These Guys Are Freshmen?!

Sometimes freshmen show up on campus looking like seniors ready for the NFL.

Just like we said a few days ago, there's more to football than height, weight, speed and strength. That's definitely true with freshmen, who are trying to adjust to a much more difficult level of football, and oftentimes need a year or two in a program to be physically ready for the Division I stage. However, sometimes youngsters step on campus looking like they've already been there for four or five years. That's exactly what I thought when I saw these five guys roaming around Grand Ledge for the National Guard event on Friday.

1. Darrius Clemons

A couple of days ago, I put together a "First Off The Bus" Team, which highlighted returning players who really look the part as they ready themselves for the 2022 season. The stipulation of "returning" is the only reason Clemons wasn't on that list. This kid looks more ready for the NFL Combine than he does his freshman year of college. If you could make a wide receiver in a lab, he'd look like Clemons. I'd be willing to bet he's larger than his listed 6-3, 205 pounds and we all got a small glimpse of his speed and ability during the spring game. If Michigan's wide receiver room wasn't so loaded, I'd bet on Clemons to have a big rookie season.

2. Derrick Moore

I don't know if it's the single digit as a defensive end or what, but at 6-4, 250 pounds, Moore looks ready to contribute in year one, and with Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo off to the NFL, he might just get a chance to do so. Walking by Moore in person it's really hard to believe that he's just 19 years old. He's high-cut with long arms and is extremely solid. You don't see any of that thinness you usually see with freshmen and he honestly doesn't look like he needs to add any weight in order to play a lot. He likely will reshape his body a bit and add weight, but the young freshman is physically ready to play right now.

3. Alex Orji

I'm sorry, but freshmen quarterbacks just aren't supposed to look like that...and that picture is more than a year old. Now, Orji is listed at 226 pounds, which is probably a bit modest, and he looks like he should be on the field in year one — somewhere. And that's where the discussion starts with Orji. Michigan's quarterback situation is already muddy with Cade McNamara trying to fend off the uber-talented JJ McCarthy, so there's probably no shot for Orji to get meaningful reps under center in year one. Some schools wanted Orji as a linebacker or somewhere else in the backfield, and that may end up being his future because of how he's built and what he brings to the table athletically. 

4. Colston Loveland

Tight end is another position where Michigan doesn't really need any help, but Loveland looks up to the task. He made at least one big play in the spring game and no longer looks like a long-haired, oversized high school wide receiver like he did as a recruit. Being enrolled since January has been great for the Idaho native. Listed at 6-5, 230 pounds, I'd wager a lot of money that Loveland is heavier than that now and still fast and athletic enough to go toe-to-toe with U-M's talented tight end duo, Erick All and Luke Schoonmaker.

5. Amorion Walker

Walker's presence on this list may surprise some since he was billed as a very lean wide receiver prospect coming out of high school, but he has a look about him. He's listed at 180 pounds and, while he is still thin, I'm sure he's heavier than that now and he just looks like a problem at wide receiver because of his length — he's every bit of his listed 6-4. Again, he might not be needed in year one since U-M is loaded at the position, but the freshman was described as a "freak" by Jim Harbaugh in the spring because of his smoothness, speed and leaping ability, and it's easy to envision him beating a cornerback deep or taking a 50/50 ball off a safety's head.