Michigan Football Sleepers For 2023: Wide Receiver
Michigan has stacked up two incredible seasons in a row and is riding as high as ever under Jim Harbaugh. In fact, the Wolverines are returning 81% of its production from last year's team, which included a win over Ohio State, a Big Ten title and a second straight appearance in the College Football Playoff. That production mark is good for 5th in the entire country and 1st in the Big Ten. Because of that, there aren't many question marks on the roster.
Conversely, there are quite a few positions that are completely solidified — quarterback and running back being two of them. At wide receiver, however, there is going to be some opportunity for some new leaders in the clubhouse when it comes to receptions and yards. With Ronnie Bell and Luke Schoonmaker now in the league, and AJ Henning now in Evanston, there are some catches to go around. Cornelius Johnson and his 32 catches for 499 yards and six touchdowns are back, as is Roman Wilson, who caught 25 balls for 376 yards and four scores, but behind them there isn't much returning production to speak of. Amorion Walker now appears to be playing cornerback exclusively, so that leaves the door pretty open for some other to step up. Insert my WR sleeper — Tyler Morris.
Last year, after the spring game, everyone was clamoring to see more of Darrius Clemons. Then, as the season got closer, everyone started to get more intrigued by Walker because of his size-length-speed-quickness combination. But at the end of the 2022 season, it was Morris who led the trio of freshmen in receptions and yards. Granted, Morris had just three grabs for 25 yards, but that was still more than Clemons' and Walker's two for 11 yards combined.
With Johnson staying right where he's at, and Wilson looking like he could take Bell's spot, it makes sense that a player like Morris would slide in and become the "new Roman Wilson". They are similarly built, good in space and provide some excellent run-after-the-catch ability.
There's an opportunity for all of the young wide receivers, but Morris sticks out to me, just a bit. He does have the one year under his belt, he's confident now that he's back from injury and he does have a long-standing rapport with JJ McCarthy from their time at Nazareth Academy. For those reasons, I see Morris stepping up and becoming WR3 in this year's offense.
