6-foot, 215 pounds. I think he’s going to surprise a lot of people.”
One thing about Volker's game that Michigan football fans will like is his versatility. He is a strong back that also brings a lot of speed.
“He gets tough yards,” Fenske added. “He’s going to break tackles. But once he gets space, nobody is catching him. He’s a breakaway type runner. His freshman year, he was used as a short-yardage guy. I think he averaged 4.9-5 yards per carry (in his career), but it’d be higher if it weren’t for him being a short-yardage and goal-line guy as a freshman. He’s strong and powers his way in. He’s an ideal between-the-tackles guy, but he has all-purpose skills. He can catch the ball, too.”
Volker was able to have a successful career at Princeton, but Michigan is a different beast. Can he find success in the Big Ten?
“When guys move up, some people question whether he can make the jump,” Fenske said. “I’m really confident he can. I think he’s the type of guy who could have done it years ago. I think he’s going to make an impact. I always thought he was a Power Five player.”
All in all, Michigan was the perfect fit for Michigan.
“Michigan is a great school and checks all the boxes — great program and great academics,” Fenske said. “I think he would fit in great. Michigan’s reputation is tremendous in football and academically as well. To me, it carries the same weight as an Ivy League school. For him, it would be ideal. For some guys, it’s about money. For John, it’s about the fit.”
After a bit of a down year in 2024, there are some question marks surrounding the Michigan football program heading into the 2025 season. The RB position isn't one them. The Wolverines should be solid there.
