UPDATE: Amorion Walker is back as well. Since all he missed was one semester this doesn't warrant a Hello. Since he was one of my 2022 Sleepers of the Class it does warrant a fist-pump. Now back to Charleston.

Michigan's receiver depth was bolstered today with Youngstown State transfer CJ Charleston's announcement. This one:

CAREER THUS FAR

Charleston is a grad transfer, but may have a shot at two years of eligibility; he redshirted in 2019 and lost of all of 2022 to an Achilles injury. He's an athlete, a D1 basketball prospect in high school who won state titles for the long jump and 4x100 relay. Charleston was also an ATH as a recruit, committing to Bo Pelini(!) as an RB/WR/CB. He started in the shortened 2020 season (five games), and caught three passes for 18 yards against MSU as a RS sophomore in 2021, but came off the bench for four of their last six games.

After missing 2022 Charleston was an inside-outside third option for the Penguins behind 6th year Kentucky transfer Bryce Oliver and full-time slot receiver Max Tomczak. Charleston finished 2023 with 33 catches on 46 targets for 504 yards (11 YPT) and 4 TDs, and a 64.6 (meh) score on PFF. The effects of the injury might have played a role; via local press, he was on a limited snap count up until the end of fall camp.

[After THE JUMP: Very limited scouting]

SCOUTING

As with their last portal addition, Charleston might be a guy that Michigan scouted while watching OSU film from last year. But CJ only had two targets against Ohio State, this one (at 10 minutes):

and a desperation comeback on 3rd & 15 that he couldn't haul in out of bounds with Davison Igbinosun on his back. Other clips I could find show good speed and acceleration for the FCS level.

FCS football is a bit of a challenge to scout, but Charleston runs sharp routes that drew help. Acceleration seems to be his top attribute.

Pro Football Focus, also had Charleston last on the team in run blocking with a 42.1 score. Sometimes that's paradoxically a good thing—low blocking scores on PFF for receivers are often a sign that the player is being asked to crack defenders twice his size, or lead on WR screens. From what I could see of Charleston he's willing but also wee.

#2 WR on the top

WR#2 on the bottom

OFFERS

Nobody else was reported as involved.

STATS

via PFF:

ETC.

Majored in math.

PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE

The possibility of two years (they'd have to say 2019 was an injury) is intriguing, as is Charleston's athletic profile, but there aren't a lot of guys entering the portal looking to be fifth on the depth chart. In that Charleston is a lot like Jack Tuttle, an athlete with some upside who at the very least can be a veteran presence. Need the Dudes, etc.

Charleston might have to take a downgrade in role, but provides critical redundancy after Michigan went through spring with just four scholarship receivers, three of whom were receivers a year ago, one who wasn't a freshman last year. Charleston probably slots in ahead of Kendrick Bell but not anybody who's caught a pass for Michigan in the past, including Amorion Walker should he wish to return (negotiations ongoing).

That also means Charleston is probably not going to be a major downfield threat for Michigan this year. An FCS team's third receiver doesn't join the reigning FBS national champions with a promise of more playing time. If he does find a role, it's probably as a slot receiver, since that's a position that typically requires some rotation. On the other hand, he's immediately the most experienced Division I receiver on the roster--and 6th on the team in career snaps--and the breaths of mere underclassman mortals are all that stand between Charleston and the field.