The Wolverines picked up a huge commitment on the Fourth of July from four-star WR Travis Johnson. Here is what the film showed us and why he can succeed in Ann Arbor:
The Michigan Wolverines may have lost the Calvin Russell sweepstakes over the weekend, but their 2026 wide receiver group is still coming together nicely.
The latest commitment comes from Travis Johnson , a 6-foot-3, 185-pound four-star from Chesapeake, Virginia’s Oscar Smith High School. Last season, he recorded more than 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns, even while missing time due to injury.
A consensus Top-25 wideout in the nation and a Top-200 player, Johnson joins another big-bodied receiver in four-star Zion Robinson (6-foot-3), as well as three-star Jaylen Pile, in Michigan’s class of wide receivers.
Head coach Sherrone Moore, position coach Ron Bellamy and offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey have done well to surround impending starting quarterback Bryce Underwood with talented players on the outside, and Johnson should make life easier for him down the road. Let’s take a look at his film and evaluate his game.
The Film
The first thing that stands out about Johnson’s game is his length. That frame, long arms and long strides are smooth at the point of attack, and he is difficult to stop once he gets outside leverage. Johnson will glide down the sideline, where he can either accelerate past his man or locate a fly ball like a center fielder.
That size is particularly valuable not only on tight boundaries, but also in the red zone. Johnson is a good route runner with an impressive amount of shiftiness, and he can also go up and rebound for jump balls.
Johnson’s ability to win inside and make catches over the middle — along with his ability to stress a defense vertically — will make life easier for Underwood.
As a ball carrier, Johnson demonstrates a good initial burst and can weave through tacklers. He is not immune to losing battles in space 1-on-1, but he is also not an easy corral. One of my favorite ways Oscar Smith utilized him was in the quick screen game, where he could pick and choose his blockers and zip through the secondary.
Those instincts and body control also come up when navigating deep passes. There are a lot of advanced components to Johnson’s game.
He might not have game-breaking speed, but both his lateral and straight-line quicks look dangerous enough to properly complement that 6-foot-3 body. Putting on some extra muscle and weight will have him ready for Big Ten play in no time.
Johnson already has a polished game, which is one of the many reasons he was being pursued by other big time college football programs. He won’t suit up for Michigan until at least 2026, but fans should be excited for that debut.