There is plenty to be excited about for the Wolverines as we approach the final game of the 2024 season. Their 2025 recruiting class is top-10 nationally and Michigan football has reloaded at several positions in the transfer portal. Most importantly, they hope to have their next great quarterback in the form of Bryce Underwood. Unfortunately, one obvious issue remains for the maize and blue.
The receiver position looks to be the weakest on the field for Michigan football entering the offseason. The losses of Colston Loveland to the draft and Tyler Morris to the portal (who combined for seventy-nine catches last season) further aggravate the issue. Loveland led the team in every major receiving category while Morris led all wide receivers on the team at receiving yards and touchdowns. Receiver has been their biggest need in the portal, but results have been lackluster.
Michigan football hasn't added a star wide receiver via transfer portal
Additions like Anthony Simpson (Umass) and Donaven McCulley (Indiana) feel like consolation prizes more than they do home runs. Simpson is outside the top 1,000 players in the portal and is something of a wild card coming from a program like UMass. McCulley had a solid 2023 but only caught two passes in 2024. Players like Semaj Morgan at receiver and Marlin Klein at tight end will have to step up in a big way for their incoming superstar quarterback. That returning duo only combined for one receiving touchdown last year but was obviously hindered by Michigan's revolving door at quarterback.
Wide receiver has not been a bright spot for Michigan football for the last twenty years. The last time a Michigan receiver went in the first round of the NFL draft was Braylon Edwards in 2005. For comparison, the Ohio State Buckeyes have seen seven receivers go in the first round since then.
However, that very same disparity was present during Michigan's recent three-year run of dominance from 2021 to 2023. Some of Michigan's best receivers in that span were Ronnie Bell and Roman Wilson, who are far from the same players as the likes of Garrett Wilson or Chris Olave.
Can Sherrone Moore leverage the rest of the roster to compensate for their lack of proven receiving talent? Jim Harbaugh eventually found a way to win despite roster disadvantages against Ohio State, with Moore now inheriting the same problem. He has proven he can beat Ohio State, now he has the added pressure of making Bryce Underwood a productive quarterback while getting back to national championship contention.
Based on their current outlook, Michigan football will again have to solve the problem of winning without the best receivers on the field.