Michigan Football: Looking At Who Will Lead Receivers This Season

Michigan football’s top three receivers from last season are gone. You can talk about the talent there now, but there’s still a lot to replace.

After watching the spring game, it was very clear that Michigan football is not going to be struggling for talent at wide receiver and tight end. But another thing that crystalized is that the reliables of old—Jehu Chesson, Amara Darboh, Jake Butt—are gone.

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The Wolverines aren’t starting from scratch on the outside. Guys like Maurice Ways and Drake Harris have been around for a while, though neither have figured prominently into the offense. Then there’s Eddie McDoom, who saw some action last season, mostly on jet sweeps.

After that, though, there are a lot of new faces taking the field. Two freshman are garnering most of the attention. That’s Donovan Peoples-Jones and Tarik Black. Black looked like a potential impact player in the spring game.

With so many options—almost all of them new—who’s going to step up and lead the receivers this season?

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First off, “step up” is just hyperbole. That’s not to suggest there needs to be one receiver who takes over 1,000 yards of the rope this season. But there are obviously multiple spots to be filled, and someone has to do it.

Right now, it seems completely plausible that one of Peoples-Jones or Black could do exactly that—or maybe even both of them could. If you had to bet on one, Peoples-Jones might be the safer pick; he’s looking like a good candidate to fill that X spot that Darboh had last year.

Grant Perry is currently working through legal trouble and could be suspended through the summer, if not longer. He had 13 receptions for 183 yards and a touchdown last season. Even if he does manage to come back this season, though, he’s very likely sticking in the slot position, which doesn’t usually lend itself to breakout performances.

Sophomore-to-be Kekoa Crawford is perhaps someone to keep an eye on next season. As the Wolverines look to replace Chesson, Crawford is making a case to pick up that role.

I’m not a betting man, but if I were, I think I would have to throw my money behind Peoples-Jones as the receiver who eventually plays above the rest, but keep in mind it’s silly to think it won’t end up being some sort of combination.

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It would surprise me if that combination didn’t also include Crawford and Harris, and I’m not going to count out Black as a contender.

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