7 Michigan football freshman standouts that could make a splash in 2023

In just under two weeks, fans will be packing Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor to watch the Wolverines go head-to-head against the East Carolina Pirates in their 2023 season opener. Throughout fall camp, a few top Michigan football freshman standouts have been identified by Jim Harbaugh and some of the players — here are seven that we think will step into a notable role for the Maize and Blue this season.

Which Michigan football freshman standouts will see a notable role in 2023?

*These players are listed in no specific order. All are members of the Wolverines’ 2023 signing class.

7. Fredrick Moore

Since the start of fall camp this year, former three-star Michigan football freshman wide receiver Fredrick Moore has been turning heads. Yesterday, I covered some of Moore’s progress (Michigan football freshman wide receiver is making a name for himself) — not only has he been mentioned in fall camp pressers by Jim Harbaugh and others, but practice clips show that he and JJ McCarthy are already on the field together making plays. Per Harbaugh’s most recent update, Moore (and a few other freshman wideouts) is getting plenty of reps with the ones right now.

6. Benjamin Hall

After a breakout performance during the spring game, most Michigan football fans are aware of Benjamin Hall, a massive first-year running back. Now, on the one hand, Hall is coming into a running back room that is full of talent, so you may think that he will not play that much this year; however, Hall possesses something that the Wolverines’ other running backs do not. Benjamin Hall has a massive, wrecking ball-like frame and is a fantastic option for the hard-hitting goalline situations that the Wolverines often find themselves in.

5. Jyaire Hill

Another Michigan football freshman who has been mentioned a few times this fall is freshman cornerback Jyarie Hill, who is expected to develop into a star down the road. With some depth concerns looming at cornerback this year, and Hill on the rise during fall camp, it appears that he may find himself on the field in many packages — Jim Harbaugh also stated that he is “coming on fast,” which is a good early sign for the first year Wolverine.

4. Semaj Morgan

Like Fredrick Moore, Semaj Morgan is a Michigan football freshman wide receiver this year and already appears to be in the running for a lot of snaps. The depth in the WR room for the Wolverines is still a bit of a concern, and it’s clear that Jim Harbaugh has been impressed with Morgan during fall camp so far. Harbaugh said that “Semaj Morgan (is) quick and fast. And in shorter stature but a very big catch radius. He can catch the ball away from his body, he can high point. He’s been really good.”

3. Cameron Brandt

Cameron Brandt, a last-second flip in the 2023 class, was committed to the Stanford Cardinal for quite some time. Along with a few Stanford transfers, Jim Harbaugh managed to sway Brandt from the PAC-12’s grasp, bringing the sizable defensive lineman to Ann Arbor this year. Jim Harbaugh thinks that there could be three freshman defensive linemen getting some major reps this year, and Brandt is one of them. He also added an impressive 17 pounds since getting to campus, which should make him even more sizable and dangerous to opposing offensive lines.

2. Kendrick Bell

Kendrick Bell, the younger brother of Ronnie, is the newest Bell to come to Ann Arbor. With Ronnie Bell now in the NFL, Kendrick is looking to carry on a huge legacy in the Maize and Blue — he is currently listed as a quarterback, but it has become clear that Jim Harbaugh may want to move him around quite a bit. “And he’s told me he’s willing to play any position. So it could be quarterback, could be receiver, could be corner — he’s got the skill set to play all those. So, we’ll start him out at QB, and we’ll roll from there,” Harbaugh said.

1. Enow Etta

Enow Etta, a large defensive end, is the final player that I will name here. He was one of the highest-rated players in the Wolverines’ 2023 signing class, though, like many other recruits from that cycle, he was still only a four-star and ranked outside of the top 100. That said, this Michigan football freshman class is proving to be much better than experts thought, and like Cam Brandt, Etta is expected to get in the mix along the defensive line quite a bit this year.

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