Michigan Football: Beyond the Depth Chart

Fall camp is right around the corner and while most attention is on the big questions around who will start for Michigan, there are position battles that will be taking place at every position all the way down the depth chart.

From freshman to former walk-ons these are five players I think could make their way into the two-deep and see the field, become solid contributors, or even more.

Tyler Morris is an early enrollee freshman who committed to the Wolverines early in the process. The former high school teammate of JJ McCarthy is part of what head coach Jim Harbaugh called a "freak show" WR class with Darrius Clemons and Amorion Walker.

Morris suffered an ACL tear his senior year in high school and was held out of contact drills this spring. He is expected to be a full go during fall camp and could climb the ladder quickly. The loaded WR room has been a topic all offseason, but Morris' name has not been mentioned often. He was a two-way athlete and track star in high school. Morris is getting a late start compared to fellow freaks Clemons and Walker, but his speed and vertical skills can not be taught and could get him on the field as a freshman.

Colston Loveland is another early enrollee freshman joining a crowded room, but this time at tight end. The Wolverines are loaded with the returns of Erick All and Luke Schoonmaker. Former offensive lineman Joel Honigford has transformed his body and looks to be a solid contributor as well.

Loveland is a unique talent at TE. He was a talented basketball player in high school, he has top-end vertical and hand skills. Loveland fits the mold of more modern tight ends, at 6'5" 230lbs he is an athletic tight end or a monster wide receiver, however, you want to look at it.

His high school numbers were ridiculous with 235 receptions for 3,141 yards and 35 touchdowns. Loveland is an immense talent and could find his way onto the field early in 2022. We saw a little of what he can do during the spring game where he was on the receiving end of a trick play from Mackey Award Watch List TE Erick All.

I'm not sure there is a more underrated player on this roster than Jeffrey Persi. Michigan's success on the offensive line under coach Sherrone Moore is well known. The starters last season were so good that people are unaware of the depth available across the line.

Persi was a 4-star recruit in the 2020 class, one of the top 30 players in the state of California. Do you know how good you have to be one of the top 30 players in California? Persi is a converted tight end, so while he now stands 6'7" 305lbs, he has excellent footwork and body control, giving potential to be an elite LT someday.

Persi only saw the field a couple of times last season, and while I think Karsen Barnhart is likely to be the next man up in almost any depth situation on the offensive line, Persi should be right after him. The man he is currently behind at LT, Ryan Hayes, mentioned Persi as someone who had made a huge leap in the spring. Don't be surprised when Persi excels on the field when given the opportunity this year or when he starts in 2023.

As a two-sport athlete in Ann Arbor, Joey Velazquez has become a cult hero of sorts for the Michigan fan base. A lot of players say they want to play baseball and football when they commit to college and often decide to focus on just one sport. Even the ones who continue to try to do both rarely contribute to either sport, let alone both. Velazquez is different.

Velazquez has made his way up the old school way. Impressing on the scout team, making a big impact on special teams like recovering a fumble against Wisconsin, and seeing action at his position in mop-up duty at the end of games.

Now a Senior, Velazquez will surely continue to be an impact player on special teams, but with some lighter depth at LB than other positions on the defense, I expect him to be a solid contributor to the defense. There's no way around it, Velazquez's story is a Michigan story, it is the kind of story Jim Harbaugh loves, and it's a story that will continue will Joey Velazquez making plays for the Wolverines.

So take everything I just said about Velazquez being a Michigan story and multiply by 10 with Caden Kolesar. Kolesar, of course, is a third-generation legacy, his father John Kolesar was a Michigan wide receiver and teammate of Jim Harbaugh. You may have seen this play before.

Kolesar came to Michigan a preferred walk-on, a grayshirt recruit. He contributed to the scout team, earned his scholarship, and began to see snaps on special teams. Last season he played in all 14 games for Michigan. One of the better special teams players and a depth piece at safety. When Ronnie Bell was injured against Western Michigan, Kolesar was called on to return punts until other players were ready.

Look, if you're a Michigan fan, you know this story. We've seen it before and we love it every time. Michigan lost both of its starting safeties in Daxton Hill and Brad Hawkins. It has more than capable replacements in Rod Moore and RJ Moten, but there is a massive opportunity for Kolesar to be in the two-deep and see meaningful snaps for Michigan in 2022. He's going to make a massive play at some point this year, and the cameras will show him running to the sidelines to hug his father's teammate and his head coach Jim Harbaugh. I will love every second of it.

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