The Michigan football team's last 1,000 yard receiver was Mario Manningham, who reached that plateau during the 2007 season. Even though that occurred just three years ago, Wolverine fans probably feel like it happened light years ago.

Back then, under Lloyd Carr’s pro-style offense, fans could enjoy statistical luxuries like those. Now, they’re just worried about winning games.

In the first two years of coach Rich Rodriguez’s tenure, Michigan's leading receiver hasn’t topped 450 yards. Martavious Odoms had a breakout freshman year in 2008 and led the team in receiving with his 49 catches for 443 yards. And last year, Roy Roundtree led the team as a redshirt freshman with 32 catches for 434 yards.

But those two years were full with growing pains as Rodriguez installed his system in 2008, and then had a true-freshman starting at quarterback the following season. Now, Michigan has two experienced signal callers to choose from, and a promising freshman in Devin Gardner who made improvements in spring practice.

Whoever is under center in the fall will have a deep set of targets to throw to. And over the past two years, there have been glimpses of promise all over the field — in 2010, we could finally see the development and maturation of that talent.

And anyone who has followed Michigan’s recruiting over the past few years can see that Rodriguez has been stockpiling quick, shifty slot receivers — Odoms might be the best of the bunch.

Odoms, now a junior, didn't mark-up the stat sheet that much during his sophomore year. He started the first eight games last year in the slot, but he missed three games due to injury and returned to action against Ohio State down the stretch. And he finished the season with just 22 catches for 272 yards. If Odoms can stay healthy, he proved his freshman year that he can shine when given the touches, and that was with below-average play at the quarterback position.

Also in the slot are Roundtree, redshirt freshman receiver Jeremy Gallon, redshirt sophomore Terrence Robinson and redshirt junior Kelvin Grady. Not to mention incoming freshman Drew Dileo, a three-star recruit according to Scout.com, could also see the field at the position.

Roundtree has the versatility to play both inside and outside at the receiver position, and Michigan might maximize its talent at the position if Rodriguez can manage to play Roundtree and Odoms on the field at the same time.

But Gallon and Robinson certainly performed well in the spring. They could be game-changers that come off the bench and provide a spark for the offense, and each will be factors in the return game.

Grady is the enigma of the group, though. He filled in for Odoms at the slot position last year, but caught just 11 passes all year. When he had the ball in his hands, he had the speed to be dangerous, but he will have to prove to have reliable hands to see the field with these other four or five options in play, too.

Even though Roundtree led the team in receiving for the season, his last four games is where he made his impact. With Odoms on the sideline, Roundtree produced:

Oct. 31 at Illinois: 4 catches, 92 yards
Nov. 7 vs. Purdue : 10 catches, 126 yards, 1 TD
Nov. 14 at Wisconsin: 7 catches, 56 yards, 1 TD
Nov. 21 vs. Ohio State: 9 catches, 116 yards

Roundtree jumped onto the scene in the 2009 Spring Game with Tate Forcier throwing him the ball, but he was almost silent on the field in 2009 until these last four games. And then, he exploded again this year during the 2010 Spring Game, this time with sophomore Denard Robinson throwing Roundtree the ball.

With increased playing time, Roundtree could be the go-to receiver on a weekly basis.

Also producing in the middle of the field is junior tight end Kevin Koger. He started three games at tight end his freshman year in 2008, and he was in and out of the starting lineup last year. Koger started 2009 strong with touchdown catches in Michigan’s first two games, including a big score against Notre Dame. But he wouldn’t catch a touchdown the rest of the year. Koger has proven he can be a factor in the passing game and more than just a dump-down option.

On the outside, redshirt junior receiver Junior Hemingway started last season with a bang.