Michigan Football: Top-Five Most 'Under The Radar' Players Heading Into 2023

The Michigan Wolverines are just weeks away from the start of fall camp, and they'll enter the 2023 season as one of the favorites to win a national championship. With a loaded roster that's returning over 80 percent of its production from last season, the expectations in Ann Arbor are as high as they've ever been in the Jim Harbaugh era.

Although the roster is loaded with premier players like Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards, JJ McCarthy, Kris Jenkins, and Will Johnson, there are certainly a number of guys who could surprise a lot of folks by making significant contributions in 2023.

Here are the top-five under-the-radar players for Michigan heading into fall camp:

5. Ja'Den McBurrows, DB - Junior

2022 Stats: N/A

After appearing in four games as a true freshman back in 2021, Ja'Den McBurrows missed the entire 2022 season with a leg injury. Heading into 2023, it looked like McBurrows might be Michigan's best option to start at the cornerback position opposite Will Johnson. That changed when the Wolverines landed the commitment of UMass transfer Josh Wallace - and it appears as though Wallace is the favorite to land a starting role at corner this fall.

Even if McBurrows does find himself third or even forth on the depth chart heading into fall camp, I expect that he'll end up playing some significant minutes during the 2023 season.

4. CJ Stokes, RB - Sophomore

2022 Stats:

ATT: 55
YDS: 273
AVG: 5.0
TD: 1

CJ Stokes finished his freshman season as the fourth leading rusher on the team (273 yards), just behind JJ McCarthy (306 yards), Donovan Edwards (991 yards) and Blake Corum (1,463 yards).

Although most expect that the season will consist of a heavy dose of Edwards and Corum, last season proved just how valuable the RB3 position can be. Both Edwards and Corum delt with significant injuries that caused them to miss multiple games in 2022, meaning a guy like CJ Stokes could find himself carrying a bigger load than expected in 2023.

3. Petyon O'Leary, WR - Junior

2022 Stats:

REC: 1
YDS: 4
TD: 0

Peyton O'Leary hasn't exactly had a productive career during his first two seasons at Michigan, at least not as far as stats are concerned. The redshirt sophomore has appeared in seven games at the wide receiver position over the last two years, and his career stats include just one reception for four yards.

Given the lack of production, it's understandable that O'Leary surprised a lot of people during Michigan's annual spring game back in April, finishing the game with a team-high six catches for 126 yards and one reception for the game-winning two-point conversion.

Looking at Michigan's returning production from the 2022 season, there's certainly room for a guy like O'Leary to have an impactful 2023 season at the wideout position.

2. Jimmy Rolder, LB - Sophomore

2022 Stats:

Solo tackles: 7
AST. tackles: 7
TOT: 14

Michigan enters the 2023 season with an incredible stable of linebackers, including guys like Mike Barrett, Junior Colson and Nebraska transfer Ernest Hausmann. However, a name you don't typically hear mentioned within that group is sophomore Jimmy Rolder - which is a little odd considering he appeared in nine games at the linebacker position in 2023.

Rolder was named Defensive Freshman of the Game on three occasions last season - vs Colorado State, vs Nebraska, at Rutgers. He also made two tackles and contributed on special teams in Michigan's big road win against Ohio State.

Although Rolder will certainly be fighting for minutes against a talented core of options, there's little doubt that he'll see the field more in 2023 as part of Jesse Minters dynamic defense.

1. Tyler Morris, WR - Sophomore

2022 Stats:

REC: 3
YDS: 25
TD: 0

When it comes to the wide receiver room in 2023, most of the conversation centers around guys like Roman Wilson, Cornelius Johnson and a potential breakout season from Darrius Clemons.

Although the three options mentioned above are certainly expected to make big contributions in 2023, sophomore wideout Tyler Morris might end up being the biggest surprise this fall. Both Morris and Clemons are part of the same recruiting class (2022), and both were four-star recruits coming out of high school. In fact, Morris was ranked as the No. 18 overall WR prospect as a recruit, while Clemons came in at No. 32 overall according to 247 Sports.

While recruiting rankings don't always line up with actual production at the collegiate level, it's certainly worth reminding Michigan fans that Morris was considered one of the top WR prospects in the country when he signed with Michigan back in 2022.