Mullings believes he can be the thunder to Donovan Edwards’ lightning.
Since Mike Sainristil got drafted by the Washington Commanders , there may not be anyone else on the Michigan Wolverines ’ roster who has shown more year-to-year growth than Kalel Mullings.
The Wolverines have had great success in recent years with players transitioning from one side of the ball to the other, and Mullings is the latest example of that.
The story so far
Mullings was a four-star recruit in the 2020 class , ranking as the No. 152 player nationally and No. 10 outside linebacker. Mullings played as both a running back and linebacker in high school and showed enough to get offers from Penn State, Ohio State , Notre Dame , and others, yet Mullings chose Michigan.
Mullings started to see the field more during his sophomore season in 2021, where he appeared in 13 games on special teams while receiving snaps at linebacker in 10 games. In all, Mullings had 11 tackles.
During Michigan’s spring game in April of 2022, Mullings started receiving snaps at running back and broke off a couple of big runs, showing some promise at a new position.
Throughout the 2022 season, Mullings played on both sides of the ball, appearing in 12 games (10 at linebacker, three at running back), totaling 12 tackles, and garnering 14 carries for 31 yards and three touchdowns.
When Wolverines’ star running back, Blake Corum, announced he was returning in 2023, Mullings had a decision to make. The depth chart would stay largely the same, but he needed to carve out a bigger role for himself. While Mullings was used sparingly on the goal line in 2022, he assumed the short-yardage role in 2023, which led him to see the field more often.
By the end of the season, Corum totaled more than 1,200 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior, Mullings rushed for 222 yards and one score, with his lone touchdown coming against Nebraska in the form of a 20-yard scamper, and Edwards rushed for just 497 yards and five touchdowns, including two in the National Championship game.
Outlook moving forward
With Corum drafted to the Los Angeles Rams , Mullings finally has an opportunity to fight for the RB2 spot at Michigan, and he has a lot going for him. New head coach Sherrone Moore preaches ‘smash football’ which Mullings has made his brand. As a running back with a linebacker build and mind, Mullings can size up with any defender, push for extra yards and fight off tackles at all three levels.
Recognizing the difference in their skill sets, Mullings says he sees the backfield with Donovan Edwards returning to the ‘thunder and lightning’ identity that it first adopted in 2021.
“I definitely think Dono and myself — our games complement each other,” Mullings said back in April. “Dono can take that thing 90 yards like that. I feel like I can definitely bring some thunder to that lightning, and it will be great to play off of each other, so I’m excited.”
Not only does Michigan feature a dynamic 1-2 punch of Mullings and Edwards, but it also has a young core of running backs that will soon showcase their talents and are waiting for an opportunity.
Tavierre Dunlap, Benjamin Hall, Cole Cabana, Micah Ka’apana and Jordan Marshall are all waiting patiently to become the next 1-2 punch of thunder and lightning, and will push Mullings and Edwards to fight for playing time.
Nonetheless, as of right now, the majority of the workload in 2024 will be on the seniors, who have proven they can contribute in big moments.