ESPN flags Michigan football wide receivers as key concern for 2025 despite new additions

USA Today

09-07-2025

Michigan football finished the 2024 season about as good as any team (other than Ohio State, the eventual national champion) could, having beaten that same Ohio State team as well as Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl. But it was the defense and somewhat timely offensive production that carried those days -- not the offense as a whole.
The Wolverines are hoping that the offense is a bit more consistent in 2025, with new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey leading the charge and with No. 1 overall player in the 2025 recruiting class, quarterback Bryce Underwood, likely to start as a true freshman. While the quarterback position was likely the biggest culprit in terms of the team's struggles a year ago, that's not the area of the offense that ESPN thinks could trip Michigan football up this season.
It's the quarterback's targets.
On Wednesday, ESPN revealed the weaknesses for each of the contending preseason teams in college football and surmises that wideout might be a bit of a question mark for the maize and blue.
Area of concern: Wide receiver
The Wolverines ranked 129th last season with just 1,678 passing yards. Quarterback play was part of the issue, as Michigan cycled through three quarterbacks (Davis Warren, Jack Tuttle and Alex Orji) in its first season after losing national champion JJ McCarthy. But Michigan's receivers collectively didn't make enough plays, as no wideout caught more than 27 passes or totaled more than 248 yards. The onus will be even greater on Michigan's receivers with tight end Colston Loveland -- the Wolverines' only reliable target last year -- now playing for the Chicago Bears. Instant impact from transfers Anthony Simpson (UMass) and Donaven McCulley (Indiana), combined with internal improvement from the likes of Fredrick Moore and Semaj Morgan, will be paramount if Michigan is going to threaten opposing defensive backfields in 2025
Appearing on In the Trenches in May, assistant wide receivers coach Soup Campbell noted that there's a lot of talent in the wide receiver room, even if it hasn't quite yet been maximized.
"Talented group," Campbell said. "I think this group is a bunch of underachievers who the sky's gonna be the limit for them, and see how the season goes. And I think we have the talent to make some things happen."
And wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy thinks big things are coming for the aforementioned Indiana transfer, Donaven McCulley, who has all of the requisites to be the next great Michigan football receiver.
"He's the oldest guy in the room, has the most experience," Bellamy said in spring ball. "He's played over 1,000 snaps in his college career. So, quite naturally, you would think he would be the next guy on the room and on the wall. And that's what he's ascending to.
"He's on track. I'll tell you what, he's on track to do that. He's got to keep attacking it and challenging himself every day, which, like I say, he's been a great addition thus far."
Though the two transfers and Morgan and Moore are mentioned by ESPN, the Wolverines are also hoping to get some solid production from players such as true freshmen Jamar Browder and Andrew Marsh, as well as sophomore Channing Goodwin (who had the most targets in the spring game), and an emerging tight ends and fullback unit.