Michigan Football: Wolverines are contenders for elite 2022 WRs

Michigan football hasn’t landed any blue chip wide receivers yet in 2021 but the Wolverines are in a solid position early with elite targets in 2022.

Michigan football has accomplished a lot with its 2021 recruiting class, but one thing the Wolverines haven’t done and might not do is add a game-changer at wide receiver.

That’s not to say that three-star commitment Markus Allen isn’t going to be a solid player. I actually think he plays much better than his ranking and as an outside receiver, he will be productive. I especially love his ball skills.

Michigan is also in really solid shape with four-star wideout Christian Dixon, although 247 sports dropped him more than 50 spots among receivers in the most recent rankings update. There are some questions about his speed and ability to separate, but he’s a great route runner. He’s still a four star in the 247 sports composite rankings, but will he be a true difference maker?

More from Michigan Football

• 3 things to watch for Michigan football vs. Rutgers
• Michigan football vs. Rutgers: Prediction, Odds, Spread and Over/Under for College Football Week 4
• Michigan Wolverines news: Jim Harbaugh wants J.J. McCarthy ‘gunslinging’, plus a drop in recruiting rankings
• Grades, game balls for Michigan football vs. Bowling Green
• Michigan Wolverines news: Jake Moody is money in the NFL, plus more

It’s hard to say but since Michigan hasn’t had a receiver drafted in the first round since Braylon Edwards or one picked in the second round since Devin Funchess, it’s time. And in order for that to happen, Michigan needs to land elite recruits, such as the top-100 receivers they are eying in 2022.

Tyler Morris, a four-star receiver from La Grange Park, Illinois, where J.J. McCarthy used to play, is one elite pass catcher U-M is in good shape with. The relationship with McCarthy, a Michigan commit has helped but the 56th overall player in the 247 rankings for 2022 seems to have a good rapport with the staff too.

Another guy to watch is 2022 athlete Kaleb Brown. Brown is 35th in the 247 rankings for 2022 and the 5-foot-11, 175-pounder reminds a lot of A.J. Henning, a receiver who committed out of Illinois in 2020. Brown could thrive in the slot and really all over the field, a la Giles Jackson.

Morris is 6-foot and more of an outside guy. Brown is from Chicago and as we’ve seen the past few cycles with McCarthy, Trevor Keegan and even Tyler McLaurin, the Wolverines have done well in Illinois and EJ Holland of Rivals said this about Michigan’s chances ($): “It’s early, but I think Michigan may have the inside track for both.”

For Michigan football, landing both would be a dream scenario and could go a long way towards ending that drought of first and second-round wide receivers.