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2023 Season Countdown: #66 Zach Peterson

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Name: Zach Peterson
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 186 lbs.
High school: Roswell (GA) Wesleyan
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Sixth year senior
Jersey number: #86
Last year: I did not rank Peterson. He played in seven games.
TTB Rating: N/A

If you’re befuddled right now and don’t know who Zach Peterson is, don’t feel bad. He spent his first four years in college at Furman, where he made 16 catches for 251 yards and 1 touchdown.

Then he transferred to Michigan last year, where he played mostly on special teams. But he was named Special Teams Player of the Week against Illinois, and he was named Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year for the 2022 season. So he must have been doing some things right.

Now Peterson enters his sixth year of college and he’s had some minor successes at the FBS level. His value is obviously on special teams and on the scout team, but if he can keep giving Michigan’s defense a good look in practice, that’s a valuable asset to have on the team. And he should get in some games on special teams coverage.

Prediction: Special teamer

2023 Season Countdown: #67 Kody Jones

Name: Kody Jones
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 193 lbs.
High school: Memphis (TN) Germantown
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #12
Last year: I ranked Jones #84 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He made 5 tackles and played in four games.
TTB Rating: 80

Jones was a little bit small as a true freshman. Combined with the fact that Michigan had good depth in the defensive backfield, he was always unlikely to play a major role. The good news is that the coaches pushed his playing time to the brink while still maintaining his redshirt, so he played in four games, and that was it.

This year things are looking a little brighter for Jones, but maybe not much. While the depth chart ahead of him has thinned out, he’s still not really in the discussion for a starting position. He was recruited as a safety, but he played some cornerback. His best bet for playing time might be if the coaching staff plays Mike Sainristil at cornerback, opening up the nickel spot for someone like Jones, though he might still be battling with Keshaun Harris or Ja’den McBurrows. No matter how it’s sliced, there’s a good deal of competition and a lot of moving parts in the defensive backfield.

Prediction: Backup defensive back and special teamer

2023 Season Countdown: #68 Semaj Morgan

Name: Semaj Morgan
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 180 lbs.
High school: West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #12
Last year: Morgan was a senior in high school (LINK). He caught 43 passes for 733 yards and 14 touchdowns; he also threw 5 touchdowns as a backup quarterback.
TTB Rating: 76

Morgan was a key component of the 2023 recruiting class as the second verbal in the class, following only kicker Adam Samaha. He was a consistent recruiter and constantly at Michigan recruiting events throughout the cycle. As a football player, he was always impressively tough in 7v7 and actual football games, despite being a little undersized at 5’10”. His ability to make catches in traffic and bounce off tacklers should serve him well in the future.

Morgan lacks elite speed, but his toughness and strength may serve him well as a possession receiver. I also think he could have value as a punt returner. Michigan needs to replace A.J. Henning at that spot, and while trusting a freshman to return punts is a bit scary, there aren’t a ton of upperclassman options. I think Morgan will start to get his feet wet a little bit this year, perhaps to groom him for a larger special teams role in 2024. I don’t think he will ever become a dynamic starting receiver, but he could be a consistent, reliable player for the Wolverines.

Prediction: Backup wide receiver

2023 Season Countdown: #69 Myles Pollard

Name: Myles Pollard
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 191 lbs.
High school: Brentwood (TN) Ravenwood
Position: Cornerback
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #24
Last year: I ranked Pollard #88 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He played in two games and made 1 tackle.
TTB Rating: 83

Pollard was not needed in 2022, so he was always a longshot to get much run. Not only did Michigan have some veteran starters in Gemon Green and D.J. Turner II, but they also had 5-star freshman Will Johnson. So when Pollard joined the recruiting class, he was always looked at as more of a year two contributor, if that.

Now going into year two, I see Pollard as a possible year three contributor . . . if that. Will Johnson returns on one side, and the buzz about the other starting corner revolves mostly around three people: UMass transfer Josh Wallace, converted receiver Amorion Walker, and Ja’den McBurrows. Pollard does not have great speed, so he will need to be physical and technical if he wants to succeed. He may be on that path, but it will take some time before he gets a chance to show it.

Prediction: Backup cornerback and special teamer

2023 Season Countdown: #70 Davis Warren

Name: Davis Warren
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 195 lbs.
High school: Suffield (CT) Suffield Academy
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #16
Last year: I ranked Warren #64 and said he would be a backup quarterback (LINK). He completed 5/9 passes for 89 yards and ran 3 times for 30 yards.
TTB Rating: N/A

Warren came out of nowhere in 2022 to look like Michigan’s third-best quarterback, behind J.J. McCarthy and Cade McNamara. He looked better than Alan Bowman and Alex Orji in the spring game, and I don’t think much changed into the season. He ended up with more passing attempts (9) and games played (6) than Bowman (7 and 4, respectively) and Orji (3 and 1, respectively). And he looked pretty good doing it, averaging 9.9 yards per attempt and 10 yards per carry.

Those numbers won’t hold up in the long run, but it was a pretty good debut for a redshirt freshman walk-on. It’s also somewhat telling that Bowman transferred out and will likely be Oklahoma State’s starter this fall. So Michigan’s walk-on third-stringer is better than Oklahoma State’s starting quarterback.

And now is where you might be confused about why Warren is the fourth-highest quarterback on the countdown. Obviously, McCarthy is the top guy, and then I’m guessing Indiana transfer Jack Tuttle will be the primary backup. Then there’s Orji, who I think will be a bigger factor in 2023 as a running option to keep McCarthy healthy and fresh. Warren is a more traditional quarterback who isn’t much of a running option – despite averaging 10.0 yards per rush last season – so his value is more as a wholesale sub in case something happens to McCarthy and/or Tuttle, whereas Orji is somewhat of a one-trick pony. I think Warren could potentially be Michigan’s starter in 2024 if McCarthy leaves for the NFL and if Jadyn Davis isn’t ready to step on the field. But for now I think Warren is entrenched as the third or fourth QB this season.

Prediction: Backup quarterback