Michigan landed one of the best recruiting classes in the 2026 cycle, and it did it while the program was dealing with real turbulence. When Sherrone Moore was fired in mid-December, the class could have unraveled fast. Instead, the Wolverines held together nearly the entire group, thanks to the players themselves, interim head coach Biff Poggi, and Kyle Whittingham.
That matters now because Michigan is going to need help from its freshmen. With talent leaving through the transfer portal, there are spots where new faces can push for playing time right away. But the bigger question is whether any of the blue-chip newcomers can actually crack the starting lineup in Week 1.
The answer, at least among Michigan’s three five-star signees, is probably no for edge rusher Carter Meadows and running back Savion Hiter. Meadows would need a huge fall camp to jump Cameron Brandt or Dominic Nichols and start next to John Henry Daley, and he looks to be at least a year away from being in that conversation.
Hiter should have a meaningful role, but he enters as the clear No. 2 behind Jordan Marshall. The only scenario where Hiter would technically start is if Jason Beck opened with two running backs on the field, but he remains Marshall’s backup.
That leaves wide receiver Salesi Moa as the most realistic freshman candidate to get on the field first. With Beck using 11 personnel, Michigan will have three wideouts out there, and if Moa puts together a strong enough fall camp, he could be the first freshman fans see. The top of the depth chart is already set with Andrew Marsh and JJ Buchanan, and then the fight starts.
Michigan knew it had to upgrade its pass-catching room after last season’s 28 dropped passes, and the staff responded by adding talent for Bryce Underwood. The Wolverines brought in Texas transfer Jaime Ffrench along with true freshmen Salesi Moa and Travis Johnson.
They also still have Kendrick Bell, Channing Goodwin, and Jamar Browder in the mix, and none of them is likely to back down quietly. But heading into camp, the main battle appears to be between Moa and Ffrench for the No. 3 receiver job.
Ffrench brings a little game experience, since he played in four games last season to preserve his redshirt. Even so, this looks close. Ffrench may have a bit more top-end speed, but both players give Underwood real talent to work with.
And in the end, the exact order may not matter much. Beck plans to rotate his playmakers, so whichever receiver loses out between Moa and Ffrench should still get opportunities.
In Other News...
Michigans New Defense Could Change Everything Against Big Ten QBs
Michigan is making a notable defensive pivot for 2026, turning to Jay Hill, the former BYU coordinator, to install an attacking system built around a 4-2-5 look. The hire signals a clear desire to sharpen a unit that wants to play faster and disrupt more often, and Hill brings a track record of forcing turnovers with a style that kept offenses uncomfortable. At Big Ten Media Days, head coach Kyle Whittingham laid out the challenge ahead, pointing to the leagues quarterback talent and the kind of weekly stress those passers can put on a defense.
For Michigan, the appeal is as much about identity as it is about results. Hills defenses at BYU were aggressive and opportunistic, a contrast from the more frustrating stretches the Wolverines endured under the previous coordinator, when takeaways were harder to come by. The new setup should give Michigan a different edge against Big Ten offenses, even if the real answer on how well it all fits will not come until the defense starts taking shape in 2026. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Freshman Savion Hiter Is Already Forcing A Big Fall Question
Savion Hiter arrived in Ann Arbor with the sort of rsum that usually buys a little patience, but his spring practice work has already sped up the conversation. The top running back recruit in the 2026 class has put himself in position to matter right away for Michigan, drawing praise from the staff for the way he runs through contact and brings burst to the position. As things stand, he is sitting behind Jordan Marshall on the depth chart, but the early returns suggest the freshman is more than just a future piece.
Tony Alford has been among the coaches impressed by Hiters physical style, and Michigan is clearly looking for ways to make use of that talent without waiting long. The bigger question now is how quickly the Wolverines can turn a promising spring into a real role once the season arrives, especially with the staff considering different ways to get its backs on the field together. For a freshman who has already changed the tone of the room, the next step is figuring out how much of the offense can fit around him. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Fall Camp Hinges On Two Questions Fans Know Too Well
Michigan enters fall camp with a familiar mix of optimism and unfinished business under new head coach Kyle Whittingham after a 9-3 season. The offensive line looks like one of the steadier parts of the roster on paper, which gives the Wolverines a chance to build around a unit that can help settle things early while the rest of the offense finds its footing.
The bigger concern is whether the group is actually ready to hold up when camp opens, with injuries still clouding some of the depth chart decisions. On the other side of the ball, Michigan has even more to sort through on the defensive line after losing several key pieces from its 2023 national championship team, and finding new contributors there may end up shaping the whole tone of the season. [Read more 🡒]