The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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W I D E R E C E I V E R S 56 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2025 FOOTBALL PREVIEW and his presence alone is going to help our room grow. "You like big receivers because you want the quarterbacks to be accu‑ rate, but now there could be less ac‑ curacy because bigger guys have a bigger catch radius. McCulley is 6‑foot‑5. He's been a great addition to our team." The veteran appeared in 34 games in his In‑ diana career with 15 starts, including four at quarterback and 11 at wide receiver, totaling 66 receptions for 834 yards with 8 receiving touchdowns. He was honorable mention All‑Big Ten in 2023 after hauling in 48 receptions for 644 yards and 6 scores. "Once this offense gets on the opposite s i d e o f t h e 5 0 ‑ya rd line, his size will be a big difference maker for this team," said Jon Jansen, for‑ mer Michigan All‑American and NFL offensive lineman, now U‑M's color commentator on radio broadcasts and a fre‑ quent practice observer. "And in the red zone, being able to throw it up in the end zone, those 50‑50 balls — he's going to come down with a lot of those. "I don't know that he has the elite speed to really create a lot of separa‑ tion. It's going to come down to running good routes. He did have a really good spring." So, too, did juniors Fred Moore and Semaj Morgan, he added. Moore hauled in 11 passes for 128 yards and a touch‑ down last year, while Morgan played primarily in the slot and caught 27 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown. With last year's receiver leader Ty‑ ler Morris (23 catches, 248 yards, 2 touchdowns) having transferred out, Bellamy has been leaning BY CHRIS BALAS N ot that long ago, fans and media used to refer to Michigan as "Wide Receiver U," given the talent that came through the program. That dissipated during the Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke eras, and while Jim Harbaugh brought some outstanding pass catchers to Ann Arbor, his run‑first offense never produced a 1,000‑yard receiver in his nine years. First‑year offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey may or may not be the guy to change that, insis‑ tent that his offenses will be personnel‑driven and that balance is key. Head coach Sherrone Moore wants to run the ball, of course, and Michigan will try. But if the run game remains option one, the passing game at least needs to provide more help to keep defenses honest. Improvement starts with talent, and the Wol‑ verines brought in some pieces this year. Indiana transfer and graduate senior Donaven McCulley arrived in the offseason and immediately pro‑ vided a much‑needed spark as the standout in a revamped room. He impressed with his size (6‑5, 200) and his ability to make the tough catches. "He had a really good spring," receivers coach Ron Bellamy said in early June. "He's getting himself adjusted with everything — the system, and his new teammates. He's an older guy, an ex‑ perienced guy, and an unbelievable person. I think his leadership During his last full healthy season at Indiana in 2023, Donaven McCulley led the Hoosiers with 48 catches, 644 yards and 6 touchdowns. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL U-M's Last 10 Drafted Wide Receivers Year Player Team Round Pick 2024 Roman Wilson Pittsburgh Steelers 3rd 84th 2024 Cornelius Johnson Los Angeles Chargers 7th 253rd 2023 Ronnie Bell San Francisco 49ers 7th 253rd 2021 Nico Collins Houston Texans 3rd 89th 2020 Donovan Peoples-Jones Cleveland Browns 6th 187th 2017 Amara Darboh Seattle Seahawks 3rd 106th 2017 Jehu Chesson Kansas City Chiefs 4th 139th 2014 Jeremy Gallon New England Patriots 7th 244th 2013 Denard Robinson* Jacksonville Jaguars 5th 135th 2012 Junior Hemingway Kansas City Chiefs 7th 238th * a QB who transitioned to WR/RB in the pros OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS Michigan Needs Several In The Receiving Corps To Step Up