The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1451622
MARCH 2022 THE WOLVERINE 69 2022 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE MICAH POLLARD LINEBACKER 6-3 • 200 BARTRAM TRAIL H.S. JACKSONVILLE, FLA. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ 624 66 84 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 50 66 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 90 101 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 40 86 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 64 123 STATISTICS Year Tackles TFL Sacks FF 2021 70 16 7 — 2020 55 22 11 2 HONORS • Class 8A All-State second team as a junior (squads have not been released yet for 2021). • Helped lead Bartram Trail to a 9-3 record and an 8A R1 division title as a senior in 2021. RECRUITMENT • Pledged to Michigan on July 12, 2021, after picking up his offer from the Maize and Blue in January 2021. • Picked U-M over notable offers from Auburn, Indiana and Penn State. • Recruited by Michigan linebackers coach George Helow. DID YOU KNOW? • During his senior season, raised money in the name of his sister Ayris for the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, do- nating with each sack he recorded and encouraging others to do the same. • Father, Marcus, played 14 seasons in the NFL and now works as the direc- tor of player engagement and youth football for the Jacksonville Jaguars. • Nephew of former Michigan wide receiver and All-American Braylon Ed- wards. • Born Feb. 12, 2004. THEY SAID IT • Bartram Trail assistant and re- cruiting coordinator Chad Parker: "Our defense is pretty loaded, but he's one of the rocks of that defense. He's a good, smart football player. He's grown up around the game with his dad being an NFL guy. Being around the Jaguars facility, I think he's picked up a few things. He has a really good football IQ." BY TIM VERGHESE In a lot of ways, Michigan and Jack- sonville (Fla.) Bartram Trail linebacker Micah Pollard were a natural pairing. Pollard is the son of Marcus Pollard, who currently serves as the director of player engagement and youth football for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The elder Pollard played 14 years in the NFL as a tight end, including three seasons that crossed over with Jim Harbaugh's time as quarter- back of the In- dianapolis Colts from 1995-97. Pollard also is t h e n e p h ew o f former Michigan star wide receiver Braylon Edwards. Add all that with the fact that Pol- l a r d ' s f u t u r e p o s i t i o n c o a c h and primary re- c r u i te r, G e o rge Helow, is a Jack- s o n v i l l e n a t ive himself, and the Wolverines just made too much sense for the 6-3, 200-pound line- backer. Bartram Trail assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Chad Parker agrees. "I thought it was his best offer from the beginning because of relationships," Parker said. "That's such an important part. Relationships are huge." In fact, even with all his connections to the program, it was Pollard's rela- tionship with Helow that helped con- firm that Michigan was the right place for him. "He's really cool," Pollard said. "It's really fun talking to him. He gets to the point. He's real with you. He's just a cool coach and a good person. It's good to know that there is someone from Jacksonville at Michigan. He is someone I can have a con- nection with." I t wa s n 't a l l a b o u t t h e p e r- s o n a l c o n n e c - t i o n s t h o u g h . Pollard is a per- fect fit in Michi- gan's defense. " H e h a s t h e ability to cover and play in space, b u t h e h a s t h e physicality of a l i n e b a c ke r a n d u se s h i s h a n d s like a defensive lineman," Parker s a i d . " I t h i n k he can be used a number of ways. Coach Helow said they plan to use him the way we use him. "That's what made Michigan a good fit. They're going to let him come free off the edge, but if he has to walk over a slot and cover, he can do that as well." Pollard's knowledge of the game and natural ability will give him a chance to contribute early in his Michigan career. Even though he won't arrive on campus until the summer, with the departure of Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo to the NFL, there's a path to early playing time for the Jacksonville native. Whether he plays as a freshman or not, the future is bright for Pollard. He understands what it means to be a Michigan Wolverine and will represent the program with pride. "Michigan means something to him," Parker said. "He'll have a little more pride in it. I think it's a natural fit." ❑ Michigan Just Means More To Linebacker Micah Pollard Pollard, the nephew of former Wolverine great Braylon Edwards, has strong ties to the Michigan football program. PHOTO COURTESY ON3.COM 2022 Projection Pollard is a lengthy, athletic line- backer with a high football IQ hav- ing grown up around the game. He's versatile enough to play inside line- backer or move down to the line as a stand-up edge rusher. Will likely need some time in the weight room early in his career, but could impress enough in fall camp to earn some snaps in the defensive rotation. consensus