A former high school quarterback who converted to receiver at Indiana and finished his career at Michigan, Donaven McCulley signed with Miami as an undrafted rookie.
Donaven McCulley took an unusual road to the NFL, starting his college career as Indiana's quarterback before switching to wide receiver and eventually transferring to Michigan for his final season. The Indianapolis native signed with the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent after going unselected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Path to the league
McCulley, a four-star recruit out of Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, began his career as Indiana's quarterback, making his first career start in 2021. He moved to wide receiver before the 2022 season and became a full-time contributor at the position. He transferred to Michigan in December 2024 for his final year of eligibility, then signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in April 2026.
Career highlights
McCulley's breakout season at Indiana came in 2023, when he caught 48 passes for 644 yards and 6 touchdowns and earned All-Big Ten honorable mention. At 6-foot-4, his size and background as a former quarterback give him a distinctive profile as a big-bodied receiver who understands the position from multiple angles.
2025 season recap
In his lone season at Michigan in 2025, McCulley caught 39 passes for 588 yards and 3 touchdowns, ranking second on the team in all three categories, including a 112-yard outing against Wisconsin. He went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft and signed with Miami shortly after.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Donaven McCulley
- On3: Michigan WR Donaven McCulley signs with Miami Dolphins
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Wide Receiver
- Group
- offense
- College
- Michigan
- Hometown
- Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Age
- 23
- Status
- active
