Insider Sounds Alarm on Michigan’s ‘Underpaid’ NIL Brain as Sherrone Moore Faces Potential Key Staff Departure

We already know how Michigan’s been killing it lately on the recruiting trail. But how much do we know about Michigan’s behind-the-scenes shakeup that could rattle the whole recruiting game if things don’t get sorted quickly? Sure, Sherrone Moore nabbed Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 player in the 2025 cycle, and then stacked the O-line with beasts like Andrew Babalola and Ty Haywood. That wasn’t just luck or some feel-good Michigan mystique. There’s been a recruiting genius behind these game-changing developments by a guy who saw the NIL wave before most schools even realized the tide was turning. 

You probably guessed it. Sean Magee. Former Naval officer. NFL background. Quiet killer in the recruiting world. He’s been Sherrone Moore’s trusted GM, but he’s been more like their NIL architect. However, it seems like the good times in Michigan are nearing the end. Insider EJ Holland dropped the news on an Inside Scoop episode on On3 Recruits on April 9: “Michigan’s in jeopardy of losing their general manager, Sean Magee, who has spearheaded the movement of modernizing Michigan’s NIL approach in terms of recruiting.” If that happens, it’s “detrimental” for the Wolverines. 

Sean Magee returned to Ann Arbor in 2024 after spending five seasons there from 2017 to 21. And he hit the ground running. What did he do? Tapped into his military-honed analytical brain, leaned on deep alumni ties, and flipped the program’s NIL game. Built a plan. Built momentum. He didn’t just react to NIL, he designed a system that’s more NFL-style with a vision for long-term sustainability, even after revenue sharing comes into play. 

But right now, Michigan’s got a model that doesn’t throw numbers at kids during visits. EJ Holland laid it out — Javion Osborne, Calvin Russell, Jackson Cantwell — none of them got numbers. Now, here’s the underpaid twist. Sean Magee’s earning only $350,000. Meanwhile, for comparison, Alabama’s GM Courtney Morgan is earning $825,000 in 2025. Let that sink in. So, it’s not out of the question that the Wolverines might have to be looking for a new GM. But the bigger question is: Can anyone else steer the ship on the foundation Sean Magee laid down? 

Sherrone Moore could lose big time

Sherrone Moore hit a home run when he brought Sean Magee back. The guy’s been shoulder-to-shoulder with the staff during recruiting visits, laying groundwork, building trust with agents, and setting up a sustainable structure for the NIL era. One encouraging fact is that Sean Magee has already laid the tracks. The Underwood flip, the O-line reload — it all happened under his guidance. So the job is clear — either sustain him or find someone who can run it like him. 

“The big thing here for Michigan now is keeping Sean Magee so that the vision is completed,” Holland stated. “Because if you lose Sean Magee, that vision is kind of gone, and you have to either start from scratch or find somebody that can build on that model.” Replacing him? Tall task. Really tall. Can you really duplicate a Sean Magee? The insider laid down his verdict: “You have to keep Sean Magee in order for that long-term plan to come true.” 

If Sherrone Moore wants to keep riding this wave into fall, they better lock Sean Magee down. If not, Michigan better be ready to face the kind of rebuild that slows momentum fast in this NIL-driven world.