Which Michigan Football Freshman is Facing the Most Pressure Ahead of 2026

In Kyle Whittingham's first — or maybe half — offseason as Michigan's head coach, he was able to retain enough talent for the Wolverines to finish with the 12th-ranked recruiting class in the 2026 cycle.

Michigan landed a pair of five-stars in RB Savion Hiter and edge rusher Carter Meadows. Whittingham was also able to land five-star ATH Salesi Moa, who was a short-term signee with Utah, which means he technically counts as a transfer.

Nonetheless, Michigan has some real ability coming into Ann Arbor ahead of the 2026 season, but which player faces the most pressure?

According to ESPN's Eli Lederman, it's RB Savion Hiter.

"The Wolverines return third-year rusherJordan Marshall after his breakout 2025 campaign. But Michigan is expected to run the ball even more under new offensive coordinator Jason Beck, and with few proven contributors behind Marshall, Hiter could be headed for a sizable backfield role as the program looks to maximize quarterback Bryce Underwood's second season under center.

"Hiter's combination of power and speed at 6-foot, 210 pounds make him an explosive, difficult-to-tackle runner who frequently gains yards after contact. Marshall's 150 carries a year ago marked a career high. Assuming the Wolverines plan to manage his workload diligently in 2026, Hiter could quickly become an integral part of the Day 1 backfield rotation in one of the nation's most intriguing offenses."

Why Hiter is facing the most pressure of any Michigan freshman

The Mineral (VA) prospect was the wire-to-wire top-ranked running back in the '26 cycle, per the Composite. He was always projected to be the top RB player and that thought never faded. Hiter had a plethora of options and could've gone to any college he wanted, but he became a Michigan Wolverine.

Had a great time in A2 this past weekend. #GoBlue 〽️ pic.twitter.com/t9fP9pUCuB
— Savion “Cinco” Hiter (High-ter) (@5starsavi) October 7, 2025

Michigan's new offense will likely look different from years past, but one thing that Beck has said is that the Wolverines will be a physical running football team. Yes, there will be more balance with utilizing Bryce Underwood's skillset — both with his arm and legs — but Michigan will still rely on the run.

Jordan Marshall is going to be the lead back this season, but that No. 2 job is wide open and it's likely going to be Hiter's for the taking. There is a ton of hype surrounding the explosive back. Even with Michigan bringing back Bryson Kuzdzal, expect Hiter to see plenty of carries early in his career.

Anytime you're a five-star prospect — eyes are going to be on you.