Will Ernest Hausmann return to Michigan football?

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — At the end of July, on the heels of the NCAA's new five-for-five ruling, a federal court in Colorado offered that 2022 recruiting class players who had exhausted their eligibility under the previous four-year rule in five years to be eligible for another year. While it's not set in stone and expected to be appealed by the NCAA, that's led to some interesting conversations about players who may return, though it had appeared that they were unable previously.

As for Michigan football, there's really one player where it would be mutually beneficial.

Expected to be a high-round NFL draft pick, linebacker Ernest Hausmann had prematurely ended his college career, thinking that he had laced up his cleats for the last time. There were multiple games remaining, and Hausmann didn't suit up for Maryland, Ohio State, or the bowl game. He eventually had a change of heart and participated in the NFL draft process. However, he went unselected and is thus not tethered to any teams whatsoever.

There have been rumors that Hausmann could return to the Wolverines, but head coach Kyle Whittingham put the kibosh on that, at least for the moment.

"Not at the present," Whittingham said on Monday. "(The rule has) been cleared up somewhat, but right now there's really nobody that we are actively working on trying to get back into camp or back with us, so no."

That certainly could change, especially as linebacker experience and depth have been a bit of a concern for the maize and blue this offseason. However, Whittingham is starting to like what he has.

"We've probably got five or six that are really playing at a high level," Whittingham said. "Chase Taylor, we talked about Staehling, Troy Bowles, Owusu-Boateng. I'm sure I'm missing somebody. (Aisea Moa) is doing some good things. There's five or six that are doing a really nice job. Max (Alford) is doing a nice job."

Michigan is in the throes of fall camp with eyes on the September 5 season opener against Western Michigan at The Big House.

This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Will Ernest Hausmann return to Michigan football?

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