The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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70 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2019 COMMITMENT PROFILE B rooklyn (N.Y.) Erasmus Hall four-star outside linebacker Wil- liam Mohan had been a top target for Michigan at the viper position for a long time, and he felt that during his June 21-23 official visit. The 6-1, 190-pounder — who is rated as the No. 1 prospect in New York and the No. 23 outside line- backer in the country by Rivals — knew that committing was a prob- ability ahead of his official, and once he arrived in Ann Arbor, he was ready to announce his decision. "I was looking forward to commit- ting," Mohan exclaimed. "I couldn't wait. I was looking forward to every- thing about the visit — sitting down and talking with the coaches, meet- ing the players and everything else." That time spent with the coaches, current players and future team- mates was all it took. Mohan knew that he wanted to be a Wolverine, and his parents also felt it. "My parents love it," Mohan said. "The vibe is amazing, and it's a great city. My mom and dad had a really good feel for the school while we were there, and the coaching staff was great as well. "It was so fun being around Michi- gan's players, because they were all cool and nonchalant. The vibe as a whole was amazing, and the fact that my mom and dad loved it played a big factor for me. "The energy the coaches give me is amazing, and I love the head coach, too." Because he is a little smaller than a traditional linebacker, Mohan is tailor made for Don Brown's viper position. That ended up being argu- ably the biggest reason for Mohan's pledge. "They have the position that I'm designed to do in the viper, and I just feel like I can go and achieve my dreams there," he said. "Coach Don Brown showed me how he has used [senior viper] Khaleke Hudson and [senior linebacker/defensive end] Josh Uche and compared it to me. "It's a perfect fit, and he told me about all the people he has put in the NFL. Coach Brown is an intense guy who is very hyper and has a ton of energy. He told me that if I get big- ger and hit the weight room, I'll have a chance to start as a freshman, so I obviously want to meet that potential once I arrive there." Rivals Mid-Atlantic recruiting ana- lyst Adam Friedman sees the perfect fit as well. He's watched Mohan fly around football fields like his hair is on fire and thinks the rising senior can thrive under Brown. "I really like what this kid can do and the mobility that he brings to the table at that linebacker position," Friedman said. "He's playing that vi- per position. This guy is longer than [Jabrill] Peppers. He's got a bigger frame than Peppers did. "He has the skill set to move out of the box and play further back be- cause he's looser in his hips and is able to change directions and cover more ground there. He sees the field very well, and he's able to anticipate routes and is super physical." Friedman also pointed out how big of a deal it is for Michigan to beat its most hated rival for a talent like Mohan. "It is a gigantic coup for Michi- gan," Friedman said. "Ohio State has owned Erasmus Hall. Yes, teams like Wisconsin and Pittsburgh have gotten into Erasmus Hall and got- ten some guys out of there, but it's because Ohio State didn't want them. "Ohio State wanted Mohan, and they didn't get him. That speaks vol- umes about the Michigan defense and what kind of fit they can offer kids like him." As a junior, Mohan totaled 52 tack- les and 13 sacks. He also took an in- terception back for a touchdown. He is poised for a bigger senior season and will have a chance to impress early once he gets to Ann Arbor. — Brandon Brown Michigan Has Its Future Viper In William Mohan Rivals lists Mohan as a four-star recruit, the top player in New York and the No. 23 out- side linebacker in the class of 2020. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM FILM EVALUATION Strengths: William Mohan's weaknesses become strengths in Don Brown's scheme. He's a little small for a true linebacker and a little slow to be a true cover safety, which makes him the perfect viper. He is extremely aggressive and really flies around the field making him ideal as a blitzer. Because he has played some safety, he's also comfortable covering backs and tight ends in space, which is exactly what he will do at Michigan. Areas Of Improvement: Mohan is going to need to get stronger. Not a lot of four-star linebackers who are recruited by schools like Michigan weigh less than 200 pounds. Bulking up and getting stronger is paramount and should be pretty easy to achieve. Michigan Player Comparison: Mohan compares pretty favorably to former Michigan safety Jamar Adams. Mohan and Adams were both in the 6-2, 190-pound range in high school, and had good length and sideline-to-sideline ability. Adams was considered a three-star safety coming out of high school and had a solid career at Michigan that included 172 tackles. If he had played under Don Brown, Adams likely could've been even more effective as a viper, which is exactly what the staff sees for Mohan. — Analysis from TheWolverine.com Mohan on picking U-M "They have the position that I'm designed to do in the viper, and I just feel like I can go and achieve my dreams there."