Early signing day has come and gone, with Michigan Wolverines football currently having the No. 11 class in the country for the 2021 cycle, a group with several gems.

As with every incoming freshman class, several will be projects before they see the field, while others will be see playing time right away. Here, we identify and break down the five most likely to make an immediate impact.

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Michigan had issues, to say the least, at the quarterback spot for much of this past season, with redshirt sophomore Joe Milton not living up to the preseason hype (and playing injured for a portion of the season). Redshirt sophomore Cade McNamara took over the job while leading U-M to a comeback win over Rutgers, but was hurt one quarter into his first start the next week against Penn State.

Will Milton transfer since he appeared to get passed up by the more impressive McNamara? If that's the case, McCarthy will only be 132 snaps behind the most experienced signal-caller on the roster.

Long thought of to be the quarterback of the future, McCarthy may quickly become the quarterback of the present, depending on how roster composition at the spot plays out and how well he can acclimate himself to the college game.

This may come as a surprise, but Doman might be the most likely out of the group of incoming freshmen to actually start at a position.

During his prep senior season, Doman averaged 44.8 yards on 17 punts with a long of 53 yards and registered 10 punts inside the 20-yard line. As a place kicker, he converted 6-of-7 field goals and all 13 PATs during his senior season. Nineteen of his 24 kickoffs went for touchbacks.

He will come in and be able to compete with fifth-year senior Brad Robbins, who was stellar this year, for the punting duties, while he may also be able to beat out senior Jake Moody for the kickoff job (especially since Moody will likely be the place kicker this season).

Michigan is desperate for playmakers at the wideout position, meaning the door is wide open for Worthy to step in and provide some much-needed help. At 6-1, 160 pounds, Worthy is twitchy and a burner (10.55 100-meter dash as a prep sophomore), and can line up either in the slot or out wide.

"He’s a very, very dynamic football player," head coach Jim Harbaugh said on signing day.

Michigan's isn't slated to lose any wide receiver production, unless one or two transfer, but there just wasn't enough talent on the field this past season to say anybody's job is safe, other than will-be senior Ronnie Bell, who led the club in receiving yards for a second-straight year.

While it's certainly not likely Edwards is the starting tailback, Michigan isn't adverse to starting a true freshman at the position, as evidenced by Zach Charbonnet earning that role in 2019. The Wolverines have talent in that room, with redshirt junior Hassan Haskins, Charbonnet and sophomore Blake Corum all being significant options.

But Edwards is talented enough to receive early playing time, and his versatility will be a big reason for that. He actually came into high school wanting to be a wide receiver, and that's where he lined up quite a bit at West Bloomfield. At the same time, he is a true running back and can play that role as well.

Edwards racked up 1,021 rushing yards and scored 17 touchdowns in nine games as a senior, while also adding 153 receiving yards and three scores.

"By your talent and by your effort you shall be known," Harbaugh has said in the past, and he certainly loves what Edwards brings in both departments.

"He wants to get in the weight room, wants to train, wants to run, wants to practice," the head coach said of Edwards. "He’s a real example."

A versatile competitor that can play all three spots in the linebacking corps, Colson flies all over the field, and that's what Harbaugh and Co. love the most about him. Colson accumulated 101 tackles and seven sacks in eight games this past high school season.

"He’s never out of a play, one of the real things about a linebacker I love [is] showing up in the picture when you look at film," Harbaugh said. "You always see Junior running, and he’s got really great size, too."

The Wolverines were weak at linebacker this season, especially when Cameron McGrone went down with an injury — even though McGrone was less than impressive. In a position group that lacked speed in 2020, Colson could add a major boost.

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