Dec 21, 2014 10:36 AM EST By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

The University of Michigan (UM) may be pursuing Jim Harbaugh to be their next head football coach, but the school has several other potential candidates in mind.

According to CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, UM has interest in other coaches currently in the NFL, such as John Harbaugh, Sean Payton, Doug Marrone and Jason Garrett. If past reports are to be trusted, Jim Harbaugh is the top target in Michigan's view.

La Canfora noted that Harbaugh seems poised to leave San Francisco, but is likely to stay in the NFL. The 49ers also have great incentive to trade Harbaugh to another NFL team, as his contract is not yet up, because they would be able to receive a draft pick in return for the coach.

But UM put pressure on the 49ers with a reported contract offer to Harbaugh worth $48 million over six years, NFL.com reported earlier this week. With that offer, Michigan would make Harbaugh the highest paid coach in college, outpacing Nick Saban's salary by about $1 million in average annual value.

Citing unnamed sources close to Harbaugh, Adam Schefter reported for ESPN that the coach is "torn" between the NFL and the job at UM. Though he was born in Toledo, Ohio and went to high school in Palo Alto, Calif., Harbaugh went to UM and played quarterback for the Wolverines.

Michigan cannot afford to wait too long on Harbaugh because they need a permanent coach to effectively recruit. But with an offer reportedly on the table from UM, Harbaugh can apply pressure to the 49ers, especially since they are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.

Marcellus Wiley, a former defensive end in the NFL and now a co-host of ESPN's "Sports Nation," wrote on Twitter this week that Harbaugh "will be the Head Coach of Michigan, according to 2 of my sources." Wiley indicated that the announcement would come once the season is over.

He also added a less serious tough by joking that he was "getting his Adam Schefter on."

See Now: Covert Team Inside Newsweek Revealed as Key Players in False Human Trafficking Lawsuit