Freshman receivers have generally had good, not great seasons for Michigan over the years, with only one in recent memory … Martavious Odoms in 2008 … leading the team in yardage.
This could be the year that changes. In fact, some believe it would be surprising if it weren’t. Freshmen phenoms Tarik Black and Donovan Peoples-Jones have been extremely impressive since the spring, and Oliver Martin and Nico Collins aren’t far behind.
The Wolverines lost starters and veterans Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson to the NFL, leaving junior Grant Perry as the team’s leading returning receiver. Perry notched only 183 yards a year ago. None of the other returning receivers or tight ends even broke 100. Fullback Khalid Hill, in fact, topped all of them with his 118 yards.
So who is ‘the guy’ this year when it comes to leading the team in receiving yardage? Here are our thoughts:
CHRIS BALAS: Anthony Carter, David Terrell, Braylon Edwards, Desmond Howard, Derrick Alexander, Jason Avant … none of these guys had huge freshman years, and they are the recent best of the best to have work the winged helmet.
This is the year, though, that a true frosh leads Michigan in receiving, only it won’t be the guy many believe. Five-star Peoples-Jones will contribute this year, but his roommate — Black — is going to be the Wolverines’ top pass catcher (yardage-wise), and it says here he’ll be in line for Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors.
Black had an outstanding spring, and by all accounts his fall has been just as productive. His spring game performance showed what he can do, and he’s only going to get better. He’ll lead a talent group of freshman that has a chance to be U-M’s best of all time when it’s all said and done.
JOHN BORTON: Projecting a leading receiver for Michigan in 2017 is a little like choosing a choosing the winner of The Masters prior to the first tee shot. There are a half-dozen potential candidates, depending on health, development, and the vagaries of the college football season.
It’s historically poor policy to pick a true freshman in these instances, but we’re going there anyway. True frosh Tarik Black appeared the best Michigan has going at numerous times since he arrived in January, including in the spring game and in spots during fall camp.
Of course, his own classmate, Donovan Peoples-Jones, could have something to say about that. Sophomores Kekoa Crawford and Eddie McDoom might object, along with junior Grant Perry. It’s possible the Wolverines could feature four wideouts with 400-plus yards in catches, but this is the rare year in which a rookie might pace the pack.
BRANDON BROWN: Who will lead Michigan in receiving is a bit of a trick question. I think sophomore wide receiver Kekoa Crawford or junior wide receiver Grant Perry could lead the team in receptions, but I believe it will be freshman stud Donovan Peoples-Jones who leads the team in yards and touchdowns. Peoples-Jones is arguably the best athlete on the entire roster, and I think at some point, early, it’s going to click for him and he’s going to become a real weapon for (likely) Wilton Speight.
Fellow freshman Tarik Black along with sophomores Nate Johnson and Eddie McDoom have also been good this fall, so it’s going to be really fun to watch Michigan’s unpredictable offense perform. Sprinkle in a few talented tight ends in Ian Bunting, Tyrone Wheatley Jr. and Sean McKeon along with Chris Evans out of the backfield and you have a very multifaceted attack that could be really, really productive.
AUSTIN FOX: Wide receiver is perhaps the most intriguing position group on Michigan’s whole team, just because it is filled with so much youth and inexperience.
With that being said, it’s also loaded with talent and potential, even if most of the players haven’t done much — or anything, in the case of the freshmen — on the field yet.
A freshman has led Michigan in receiving yards only one time in school history — Martavious Odoms in 2008, with 443 — but there’s a decent chance it could happen again in 2017.
Most people seem to be split between Donovan Peoples-Jones and Tarik Black when deciding on the team’s top receiver, but I’ll give a slight edge to the former. It’s safe to assume the top two or three pass-catchers for Michigan this season will all have similar numbers, as Peoples-Jones, Black and sophomore Kekoa Crawford could all eclipse 500 yards.
With that in mind, I’ll say Peoples-Jones leads the team with 650 yards, while Black and Crawford finish in a virtual tie for second with just under 600 yards.
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