Anthony Carter, Braylon Edwards, David Terrell, Devin Funchess, Roman Wilson. All five of those wide receivers made an impact at Michigan and wore the iconic No. 1, which is usually given to the top wide receiver in the program.
Like the No. 7 at LSU or the No. 55 at USC, it’s an important number at Michigan, as wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy is well aware of.
“When I think of one (jersey), I think of someone that represents the receiver room,” Bellamy said at a recent press conference. “The utmost
respect, a ballplayer, big time ball player, someone that demands a double team. Someone demands the football. The ball has to go through that person.”
Wilson and Amorion Walker wore the No. 1 the last two seasons, but the Wolverines are still searching for their first 1,000-yard pass catcher in 12 years. It would have taken a Herculean effort with last season’s quarterback play, but there’s a new player that can buck that trend.
Donaven McCulley transferred to Michigan after four years at Indiana. Although he played in just four games last season, McCulley made his presence felt in 2023 with 48 receptions for 644 yards and six touchdowns.
What does he need to do at Michigan for fans to feel like that wearing that iconic No. 1 jersey is appropriate? Let’s break it down.
Go routes and guidance
As fun as it was to watch Wilson at Michigan, he was a different type of receiver than McCulley. While Wilson relied on his speed, shiftiness and route running to get open, McCulley has something Wilson lacks.
“We wanted to get bigger in the receiver room and we had some attrition. We tried to make up for that via the portal and McCulley has been a great addition,” Bellamy said in the spring. “Most of (the bigger receivers) have basketball backgrounds and the ball being in the air is just rebounding to them. That’s something we didn’t have last year for the most part and we do now.”
Listed at 6-foot-5, McCulley can win jump balls and should be a favorite target in the red zone. But his talents may not be the only reason why he earned the No. 1 jersey — what he does off the field is also a key part of that tradition.
“I think we got a tremendous amount of depth,” McCulley told Maize n Brew at the third annual Champions Circle Golf Classic. “I feel like coming into the room, all I want to do is work, lead by example, stuff like that. I’m starting to become more of a vocal leader in that room, but other than that, I feel like our room is pretty deep.”
As McCulley alluded to, he’s become a leader among the group, a key aspect of earning that No. 1 jersey. He certainly has the talent to live up to the hype, but he has to represent the program well on top of that. It sounds like he is off to a good start in that department, and his position coach appears to be one of his biggest fans.
“There’s a rich tradition of receivers at Michigan, and you can see the boys take pride in that,” Bellamy said. “On the wall, there’s a collage of guys throughout the history of Michigan football and it’s like, ‘Who’s going to be the next one of you guys in this room that enters that wall?’ You really have to get to work to get on that wall, so it’s been pretty cool.
“Donaven McCulley is the oldest guy in the room and he has the most experience. He’s played more than 1,000 snaps in his college career so, quite naturally, you would think he would be the next guy on the wall, and that’s what he’s ascending to. He’s on track to do that, but he just has to keep attacking and challenging himself every day.”
The stats
So what would a successful statistical season look like for McCulley?
Michigan’s leading wide receiver last season — Tyler Morris — could not surpass 250 yards, so McCulley more than doubling that mark would be a blessing. With what may be a true freshman quarterback throwing him the ball, 600 yards — 44 yards shy of McCulley’s season-high set in 2023 — feels like a fair goal. Additionally, if he can collect double-digit touchdowns, Michigan’s offense will be in a really good spot.
Does McCulley need to break that 1,000-yard mark to earn the No. 1 jersey? I don’t think so. As long as he leads Michigan in production and sets a good example for the young talent behind him, he’s worthy of the jersey in my book.
What do you think? Let us know down in the comments section below.
