These Six Michigan Football Freshmen Are 'Asserting' Themselves And Have Been 'Outstanding' During Fall Practice

Jim Harbaugh appears to be really high on these six freshmen for the Wolverines.

Jim Harbaugh took the podium on Tuesday for media availability and there was plenty for the head coach to discuss. 

But one of the more interesting topics that's discussed every August is which freshmen are standing out?

The Wolverines didn't land a star-studded class in the 2023 cycle, but Michigan landed a good, solid class that should contribute for the next three-to-five years. 

Harbaugh told the media that Cornelius Johnson, Roman Wilson, and Tyler Morris were the starting three heading into the fall camp. But there are three freshmen wide receivers that are potentially working their way into the two deep. Harbaugh made it sound like they are way ahead of schedule heading into the 2023 season. 

"I'll start with three of the freshmen," said Harbaugh during media availability. "Karmello English, Fredrick Moore, and Semaj Morgan, those three, have really come in and asserted themselves right off the bat. They've taken reps with the ones, they've taken reps with the twos. They're not playing like freshmen. Karmello and Fredrick and Semaj, their ability to get out of the break, we haven't seen that from any freshmen, let alone too many receivers that have come through here. Their ability to track the ball -- Fredrick Moore's ability to track the ball is as good as I've seen. Semaj Morgan, quick, fast and shorter stature but a very big catch radius. He can catch the balls away from his body, he can high-point, he's been really good."

Photo by: Christopher Breiler

Then he flipped over to the defense. Harbaugh later mentioned three defensive backs: Jyaire Hill, Cam Calhoun, and DJ Waller. He said they are playing well and coming along.

But Harbaugh really likes what he sees from the young defensive linemen he recruited in the '23 cycle. He thinks Cameron Brandt, Enow Etta, and Trey Pierce could be in the rotation in 2023 -- they are playing that well.

"There's a great group of freshmen in Cameron Brandt, Enow Etta, Trey Pierce," Harbaugh said. "Those three have been outstanding and came in right on time. Just feel like that interior defensive line group has really been bolstered. We'll see who the fifth and sixth defensive linemen is --  who is going to be in that rotation. Definitely, those three will most likely be in that. That's how good they're playing."

Michigan begins its season on Sept. 2 against East Carolina.