Nick Durand has been a Michigan football beat writer for Maize n Brew since 2023, covering games, press conferences and more.
It’s been quite a while since the Michigan Wolverines have had a true freshman make a big impact at wide receiver; you’d have to go back to 2017 and Donovan Peoples-Jones to even find 277 yards of production from a Michigan freshman. While Andrew Marsh might not be coming to Michigan with Peoples-Jones’ pedigree, there might still be an avenue for him to get on the field early in his college career.
Today, we’ll be continuing a closer look at what the career of freshman wide receiver Andrew Marsh has looked like so far and what could be in store during the 2025 season.
Michigan’s recruiting at the wide receiver position hasn’t exactly been on par with the Ohio States, Alabamas, and Oregons of the world, but Ron Bellamy and company made a big-time addition last August by landing the services of Andrew Marsh, a native of Katy, Texas.
Marsh was a highly coveted recruit on the trail in the class of 2025, ranked as the No. 117-overall player and the No. 16 wide receiver by the 247Sports Composite. A bit on the thin side at 175 pounds, Marsh still made quite the impact at Katy Jordan high school, hauling in 130 passes for 2,330 yards and 26 touchdowns over the past two seasons. On the recruiting trail, he garnered praise for his athletic ability and jump-ball skills despite his size. He also competed in track and field when he was in high school, excelling in the high-jump.
Marsh was one of Michigan’s new freshmen that chose to enroll early this season and got a leg up on some of the competition on the depth chart by being able to develop some early chemistry with the quarterbacks and learn the nuances of the new offense. Fans were able to get their first glimpse of Marsh in the spring game, but he was targeted only twice and had one reception for 12 yards in the game.
For more on Marsh as a prospect, check out his film study from last year by clicking here.
There’s plenty of new in Michigan’s offense in 2025, and much of it centers around the passing attack. Bryce Underwood is likely the new starter at quarterback, while Donaven McCulley is likely to take over as Michigan’s new top receiver. After McCulley though, there’s plenty of questions as to who will step up as the No. 2 and 3 guys on the depth chart.
What would make the most sense is for juniors Semaj Morgan and Fred Moore to climb up next in the receiving pecking order, but both players failed to make a big impact with their opportunities last year. While some of their lackluster statistics can be attributed to factors beyond their control, such as the subpar quarterback play and offensive scheme, there’s still room for new players to surpass them on the depth chart.
It might be a stretch for it to happen right away, but it wouldn’t be a shock if Andrew Marsh is able to eventually climb into a featured role in the passing attack by the halfway point of the season. Marsh brings a badly needed explosivity to the receiving room, and has bulked up to 190 pounds after being listed at just 175 as a recruit, suggesting that he might be more ready than originally thought to mix it up with some of the more physical corners at the college level. In addition to his raw physical traits, Marsh showed nuance as a route runner at the high school level and can help the offense by lining up both in the slot and outside.
Marsh is coming to Michigan at the right time if he wants to make an impact early in his career, as there could be snaps to go around in the receiver rotation. He’s got the talent and playmaking ability to justify the playing time as well should things break the right way for him.
