Michigan football needed to address the wide receiver position. It was one of the biggest needs coming out of spring ball and on Wednesday, the Wolverines addressed the need with not one, but two transfer portal additions.
One of those is former Michigan football player Amorion Walker. The 6-foot-3 ,180-pound athlete played cornerback and wide receiver with the Wolverines. He was expected to start at cornerback last season but it didn't work out and he transferred to play receiver at Ole Miss.
All of sudden, with Michigan football needing a big, talented wideout, Walker was back in the portal. Michigan was able to land him. The Wolverines also grabbed C.J. Charleston, a 6-foot pass catcher from Youngstown State, and here are three thoughts on the wide receiver position.
Walker offers home-run upside
The Wolverines needed to add depth, but they have guys who have proven they can produce in the Big Ten. Semaj Morgan made plenty of plays as a freshman and I expect a breakout season of sorts. Tyler Morris is in that same boat. He caught a touchdown pass in the Rose Bowl, and Frederick Moore played very well in the spring game.
Still, there wasn't a guy like Walker. None of the holdovers had his combination of size and speed. Walker hasn't reached his potential yet. But he made "the Freaks list" of Bruce Feldman for a reason. He's incredibly quick and he could have a real future.
Allowing him to focus on wide receiver should help. I don't expect him to be the No. 1 but he could develop into that. He can at least keep defenses honest and it will be fun to see what he can do just being focused on one position.
Don't sleep on C.J. Charleston
It would be easy to scoff at the addition of C.J. Charleston. He only has 53 receptions in his career but he did catch 33 passes for 503 yards and four touchdowns last season.
Charleston is from Ohio and he's 6-foot. He can play on the outside or in the slot. He's got good ball skill and he's a reliable pass catcher. I don't believe he'll finish in the top three of receptions for Michigan football but you never know.
FCS kids can play too. In a different system, you never know how it will work out. His versatility will help the Wolverines and if there is an injury, Charleston can help at multiple slots just like Morgan, Morris, and Moore.
Charleston is a veteran though. A 500-yard season is a 500-yard season especially in college football. He'll be an important presence in the room and you can never have enough depth. Charleston's best football might be ahead of him and he has a chance at Michigan to make a name for himself.
Is the wide receiver room good enough?
There's no doubt that there is going to be a drop off from last season. Michigan football had two wide receivers drafted. Roman Wilson could do it all. He could get deep, line up in the slot, run crossers and just knew how to get open. He had great hands too in addition to great speed.
Moore, Morris, and Morgan have a lot of those same traits. Just look at the Morris touchdown reception in the Rose Bowl or the Semaj reception against Rutgers. There is talent in the wide receiver room but the quarterback is a question mark.
The running game is going to be more of a focal point. Alex Orji is likely going to be the starter and while he'll throw the ball, his legs are going to be dangerous too. We saw some good things out of Davis Warren and the good news is that whoever plays quarterback will have Walker and Charleston to throw the ball to.
That should make the transition easier. It also takes pressure off with Colston Loveland and all the talent at tight end. But there's no question, Michigan football has raised the floor of the wide receiver room this spring which is exactly what was needed.