Michigan’s fall camp roster opened with two notable absences Tuesday, as defensive back Taylor Tatum and wide receiver C.J. Charleston were no longer listed when the program reported for its first day of practice.
A Michigan spokesman confirmed to the Free Press that neither player was still with the team.
Tatum arrived at U-M this offseason after transferring from Oklahoma, where he was the top-ranked running back recruit in the class of 2024, according to 247Sports. Michigan had been working to shift him to defensive back, a move the Free Press first reported. Safeties coach Tyler Stockton laid out the thinking earlier this offseason on the program’s “In The Trenches” podcast.
"We thought that Taylor Tatum had a unique skill set from an explosive standpoint, a ball skills standpoint, because he’s also a baseball player, as well,” Stockton said.
“He’s just scratching the surface. ... This was his first time ever backpedaling. It fires me up because you’ve got a piece of clay that you can just fine-tune and make him into a great player."
At Oklahoma, Tatum played in one collegiate season, rushing 56 times for 278 yards and three touchdowns while adding five catches for 41 yards and a touchdown. His sophomore season was derailed by a hamstring injury, limiting him to one game and one carry for minus-1 yard.
Tatum also came to Michigan with the intention of playing outfield for Tracy Smith’s baseball team, though his late arrival kept him out of games last season. It is not clear whether he will stay with the baseball program. The 5-foot-10, 212-pound athlete has three years of eligibility left.
Charleston’s exit comes after a winding college career that stretched into his seventh season. He still appeared to have one season remaining, since he was listed on Michigan’s spring roster.
The wideout transferred to U-M before the 2024 season but made only a small mark on the field. He played in 10 games and started two, finished with one 22-yard catch, and also recovered a fumble on special teams. His best statistical season came in 2023 at Youngstown State, when he hauled in 33 passes for 467 yards and four touchdowns.
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