What role can Charleston carve out for himself in Ann Arbor?
Transfer wide receiver C.J. Charleston comes to Ann Arbor with potentially two years of eligibility remaining after five years as a Youngstown State Penguin. Most fans are simply excited to have another body in an already depleted wide receivers room, but what does the former FCS player bring to the Michigan Wolverines ?
Unlike film studies in the past, this analysis will be far less animated thanks to the scarcely available FCS game tape. But from what I have seen, read and heard, here is what you need to know about what Charleston brings to the table.
Background
A three-sport athlete in high school, Charleston went largely unrecruited due to his slight frame (165 pounds) and playing at a small northeast Ohio school with limited scouting exposure. As a senior, Charleston — who mainly played running back, but also played wide receiver and corner — rushed for 2,385 yards and scored 49 touchdowns. The latter is tied for the third-most in a single season in Ohio prep history.
Off the gridiron, Charleston excelled as well. As a basketball player, he earned All-State honors his junior year and won two state championships during his senior year in track and field (long jump, 4×100 meter relay). Most impressively, his 22’5 long jump shows elite natural athleticism and explosion that translates to the football field.
Youngstown State Scouting
At Youngstown State, Charleston quickly got used to overcoming adversity. From bouncing in and out of the starting lineup since his redshirt sophomore season to handling a “double season” due to COVID-19 (FCS programs played the 2020 fall season in the spring of 2021) to overcoming a torn Achilles in 2022, to shining last season, Charleston has seen it all.
In 2023, Charleston was the team’s third-leading receiver with 33 receptions for 467 yards and four touchdowns. Primarily working out of the slot — although he showed he could work outside as well — Charleston used good footwork and acceleration to get open and make plays. He did look a step slower last season coming off the injury, but with each passing day his natural athletic burst should return.
Given his ability to accelerate to top-end speed in a few strides and his natural position being running back, Charleston feels like he was chronically misused at Youngstown. In a limited sample size, it appears he was primarily utilized as an intermediate-to-deep option instead of working underneath. For Charleston, the priority should have been simple — get the ball in his hands and let him cook, especially in the screen game. Moreover, it would be easy to draw up a route tree for Charleston that focuses on screens, quick-outs, slants, and whip routes to accentuate his greatest asset of acceleration.
However, in his miscast role, Charleston still proved to be effective at the top of routes with physicality and the ability to make tough catches.
Hey CJ!!#GoGuins #LeaveNoDoubt pic.twitter.com/HyIuwzPnpg
— Youngstown State Football (@ysufootball) October 21, 2023
Measurables
Listed at 6-foot, 190 pounds, Charleston has put on 25 pounds since enrolling at Youngstown State and possesses a good frame for the Big Ten. Under the guidance of strength and conditioning coach Justin Tress, Charleston could even afford to add a few more pounds of muscle without losing any burst or acceleration.
Expectations at Michigan
So what brings a third-option FCS wide receiver to the defending FBS national champions? For one, coaching ties. As previously reported , Michigan offensive analyst Josh Sinagoga was Charleston’s wide receivers coach at Youngstown State from 2020-21 and has familiarity with what he brings to a program. Secondly, this move represents challenge and opportunity in a more specified role.
Charleston knows he will have to accept a diminished role in Ann Arbor initially, but it will also be a more focused opportunity with him primarily working as a rotational slot receiver and serving as insurance for rising sophomore Fred Moore. Furthermore, Charleston has shown a willingness to block and if there is one area where he could be ahead of some of Michigan’s younger receivers, it’s at the point of contact.
From a leadership standpoint, Charleston provides depth and experience to a room that is short on both. He has played the sixth-most career snaps of any Michigan player, so expect him to help expedite the growth and maturity of the entire room.
Think of Charleston as a middle-round draft pick that possesses low risk and high reward. If he develops into a primary contributor? Outstanding! If he only plays rotationally? Great, another capable body. If he only serves as a kick/punt returner? Cool, it will help keep Semaj Morgan healthy. If he is only a veteran leader in a young locker room? It’s still a win.
This move is purely additive for the Wolverines. The transfer of Charleston is not meant to be a game-breaker, but it prevents one injury to a wide receiver from becoming a back-breaker. Couple this move with the addition of a returning Amorion Walker, and Michigan’s wide receiver room is suddenly rounding into form.