Michigan fall camp: Five players generating buzz this week, including a freshman receiver

Michigan Wolverines football is over two weeks into fall camp, and the depth chart, while a living and ever-changing organism, is taking shape. Here are five players who have generated buzz this week as the opener against Fresno State nears.

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WR Channing Goodwin

Whether it was Ronnie Bell in 2018, Giles Jackson , Cornelius Johnson and Mike Sainristil in 2019, Roman Wilson in 2020, Andrel Anthony in 2021, Darrius Clemons , Tyler Morris and Amorion Walker in 2022 or Karmello English , Fredrick Moore , and Semaj Morgan in 2023, Michigan typically has at least one freshman wide receiver burn their redshirt.

The Wolverines have two freshman wideouts this year in Channing Goodwin and I’Marion Stewart , both of whom could have roles this season.

Goodwin, a 6-foot-1, 185-pounder, in particular earned a mention from Sherrone Moore during his press conference this week, with the head coach predicting he will see time in games.

“Channing Goodwin, I mean, he’s a playmaker,” Moore said. “He’s a dude that’s going to probably help us this year in some way, shape, or form.”

Moore went on to note that it’s easier to play early the further a player is away from the football, and the track record listed above of Michigan freshman wide receivers making impacts proves it.

DTs Enow Etta and Ike Iwunnah

Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito was asked on the ‘In The Trenches’ podcast about players who can provide depth behind the Wolverines’ top three defensive tackles — juniors Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant and senior Rayshaun Benny — and his answer was telling.

The first name Esposito listed: Senior Ike Iwunnah .

We were a bit skeptical about the prospect of Iwunnah actually having a major role when coordinator Wink Martindale said before fall camp Iwunnah had one of the best offseasons on the team, transforming his body and crushing the conditioning test. After all, he hasn’t played a single snaps in games through three seasons.

But the hard work Iwunnah has put in, coupled with a clean slate with a new defensive coaching staff, may pay off. This is starting to get real.

Michigan defensive linemen of the past have broken out late in their careers, so it shouldn’t come as a huge shock. Iwunnah, too, was seen as a project even though he was one of the strongest players on the team even as an underclassman.

Sophomore Enow Etta was the next that Esposito listed, and he may be the next man up at 3-technique or big end behind Benny. Etta is up to 308 pounds after beginning spring practices as a 265-pound edge rusher — having put in ridiculous work on his body.

CB Jyaire Hill and Will Johnson

Junior cornerback Will Johnson is seen by draft analysts as the best player in the country at his position. Some analysts have said he’s even the best player in college football, period.

His physicality has always stood out, from the first time he made a big impact in a big game, laying a huge hit on Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford in 2022.

The 6-foot-2, 202-pounder is so technically sound, plays with great leverage and can tackle. That’s all on top of his elite coverage skills.

Moore said this week that it felt like watching “a linebacker” when Johnson was blitzing off the edge and playing contain. He’s that much of a beast defending the run (again, we all know what he can do in coverage).

Johnson also played last season at well-under 100 percent, which is ridiculous considering he earned first-team All-America honors by Sports Illustrated , notched 4 interceptions and was named Defensive MVP of the national championship game. He’s much healthier coming into this season and ready to shine from the get-go.

There also seems to be a misconception out there that Johnson is some five-star freak that relies on his talent alone. He’s got loads of ability, but he’s also one of the hardest workers and top leaders on the team. He gets up at 6 a.m. for pilates during camp — as graduate safety Quinten Johnson said, not even 13-year vets in the NFL do that — always looking to get just a little better or a mile an hour faster. He’s the first one on the field to celebrate, we’re told, when a teammate makes a play. Johnson is special.

While he’s being pushed by Albany transfer Aamir Hall , who’s striving to pick up the defense on a daily basis, sophomore cornerback Jyaire Hill appears to be out ahead in the race for a starting job alongside Johnson.

He’s a favorite of Moore, who has candy in his office that’s often swiped by Hill. Moore said he’s having a “really, really good fall camp” and called him a “phenomenal” player.

Hill went to the coaching staff this offseason and asked what he needed to do to see the field. Remember, he played double-digit snaps in three games early last season, before he fell off the map and redshirted. They told him he had to understand the defense better and follow the team leaders closer.

By all indications, he’s done that. Johnson has seen a higher level understanding from Hill of where to be and when. He’s also been more “reliable,” which is huge when it comes to cornerback play.

We still expect that multiple cornerbacks will see the field early on this season, but at this point we’d bet Hill is first in line other than Johnson.

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