Michigan’s battle for the No. 3 receiver job is getting crowded fast, and fall camp has only sharpened the competition.
With the Wolverines less than three weeks from their 2026 season opener against Western Michigan on Sept. 5, the pecking order behind top targets Andrew Marsh and J.J. Buchanan is still unsettled. Jaime Ffrench entered camp as the presumed favorite for WR3, but Channing Goodwin and true freshmen Travis Johnson and Salesi Moa have all pushed their way into the conversation.
Michigan wide receivers coach Micah Simon said the job comes down to more than flash.
“It’s just about being dependable and trustworthy, and who can block when they’re asked to block. Just being able to win against man-to-man, sit in zones, be a smart football player and make plays,” Simon told the media on Monday. “It’s a good problem to have.”
Johnson has been one of the biggest names to emerge in camp. Simon pointed to the freshman’s athleticism and the basketball background that shows up when the ball is in the air.
“He’s a fast and super athletic player,” Simon said of Johnson. “He has a basketball background, and you can really see it on the field with the way that he attacks the ball in the air and how he moves very fluidly. He’s shown great things thus far.”
The former four-star recruit has already drawn attention from coaches and teammates, with buzz around his speed and catch radius building throughout camp. Whether he opens the season as a starter remains to be seen, but Michigan clearly sees him as a receiver who can matter quickly.
Moa has also made a strong impression, giving the freshmen side of the race real momentum.
“The growth that those two freshmen have had from spring to now is second to none,” Simon said. “The steps that they both made over the summer have been so awesome to see, and they’re continuing to get better each and every day.”
Simon said it is “very realistic” for both Johnson and Moa to contribute right away.
“We recruit to play guys as freshmen,” Simon said. “You don’t always have time to just bring a guy in and try to redshirt him and develop him for later, so I definitely see both of those guys being ready to go this year.”
Goodwin, meanwhile, is still very much in the mix. He may not be drawing the same headlines as the freshmen, but he has earned praise from the staff and brings experience to a young receiver room. In 2025, Goodwin finished sixth on the team with 148 receiving yards and 12 catches.
“The whole staff is seeing Goodwin for the first time in fall camp because he was out (with an injury) in the spring, so we’re seeing what he brings to the table,” Simon said. “He’s been awesome. He brings a veteran presence to a really young room.”
In Other News...
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From Michigans side, the timing says plenty about where the pressure lives in this matchup. Day still has not beaten the Wolverines at their home stadium, with losses in 2022 and 2024, and his decision only underscores how much that game continues to frame Ohio States season. Even in a year when the calendar is full of ordinary Saturdays, the week of Michigan remains the one Day is trying hardest to simplify. [Read more 🡒]
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Ryan Day, meanwhile, has gone in the opposite direction by making the rivalry feel like a constant priority. His decision to move Senior Day to the opener was aimed at eliminating distractions later in the year, another reminder that Ohio State is treating rivalry week as something to be protected and sharpened. The contrast sets up an interesting early test for Whittingham with Michigan supporters, because the football part of the job may be one thing, but the emotional language around this game is another matter entirely. [Read more 🡒]