Coach Moore talks Michigan wide receiver depth chart, incoming transfers

With Michigan losing its top two wide receivers from last season, there will be some new faces emerge in 2024.

Trent Knoop | Jul 27, 2024

Michigan wide receiver Fredrick Moore (3) warms up before the Indiana game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Wolverines' receiving corps is mostly unproven but there is some excitement surrounding the room. Michigan loses its top two wideouts from the 2023 national title team in Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson -- two guys who have been around the program for quite some time.

While it's never good to lose quality veterans, the young Michigan receivers are ready to emerge. The top two guys this season are presumingly Tyler Morris and Semaj Morgan. Both played a ton of snaps for the Wolverines last season. Morris had the play Michigan fans will always remember when he caught a drag route and took it the distance against Alabama during the Rose Bowl. Morris, a rising junior, has more speed than what people think of. He is also a skilled possession receiver who can be paired with Morgan as the one-two punch.

During Big Ten Media Days, Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore was asked about the depth in the receiving room. He talked about Morgan earlier -- how he's a great practice player, earned the 0 jersey, and got 4.0 grades -- but then he shifted his focus on Morris.

Jan 1, 2024; Pasadena, CA, USA; Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Tyler Morris (8) scores a touchdown against Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Kobe Prentice (6) in the second quarter in the 2024 Rose Bowl college football playoff semifinal game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports / Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

"Yeah, Tyler Morris has been awesome," Moore said. "He’s really taking on a leadership role. Obviously had the big play in the Rose Bowl, surprised people. Really didn’t surprise us but a guy that you know timed a 4.4 [40-yard dash] in high school. People forget, he was a highly-recruited kid but tore his ACL in high school and had been recovering and really, really ready to take the reins. He’s done an outstanding job."

But who exactly is behind Morgan and Morris? Moore believes the top guys as of now are Fredrick Moore, Kendrick Bell, and Amorion Walker. He also mentioned Peyton O'Leary who has had terrific springs the past few years for Michigan. He's also a guy that's ready to emerge.

"Fred Moore’s another guy who had a great spring," said Moore. "Kendrick Bell, younger brother of Ronnie Bell, has the ability to be great, really great. So excited for him. And then Amorion Walker, and then we talked about Semaj. So those are probably the top guys. Peyton O’Leary’s a guy we’re ready to see breakout. Had some good springs and really want to see what he does here in the fall and fall camp. And then our young guys see what they do."

Michigan fans are familiar with most of these guys. Kendrick Bell is a raw talent, but showed excitement this past April. Wolverines are also familiar with incoming transfer Amorion Walker who briefly left Michigan for Ole Miss. He's back to contend at the wide-out position, but the maize and blue also brought in Youngstown State veteran, C.J. Charleston. Moore was asked about both transfers and he had positive reviews.

"Yeah, C.J. Charleston, man, he’s a quick little cat," Moore said of the YSU transfer. "He’s gonna be great. But he’s just a great fit. Just a great fit for who we are, what we’re going to do. And Amorion, there’s a lot of familiarity with him. A guy we know, a guy that wanted to come back, and he’s talked to a lot of our players and he was just constantly wanting to come back and when the opportunity presented itself, said 'hey, let’s bring you back home'. So that’s what happened."

As fall camp fastly approaches, we will continue to update with any news on the Michigan wide receivers.

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