From potential All-Big Ten players to unlikely starters, the group can bring a variety of talent and experience to their position groups in Ann Arbor.
Zach Shaw
After losing 18 starters from last season's national title-winning squad, the Michigan football team is hungry for more hardware. But to like their chances, the Wolverines didn't want to just count on their returning players and underclassmen recruits. Instead, Michigan once again tapped into the NCAA Transfer Portal, adding nine transfers to bolster its two-deep.
So just who are these players the reigning national champions are counting on in 2024? Below, we get familiar,Setting expectations for each player entering the summer. From potential All-Big Ten players to unlikely starters, the group can bring a variety of talent and experience to their position groups in Ann Arbor.
Linebacker Jaishawn Barham
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 248 pounds
Hometown: District Heights, Md.
High School: St. Frances Academy
Previous college: Maryland
Expectations
Barham is Michigan's highest-rated transfer addition and No. 98 in this offseason's cycle overall, but his 91 rating still feels low to me. The Wolverines picked up a surefire starter with Big Ten experience, a top-150 recruiting background and NFL Draft potential. Michigan and other power programs have scouted him for years, and he has proven himself in the Big Ten.
His ability to wreak havoc on defense both in coverage and as a pass-rusher will allow him to play a Michael Barrett-like role in Michigan's defense, but do so at 6-foot-3 with NFL speed.
His upside is tremendous — he could be a first-team All-Big Ten linebacker and top-100 NFL Draft pick — but even the floor of what he brings right now is a pretty excellent addition to Michigan's defense. Getting him on campus for the winter should help his transition to the Wolverines' scheme, and we expect him to not only start, but be at least a top-10 linebacker in the Big Ten this fall.
Wide receiver CJ Charleston
Position: Wide receiver
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 190 pounds
Hometown: Bedford, Ohio
High School: Gilmour Academy
Previous college: Youngstown State
Expectations
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There isn't a ton of film on Charleston, but it would be a surprise to us if Charleston started over Tyler Morris and Semaj Morgan. The Wolverines don't have a ton of proven experience beyond those two, but Fred Moore looked ready to be a starter this spring, and it's not like Peyton O'Leary, Amorion Walker, Kendrick Bell, Channing Goodwin and I'Marion Stewart aren't just as capable of holding down two-deep roles.
As of now, I expect Charleston to play the No. 4 or No. 5 utility receiver role, held by Morris last season. I think Charleston's experience and versatility between the slot and outside will help him carve a bigger role than others think, but my expectations remain fairly low for him; I view him as an NFL-style depth and special teams add on a bargain contract over a player who will truly elevate Michigan's passing game.
ICYMI: Getting to know new Michigan receiver CJ Charleston
Cornerback Aamir Hall
Position: Cornerback
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 201 pounds
Hometown: Baltimore, Md.
High School: Mount St. Joseph
Previous college: Albany (and Richmond)
Expectations
Hall raises the floor of Michigan's cornerback room, adding much-needed experience and another two-deep caliber cornerback to a room that lost three this offseason. But it's not clear if Hall will raise the room's ceiling. The Wolverines probably still view Jyaire Hill — bigger, faster and more athletic than Hall or Ricky Johnson — blossoming as a star as the best-case scenario for the room. Hill had a great spring, and is probably the higher-ceiling option.
But until fall camp gets underway and the two battle it out head-to-head, Hall has to be viewed as a potential starter. His experience and success last fall, as well as Michigan's interest is more than that of just an "insurance" option at cornerback. He has improved each year in college, and can add an aggressive, mindful corner to Michigan's starting lineup.
We don't expect him to be first-team All-Big Ten or get drafted necessarily, but Michigan has had great defenses the last three years with Josh Wallace, Gemon Green or Vincent Gray adding experience at a boundary cornerback spot. Hall can definitely be that kind of player in 2024.
ICYMI: Getting to know new Michigan cornerback Aamir Hall
Cornerback Ricky Johnson III
Position: Cornerback
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 180 pounds
Hometown: Houston, Texas
High School: Cypress Falls
Previous college: UNLV
Expectations
While fall camp is all that matters, it's hard to currently envision Johnson starting for the Wolverines at cornerback if the room is healthy. Will Johnson has one role locked up, and Hall and Jyaire Hill come off on film more ready to help the Wolverines in the Big Ten.
Ricky Johnson could find some snaps as an experienced, physical defender who can play a multitude of roles, but his struggles in coverage and lack of starts at the group-of-five level makes it hard to envision a starting role at Michigan.
Still, like CJ Charleston at receiver, Johnson can help round a room hit hard by departures. And that he'll be around for two years means his impact could be even higher in 2025.
ICYMI: Getting to know new Michigan cornerback Ricky Johnson III
Safety Jaden Mangham
Position: Safety
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 185 pounds
Hometown: Franklin, Mich.
High School: Wylie E. Groves
Previous college: Michigan State
Expectations
Though I came away higher on Mangham than most seem to be in researching for this story, I can't say at this point than Mangham would start over Makari Paige and Wesley Walker right now. I do think, however, that Mangham can pass Quinten Johnson and Zeke Berry somewhat quickly once he acclimates to Michigan's scheme, and that starting isn't out of the question.
If I had to guess, the Wolverines pitched Mangham a season of developing his game and rotating in this fall, before getting a surefire starting job in 2025. Mangham will likely want to jump that learning curve, but being the No. 3 or No. 4 safety and playing around 300 snaps for the reigning national champions doesn't feel like a terrible waiting game to play.
ICYMI: Getting to know new Michigan safety Jaden Mangham
Offensive lineman Josh Preibe
Position: Offensive guard
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 305 pounds
Hometown: Niles, Mich.
High School: Edwardsburg
Previous college: Northwestern
Expectations
Though Michigan has been clear that its offensive line competitions are open heading into fall camp, we expect Priebe to start, and would slot him in at right guard for now. Michigan had Zak Zinter there for four years in a row, so having some experience in his replacement helps Michigan's offensive line coaches focus their attention to larger question marks at tackle.
As far as how he'll do, Priebe was viewed as a top-15 offensive lineman in the Big Ten last season, so it stands to reason that he could be a second-team All-Big Ten type of player this fall. There's a chance that he shines even brighter under Michigan's tutelage, but Northwestern's offensive line development seemed to be rather Michigan-like under then-offensive line coach Kurt Anderson, so what you have seen may be what you get.
Altogether, Priebe should be a valuable asset to Michigan's "SMASH' offense. He'll add experience to a room that needs it, and physicality to an offense that feeds off of it. I'm not certain yet that he'll be an NFL Draft pick or first-team All-Big Ten lineman, but don't be surprised if his head-down approach helps Michigan's run game shine again.
ICYMI: Getting to know new Michigan guard Josh Priebe
Wide receiver Amorion Walker
Position: Wide receiver
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 180 pounds
Hometown: Ponchatoula, La.
High School: Ponchatoula
Previous college: Ole Miss (and Michigan)
Expectations
If I watch enough of Walker's high school highlights or camp videos, I start to talk myself into Walker being a starter in 2024. He just moves differently than most collegiate receivers, and his frame and leaping ability could make him a downfield oasis for quarterbacks in a room that skews heavily toward shorter slot receivers.
But also, it cannot be ignored that he wasn't particularly close to playing meaningful snaps for Michigan either season. Even with his athleticism and frame, the Wolverines never really found a role for him to play, suggesting that he could truly end up being a long-term project recruit.
I also don't know what to make of his transfer to Ole Miss, then back to Michigan. My guess is that, if either program felt he was beginning to look like a 2024 starter-caliber cornerback, they aren't letting him hit the portal. The Wolverines took him back, but only at a position where they publicly stated a need to add players.
If Michigan had to suit up for a game in two weeks, I would predict Walker is a second-string receiver. Morris, Morgan and Moore feel like the starters to me, while Charleston, O'Leary and Walker would be the second group. He only has one catch, but predicting he can continue to improve feels like a safe dice roll for Michigan.
Walker has as much of a path to a starting, even marquee role as any receiver on Michigan's team, but will need to re-acclimate himself to the position by fall camp, and keep building momentum all August to do so.
Getting to know new Michigan wide receiver Amorion Walker
Safety Wesley Walker
Position: Safety
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 200 pounds
Hometown: Nashville, Tn.
High School: Ensworth
Previous college: Tennessee (and Georgia Tech)
Expectations
Given his last four years and the context of his recruitment, it's hard to imagine Walker not starting at one of the safety spots for Michigan this fall and pushing to be a late draft pick next spring if healthy. Michigan likely would not have pursued him so hard, and he likely would not have chosen Michigan over a host of high-level offers. If he isn't, then the Wolverines likely got a star ascent from Mangham or Berry a year earlier than expected.
As for Walker, it's fair to expect him to be among the top 10 safeties in the Big Ten, but a jump into the top five may be ambitious based on his body of work so far. Late-career breakouts can happen, especially with a change in coaches and on better defenses, but Walker seems to be more of a proven good, not elite player than an undiscovered talent with untapped potential.
He should add stability, IQ, experience and solid skills to Michigan's safety room, and complements a likely starting lineup with some true stars at the top. And after Moore's injury, that's pretty much exactly what Michigan was looking for.
ICYMI: Getting to know new Michigan safetyWesley Walker
Kicker Dominic Zvada
Position: Kicker
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 174 pounds
Hometown: Chandler, Arizona
High School: Valley Christian
Previous school: Arkansas State
Expectations
Without a lot of insight from coaches on the topic, we expect Zvada to start, and would put him as roughly one of the top five kickers in the Big Ten entering the season (Grady Gross, Jayden Fielding, Nathanial Vakos and Jai Patel probably round out that list). He has a real shot at being named first-team All-Big Ten, and it isn't out of the question that he can be one of the best kickers in the country.
Beyond the awards and even the overall statistics, Zvada has all the talent, experience and range to help the Wolverines' coaches sleep a little more soundly at night, and be Michigan's latest in a rather impressive string of kickers over the last few years.
ICYMI: Getting to know new Michigan kicker Dominic Zvada
