Bryce Underwood’s arsenal is about to get a serious upgrade. Michigan fans should be paying close attention to what’s brewing on the practice field. Wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy dropped a hint this week that freshman wideout Jamar Browder is getting dangerously close to making some noise on Saturdays.

He told reporters that “it’s only a matter of time” before the 6-foot-5 receiver from Jacksonville hits the scene. Browder’s been stacking good practices behind senior Donaven McCulley, who’s taken him under his wing as a mentor. The timing couldn’t be better for the Wolverines.

Michigan is sitting at 5-2 with its true freshman quarterback finally starting to figure things out. Bryce Underwood posted a career-best 173.78 QB rating against Washington last week despite his receivers dropping four catchable balls. What the former five-star signal-caller needs now is another big-bodied target who can go up and get contested throws. Browder fits that description perfectly.​

What makes Browder so intriguing as a potential weapon for Underwood is that he is basically a clone of McCulley. That means Michigan could roll out two 6-foot-5 receivers on the field at the same time and create absolute matchup nightmares for opposing secondaries. Browder hauled in 50 receptions for 1,137 yards and 12 touchdowns during his senior season at Santaluces Community High School in Florida. He averaged nearly 23 yards per catch while also showing he can run with the ball. He averaged 12.6 yards per carry on 10 rushing attempts. 

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Over his entire high school career, he racked up more than 3,400 yards and 43 total touchdowns. This is the production that had him rising late in the recruiting process before flipping his commitment from NC State to Michigan. What really caught Michigan’s coaching staff’s attention during spring ball was his uncanny speed and elite route running for someone his size. Defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny was so impressed by Browder that he specifically called him out as one of the freshmen who was making everyone take notice.​

McCulley has been the steadying presence that Browder needs while learning the college game. Watching the senior’s breakout performance against Wisconsin showed exactly what Browder’s ceiling could look like. Through seven games this season, McCulley’s put together a solid campaign with 24 receptions for 369 yards and two touchdowns, averaging a healthy 15.4 yards per catch. But it was that Wisconsin game on October 4 where he really showed Underwood what a big-bodied receiver can do. He went for six catches for 112 yards and a 29-yard touchdown strike that gave Michigan a 17-7 lead in the third quarter.

The path forward for Browder seems pretty clear. He’s going to keep backing up McCulley while absorbing everything the senior can teach him. And then when his number gets called, he’ll be ready to give Underwood another big target in the passing game. 

Haynes goes down, Marshall steps up for Underwood

Michigan’s injury luck went from bad to worse heading into the Washington game. But at least there’s a silver lining with Justice Haynes that the Wolverines desperately needed. The star running back was ruled out before kickoff, forcing Jordan Marshall into his biggest moment yet as the featured back. 

Marshall absolutely delivered, posting a career-high 133 yards rushing and a clutch touchdown that helped Bryce Underwood and the offense control the clock in that 24-7 win. After the game, Sherrone Moore offered some cautiously optimistic news about Haynes’ status moving forward.

While specific details about the injury weren’t disclosed, Moore indicated that Haynes “could return vs. MSU” for the rivalry matchup this weekend. That’s huge for Michigan’s offense, especially with Evan Link now expected to miss at least a few games due to his knee injury. Having Haynes back would take enormous pressure off Underwood, who’s still just 18 years old and learning how to manage games at this level.​

The thing about losing your star running back, even temporarily, is that it completely changes what defenses can do to your quarterback. Without Haynes in the backfield, opposing defenses could load up on pass rush and make Bryce Underwood’s life miserable. Underwood threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns against the Huskies, looking noticeably more confident knowing Marshall could take some heat off him with the ground game.