2012 Positional Breakdown: Wide Receiver

One of last year's biggest strengths for the Wolverines was at the wide receiver position, largely because of the depth and a stellar performer in Junior Hemmingway. Unfortunately, number 21 from last year is no longer at Michigan's disposal to consistently make big plays. It is now up to the lesser roles of last year to step up and make something happen out wide for the Wolverines.

Heavy weights will be rested upon the shoulders of players like Roy Roundtree, Jeremy Gallon, and Drew Dileo. Some of these guys have proven themselves in years past, but offensive coordinator Al Borges will be looking for someone to really step up and do as much as possible to replace the presence of Hemmingway for the Michigan offense.

Recapping 2012 Commit Amara Darboh

Michigan only picked up two WR in the 2012 class.  Those players were Jehu Chesson and Amara Darboh. Amara was definitely one of the more highly touted commits for Michigan and a lot of people were excited when he chose the Wolverines.  Amara is from West Des Moines, Iowa.  He is listed right around 6'2" and has better size than Chesson, as he's listed right around 200 pounds.  Michigan is thin at wide receiver, so predictions for 2012 and Darboh are all over.  I will break down some of those below.

Amara is another guy that the Michigan coaches picked up with good size.  I've seen on a lot of sites that he's been compared to Braylon Edwards, and we all know how good he was for Michigan.  He's not the fastest guy on the field but he can go anywhere to get the ball and once he gets the separation after breaking a tackle or two, he's not that easy to catch.  He runs right in the 4.40 range for the 40, so he's got some good quickness.  He's another guy that has great hands and has the rare willingness to go across the middle and not afraid to get lit up.  Amara actually pulled the commitment trigger before his other wide receiver mate Chesson.  He's a solid guy that doesn't drop the ball very much so Michigan fans should definitely be excited about that.

Recapping 2012 WR Commit Jehu Chesson

One of the biggest needs in the 2012 class was wide receiver and Michigan snagged a good one in Jehu Chesson. Jehu Chesson hails out of Ladue, Missouri.  After the departure of guys like Junior Hemingway (NFL) and Darryl Stonum (transfer to Baylor) the wide receiver position was going to be a big time need for Michigan to fill and Jehu was one of the two pieces that went towards doing so.  Roy Roundtree is the obvious #1 guy but it's really a toss up as far as the rest of the depth chart will go.  Sure Michigan has good receivers in Drew Dileo and Jeremy Gallon but neither of these two guys have good size.  Good short, speedy slot receivers so Michigan went out there and got a guy in Jehu Chesson that's got good height in 6'3" and he can go up and get the ball.  Denard Robinson has a bit of a tendancy to throw up some jump balls so having another receiver that can go up and get it is definitely something the Michigan offense needed.

Jehu is a true freshman this year and these guys don't necessarily get on the field a whole lot at Michigan but I think wide receiver could be where you see some young guys get playing time.  He doesn't have that elite speed after the catch, but he has the ability to go for jump balls, as well as that "no fear" mentality when it comes to going across the middle and catching footballs in that intermediate distance.  With Michigan converting to the Al Borges "pro-style" offense, I think Jehu will be a great fit and was a pretty solid pick up.

2013 WR Laquon Treadwell To Announce Decision Soon

With a flurry of recent announcements, it's been reported that one of 2013's most heralded wide receivers, Laquon Treadwell, will be announcing his college decision in the near future.  Although he did not name an exact time or date, he did say "my decision coming soon."  This was a little surprising since I got the sense that his recruitment would be a long one, but there's no doubt about the importance of this development to Michigan's 2013 recruiting class.  As we discussed in our breakdown of 247Sports' Top 247 Players, Treadwell is probably Michigan's most likely elite recruiting pick-up in 2013.  Michigan can certainly gain another major commitment in 2013, but Treadwell is probably the most likely.


Treadwell has been dominating several recent camps and has remained as one of the nation's elite players.  Michigan already has two wide receiver commitments in their 2013 class, Jaron Dukes and Csont'e York, and signed two wide receiver recruits in 2012, Jehu Chesson and Amara Darboh, but none of these recruits have matched Treadwell's rankings.  Yes, they may certainly outperform Treadwell in college, but if you are just going off the rankings, Treadwell would easily be Michigan's most heralded recruit since the 2009 recruiting class and probably even beyond that.

Roy Round"Tree"--Will He Wear The #1 Jersey?

Roy Roundtree has become something of an enigma at Michigan. We never know what kind of player to expect. In 2010, he showed maturity and poise beyond his years on his way to a 72 catch, 955 yard, 7 TD season. Last year, in 2011, he regressed into an almost afterthought with 19 catches. 355 yards. 2 TDs.

After 2010, there were some widespread rumors that "Tree" might earn the coveted #1 jersey. We all know what that means. Anthony Carter, Braylon Edwards, Derrick Alexander, David Terrell, and Paul Goebel all earned the right to wear it. The idea behind the jersey is not too complicated.  It's not an official declaration of the athletic department and coaching staff, but it's supposed to symbolize the receiver has become the "best" on the team both on and off the field.  It doesn't separate that player from the rest of the team, or at least isn't supposed to separate them, but it does make them elite. That player needs to earn the jersey, and last season, Roundtree did far from it.

Every receiver has good games and bad. Against Illinois in 2010, Roundtree had 246 receiving yards. That was one of those games during the RichRod era that left many Michigan fans in disbelief. I caught some of the scoring in the end on the radio, shaking my head in disbelief.  While we could score better than we could with Threet or Sheridan, our defense was beyond porous. Racking up 246 receiving yards was great for Roundtree personally, but when you take the rest of the game into account, it's really not that significant.

So where does Michigan turn to in 2012? Gone will be Koger and Hemingway. The only other starting option next to Roundtree is speedy Jeremy Gallon. Gallon can make fantastic catches, but with his size he can only do so much. I've heard there might be some packages involving Devin Gardner as a wide receiver this season. Darryl Stonum has been dismissed from the team, and while this decision hurt our depth; we all understand why Brady Hoke had to do it. There is some new recruiting blood such as Jehu Chesson that can take some heat off the incumbent players, but we never know how that could turn out.

Bottom line, I expect a lot from Roundtree this season. Anyone who knows him or follows him on Twitter can tell he's a great guy. I know he can step up and be that receiver who can stretch out the opposing secondary. Hoke and Borges will probably leaning heavier on the power run offense this season with a bigger offensive line intact. Will he earn the number 1? I have my doubts. However, I also have high expectations and I expect nothing less from "Tree."


Photo Credit: Tony Ding

Wide Receiver Jehu Chesson Commits To Michigan

Today, Jehu Chesson from St. Louis, committed to the Wolverines to become #24 in the 2012 recruiting class.  This is a big pick-up for Michigan primarily because the team was in need of another wide receiver.  Brady Hoke has commented several times that the class would probably be around 26 commitments.  However, with several wide receivers graduating this season and many of the current players being upperclassmen, gaining at least two wide receiver commitments was crucial for long-term success.

Chesson is rated as a three star prospect by Rivals and Scout and is rated anywhere from #82 to #89 at his position across the country.  Basically, this means that he's a solid recruit, but not one that is going to "change" the entire team's dynamic the minute he walks on campus.  Scout says he's "tall and lanky," but needs to bulk up to become a true impact player.  If a recruit has a down-side, size may be the problem most coaches and fans would want because a recruit typically gains significant weight through training camp and their first season, effectively removing the "problem."

With the current depth at wide receiver, Chesson will have some time to develop under experienced players without being forced to contribute the day he walks on campus, which is always an advantage.  It's great to have a player who can make a difference and build game-experience quickly, but it can also be helpful if the player can avoid the limelight in their development, at least for a short-time.  Players like Roundtree, Gallon, and Stonum will be back next year, giving Chesson at least a full season where he could play off the bench or potentially red-shirt, although I doubt that will happen simply because there is some depth concerns at the position.

From all the information he seems to be a very tough and competitive player, which are some of the key aspects Brady Hoke is trying to build into this team.  It is pretty unlikely he'll get significant playing time next year without some injuries to other players, but I think there is a great possibility he will play a decent amount of time and make a few solid plays.  He is a great addition to this recruiting class and will help secure a position that was a big need for this class.  With two wide receivers commitments (the other being four star Amara Darboh), this class is nearing completion, bringing one of the best groups to campus next fall Ann Arbor has seen in a long time.  There are sure to be some huge expectations for this class and players like Chesson.

Photo Credit: Rivals