Ole Miss QB Shea Patterson Transferring to Michigan

Shea Patterson, the No. 1 quarterback prospect in the Class of 2016, is taking his talents from Oxford to Ann Arbor to join Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan team.

He picked the Wolverines over what would have likely been a number of suitors, including Oklahoma State, which recruited him heavily out of high school. Naturally, the appeal of playing in a Big Ten offense barely proven to complete forward passes under Harbaugh proved to be too enticing.

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— Shea Patterson (@SheaPatterson_1) December 11, 2017

Patterson was the 7-on-7 QB for Tyron Johnson and Jalen McCleskey in high school who had a special connection with the OSU standouts, however it wasn’t enough for him to really consider OSU. Michigan was rumored to be the heavy favorite from start to finish of his brief recruitment after being granted permission to seek a transfer elsewhere. He made just one visit — to Ann Arbor — before shutting it down.

Patterson’s presence at OSU would have certainly elevated the talent level of the QB room on the whole, but he would have had to sit a year due to NCAA transfer rules regardless. Now that he’s no longer on the table, OSU’s immediate outlook for 2018 at QB is likely between senior Taylor Cornelius or true freshman Spencer Sanders, the latter of which won’t arrive until next summer.

Despite both being promising options (all aboard the Spencer Sanders hype train!), I wouldn’t at all be surprised to see OSU potentially look to add another QB for 2018 — either via graduate transfer or even in the junior college ranks — to potentially stabilize a position group that will need an injection of experience.