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Michigan football injury report, depth chart ahead of Fiesta Bowl against TCU

clayton-sayfieby:Clayton Sayfie•12/30/22•

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(Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Breaking down the Michigan Wolverines football depth chart heading into the Fiesta Bowl against TCU. We project at least two-deep at every position and add notes, starting with the Michigan offense and continuing with the defense and special teams. First, injury notes:

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Michigan football injury report

Michigan will get one of its most important pieces back for the Fiesta Bowl, with senior EDGE Mike Morris set for a return. He played 11 snaps against Ohio State but missed the Illinois and Purdue games with a leg injury. Now, he’s nearing 100 percent and ready to “give it my everything” versus the Horned Frogs.

Michigan sophomore wide receiver Andrel Anthony was limited in practice with a minor injury earlier in the week but was back out there Thursday. He said he expects to play, though we did notice him still a bit slowed by the ankle. Junior wideout A.J. Henning was also limited earlier in the week but practiced Thursday.

Out for season

• Junior running back Blake Corum (left knee)

• Junior linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green (soft tissue)

• Senior safety Caden Kolesar (knee)

• Senior long snapper William Wagner (knee)

Quarterback

1.Sophomore J.J. McCarthy6-3, 196
2.Sophomore Davis Warren6-2, 195
3.Graduate Alan Bowman6-3, 217
OR Freshman Alex Orji6-3, 235

Senior former team captain Cade McNamara entered the transfer portal and committed to Iowa, quitting the team before the season ended. McCarthy is backed up by Warren primarily. Bowman also entered the portal but is one of the few players in college football to remain on his current team while seeking future options.

Running back

1.Sophomore Donovan Edwards6-1, 204
2.Junior Kalel Mullings6-2, 232
3.Freshman CJ Stokes5-10, 196
4.Sophomore Tavierre Dunlap6-0, 217
OR Junior Isaiah Gash5-10, 175

Edwards has emerged as the featured back with Corum out and amassed 401 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns over the last two games. Mullings, a linebacker by trade, has practiced almost exclusively at running back during bowl practices and scored 2 touchdowns against Purdue. Stokes appears to be No. 3, but Michigan hasn’t shown a ton of trust in those behind the first pair.

Wide receiver

PositionXWR / HZ
1.Senior Cornelius Johnson6-3, 208Junior Roman Wilson6-0, 185Graduate Ronnie Bell6-0, 190
2.Sophomore Andrel Anthony6-2, 190Junior A.J. Henning5-10, 185Freshman Darrius Clemons6-3, 214
3.Freshman Amorion Walker6-3, 180Freshman Tyler Morris5-11, 185Sophomore Cristian Dixon6-2, 195

Anthony and Henning may not be 100 percent, but it’s expected that each will play. Other than that, Michigan’s wide receiver rotation should look the same as it has more of the season.

Also, keep in mind that many of these positions are interchangeable. For example, Bell has and will continue to play the slot ‘H’ position, Wilson has and will play outside, and so on.

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Tight end

1.Graduate Luke Schoonmaker6-5, 250
2.Freshman Colston Loveland6-5, 237
3.Graduate Joel Honigford6-6, 260
4.OR Junior Sophomore Max Bredeson6-2, 232
5.Graduate Carter Selzer6-8, 257
OR Matthew Hibner6-5, 245

Schoonmaker and Loveland have become Michigan’s dynamic duo at tight end. Honigford and Bredeson play situationally, typically when the Wolverines run the ball.

Offensive line

PositionLTLGCRGRT
1.Graduate Ryan Hayes6-7, 305Senior Trevor Keegan6-6, 305Graduate Olusegun Oluwatimi6-3, 307Junior Zak Zinter6-6, 315Senior Karsen Barnhart6-5, 308
2.Junior Jeffrey Persi6-8, 309Sophomore Giovanni El-Hadi6-5, 317Sophomore Greg Crippen6-4, 301Junior Reece Atteberry6-5, 315Senior Trente Jones6-4, 311

Michigan had a lot of moving pieces due to injuries on the offensive line throughout the season, but is healthy now and rolling with the top five listed. The group won the Joe Moore Award for the nation’s top offensive line.

Defensive line

PositionEDGEDEDTNTEDGE
1.Senior Mike Morris6-6, 292Junior Kris Jenkins6-3, 285Freshman Mason Graham6-3, 317Senior Mazi Smith6-3, 337Junior Jaylen Harrell6-4, 246
2.Graduate Taylor Upshaw6-4, 255Sophomore Rayshaun Benny6-4, 292Sophomore Rayshaun Benny6-4, 292Freshman Kenneth Grant6-3, 356Graduate Eyabi Okie6-5, 244
3.OR Freshman Derrick Moore6-3, 279Graduate Cam Goode6-2, 323Junior Braiden McGregor6-6, 261

Morris should be full go, and he was the missing piece for a Michigan defensive line that has stayed healthy this season. Graham will see some time in base packages and as a backup nose tackle, even though he’s listed as a starter.

Linebacker

PositionMIKEWILL
1.Sophomore Junior Colson6-2, 235Graduate Michael Barrett6-0, 233
2.Freshman Jimmy Rolder6-2, 228Junior Kalel Mullings6-2, 232

Mullings hasn’t practiced much at linebacker, but the Michigan junior did say that he meets with the defensive staff to stay up to date with the game plan.

Defensive back

PositionCBSSFSNICKELCB
1.Senior DJ Turner6-0, 180Junior Makari Paige6-4, 200Sophomore Rod Moore6-0, 185Senior Mike Sainristil5-10, 182Freshman Will Johnson6-2, 194
2.Graduate German Green6-2, 187Junior R.J. Moten6-0, 223Senior Quinten Johnson5-11, 202Sophomore Rod Moore6-0, 185Graduate Gemon Green6-2, 186
3.Senior Jalen Perry6-0, 190Freshman Will Johnson6-2, 194

Johnson and Gemon Green are co-starters in our projection. The two have alternated starts lately. Both will see significant time, and Johnson’s size at 6-foot-2 may be important against TCU’s bigger outside receivers.

Special teams

PositionPKPLSKRPR
1.Graduate Jake Moody6-1, 210Graduate Brad Robbins6-1, 205Junior Greg Tarr6-2, 216Junior Roman Wilson6-0, 185Junior A.J. Henning5-10, 185
2.Freshman Tommy Doman6-4, 208Freshman Tommy Doman6-4, 208Freshman Evan Boutorwick6-3, 231Junior A.J. Henning5-10, 185Graduate Ronnie Bell6-0, 190

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