The Oklahoma Sooners lost a lot of names to the transfer portal earlier this month, and one of the more notable departures was that of sophomore running back Taylor Tatum, who entered the portal to transfer to Michigan. However, it looks like Tatum won’t be toting the rock for the Wolverines, at least not at first.
Tony Garcia, who covers Michigan football for the Detroit Free Press, is reporting that Tatum will be making a switch from running back to defensive back. According to Garcia, “Tatum will begin his career in Ann Arbor in the safeties room.”
Tatum was the No. 1 overall RB in the 2024 recruiting class, and he spent two seasons in Norman, where he also played on the baseball team. He played a lot as a true freshman in 2024, but barely saw the field at all as a sophomore in 2025. With the Sooners seemingly set at running back going into 2026, Tatum joined the Wolverines.
Michigan football’s Taylor Tatum, who transferred in from Oklahoma and was the No. 1 RB in the Class of 2024, will begin his career in Ann Arbor in the safeties room, I’m told.
He could move back to RB or see time there, but he will “start out at safety and go from there.”
— Tony Garcia | Detroit Free Press (@RealTonyGarcia) January 21, 2026
According to Garcia, Tatum will “start out at safety and go from there”, though a move back to RB could still be in the cards. Tatum will see his former team at the Big House on September 12th, though instead of trying to run through the OU defense in that game, he now may be trying to help stop the OU offense that night.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Former OU running back will play a different position at Michigan