Three Players Who Must Step Up In A Major Way In 2024
Michigan is heading into the 2024 season with plenty of unknowns. Of course the Wolverines need a quarterback to step up, but without knowing who the starter might be, it's hard to ID who really needs to take things to another level. The same can be said for most of the returning offensive linemen. However, the trio of players below are all going to play a lot and need to take their games up as many notches as possible. If Michigan is going to remain competitive at the highest level, these three dudes must show out.
RB Donovan Edwards
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A lot of people thought that Donovan Edwards was poised for a massive breakout season in 2023 but it didn't really happen that way. The junior carried the ball 119 times for just 457 yards and five scores and seemed to get stopped for short gains or less more often than not. Originally, after a big time sophomore season, Edwards thought that he'd kill it as a junior and move on to the NFL. Now, he's back as a senior and should be the focal point of Michigan's offense. If Michigan is going to be successful in 2024, Edwards needs to carry the ball about 15 times per game, eclipse 1,000 yards and find the end zone at least 10 times. His value as a receiver is also important, but he needs to be an every-down back.
WR Tyler Morris
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Entering his junior year, Tyler Morris showed at least one major flash last year that proved he can be a weapon. Against Alabama in the Rose Bowl, Morris took a shallow cross 38 yards to the house and outran a couple of Alabama defenders in the process. He finished the year with just 13 grabs for 197 yards and that one score, but with Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson off to the NFL, he must step up and in a pretty major way. Rising sophomore Semaj Morgan also showed that he can make some plays, so he and Morris are going to be counted on to pick up the slack with Wilson and Johnson gone. If Morris can make 35 catches for 500 yards and at least five scores, his junior season will be a massive success.
EDGE Derrick Moore
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On defense, Michigan should be very, very stout once again. The Wolverines aren't as deep as they were in 2022 or 2023, but the starters are as good as any defensive unit in the country. Junior EDGE rusher Derrick Moore has the chance to be one of the more dominant players on that side of the ball. We all know what we're going to get out of fellow juniors Kenneth Grant, Mason Graham and Will Johnson, but with Moore it's all about taking that next step and reaching his potential. At 6-3, 258 pounds, Moore has great size and is exceptionally twitchy for a player with his build. In 2023 he finished with 34 tackles and five sacks. If he wants to get on NFL radars in a major way and prove that he's as valuable as his fellow juniors, he should shoot for twice as many sacks and another 20+ tackles. He's probably not going to rotate out of the game as much in 2024, so those numbers should be attainable.
