The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1451622
"Every offense we played had to ac- count for him, but they never knew what he was doing. Game plan wise, he'll be able to do pretty much anything at the next level. He also turns into a different player with the ball in his hands. He's dynamic if he gets an interception or as a returner. He can do so much." Berry is expected to get on the field early in his career thanks to his flex- ibility in the secondary. Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan staff told Berry to pay close attention to star defensive back Daxton Hill on his official visit and see him in a similar role. Along with his skills as a pure football player, Berry is also a leader and served as a captain for a De La Salle team that won a CIF State NorCal D-1 state title each year he was in school. "Zeke is what I call a glue guy," De La Salle head coach Justin Alumbaugh said. "Everyone likes him. You can ask teach- ers, teammates, coaches or friends — all like being around him. He is not a loud kid that talks a lot, but he is a leader by example. Zeke brings a lot of energy, others like being around him, and he really works hard. Zeke holds things to- gether. He is an infectious young man." And that should make him a perfect fit at Michigan. "There are a lot of similarities in how Harbaugh runs his program and how we run our program at De La Salle," Kenion said. "The physicality we require from our players will transition well into the Big Ten. Leaving home is something he wanted to do. He wants to grow up and be his own person. "He's going to fit in really well on and off the field." ❑ MARCH 2022 THE WOLVERINE 43 THEY SAID IT • On3 director of scouting and rankings Charles Power: "He's a very instinctual player. I think he can be a really good college player. He comes from a top program. I think he can even see the field early at Michigan." • Connor Morrissette, ScorebookLive.com: "Berry is the top high school football recruit in Northern California in the 2022 class. He affects games in so many ways. In De La Salle's 31-10 regular-season win over Folsom, Berry returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown then knocked out Folsom QB Tyler Tremain later in the game with a vicious hit." • De La Salle head coach Justin Alumbaugh (to SportStarsMag.com): "We'd have days in practice where he'd play like nine different positions. We could put him pretty much anywhere but the line. … His versatility is something you just love to have. It just creates a lot of matchup problems." STATISTICS Year Tackles Sacks INT FF 2021 35 3 1 2 HONORS • Part of a De La Salle program that played for the CIF State NorCal D-1 state title each year he was in school. • Named an All-American Bowl hon- oree but could not play in the contest; selected as the Defensive Player of the Year by the bowl. • Selected to and played in the Poly- nesian Bowl after his senior season. • ScorebookLive.com All-State pick as a senior at defensive back. • MaxPreps California All-State choice at all-purpose player — first team as a senior, second team as a junior. • Contra Costa Player of the Year per The San Francisco Chronicle and the Bay Area Defensive Player of the Year by the Bay Area News Group. • NorCal Defensive Player of the Year as a senior per SFGate.com. RECRUITMENT • Pledged to Michigan Dec. 3, 2021, after picking up his offer from the Maize and Blue in August 2021. • Picked U-M over notable offers from Oregon, USC and Arizona. Was previously committed to Arizona. • Recruited by then-safeties coach Ron Bellamy and defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale. DID YOU KNOW? • Two-way player for De La Salle; car- ried 31 times for 268 yards with one touchdown; completed three passes for 141 yards with one touchdown; caught two passes; and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns with 420 return yards. • Also competed in track and field as a sprinter, and lettered in baseball as an outfielder. • Born Nov. 26, 2003. ZEKE BERRY SAFETY 6-0 • 195 DE LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL PITTSBURG, CALIF. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 146 11 10 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 153 14 8 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 53 5 5 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 223 22 14 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 289 21 24 consensus 2022 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE Berry was named as the All-American Bowl Defensive Player of the Year in early January. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND