Michigan Football: Jordan Marshall to lead the rushing attack?

The Michigan Wolverines will look for new faces to man their backfield after running backs Donovan Edwards and Kalel Mullings left to enter the NFL. And entering 2025, Jordan Marshall will look to lead the new two-headed backfield along with transfer Justice Haynes. 

Michigan Wolverines: Who is Jordan Marshall?

Jordan Marshall was a four-star recruit from Cincinnati, Ohio, in the class of 2024. He attended Archbishop Moeller High School, where during his junior season he rushed for 1,951 rushing yards, 364 receiving yards, and 33 touchdowns, and was selected as the Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year. In his senior season, he rushed for 1,550 yards and 17 touchdowns, winning the Ohio Mr. Football Award.

During Marshall’s freshman season, he mainly served as a kick returner, returning 9 kicks for 225 yards. However, during Michigan’s bowl game against Alabama, Marshall showed fans what he was capable of as the lead back on the 2025 team. Against one of the best run defenses in the country, Marshall rushed for 100 yards on 23 carries as a true freshman. This performance catapulted him into the starting running back role for the next season.

Positional outlook on the offense

Jordan Marshall started the 2024 season as the fourth running back on the Michigan depth chart. However, his performance in spring and training camp quickly caught the eyes of the coaching staff, and his talent and athleticism were immediately apparent. Coaches had to find a way to put Marshall on the field, so they put him into certain situations as a kick returner, where he created electric plays. In a strong 2024 campaign with limited action, Marshall looks to take a bigger role in 2025.

Man of Moeller Jordan Marshall ‘24 returns a kick 63 yards in Ann Arbor today. Also saw his first action in the backfield for the Maize and Blue. #GoBlue #GoBigMoe pic.twitter.com/gnw8RgPJP3

— 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗵𝗲𝗻 (@BigMoBarrett) November 24, 2024

With the arrival of transfer running back Justice Haynes, Marshall’s opportunity to be the workhorse guy in the backfield becomes limited. However, Marshall still has an opportunity to split snaps with Haynes, as he is also an immensely talented running back. Haynes and Marshall should be able to carve out sizable roles this upcoming season, leading a potent Michigan rushing attack. 

Strengths and Weaknesses

Jordan Marshall excels as a downhill rusher. He has the strength and straight-line speed to be a power runner and accelerates quickly to turn broken tackles into long runs.

During the game against Alabama, Marshall showed a strong ability to remain patient and let blocks develop – with the vision to hit small gaps and rushing lanes. He kept plays alive through his strength and pushed the pile. He also showed off his ability to get around the edge and create explosive plays.

Overall, Marshall has a strong balance of brawn and straight-line speed. It makes him an explosive threat that Michigan will rely on for consistent runs late in the season versus tougher opponents, where cold weather will dictate a run-heavy approach. 

Marshall showed strong ability as a receiver in college. However, he did not catch a pass during his freshman season with Michigan. Yet, this could have been due to a lack of opportunity. With that in mind, improving in this area of his game will allow him to stay on the field for more snaps, particularly in passing situations.

Marshall’s agility also is not at the same level as Justice Haynes, limiting his ability to create long runs as an elusive runner. This could limit Marshall in specific play calls, keeping him off the field in favor of the more elusive Haynes. 

The next great Michigan RB

Jordan Marshall ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/0uC97VG3dd

— THE RED RANGER (@THEREDRANGER3) January 2, 2025

What’s the 2025 outlook for Jordan Marshall at Michigan?

Jordan Marshall will likely get the opportunity to be Michigan’s early down and short-yardage running back – while also getting the bulk of the goal line snaps.

Michigan will likely defer to Justice Haynes for passing downs and as a change of pace back. However, Marshall should still see around 50 percent of snaps, and the majority of rushing attempts for the team. 

Marshall is poised for a big season entering 2025. He has the potential to be the next great homegrown Michigan running back since Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins. With a potential upgrade at quarterback for the Wolverines, the running game should also thrive with more of a passing threat. This will allow Marshall to put up some monster stats this season for Michigan.