Michigan Wolverines need key receivers to step up at fall camp going into 2024 college football season

Michigan Wolverines fall camp is here! Sherrone Moore begins his first full season as the new head coach for Michigan, and the team is going to look quite a bit different. After sending about 20 players off to land on NFL rosters the Maize and Blue need some key players to step up at several positions, but perhaps none more obviously than among their pass catchers.

Roman Wilson, Cornelius Johnson, and AJ Barner alone accounted for 50% of the team's receiving production and nearly 2000 snaps last season. That's a lot to replace on any offense. But Michigan is also trying to find weapons who can help a new quarterback find early success. So, who steps up among the tight ends and wide receivers for Michigan in fall camp and beyond?

Michigan Receivers in Fall Camp

Projected Starting WRs and TEs

• Colston Loveland, TE
• Tyler Morris, WR
• Semaj Morgan, WR
• Max Bredeson, TE

The 2024 Michigan offense will certainly flow through the run game for the most part, but when they do pass the first read should be to future first round pick, tight end Colston Loveland. He's the one steady force returning from last year's offense and likely operates as the team's de facto WR1. His ball skills, speed, and size make him a huge mismatch problem on offense.

After Loveland though, there's really no proven options among pass catchers. However, Tyler Morris began to get a lot more comfortable late last year, making a few huge plays at critical moments like his long touchdown against Alabama in the playoffs.

Morris possesses real track speed, quick-twitch athleticism, and can play within any wide receiver role he's ask to for Michigan. If a real lead wide receiver emerges it's likely going to be Morris. His versatility and 350 snaps of experience last season give him the early edge to be the leader among the wide receivers, but he needs to do much more than just flash at camp this year.

If Tyler Morris fails to take the next step then Michigan might have to look at their explosive gadget wide receiver from a year ago in Semaj Morgan. The phrase "gadget" wide receiver typically has a bit of a negative connotation, but not with Morgan. He was simply the do-it-all weapon that could add YAC out of the backfield, in motion, on crossers, anything.

However, his average depth of target was just 3.7 yards downfield. If Morgan wants to earn a significant role in the passing game we're going to have to see more plays like this beautiful slot fade touchdown against Rutgers (in post below) instead of all the simply quick-hitting underneath work.

Head coach Sherrone Moore was quoted recently talking glowingly of Morgan as a leader and tough practice player:

"Semaj [Morgan] is probably one of the best practice players on the team. He practices so hard he loses probably about five or six pounds every single practice."

Morgan clearly wants to take on a bigger role and is pushing himself in practice this off-season but we need to see him take a huge leap forward towards being a complete receiver in 2024.

If Michigan stays with consistent 12-personnel (one RB, two TEs, two WRs) again this season then we're going to be seeing quite a bit of tight end Max Bredeson in the A.J. Barner role from a year ago. He's reportedly been making huge improvements this off-season and should play a pivotal role in the run game as well as the pass.

Michigan Receiver Depth

• Fredrick Moore, WR
• Marlin Klein, TE
• I'Marion Stewart, WR
• C.J. Charleston, WR

Beyond the team's top three or four options things get super questionable. Fredrick Moore had a decent spring showing for Michigan--including a long touchdown in the spring game--but he's a relative unknown considering he was targeted just six times on the entire 2023 season and didn't do much with those opportunities (just 32 yards).

Marlin Klein is slated to be the next great tight end to follow Colston Loveland, and he's looked good this off-season as well, but he's quite limited in terms of experience too.

If either true freshman I'Marion Stewart or C.J. Charleston from Youngstown State emerges in fall camp that would be huge for Michigan. They're in dire need of decent receiver depth to begin emerging should anyone miss significant time due to injury.

Michigan's receiving options are obviously quite unproven, and rather shallow for a typical Wolverines squad. Hopefully they all take steps forward so that Alex Orji (or whoever the new QB will be) can find instant success in 2024.

Be looking for more Michigan Wolverines coverage here at A to Z Sports all year long! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!

And if you want to remember just how dominant Colston Loveland can be for Michigan check out the video below!