2025 Season Countdown: #81-85

Tag: Jamar Browder


22Jul 2025
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2025 Season Countdown: #81-85

Jamar Browder

85. CB Tevis Metcalf (So.): Metcalf is listed at 5’10”, 192 lbs. after transferring from Arkansas this off-season with his brother T.J. He played in twelve games last season with the Razorbacks, all of them on special teams and two of them on defense. I think the defensive adjustment may be significant and there’s a good amount of competition to get on the field at cornerback, but he’s a good addition for the coming years.

84. WR Jamar Browder (Fr.): Browder (3-star, #82 WR, #540 overall) is a 6’5″, 208 lb. freshman receiver who enrolled early over the winter. The coaching staff has mentioned wanting to add size at the receiver position, and Browder brings that element, along with Indiana transfer Donaven McCulley. I think hands and route running are going to be an issue early for Browder, but the coaches seem to like him and his size maybe advantageous enough in certain situations or games to put him out on the field.

83. S Max Reyes (RS Jr.): Reyes is a redshirt junior that many fans might not know, but he’s a “sleeper” pick of mine to be a key special teams contributor. He was a solid high school baseball player and a backup quarterback to Quinn Ewers in high school, a football powerhouse at Southlake Carroll. Split squad caveats apply, but he has played quite a bit in his spring game opportunities and seems like a solid tackler. I think he might end up playing quite a bit on coverage units this fall. Last year’s rank: #99.

82. RB Bryson Kuzdzal (RS So.): Kuzdzal is a third-year player who had a good spring game and burst on to the scene, making his name known for the first time to many fans. He ran for 1,378 yards and scored 26 total touchdowns as a senior in the class of 2023, and he set personal record times of 10.99 in the 100 meters and 22.20 in the 200 meters during the spring of his senior year. With Jordan Marshall and Justice Haynes virtually cemented in as the top two backs for this season, it will be a battle for the third spot between Kuzdzal, Princeton transfer John Volker, UMass transfer C.J. Hester, and redshirt freshman Micah Ka’apana. Last year’s rank: #127.

81. DE Chibi Anwunah (RS Jr.): Anwunah is a former walk-on who is now listed at 6’5″ and 278 pounds after bouncing around a little bit between tight end and defensive end. He played in two games last season and presumably moves up the ranks a little bit after Michigan lost Josaiah Stewart to the NFL and didn’t bring in any transfers. He’s still behind several guys and perhaps some young players like Devon Baxter, Lugard Edokpayi, and Nate Marshall will pass him up, but Anwunah’s 278 pounds might give him a leg up over some of the lighter, more athletic options. Last year’s rank: #95.

10Mar 2025
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2025 Spring Football Preview: Wide Receiver

Donaven McCulley

RETURNING PLAYERS: Peyton O’Leary (RS Sr.), Joe Taylor (RS Sr.), Amorion Walker (Sr.), Logan Forbes (RS Jr.), Fredrick Moore (Jr.), Semaj Morgan (Jr.), Kendrick Bell (RS So.), Channing Goodwin (RS Fr.), I’Marion Stewart (RS Fr.)
NEWCOMERS: Donaven McCulley (RS Sr.), Anthony Simpson (RS Sr.), Andrew Marsh (Fr.), Jamar Browder (Fr.)
DEPARTURES: C.J. Charleston (graduation), Tyler Morris (transfer to Indiana)

OUTLOOK: Michigan’s receivers did not have a banner year in 2024. Part of it may be a chicken-or-egg situation with the poor quarterback play: no receiver was going to have a great year with Davis Warren and Alex Orji throwing the ball, and not many quarterbacks were going to have great passing numbers throwing to what Michigan put out there at receiver. Tight end Colston Loveland led Michigan’s team in receptions (56), yards (548), and touchdowns (5). By comparison, the leading wideouts in each category were Semaj Morgan (27 catches), Tyler Morris (248 yards), and Morris again (2 touchdowns).

Morris headed for the greener pastures of, uh, Bloomington, Indiana, this off-season, so it’s a pretty complete overhaul of the receiving group. Morgan is back, but he had a measly 139 yards and a paltry 5.2 yards per catch. That’s not an indictment of Morgan’s talent, but Michigan’s overall inability to push the ball downfield, set up screens appropriately, and generally call an offense. I have more faith in new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey than the departed Kirk Campbell, so I expect Morgan to benefit significantly. But he has yet to prove that he can be a downfield threat.

The prize of Michigan’s transfer efforts at receiver is Indiana transfer Donaven McCulley, a 6’5″, 203 lb. possession guy who caught 48 passes for 644 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2023. While he doesn’t have a ton of downfield speed, he’s the type of big target with experience that Michigan lacked out wide in 2024. He can probably be penciled in as a starter this fall.

Other unknowns include the quick Fredrick Moore (11 catches, 148 yards, 1 TD in 2024), former walk-on and possession guy Peyton O’Leary (10 catches, 102 yards, 1 TD), former quarterback Kendrick Bell (7 catches, 70 yards), and reed-thin speedster Amorion Walker (3 catches, 34 yards). The most intriguing of those is Walker, who is 6’3″ and 182 lbs. Once penciled in as a starting cornerback by Jim Harbaugh – and briefly at Ole Miss in the spring of 2024 – he spent last year at receiver. If corners don’t get a hand on him, he can run real fast; if corners do get a hand on him, he can fall down real fast.

One of Lindsey’s tasks will be to figure out which veteran receiver can play a good-sized role in the offense and provide some help for some limited quarterbacks: QB Mikey Keene is limited by his stature, and QB Bryce Underwood is limited by his inexperience. But another task will be to figure out what roles can be played by freshman Andrew Marsh, incoming UMass transfer Anthony Simpson, and freshman Jamar Browder. Marsh comes in with some questions about his overall speed, but he reportedly finds a way to make things happen. Simpson is a bit of a screen and gadget guy, but he could be fun to watch. And Browder is a 6’3″ guy with some upside, but he’s probably somebody who needs to bake in the oven for at least a season.

Overall, Michigan has an array of pieces. While last season was similar at receiver to the 2023-2024 Michigan basketball team that got Juwan Howard fired because he couldn’t construct a roster, this year could be closer to the 2024-2025 Dusty May version of the basketball team: a well constructed squad probably lacking championship potential.

27Nov 2024
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2025 Offensive Recruiting Update: November 27, 2024

Denton (TX) Ryan OT Ty Haywood (image via On3)

With National Signing Day looming in early December – and lots of recruiting movement – I wanted to catch up on some of the most recent happenings as Michigan tries to fill out its 2025 recruiting class.

QUARTERBACK

COMMIT: Belleville (MI) Belleville quarterback Bryce Underwood committed to Michigan (LINK). It seems as if Fort Myers (FL) Bishop Verot quarterback Carter Smith at least suspected that was going to happen, and he decommitted beforehand; Smith recently committed to Wisconsin and will be a Badger instead, perhaps with eyes on getting a bit of revenge against the Wolverines down the road.

KEEP AN EYE ON: Michigan will also be looking to add a quarterback through the transfer portal, and USC transfer Miller Moss has been rumored to be a possible candidate.

Hit the jump for more.

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1Nov 2024
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Visitors: Michigan vs. Oregon

Tampa (FL) Wiregrass Ranch CB Graceson Littleton (image via 247 Sports)

2025

Triston Abram – DE – St. Louis (MO) Christian Brothers: Abram is a 6’4″, 225-pounder who has been committed to Indiana. His offer list isn’t exceptional, but he’s a 3-star, the #52 edge, and #648 overall in the 2025 class. Michigan needs to replenish its edge rusher talent since Josaiah Stewart and Derrick Moore could both be off to the NFL without much proven depth behind them.

Jamar Browder – WR – Lake Worth (FL) Santaluces: Browder is a 6’3″, 205 lb. prospect who has been committed to North Carolina State. This is his second visit to Ann Arbor this season even though he’s still verbally pledged to NCSU. Browder is a 3-star, the #119 wide receiver, and #793 overall. This is an official visit.

Elijah Dotson – CB – Belleville (MI) Belleville: Dotson is committed to Pitt and has been since May, but Michigan has ramped up its efforts and is recruiting him as an “athlete” who could play offense or defense. He’s a 6’2″, 175-pounder who could play WR, CB, or S and is ranked as a 4-star, the #29 safety, and #296 overall in the 247 Composite. Dotson was at U of D Jesuit in Detroit for his first few years of high school, so he’s getting a little more attention now that he’s at the powerhouse in Belleville.

Christian Ingram – DT – Conyers (GA) Newton: Ingram is a 6’6″, 290-pounder with offers from Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and others. This is an official visit to Ann Arbor, but he has other officials coming up, including to Georgia. Ingram is a 247 Sports 3-star and the #76 defensive lineman in the 2025 class.

Hit the jump for more.

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16Oct 2024
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2025 Recruiting Update: October 16, 2024

Lake Worth (FL) Santaluces WR Jamar Browder (image via Inside Pack Sports)

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2025

Saint Louis (MO) Christian Brothers defensive end Triston Abram, an Indiana commit, was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’4″, 225-pounder who also has offers from Boston College, Kansas State, and Memphis, among others. He’s a 3-star, the #58 edge, and #782 overall.

Lake Worth (FL) Santaluces wide receiver Jamar Browder, a North Carolina State commit, was offered by Michigan. Browder is a 3-star, the #119 wide receiver, and #782 overall. He committed to NCSU back in June. The Wolfpack are having a rough season, and Browder recently visited Michigan’s campus for an unofficial visit. He’s planning to return in early November for an official.

Massillon (OH) Washington offensive tackle Nolan Davenport, a Wisconsin commit, was offered by Michigan. Davenport is a 6’6″, 260-pounder with offers from Missouri and Penn State, along with the Badgers. He’s a 3-star, the #54 offensive tackle, and #716 overall in the 247 Composite. He has been committed to Wisconsin since June 2024.

Hit the jump for more.

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