Michigan Football: Giles Jackson is emerging at wide receiver too

The hot name coming out of spring practice for Michigan football was Mike Sainristil, but now that fall camp has started, Giles Jackson is emerging too.

It was easy to see going into fall camp for Michigan football that wide receiver was going to be a position of strength heading into the 2019 season.

Yet, it might have been hard to predict just how talented the Wolverines were going to be at wide receiver. Michigan is fortunate to have Donovan Peoples-Jones, Nico Collins, Tarik Black and Ronnie Bell all back in the fold after last season, in addition to three fabulous freshmen.

Mike Sainristil is once of the newcomers and he has been making plays since the spring and it doesn’t seem like anything has changed now that we are only a few weeks away from kickoff in the season opener.

Obviously, Peoples-Jones and Collins are the top dogs in the receiving core. That is really not debatable. Then, there is a group of guys fighting for starting jobs and playing time and among them is incoming freshman Giles Jackson.

Like Peoples-Jones and Collins, Black and other Cornelius Johnson, another freshman, are bigger receivers that are more suited to playing on the outside. It doesn’t mean they can’t play in the slot, but they aren’t great as the quick routes sometimes required in that position.

Bell, Sainristil, and Jackson are. All three of those guys are ideal for the slot position and Bell, who caught two touchdown receptions last season has put together a really strong camp. When the first four receivers come out to start the season, don’t be shocked if it’s Peoples-Jones, Collins, Bell and Black.

But that doesn’t mean Jackson, Johnson and Sainristil won’t make an impact this season, because they will, especially Jackson and Sainristil. Both players are 5-foot-10 and in the mold of Purdue’s Rondale Moore.

They are quick, shifty and dynamic with the ball in their hands. Sainristil opened eyes during the spring and Jackson is doing the same now. Here is what Josh Metellus told Wolverines Wire about the freshman:

"“Offensively: Giles. Quick feet. Gets out of his breaks real fast. You can just tell once he learns all the plays and gets comfortable, he’s gonna be a great player here.”"

Sean McKeon, a senior tight end, has also been impressed.

“Giles Jackson has really impressed me,” McKeon said to Wolverines Wire. “He looks really fast, really good.”

The biggest issue with Jackson may be finding enough touches for him. Peoples-Jones, Collins, Black, Bell and Sainristil, will all have roles, along with guys like McKeon, Nick Eubanks and others at tight end.

But that’s the beauty of Josh Gattis. The offensive system he’s using found a way to take advantage of all the weapons available at Alabama and hopefully, the same thing can happen with Michigan football.

The offensive coordinator is also the receivers coach and with all the youngsters stepping forward, the Wolverines are loaded at wide receiver and with the emergence of guys like Giles Jackson, that depth is only getting better.