Projecting Michigan football’s offensive depth chart post spring

We are a couple of weeks removed from the Michigan football spring game. The roster still has some moving parts after two wide receivers were added via the transfer portal, but the offense seems mostly set.

There isn’t a quarterback coming from the transfer portal. An offensive lineman or another wide receiver could be possible but that’s about it. Quarterback is the big question mark and that’s a position battle that will continue into fall camp and maybe beyond.

Michigan football has other position battles too along the offensive line and at wide receiver. Fall camp is going to be competitive and looking ahead, here’s our projected offensive depth chart, post spring.

QB

Starters: Jack Tuttle and Alex Orji;

Backups: Davis Warren, Jayden Denegal, Jadyn Davis

Sherrone Moore hinted that Michigan football won’t name a starting quarterback until about a week before the first game but maybe it won’t even be then.

Once Jack Tuttle gets healthy, I think he’s got a shot in this race. He was a four-star quarterback coming out of high school and has played behind J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix. Tuttle knows the offense and completed 88 percent of his passes in spot duty last season.

He’s not proven but he is more experienced. Yet, even if Tuttle or Davis Warren wins the job, I don’t see Alex Orji just sitting on the bench. Orji is a dynamic runner and it makes sense to utilize that.

That’s why if Orji develops more as a passer, it’s not far-fetched to see him winning the job. He offers a dual threat that nobody else does. But that’s also why I could see a timeshare situation. I don’t know exactly how it would work, but I wouldn’t be shocked if the battle extended into the regular season until Orji, Tuttle, or Warren took the bull by the horns.

You have to hope at some point, it becomes clear as it did with J.J. McCarthy and Cade McNamara. By the time McCarthy earned the job, it was evident to anyone watching he was the best option. That hasn’t happened yet with his group of quarterbacks but it could. It’s the ideal scenario at least.

RB

Starter: Donovan Edwards

Backups: Kalel Mullings, Benjamin Hall, Cole Cabana, Jordan Marshall

After playing second fiddle to Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards will get his chance to shine in 2024. Kalel Mullings is going to have a big role too and I can see him getting the workload Donovan did in the past.

I don’t buy Mullings getting more carries. Edwards is special and while his runs can be boom or bust, he looked as good as he ever has in the spring game. I’m banking on a 1,000-yard rusher and maybe one with 1,500 total yards from scrimmage if U-M will finally take advantage of his receiving skills.

There is a lot to be excited about with Hall, Cabana, and Marshall, but the bulk of the work will be handled by Edwards and Mullings.

WR

Starters: Semaj Morgan, Fred Moore, Tyler Morris

Backups: Amorion Walker, CJ Charleston, Peyton O’Leary, Kendrick Bell

The coaching staff talked about the lack of receiver depth after the spring game so adding two players from the portal in Walker and Charleston shouldn’t come as a surprise. Another wide receiver on the radar of Michigan football is former Arizona State standout Elijhah Badger.

That’s going to be a tough pull. Walker adds a big body on the outside and some speed. He’s a freakish athlete but has produced on the field. Charleston caught 33 passes for Youngstown State in 2023 for 504 yards.

Morgan, Morris and Fred Moore have all made plays in games. But they will be counted on for bigger roles, yet I have confidence in them as the Wolverines’ top three. They need depth to emerge though, because three won’t be enough.

Tight end

Starter: Colston Loveland

Backups: Max Bredeson and Marlin Klein

Michigan football has the luxury of Colston Loveland. Not only is he best tight end in college football, but he helps cover up the fact that the Wolverines don’t have a true No. 1 wideout.

Loveland can be that guy. The 6-foot-5, 245-pounder caught 45 passes last season for 649 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged over 14 yards per reception for the second year in a row.

It will be fun to see how Michigan utilizes him this season. But the tight ends will have a huge role in the running game. Max Bredeson will get plenty of snaps due to his blocking ability. He’s also coming on as a pass catcher. Marlin Klein also seems ready for a larger role this season.

There are other quality tight ends too, but it feels like these three will get most of the snaps this season.

Offensive line

Starters: Myles Hinton, Josh Priebe, Greg Crippen, Giovanni El-Hadi, and Andrew Gentry

Backups: Jeff Persi, Raheem Anderson, Evan Link, Tristan Bounds, Dominick Giudice, Nathen Efobi

Michigan is known as O-line U and they are betting on their development with the 2024 offensive line. Myles Hinton is expected to be the starting left tackle. Andrew Gentry, another former top-100 recruit, feels like the leader at right tackle right now too.

Those dudes have the talent to be All-Big Ten. The coaching staff needs to get it out of them. Josh Priebe is a proven starter coming from Northwestern, but Crippen and El-Hadi need to prove they are up to the task of starting. El-Hadi has started games before and Michigan would have been fine had Crippen started last season.

The interior is going to be solid. Tackle is the worry. The transfer portal could be an option for depth but there haven’t been any signs of that happening yet. As it stands, Persi would essentially be the swing tackle and if there was an injury to anyone on the interior, Raheem Anderson would likely fill in at guard or center.

Michigan had 6-7 starting-caliber players last season and the Wolverines could have similar depth in 2024, as long as some young players take steps forward as expected.

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