Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed Monday on Inside Michigan Football’s radio show that offensive lineman Jalen Mayfield has been granted a waiver to return for the 2020 football season in October.
Mayfield, a redshirt sophomore right tackle for the Wolverines, had opted out for the season and declared for the NFL draft after the Big Ten postponed the season in August. Once the league reinstated the season, which will begin Oct. 24, Mayfield confirmed he was opting back in.
Mayfield and the Michigan program submitted a waiver to the NCAA to regain eligibility in order for him to play, and according to Harbaugh, that waiver was granted.
“In the case of Jalen Mayfield, he did submit a waiver to be able to come back and play, and that waiver has been granted,” Harbaugh said on the radio show. “I think there’s a few stipulations that he has to do, but that waiver has been granted that he can return.”
Michigan had lost four of its five starters to the NFL after last season and was losing its fifth starter when Mayfield decided to opt out. Getting him back brings some consistency, experience and talent at the right tackle position and is one less spot the coaches have to fill for this season.
Mayfield wasn’t the only Michigan player to opt out, though, as cornerback Ambry Thomas and wide receiver Nico Collins also opted out. According to Harbaugh, however, neither has submitted a waiver to opt back in at this point.