Semaj Morgan’s path to Michigan, outlook for 2024

With the departure of Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson to the NFL Draft, the Michigan Wolverines will look to replace 1,393 yards, 95 receptions and 13 touchdowns from their 2023 offense.

Many receivers are hoping for more work, but one of the top options is sophomore Semaj Morgan. He stood out as a true freshman last season and is poised to be one of the best pass-catching options this fall.

The story so far

Morgan was a member of the West Bloomfield-Michigan pipeline that grew tremendously during Jim Harbaugh’s time in Ann Arbor. As the No. 11 player in the state of Michigan and the No. 484 player overall in his class, some were surprised at how quickly he made a name for himself at the college level.

In August 2023, Sherrone Moore expressed how excited he was for the true freshman receivers.

“These young rookies just make plays. Fred Moore, Karmello English, Semaj Morgan – these guys are extremely explosive and just make plays day in and day out.”

And before you knew it, Morgan was making an impact on the field. He scored his first touchdown in the Big Ten opener against Rutgers. A few weeks later, he found the end zone again in one of the most impressive plays of the season:

Morgan continued to make the most of his opportunities and get more playing time as a result. He started getting more and more jet sweeps mid-season, including a 44-yard touchdown run against Purdue:

At the end of the season, Morgan had four total touchdowns and the third-most receptions (22) and receiving yards (204) among Michigan wide receivers. He received honorable mention All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and media.

Outlook for the future

Morgan and Tyler Morris are the two favorites to be the team’s top wide receiver in 2024. The pair, along with Fred Moore, will likely spend the majority of playing time at the position. However, CJ Charleston and Amorion Walker, who transferred from Youngstown State, will also compete for rotation targets. Additionally, tight end Colston Loveland is still in the mix and is also a big weapon.

At 5’10”, Morgan isn’t the tallest receiver, but he makes up for that with his dynamic playmaking ability. He and Morris will see plenty of action in new offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell’s offense.

Morgan will likely continue to return kicks and punts. He did both quite well in 2023, with his 87-yard punt return in the Big Ten Championship against Iowa being his highlight.

Dynamic with the ball in his hands, expect Morgan to take a step forward as a second-year player.