1 Michigan Football Player Lands on Famous 'Freaks List'

Every year, Michigan has several 'Freaks' on the team, according to The Athletic's Bruce Feldman. Players like Kenneth Grant, Will Johnson, Marlin Klein, Mazi Smith, and Alex Orji, among others, have all been described as 'freaks' in the way they play the game and what they can do.

However, entering 2026, Michigan has just one 'freak' on the team, and it's certainly not a player fans would've guessed.

It's a long snapper, and it's transfer Gavin Magorien.

"Magorien spent 2025 as Marshall’s long snapper before transferring to Ann Arbor, but he also played wide receiver and DB in high school in Erie, Pa. The 6-0, 202-pound sophomore broad jumped 10-10, did 26 reps on the bench press at 225 and squatted 550 pounds, making a case to be one of the strongest players pound-for-pound in college football. His 6.87 3-cone time is exceptional," Feldman wrote.

Kerry Coombs looking for top recruits

Magorien started every game for Marshall last season as a long snapper, and he was just one piece of the puzzle coming to Michigan.

With Kerry Coombs being retained under new coach Kyle Whittingham, Coombs retooled the special teams room. The Wolverines had the worst special teams of recent years under Sherrone Moore's guidance last year, and he opted to fire JB Brown prior to Moore being fired himself.

Moore's final decision was to bring Coombs into the fold and the Wolverines looked a whole lot better in their bowl loss to Texas.

With Michigan struggling last season in the special teams department and losing former All-American kicker Dominic Zvada, Coombs went and landed all new special teams starters. He landed two long snappers, a new starting kicker, and punter.

"This is Michigan.  We are looking for the best punter, the best kicker, the best long snapper in the country. Every day, always. You walk in my office, the top of the board, for my staff and everybody else's, recruit the best in the country," Coombs said this week.

Special teams can become a weapon again

Under Jim Harbaugh, and especially towards the end of his tenure at Michigan, the Wolverines always had one of the best special teams units in the nation. Jay Harbaugh never got enough credit for just how good the special teams were in Ann Arbor.

Aside from the stellar kicking game Michigan had, the Wolverines have a good punting unit, and Michigan was disciplined in the kick off game. The Wolverines were in good positions to tackle the ball carrier and that's what Michigan is searching to get back to in 2026.

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