Recruiting rankings aren't an exact science, but more often than not, the most highly ranked players end up being among the best. But some fall through the cracks. And the same can be said of the transfer portal.
Though players in the transfer portal are a little more of a known commodity, given that they've actually played at the college level, that doesn't mean that every talented player leaving a smaller school gets eyes on them enough to be evaluated properly. Such might be the case for new Michigan football safety Chris Bracy.
Bracy started his career at UAB, where he was close with former Wolverines basketball star Yaxel Lendeborg, before transferring to Memphis. He thrived with the Tigers, but even with a standout year in 2025, he only ended up being the No. 1286 player in the transfer portal this past cycle. And yet, he earned a starting role for the Wolverines in the defensive backfield.
CBS Sports put together a list of the top 'boom-or-bust' players in college football, those who could raise the ceiling of their team if they're better than expected, but at the same time have relatively low expectations. And Bracy came in at No. 6 overall.
6. Chris Bracy, S, Michigan
Intel from those close to the program suggests the Wolverines are expecting an impactful campaign from Chris Bracy, who initially played at UAB before getting hurt and spent last season in the secondary at Memphis. He's never done it at the Power Four level, but after recording 81 tackles with the Tigers, he should provide Michigan with a boost back there alongside returning veteran Rod Moore.
Bracy actually had an incredibly strong run defense grade last year from PFF, coming in as the No. 4 run-defending safety in the country. His other grades weren't as strong, but there are indications that perhaps he's better in coverage than the grades assigned to him by PFF.
The big question is whether his game translates from the Group of Six level -- even if Memphis is among the top there -- to the Power Four, where competition will be significantly more fierce.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan safety Chris Bracy named top boom-or-bust player