Five Michigan Football Players Who Can Raise the Ceiling of the 2026 Team

There are players on every roster who are expected to play well, and need to play well in order for a team to be successful.

For the Michigan football team, Bryce Underwood, Jordan Marshall, and John Henry Daley are three players who have to play well if Michigan is going to have a successful season. There is no denying that.

There are other players on the roster, however, that can raise the ceiling of where the team can be. It could be a player who is talented, but hasn’t realized his potential yet. It could also be someone who is a young player at a position where there are opportunities to take reps.

Who are the players that raise the ceiling for Michigan?

Mason Bonner

Everyone loves talking about freshmen coming into camp, and Michigan is no exception. Most of the attention is on Savion Hiter, Michigan’s star running back. He is one of those players that is expected to play well as a co-anchor to Michigan’s offense next to Jordan Marshall.

There are some options at receiver, which we’ll get to momentarily, but there is no position on offense with more opportunity for someone to snatch reps than at tight end.

Zack Marshall and Deakon Tonielli were the two who played the most a season ago. Hogan Hansen has some talent, but has yet to live up to it due to injuries.

Mason Bonner is someone who caught some buzz early in camp and is an intriguing size/speed prospect. At 6-foot-7, Bonner could be a true big slot receiver while playing tight end.

If Bonner is able to add that dynamic to the passing game while also being passable in the run game, Michigan’s tight end position could go from a relative question mark to a strength.

Carter Meadows

Maybe this is cheating because a lot is expected of Meadows, but it’s hard to say what expectations can be thrust onto a freshman who did not participate in spring football. That being said, Meadows is the most talented rusher on the roster. That’s saying something considering the presence of guys like Dominic Nichols and John Henry Daley.

Meadows is a five-star recruit looking to add some punch to Michigan’s pass rush. With that level of talent, he could prove to be a worthy robin to Henry Daley’s batman.

This is not the comparison to make as Aidan Hutchinson will live in Michigan lore until the day they no longer play football, but it could resemble the idea of the duo of Hutchinson with David Ojabo in 2021. Both guys could challenge for double-digit sacks, and constantly create havoc for opposing offenses.

Travis Johnson

The top two receivers on the roster are JJ Buchanan and Andrew Marsh. There’s not much question in that regard. The competition for the third receiver spot? That’s a different story. It’s been a long time since Michigan has had three capable receivers who could make an impact in the passing game.

Johnson has had some buzz around him during fall camp, and is firmly entrenched in the competition to be the team’s third receiver.

Johnson has plenty of talent and could give more size to a receiver room that does not have a lot of it with its projected starters. He also has the ability to make plays above the rim, which is something that Bryce Underwood has tried to find since becoming the starting quarterback. The size of Donovan McCulley was something that worked well with Underwood.

Johnson adds that with his 6-foot-3 frame.

Shamari Earls

Michigan has talked a lot this offseason about getting their best 11 players on the field. What if four of their best 11 players are cornerbacks?

It’s not out of the question that someone like Shamari Earls grows into a role and never gives it back. That could, however, give Michigan defensive coordinator Jay Hill a lethal combination if he decides to play more of his dime package.

Michigan has talked this offseason about the ability to rotate Smith Snowden and Zeke Berry as their nickel corners. If they were to play dime, both Snowden and Berry would be able to bump inside with Jyaire Hill and Earls on the outside.

Earls has plenty of size and ability to play the ball on the outside. There is potential for him to have some special ball skills. He’d be the most likely cornerback to get tested since he is the least experienced of the four guys who would be on the field.

With Michigan’s potential deficiencies at linebacker, they might be best suited to play with more defensive backs on the field. Plus, we know they’ll need as many cover men as possible for that last game on the regular season schedule in November.

Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng

Troy Bowles is the player who is most likely to start at linebacker, with a multitude of guys filling in the gaps around him. Owusu-Boateng is probably a good bet to start, but this is different. Owusu-Boateng was a highly sought after recruit and could be Michigan’s most talented linebacker currently on the roster. Living up to his potential would be something that would immensely help a Michigan defense that is thin at linebacker and searching for answers after the mass exodus that began during the 2025 season.

As touched on earlier, #Michigan has contacted Nebraska transfer Jamarques Lawrence, but the Roddy Gayle Jr. to Michigan dream isn't dead yet.

If he wants to be back in Ann Arbor, Michigan would welcome him with open arms.

STORY: https://t.co/zTdtTuKJAp pic.twitter.com/9Hrt0nt2Yt
— Trent Knoop (@TrentKnoop) August 18, 2026

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