The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1133554
THE WOLVERINE 2019 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 117 DEFENSIVE BACKS THE WOLVERINE 2019 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 117 DEFENSIVE BACKS • One of four players in U-M history with multiple interceptions returned for a TD, doing so once in back-to-back seasons. • Ranked as a four-star prospect, the No. 14 cor- nerback and No. 176 overall recruit nationally by Rivals. Year GP/GS Tkls. TFL PBU INT 2016 9/0 2 0.0 1 0 2017 12/12 25 5.0 7 2 2018 13/13 14 1.0 5 1 Totals 34/25 41 6.0 13 3 JAYLEN KELLY-POWELL • CB Jr. • Detroit Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 184 • Recorded five tackles last sea- son, contributing primarily on special teams. • Appeared in 10 games as a freshman, including two games at cornerback, and recorded two tackles. • Rated as a three-star prospect and the No. 34 safety in the country by Rivals. JOSH METELLUS • S Sr. • Pembroke Pines, Fla. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 204 • Started 12 games at safety and contributed on special teams in 2018, recording 48 tackles, 3.5 stops for loss, three inter- ceptions and six pass breakups. • Tallied seven total tackles and a pick-six of 73 yards against SMU. • Named to the 2018 All-Big Ten first team by the Associated Press and to the second team by the coaches and media. • Started 12 games at safety in 2017, highlighted by a career-high eight tackles at Wisconsin. • Tallied 50 total stops, five pass deflections and a forced fumble in his sophomore season. • Named All-Big Ten honorable mention list by the coaches and media. • Played in eight games in his true freshman season. • Regarded by Rivals as a three-star prospect. Year GP/GS Tkls. TFL PBU INT 2016 8/1 15 1.0 0 0 2017 13/12 50 0.5 5 0 2018 12/12 48 3.5 6 3 Totals 33/25 113 5.0 14 3 HUNTER REYNOLDS • CB R-So. • South Orange, N.J. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 191 • Made his Michigan debut in the secondary against Ne- braska and made two appear- ances in 2018. • Awarded the Scout Team Player of the Year on defense along with teammate Adam Shibley. • Walked on to Michigan but was placed on schol- arship following the conclusion of the 2018 season. AMBRY THOMAS • CB Jr. • Detroit Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 183 • Played on offense, defense and special teams for the Wolver- ines in 2018, highlighted by returning 19 kickoffs for 412 yards and a touchdown. • Tallied nine total tackles and an interception, while adding three touches for 16 yards on of- fense. • Returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown in the 2018 season opener against Notre Dame. • Played in every game in 2017, seeing snaps on special teams and at defensive back. • Ranked as a four-star prospect, and the No. 15 cornerback and No. 146 overall prospect in the country by Rivals. J'MARICK WOODS • S Jr. • Florence, Ala. Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 210 • Saw snaps in 11 2018 games, racking up 13 total tackles and a punt block. • Played in 12 games and totaled nine tackles as a freshman. • Made his lone career start against South Carolina in the Outback Bowl. • Rated as a three-star recruit and the No. 45 safety nationally by Rivals. NEWCOMERS DAXTON HILL • S Fr. • Tulsa, Okla. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 190 • Recorded 93 tackles, nine stops for loss, two in- terceptions and nine pass breakups in his senior season at Booker T. Washington High School. • Landed on the USA Today All-America first team and MaxPreps All-American second team in 2018. • Named the 2018 Gatorade Player of the Year in Oklahoma. • Tabbed as a semifinalist for the 2018 Maxwell Football Club Defensive Player of the Year. • Competed in the All-America Bowl in San An- tonio. • Regarded by Rivals as a five-star talent, the No. 1 safety and No. 24 overall player nationally. QUINTEN JOHNSON • S Fr. • Washington, D.C. Ht.: 5-10 • Wt.: 193 • Recorded 106 stops, 16 tackles for loss, seven interceptions, 16 pass breakups, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery over his final two seasons at St. John's College High School. • Competed in the 2018 Under Armour All Ameri- can game, recording a tackle and a pass breakup. • Ranked as a four-star prospect, the No. 16 safety and No. 182 overall talent in the 2019 class. JALEN PERRY • CB Fr. • Dacula, Ga. Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 185 • Enrolled early at U-M. • Tallied 78 tackles, six interceptions and 27 pass breakups over his junior and senior seasons at Dacula High School. • Named first-team All-State by USA Today and to the Atlanta Journal Constitution second-team All-State squad as a senior. • Awarded the Region 8-AAAAAA Player of the Year in 2017 and Athlete of the Year in 2018 by the Atlanta Journal Constitution. • Regarded by Rivals as a four-star talent, the No. 17 cornerback and No. 190 overall prospect in the land. DJ TURNER II • CB Fr. • Suwanee, Ga. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 173 • Totaled 78 stops, nine pass breakups and two interceptions in his junior season at North Gwin- nett High School before transferring to power- house IMG Academy in Florida for his final prep campaign. • Landed on all-county, all-region and all-state honors lists in 2017. • Ranked by Rivals as a three-star talent and the No. 47 cornerback in the nation. JOEY VELAZQUEZ • S Fr. • Columbus, Ohio Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 195 • Filled the stat sheet in his senior season at St. Francis Desales High School, tallying 76 tack- les, 21 stops for loss and six forced fumbles on defense, while adding over 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns on offense. • Three-time Division II first-team All-State selec- tion in baseball. • Named the state's Player of the Year in 2018 after breaking a school record with his .545 bat- ting average. • Also expected to play baseball at U-M. • Ranked by Rivals as a three-star talent. Junior J'Marick Woods only has one start in his college career, but goes into the fall atop the depth chart at free safety. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN