Michigan football is only three days into fall camp, but a few names are already making themselves impossible to ignore. Bryce Underwood has drawn the loudest buzz so far, with his throwing motion looking cleaner in the early glimpses available. And while the quarterback’s upward trend has been the headline, he’s not the only Wolverine whose value seems to be climbing fast.
JJ Buchanan is one of the biggest early movers. The Utah transfer is listed at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, and he’s already showing exactly why that frame matters.
Underwood has connected with Buchanan on a pair of back-shoulder fades, a sign that Buchanan can win in tight spaces and go attack the football. He also brings something extra after the catch.
Last season, almost half of his production came over the final three games, when he averaged 71 receiving yards per contest and posted at least one catch of 29 yards or more in each of those games. He’s been getting plenty of offseason attention, but the buzz hasn’t reached its ceiling yet.
Andrew Babalola is another player worth watching closely. At 6-foot-6 and 314 pounds, the offensive tackle looks the part, and Kyle Whittingham has already made it clear he views Babalola as an NFL-caliber player and as a tackle for Michigan.
That matters, because Blake Frazier finished last season as the starting left tackle and won’t be easy to push aside after the gains he’s made in the weight room. Still, Babalola has put himself in the conversation.
He’s fully healthy, not operating on any kind of pitch count, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he eventually works his way into the starting left tackle job at some point this season.
Rod Moore’s situation is different, but his stock is rising for a reason of its own. The last two years have hurt him not because of poor play, but because injuries have kept him off the field.
He played only four games last season after being an All-Big Ten performer before that, and a season-ending injury in the spring of 2024 set him back again. Defensive coordinator Jay Hill said Moore was on a pitch count, but Moore said he expects to be ready for Week 1.
If he’s truly back to full strength, Michigan could have a big season from him.
In Other News...
Michigans New Staff Faces Two Camp Battles That Will Shape Everything
Fall camp has already started to reveal what this new Michigan staff wants to become, and the early message from assistants Jim Harding and Kerry Coombs was rooted in the same place: competition. Coombs talked about the special teams work that has been part of the day-to-day focus under head coach Kyle Whittingham, while Harding pointed to the offensive line as one of the rosters strongest and most flexible groups as the Wolverines prepare for the season ahead.
For a staff trying to establish its identity quickly, those two areas matter as much as any headline battle on offense or defense. Michigan wants a physical edge, but it also wants stability in the hidden phases of the game and enough line depth to keep the whole operation moving. The picture is encouraging, even if a couple of the most important decisions still have to sort themselves out before kickoff week. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Underwood Is Giving Michigan Fans Real Hope Before Oklahoma
Michigans early practice clips have given fans a first real glimpse of Bryce Underwood working with the offense, and the images have been enough to stir up some optimism. The quarterback has been seen finding receivers JJ Buchanan and Andrew Marsh, a welcome sign as Michigan continues building toward a season that will hinge in part on how quickly its young passer settles in.
The encouraging part is not just that the ball is getting out, but the way Underwood appears to be operating in those snippets. His throwing motion and footwork look cleaner than they did a year ago, even if the evidence so far comes from limited footage and nothing close to game pressure. The next and much more meaningful check on that progress comes when Michigan meets Oklahoma, where the noise of practice will give way to something far less forgiving. [Read more 🡒]
Jordan Marshall Fuels Michigan Hype Around Three Intriguing Young Names
Jordan Marshall has become one of the more interesting voices coming out of Michigans fall camp, and not just because he plays a position where the Wolverines are always looking for answers. In a recent interview, the running back talked through the offseason developments he has seen up close, offering a candid look at the young talent around the program and the buzz building as camp unfolds.
Marshalls praise centered on three names that figure to matter in Michigans next wave. He pointed to Bryce Underwood as a future Heisman candidate, while also identifying Savion Hiter and Dominic Nichols as players who could be in line for breakout seasons. It is the kind of internal optimism every program has in August, but when it comes from a player who has been around the field and the huddle, it carries a little more weight. [Read more 🡒]