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3 Potential Breakout Players on Offense for Michigan Football

By Jordan Bruetsch

Michigan wide receiver Darrius Clemons (0) warms up before the Big Ten championship game against Purdue at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022.
Michigan wide receiver Darrius Clemons (0) warms up before the Big Ten championship game against Purdue at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022. /
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Michigan football returns the bulk of its 2022 offense, but who in 2023 could break out?

Michigan football in 2022 had plenty of breakout players, especially on offense. Colston Loveland, Luke Schoonmaker, and Donovan Edwards all earned key roles as the season progressed. In 2023, there is more potential for breakouts, and there are a couple of likely candidates.

The Michigan offense looks capable of winning a national title, but it’ll need to have a few players step up to reach that potential. With that said, let’s dive right into three players on offense who could have breakout seasons in 2023.

WR Darrius Clemons

The first wide receiver on this list, Clemons is a player it’s easy to get excited about. At 6’3 214 pounds, Clemons has the frame and athleticism to be the best wide receiver Jim Harbaugh has had. The question is can he reach that potential.

Clemons struggled mightily during his freshman season and didn’t see too many opportunities outside of blocking duties. The rough adjustment from high school defensive backs to college defensive backs definitely seemed visible.

In 2023, however, all indications are that Clemons has been working nonstop to prove himself. He’s been mentioned as one of the hardest workers on the team, and it seems like he has a chip on his shoulder.

Clemons is willing to put in the work necessary to succeed, so now he must make the most of his opportunities. Early in the season, everybody is going to get playing time. With Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson returning at the wide receiver position, Clemons is going to have to really step up if he wants meaningful playing time. And I think he will.

I expect to see Clemons on the field a lot during the first three weeks of the season, and I think he’ll make the most of his opportunities. I’m not willing to predict that he’ll be a full-time starter by the end of the season due to the run-first nature of the offense, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

Clemons will be a top-four receiver on the team this season, and I’m willing to bet that he’ll get plenty of meaningful playing time. He caught just one pass for seven yards last season. I think he’ll at least reach 150-300 yards this season, with some big moments.

While those stats don’t jump off the screen, it’s his potential that earns him a spot on this list. He could, realistically, be the best wide receiver on the Michigan football team by the end of the season. We just don’t know.

But for now, I’m comfortable with the 150-300 yard range for Clemons.

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