COLUMN: Three Michigan Football Offensive Players To Have Breakout 2023 Campaign
Michigan is coming off of another fantastic football season that ended painfully. The Wolverines went 12-0 in the regular season with a triumphant win over Ohio State in The 'Shoe. After defeating Purdue in the Big Ten Championship game, the Wolverines lost against TCU in the College Football Playoff semifinal.
The Wolverines are hoping to turn back-to-back CFP losses in the past two seasons into something much bigger in 2023. Luckily, the maize and blue do return a ton of talent and starters -- including quarterback J.J. McCarthy and Heisman contender, Blake Corum.
Although Michigan returns so many starters on the offensive side of the ball, there is always a need for other players to step up and have 'breakout' seasons.
So who is 2023's version of Luke Schoonmaker? Here are three offensive players I believe are going to break out in '23.
Roman Wilson
With the loss of Ronnie Bell, Roman Wilson should become a starter this season.
Ronnie Bell is now gone and off to the NFL, which makes Cornelius Johnson the No. 1 guy heading into fall camp. This also makes Roman Wilson a solidified starter and the No. 2 receiver.
Wilson came onto the scene in 2020 and flashed big-play potential. In 2021, he was third on the team -- as a sophomore -- catching 25 balls, 420 yards, and three touchdowns. The Hawaii native took a hit in production in 2022. He played in 12 games, and was fourth on the team in receptions with 25 catches, 376 receiving yards, and four touchdowns scored.
Wilson is arguably the fastest player on the team and has that big-play ability he has shown to have. Look at the TCU game last year. He caught five passes for 104 yards, and a touchdown.
According to PFF, Wilson is the highest-graded returning receiver at Michigan. He had a 70.5 grade a season ago and with lining up in the slot 90% of the time in 2022, he has the ability to catch in traffic and outrun the opposing defender.
It truly feels like 2023 is shaping up to be Wilson's season. Johnson will be entrenched as a starter and a solid possession guy, but Wilson should be the deep threat J.J. McCarthy can utilize -- especially in play action.
Colston Loveland
Colston Loveland should lead the tight end room now that Luke Schoonmaker is gone.
Colston Loveland came to Michigan as a four-star recruit and the top-ranked prospect out of Idaho. Little did he know, he would be forced into action -- with a significant role -- in 2022. Tight end Erick All went down almost instantly in '22 which led to Luke Schoonmaker having a breakout season.
As we all know by now, Jim Harbaugh loves his tight ends and the Wolverines almost always have two or more tight ends in the game at one time. Loveland become TE No. 2 and he thrived as a true freshman. He ended the '22 season with 16 receptions, 235 yards, and two touchdowns.
Michigan went out and landed Indiana transfer AJ Barner to solidify the depth at tight end, but it still should be Loveland as No. 1 entering the season. There have been statements made saying Loveland could be the best tight end in Michigan history and he is only a sophomore -- that's saying something.
The 6-foot-5 playmaker has the ability to bring anything down. He did have two drops a season ago, but he was tied with Roman Wilson by having a 75% contested catch rate. Those two were only behind Donovan Edwards who qualified with 10 or more targets.
The way Michigan likes using its tight ends, Loveland is in store for a monster season and could be known as one of the best tight ends in the country.
Benjamin Hall
The true freshman is battling for the No. 3 running back job.
You got to use perspective with this one.
Benjamin Hall, a true freshman, came to Michigan as a three-star recruit out of Georgia. But he plays much, much bigger than a three-star.
During the spring game, Hall led the team with 96 rushing yards and a score. He has the size of a bowling ball but has cutting ability and speed to go along with it. Mike Hart said after the game he reminded him of Hassan Haskins. Haskins always had the ability to carry piles and gain more yardage than he probably should have — something we saw from Hall. Coach Hart also brought up his former teammate, and five-star prospect, Kevin Grady.
CJ Stokes and Kalel Mullings are also battling for the No. 3 job behind Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards. It's an important job for several reasons. As the No. 3 back a season ago -- until he lost it to Mullings -- Stokes had 55 carries for 273 yards. That could be 55 big carries in a season.
The other reason this job is so big is due to injuries. As we saw last year, one play could make or break a season. Corum went down against Illinois and wasn't able to go anymore. That TCU game could've gone a different way with the Heisman-caliber back in the backfield to team up with Edwards.
If the Wolverines can get an established back to ease some burden off of the terrific starting duo, Michigan would be in the best running back situation in the country -- if it's not already.
I know Hall won't break out in terms of rushing for 1,000 yards, but if he can earn the No. 3 job and run for close to 500 yards per season, that would be a heck of a freshman campaign behind two stars.
