Michigan football fall camp is in full swing, and while some players, like Bryce Underwood, are getting plenty of hype, as he should, there are others who are going unnoticed.
One of those players is wide receiver Channing Goodwin. The former three-star wide receiver, who is the son of a Michigan football offensive lineman, is the forgotten man in the receiver room among the fans, not the players.
After making zero catches in 2024, Goodwin caught 12 passes for 148 yards. Most of that production came early in the season. His role faded somewhat as the season went on, but Goodwin is having a strong fall camp, according to offensive lineman Andrew Sprague, who called him the most overlooked player on the team.
#Michigan OT Andrew Sprague says WR Channing Goodwin might be the most overlooked player by fans when it comes to the offense right now, but will make an impact this season.
— Brice Marich (@BriceMarich) August 13, 2026
He ended practice with a long TD catch yesterday. .
On defense, he says his pick is DL Jonah Lea’lea.
Sprague, the expected starter at right tackle, said Goodwin would make an impact this season. It's easy to overlook him at receiver with Andrew Marsh and J.J. Buchanan, who have been standing out along with freshmen such as Salesi Moa or Travis Johnson.
However, Goodwin is the perfect dude to find a role playing for Kyle Whittingham. He's one of the best wide receiver blockers on the team, if not the best. He might be one of the best in the conference.
That doesn't seem valuable, but in the running game, in the screen game, it is. You need players who can block on the perimeter. It's something Cornelius Johnson never got enough credit for.
Teams that create explosive plays in the running game have receivers who can block, so don't be surprised if Goodwin plays more than expected this season.
A Michigan football defender who will be an impact player, too
Sprague singled out a player on defense, too, Utah transfer Jonah Lea’lea. The defensive tackle played in all 13 games for Utah last season, getting credited with 38 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and one sack.
Lea'ea, like Goodwin, hasn't been talked about enough. He's going to be a starter for the Wolverines, or at least play starting-level snaps. Trey Pierce and Enow Etta are the top two at defensive tackle, but Lea'ea isn't far behind.
Whether it has been players or Michigan football head coach Kyle Whittingham, the praise for the defensive line has been effusive. Whittingham predicted that it would be a strength of the team. The development of Lea'ea certainly could be a factor in that.
Like Goodwin, Lea'ea is a name Michigan fans should get familar with.
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