Tag: Peyton O'Leary

2024 Spring Football Preview: Wide Receiver

2023 Starters: Cornelius Johnson, Roman Wilson
Losses: Darrius Clemons (Oregon State), Johnson (NFL), Wilson (NFL)
Returning players: Eamonn Dennis (RS Sr.), Peyton O’Leary (RS Jr.), Tyler Morris (RS So.), Karmello English (So.), Frederick Moore (So.), Semaj Morgan (So.), Kendrick Bell (RS Fr.)
Newcomer: Channing Goodwin (Fr.)
Projected starters: Morris, Morgan

For some teams who play three and four wide receivers on every down, losing two senior wide receivers might not seem like a huge deal. So in the context of college football, the departures of Cornelius Johnson (47 catches, 604 yards, 1 touchdown) and Roman Wilson (48, 789, 12) might not seem like a huge deal. Johnson was the large-ish possession receiver, and Wilson was the speedy deep and intermediate threat. And then there were usually a couple tight ends roaming all over the place. Altogether, Michigan got just 47 other receptions from receivers not named Johnson or Wilson, and 3 of those came from Clemons, who is now plying his trade for the Beavers.

Based on playing time and targets last season, the two front-runners for starting roles in 2024 should be Morris and Morgan. Morris started four games – so he’s kind of a returning starter, I guess – and made 13 catches for 197 yards and 1 touchdown. But that one touchdown was a huge, key play when he got matched up against a linebacker against Alabama in the Rose Bowl and caught a crossing route for a 38-yard touchdown. Meanwhile, Morgan caught 22 passes for 204 yards and 2 touchdowns, and he also had an 87-yard punt return against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship game. He showed some downfield receiving chops in high school, but so far he’s been more of a catch-and-run guy with jitterbug moves – witness his screen catch for a TD against Washington – and adding in 4 carries for 67 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Last year’s spring game star was walk-on Peyton O’Leary (2 catches, 13 yards, 1 touchdown), who could factor in more this season if Michigan needs a big possession guy at 6’4″ and 190 lbs. Frederick Moore (4 catches, 32 yards) and Karmello English (1 catch, 6 yards, 1 touchdown) will also factor in somehow. Some people think Moore could be the fastest player on the team.

Players with less of a chance to make an impact include fifth year senior Eamonn Dennis (who has yet to make a catch in his career but plays a lot of special teams), Kendrick Bell (who was a high school quarterback until making the position switch last year), and early enrollee freshman Channing Goodwin. Bell’s brother Ronnie is now a wide receiver in the NFL with the 49ers, and Goodwin has some good bloodlines, as his father was a lineman for Michigan and in the NFL. But it’s unlikely that any of them play a huge role in 2024.

2023 Season Countdown: #49 Peyton O’Leary

Name: Peyton O’Leary
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 195 lbs.
High school: Byfield (MA) Governor’s Academy
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #81
Last year: I ranked O’Leary #110 and said he would be a backup wide receiver (LINK). He played in six games and caught 1 pass for 4 yards.
TTB Rating: N/A

I’m going to take a minor victory lap on the emergence of Peyton O’Leary since I’ve been talking him up for the past couple years. Here’s the final sentence from last year’s countdown post for O’Leary:

“Right now Michigan’s wide receiver room is stacked, but if some injuries or blowouts happen, I could see him making a little bit of a name for himself and carving out a role.”

Well, O’Leary didn’t actually make a name for himself until the spring game, where he made 6 catches for 126 yards and 1 touchdown and caught a 2-point conversion. His 2022 season was pretty quiet with just 1 catch for 4 yards, but coming out of the spring, players were talking about O’Leary doing similar things in practice, and Jim Harbaugh said that he would have a role in the fall.

It’s quite a gigantic leap for O’Leary to jump from #110 last year to #49 this season, and maybe it’s too high. I do have some concerns about Michigan’s wide receiver depth, though. O’Leary is unlikely to start, and with the talent at running back and tight end, I’m not sure how much production could be expected from a fourth or fifth receiver. Last year’s fifth most productive receiver (by number of receptions) was Andrel Anthony with 7 catches for 80 yards and 1 touchdown; Anthony was so happy with his involvement that he transferred to Oklahoma. If O’Leary accumulates his spring game numbers over the entire 2023 season, that will be fairly impressive in itself. Cornelius Johnson and Roman Wilson should be the top guys, and we’ll see how many balls are available for any other pass-catchers.

Prediction: Backup wide receiver

Thoughts on 2023 Spring Game

Okay, it’s time to put some thoughts about the spring game on paper.

QUARTERBACK: We know what J.J. McCarthy brings to the table, and Michigan was never going to let him factor into the run game, so whatever. This comes down to thoughts on the backups. After watching Michigan have a good 1-2 punch the past two years with McCarthy and Cade McNamara, there is a big question mark at the #2 quarterback spot in 2023. I thought redshirt sophomore Davis Warren once again outplayed the competition, which comes from Alex Orji and Indiana transfer Jack Tuttle. Tuttle had a couple decent throws and showed some decent athleticism on the run, but Warren is more accurate and probably a better decision maker, despite the fact that Tuttle is a sixth-year player. Orji has decent arm strength but leaves something to be desired when it comes to his timing and accuracy; running is the best part of his game, and he’s a change-up guy. I would put him at #4 on the depth chart.

Hit the jump for more.

2022 Season Countdown: #110 Peyton O’Leary

Name: Peyton O’Leary
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 190 lbs.
High school: Byfield (MA) Governor’s Academy
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #38
Last year: I ranked O’Leary #124 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating: N/A

I was very impressed with O’Leary when he came out of high school. As a preferred walk-on, he is/was unlikely to every make a huge impact, but he’s one of the more impressive wide receiver athletes I’ve seen come to Michigan as a walk-on. Right now Michigan’s wide receiver room is stacked, but if some injuries or blowouts happen, I could see him making a little bit of a name for himself and carving out a role.

Prediction: Backup wide receiver

2021 Season Countdown: #124 Peyton O’Leary

Name: Peyton O’Leary
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 188 lbs.
High school: Byfield (MA) Governor’s Academy
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: O’Leary was a senior in high school.
TTB Rating: N/A

O’Leary, a standout lacrosse player, chose to commit to the Wolverines as a preferred walk-on football player. His 2019 junior season saw him catch 17 passes for 403 yards and 5 touchdowns. Unfortunately, he was unable to play a season in 2020 due to the pandemic.

You can watch O’Leary’s highlights below, and they’re pretty impressive. He’s a long, lanky receiver who moves really well. I would not be surprised at all if he eventually factors into the rotation at Michigan, as we’ve seen less talented walk-on receivers (Jake McCurry, Nate Schoenle, etc.) get on the field. A walk-on receiver is unlikely to contribute as a freshman, but if O’Leary can add a little weight, maintain his speed, and improve his route-running, he could be a valuable member of the team.