The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/111015
football recruiting issue he doesn���t miss tackles. He hits you and you fall backwards. He���s used to playing in the box, used to having to navigate through blockers to get to the ball carrier, so that will come naturally to him when he moves to safety.��� The 6-2, 195-pounder with a 4.49 40-yard dash time is one of U-M���s six early enrollees this year, and the opportunity to experience winter conditioning and a full 15 spring practices with Michigan���s coaching staff will only aid him while he makes that transition from linebacker to defensive back. ���He���s an athlete, and you start with that athleticism,��� U-M secondary coach Curt Mallory said. ���When you watch him in high school, whether it���s baseball or wrestling or football, he has tremendous physical gifts, and he has a football player���s mentality. So as he gets settled in, and plays more at safety, he���ll get better as he goes.��� The Alliance, Ohio, native, who became the second commitment in the 2013 class when he pledged to Michigan on Sept. 11, 2011 (the day of UM���s night game against Notre Dame), believes his baseball background will help him realize potential as a gridiron center fielder. ���In baseball, you can cheat a little bit based on tendencies of a hitter, but you really have to wait for the ball to be hit before you can go make a play on it,��� he said. ���It���s the same thing in football. You want to watch a quarterback���s eyes, but you can���t over-commit yourself until he throws the football,