Kyle Whittingham has been known for the past two decades as one of the best head coaches in college football.
Now, as the head coach of Michigan football, Whittingham will have the chance to prove it at the highest level. The Wolverines are able to recruit the kind of talent needed to compete for and win national championships.
If you doubt that, just look at the Wolverines 2026 recruiting class. Technically, Salesi Moa is part of the transfer class, but there are two five-star signees and four top-100 prospects joining the class, according to the 247 Sports composite rankings.
Michigan football fans have heard a ton about Savion Hiter. He was shown breaking off a long run for a touchdown during the Wolverines scrimmage on Saturday. He's going to play a lot. We analyze his role a little deeper, and look at five other freshmen who will significant roles this season.
Savion Hiter
We wrote an article recently about Michigan starters who should be looking over their shoulders. Jordan Marshall doesn't need to do that, but Savion Hiter is coming up in the rearview mirror.
It's a good thing there will be plenty of touches for both. As the Wolverines learned last season, and the past few years really, like when Blake Corum broke down in 2022, it's not hard to wear out a running back in the Big Ten. Justice Haynes made it half the season.
The Wolverines will need both backs. It should be a 1A/1B type of situation, and as Whittingham said, this might be the best running back room in college football.
Carter Meadows
The five-star EDGE is Michigan's highest-rated recruit in the 2026 class. He's No. 9 overall. Hiter is No. 12. Meadows was a summer arrival, so that has slowed down his timeline a little, yet he arrived for fall camp at 6-foot-7, 252 pounds. Some have said he's closer to 270.
Either way, Meadows doesn't look like a freshman. He's got freakish ability on the EDGE, and could be the best pass rusher this program has had since Aidan Hutchinson.
It might be too much to expect Meadows to start this season, but he should get some pass-rush opportunities as the season moves along. Defensive lineman can take time to transition. So keep the expectations tempered a little. Meadows will see the field this season, though.
Titan Davis
Checking in at 6-foot-4, 286 pounds, Davis was another top-100 signee. Michigan football beat out Alabama and others for the blue-chip defensive tackle, who has generated positive buzz since his arrival.
#Michigan DT coach Larry Black says it’s a challenge coming in later and going through the Bridge program, but DT Alister Vallejo and DT Titan Davis has progressed and gotten better.
— Brice Marich (@BriceMarich) August 17, 2026
He adds stock up on those two.
On Monday, Michigan football D-line coach Larry Black said that the stock on Davis was up. Trey Pierce, Enow Etta, and Jonah Lea'ea are the clear starters. After that, it's wide open, and Davis seems like another player who will be hard to keep off the field.
Alister Vallejo
When Black mentioned the stock was rising for Davis, he said the same thing about Vallejo, another player who arrived in the summer. That makes it more difficult to play right away, but Meadows, Vallejo, and Davis have continued to impress.
Plenty have compared Vallejo, the 6-foot-4, 303-pound defensive tackle to Mason Graham. He had five sacks last season as a high school senior and seems like another player who will find his way into the rotation this season.
Three veterans, plus some others like Deyvid Palepale will get a lot of snaps; However, it feels like Davis and Vallejo will have their roles by the end of the season, too.
Travis Johnson
Another Michigan football freshman who has turned heads during fall camp. Johnson has been a constant presence in the highlight videos, making contested catches. The 6-foot-3 freshman was ranked No. 125 overall via the 247 Sports composite rankings.
Andrew Marsh and J.J. Buchanan are the top two wideouts. Jaime Ffrench is having a strong camp, too. He might be No. 3 to start, but keep an eye on Johnson. He should see plenty of targets right away in the 2026 season, especially with his size on the outside. The freshman seems to have a knack for jump balls, too.
Salesi Moa
Another top-100 signee, Moa transferred to Michigan after withdrawing his letter of intent with the Utah Utes. The 6-foot-2 receiver, who is a dynamic athlete, caught 226 passes for 3,757 yards and 44 touchdowns during high school.
Micah Simon, the Michigan wide receivers coach, said that there was a "very realistic" chance that Moa and Johnson would see meaningful snaps this season.
Channing Goodwin is the forgotten man. He's a stellar blocker, too. You can expect him to play alongside Marsh, Buchanan, and Ffrench. Yet, the two true freshmen should have something to say about a wide receiver room that suddenly feels loaded with talent.
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