The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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APRIL 2026 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 25 BY ANTHONY BROOME RETURNING STARTER Junior Jordan Marshall After Justice Haynes went down with an injury at midseason, Marshall seam- lessly stepped into the RB1 role and had four consecutive 100-plus yard games in the back half of the season. Marshall finished with a team-leading 932 yards and 10 touchdowns and is unquestioned as the team's top tailback heading into the 2026 campaign. OTHER RETURNEES Sophomore Donovan Johnson Johnson was a highly touted recruit before suffering a pair of knee inju- ries over the last few years, including one that kept him out of his freshman season at Michigan. It remains unclear where he might stand in the pecking order. Junior Micah Ka'apana Ka'apana is intriguing and could carve out a role as a core special teamer and third-down back. He missed most of last season with an arm injury but worked his way into the lineup the last few games and flashed some good things. Ka'apana had 3 rushes for 20 yards and an 8-yard reception while getting an opportunity to play in a de- pleted backfield. Senior Bryson Kuzdzal After running for 326 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2025, the former walk- on initially entered the transfer portal this cycle but withdrew and returned to Michigan for the 2026 season. The former Grand Rapids (Mich.) Forest Hills Eastern product has a chance to be Marshall's running mate and compete with freshman Savion Hiter for reps. It shouldn't shock anyone if he carves out a role for himself next season. NEWCOMERS Freshman Jonathan Brown Brown, a three-star recruit, went un- der the radar on the recruiting trail, but showed out at a Michigan camp during the process, posting a 4.55 40-yard dash and a 40-inch vertical leap. He was of- fered after that and accepted almost im- mediately. He enrolled early in Ann Arbor to get a head start on his development. Freshman Savion Hiter The five-star recruit finished the 2026 cycle as the No. 13 overall pros- pect nationally, though that might have to do with positional value more than it does with how good a player he is. Some evaluators believe that he could wind up being the best all-around player in the class, and a potential once-in- several-recruiting-cycles type of back. Hiter, the Gatorade Player of the Year in Virginia in 2025, compiled 5,529 yards rushing and 84 touchdowns during his high school career. He was an early en- rollee at U-M and has a strong chance to earn early playing time as a potential RB2 next to Marshall. RUNNING BACKS After posting four consecutive 100-plus yard games in the back half of the season, Marshall finished with a team-leading 932 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025. PHOTO BY TY KORNBLUE ANALYSIS Ideally, Michigan pairs Marshall with a running mate, similar to his dynamic with Haynes in 2025, or some of the pro- gram's other top tandems over the last several years. But if it needs to lean on him, he has proven more than ca- pable of carrying the load and get- ting every inch possible out of his runs. Now is the time in his career when he has the chance to separate himself and reach the star category. Hiter could be a star right out of the gate as one of the most prized running back recruits in recent memory. His presence and the staff's confidence he can be an instant-impact player made them comfortable enough to let Haynes hit the transfer portal while U-M opted to allocate assets to other areas of the roster. Kuzdzal had opportunities to go else- where to tote the rock next season, but with Haynes' departure and Oklahoma transfer Taylor Tatum moving to safety, it seems like Michigan is going to give him a real shot to earn a more prominent role. Whether that's as a 1B option, or Hiter surpasses him and he's still a second or third option, remains to be seen. But to have an ascending upperclassman and a potential impact freshman as your next two options in either order is a tremen- dous coup for head coach Kyle Whitting- ham and the new staff. From there, we have to see how the rest of the depth chart works itself out. There will be nicks and injuries along the way, so U-M will probably need more than the three we think fill out the top of the depth chart. But running backs coach Tony Alford has an exciting group with an upward trajectory.