The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/798849
APRIL 2017 THE WOLVERINE 31 2017 SPRING FOOTBALL PREVIEW. WIDE RECEIVERS BY THE NUMBERS 3 Career touchdown c a tc h e s by M i c h i - gan's returning group of wide receivers — two of them by Perry, w h o s e s u s p e n s i o n had not been lifted through the first week of March. 26 Game appearances by Michigan fresh- man wideouts last year, Crawford and McDoom. Both are expec ted to make major contributions this season. 265 Career catches by the combo of Darboh and Chesson, who will only be looking on from afar in 2017. 3,541 B r a y l o n E d w a r d s ' school record for re- ceiving yards, after he made three catches for 38 yards as a true freshman. POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH All spots should be up for grabs following the graduations of senior stalwarts Darboh and Chesson, who combined for 3,701 yards and 26 touchdowns through the air during their ca- reers. McDoom took over the end-around duties from Ches- son last fall, but now somebody needs to step into Darboh's shoes as a No. 1 receiver option. Watch out for Crawford and Peoples-Jones as major play- ers in the wideout battles, with Black pushing hard as well. WHO'S GONE AMARA DARBOH The second-team All-Big Ten performer finished his career with 151 catches for 2,062 yards and 14 touchdowns, recording at least one reception in 33 straight games — the fourth-longest streak in school history. JEHU CHESSON Chesson hauled in 114 passes for 1,639 yards and 12 touchdowns in his Michigan career, while rushing for 219 yards and three touchdowns and recording a 96-yard kickoff return for a TD. WHO'S BACK JUNIOR GRANT PERRY This one comes with an asterisk, for now, given Perry's indefinite suspension and still resolving legal issues. He would be Michi- gan's top returning receiver with 13 catches for 183 yards and a touchdown last season. SOPHOMORE EDDIE MCDOOM McDoom did more running than catching, av- eraging 10.0 yards per carry on 16 tries, but he also snagged five receptions for 59 yards and can stretch the field with his considerable speed. SOPHOMORE KEKOA CRAWFORD Crawford has the most speed and perhaps the most potential of any returning U-M wideout, and will be looking to build in a big way off his four- catch, 47-yard, one-touchdown receiving effort last year, along with three runs for 15 yards. TOP NEWCOMERS FRESHMAN DONOVAN PEOPLES-JONES Multiple outlets pegged Peoples-Jones as the top prep receiver in the nation, and the 6-2, 190-pounder with 4.4 speed out of Detroit's Cass Tech brings great skill to the table, following a senior year featuring 60 catches, 1,071 yards and 17 touchdowns. FRESHMAN TARIK BLACK Like Peoples-Jones, Black arrived on campus early and could be in the mix early as well. The 6-4, 206-pounder posted 40 catches for 703 yards and 11 touchdowns en route to being tabbed as Rivals.com's No. 10 wideout in the nation. FRESHMAN BRAD HAWKINS Hawkins is raring to go following a prep school season, packing toughness and tenacity into a 6-2, 205-pound frame, one that accounted for 51 receptions, 868 yards and 11 touchdowns at Suf- field Academy last year. "It's going to be a very young group. It's going to be a little more talented than we've had recently, in terms of speed to get downfield, guys that maybe have better range in terms of the ball being near them and they come down with it. But they're just going to be low on experience." — U-M All-American Jon Jansen QUOTABLE U-M's inexperience jumps off the page at wide receiver. The returning Wolverines have made a combined three career starts, and caught a grand total of 27 passes for 328 yards and two touchdowns while rushing 19 times for 175 yards in 2016. T here are huge question marks, but no lack of po- tential answers. The guess here is that Perry will get squared away and be avail- able for the fall, although he might miss a game or a start. Crawford and Peoples-Jones could well wind up Michi- gan's top two wideouts, with a four-wideout set of Crawford, Peo- ples-Jones, McDoom and Perry giv- ing defenders fits because of that group's quickness and speed. The skill gets upgraded, but the experience is lacking, meaning U- M's receivers must literally learn on the fly. — John Borton PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN EDDIE MCDOOM