BYU transfer linebacker Max Alford has committed to to play for Michigan in the 2026 season, On3 has learned. Alford spent the past season with the Cougars after originally beginning his career at Utah State in 2022.
Alford appeared in 10 games for BYU this past season as a reserve player. He finished with 21 total tackles (two for loss) and one sack.
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In the three seasons prior at Utah State, Alford played in 18 games with five starts. He finished with career numbers of 41 tackles (3.5 for loss).
Alford played high school football at Park City (UT), where he was a three-star recruit in the 2022 class. He ranked as the No. 1,768 overall player in the cycle according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services.
Alford is the 11th player that Michigan has brought in through the transfer portal this offseason. He is also the first linebacker.
Michigan is coming off of a 9-4 finish this past season and is dealing with a coaching change as former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham takes over the program. He’ll look to get the Wolverines back to competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff and landing Alford is a big step in that direction.
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To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
More on the transfer portal in 2026
The 15-day transfer portal this winter will be the only window, opening Jan. 2 and closing on Jan. 16. The NCAA opted to eliminate the spring transfer portal window for football, meaning this will be the only opportunity for student athletes to enter their names.
The move to a one-time-only portal is supposed to allow schools to finish their season with their entire team before the transfer portal opens. As has been the previous standard, athletes on College Football Playoff teams still playing would have 5 days beginning the day after their team’s final game to enter the transfer portal.
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This season’s CFP semifinals took place Jan. 8 and 9. The CFP national championship game between Miami and Indiana is scheduled for Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
