On Sunday night, UMass wide receiver Anthony Simpson made a commitment to the Michigan football team through the transfer portal, adding to the program’s 2025 haul.
Simpson, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound receiver who spent two seasons at Arizona to start his career, made two appearances this season and caught three catches for 16 yards on nine targets with two drops. Although UMass never provided a formal explanation or statement, the program did affirm in September that Simpson “is no longer a member of the Massachusetts football program.”
He was the Minutemen’s top receiver by a significant margin the previous season, hauling in 57 receptions on 97 targets for 801 yards and three scores. He caused 12 failed tackles and averaged 8.5 yards after contact per reception. 81.9 percent of his snaps during that season came from slot positions.
Simpson was a standout kick returner at Arizona, returning 18 kicks for 347 yards in 2022 (19.3 yards per return). He caught eight passes for 102 yards over his two seasons with the Wildcats.
According to the transfer portal 2025 rankings, Simpson is ranked No. 160 among wide receivers and No. 907 overall.
Since current tight ends coach Steve Casula served as his offensive coordinator in 2023, the Hartford, Connecticut native is somewhat acquainted with Michigan’s coaching staff. Don Brown, a former defensive coordinator at Michigan, also served as UMass’s head coach for the final two seasons before being fired in November. Josh Wallace, Michigan’s final UMass graduate transfer, was equally successful; he started for the Wolverines’ 2023 national championship squad.
Simpson will join a wide receiver room at Michigan that is anticipated to be led by Donaven McCulley, an Indiana transfer, Fredrick Moore, and Semaj Morgan. Peyton O’Leary, Kendrick Bell, Amorion Walker, Channing Goodwin, and I’Marion Stewart are also expected to step up for the Wolverines, while freshmen Andrew Marsh (ranked 70th in the 2025 247Sports Composite), Jacob Washington (ranked 207), and Jamar Browder (ranked 822) will have an opportunity to break through the two-deep that is devoid of a well-known, established star. In the past month, the Wolverines have made a lot of offers to wide receivers through the portal, but they have had trouble completing the hiring process.
Simpson becomes the newest member of a 12-person transfer portal class that is ranked No. 35 in the country. Additionally, the class includes defensive lineman Tre Williams from Clemson, defensive tackle Damon Payne from Alabama, defensive lineman Justice Haynes from Alabama, offensive lineman Lawrence Hattar from Ferris State, linebacker Troy Bowles from Georgia, safety Tevis Metcalf from Arkansas, safety TJ Metcalf from Arkansas, quarterback Mikey Keene from Fresno State, offensive lineman Brady Norton from Cal-Poly, and receiver Donaven McCulley from Indiana.
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