The Wolverine

February 2020*

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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FEBRUARY 2020 THE WOLVERINE 53   COMMITMENT PROFILE I t's official. Four-star Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne cornerback Dar- ion Green-Warren announced his commitment to Michigan live at the All-American Bowl in San Antonio Jan. 4. "For me, committing was about the opportunity to get to the next level," Green-Warren said. "Being part of an elite program and elite coaches, I know it's a business decision for me. They all want to win and push you to get to the league. "Michigan is one of the top programs in the country with some of the top coaches in the country. Knowing that the coaches have the potential to get me to the league was huge for me. I'm ready to play at that top level." Green-Warren gave Michigan a silent com- mitment after his official visit last month and actually signed with the Wolverines during the early sign- ing period Dec. 18-20. The Rivals250 prospect kept his decision under wraps for weeks. While it wasn't necessarily a sur- prise, USC was considered the favorite for Green-Warren for most of the fall. U-M, however, won him over after he and his family got an in-depth look at the program on his official visit. "Just going out there and visiting really won me over," Green-Warren said. "I got to see how they ran their program and handled their players. It's a family out there. The coaches build great relationships with their players. To have a bond and that home feeling is huge. "I spent a lot of time with the coaches and players on the team. [Freshman wide receiver] Giles Jack- son was my player host. I've known him for a year, and we had a great time. The coaches wanted to get me familiar with the family environ- ment, and that was huge." Green-Warren added that his rela- tionships with Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and cornerbacks coach Michael Zordich also played a key role in his decision. "Coach Z and Coach Harbaugh are great guys," Green-Warren said. "Coach Harbaugh is a funny guy. I like his character. We try to talk as often as we can. I have a great rela- tionship with Coach Z. He's going to be the guy that I'm going to be with all the time. We talk every week." Green-Warren is set to enroll at Michigan in April. He was supposed to be an early enrollee, but there was a mis- communication with his paperwork. Still, Green-Warren won't have to wait until June like most of the signees. "I just want to have fun and get bigger, faster and stronger," he said. "Being able to learn the playbook is huge. I want to get the system down as quickly as possible." G r e e n - Wa r r e n , a former Oklahoma pledge, picked Michigan over finalists Nebraska and USC as well as a slew of other major programs. His commitment vaulted Michigan's 2020 recruiting class back into the top 10 nationally (tied for No. 8 as of Jan. 21). The Wolverines had their ups and downs on the field this year, but Green-Warren is excited about the class and is a firm believer in the fu- ture of the program. "The program is going up," Green-Warren. "Michigan is going to be a playoff-contending team in the next year or two. I like how Michigan is looking. They play with an edge, and I like how the team is shaping up." At 6-0 and 185 pounds, Green-War- ren is ranked as the No. 12 corner- back and No. 154 overall prospect in the nation by Rivals.com. — EJ Holland Darion Green-Warren Reveals At The All- American Bowl He Signed With Michigan Green-Warren, the nation's No. 12 corner- back and No. 154 overall player accord- ing to Rivals, selected U-M over finalists Nebraska and USC. PHOTO BY NICK LUCERO/COURTESY RIVALS.COM Green-Warren "Michigan is one of the top programs in the country with some of the top coaches in the country. Know- ing that the coaches have the potential to get me to the league was huge for me. I'm ready to play at that top level." FILM EVALUATION Strengths: Darion Green-Warren is a tall, athletic corner with a lot of upside. What really sets him apart is the technical aspect of his game. He is advanced in that area and will have an opportunity to see the field early at Michigan because of it. He has good height with extremely long arms, which he knows how to use to his advantage. The four-star prospect likes to get physical and puts his length on full display in press-man coverage. He is patient with elite level feet. He is a solid tackler when facing the run. Areas Of Improvement: Green-Warren needs to add weight to his frame. He came in lighter than anticipated at the All-American Bowl and might be too skinny to handle the physical nature of the Big Ten as a true freshman. Michigan's strength and conditioning program will be key for his development. There have been question marks about his speed. He makes up for it in other ways, but he won't be the fastest corner on the field. Michigan Player Comparison: From a recruit-to-recruit comparison, Green- Warren is similar to Gemon Green when he was coming out of DeSoto (Texas) High. Green had more speed, but Green-Warren is much further along from a technical standpoint. With that said, both were highly regarded tall, lanky cornerbacks with upside. Unlike Green, Green-Warren appears to be in position to get meaningful playing time early. — EJ Holland

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