The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1451622
2022 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE MYLES POLLARD CORNERBACK 6-2 • 185 RAVENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL BRENTWOOD, TENN. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ 585 54 21 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 63 23 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 61 24 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 47 17 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 79 25 70 THE WOLVERINE MARCH 2022 STATISTICS Year Tackles TFL PD 2020 35 3 4 HONORS • As a senior, helped Ravenwood go 10-3 with an appearance in the state quarterfinals. • As a sophomore, helped Raven- wood finish as a state runners-up. • First-team 6A All-State as a senior per the Tennessee Sports Writers As- sociation. RECRUITMENT • Pledged to Michigan July 7, 2021 after picking up his offer from the Maize and Blue in June 2021. • Picked U-M over notable offers from Auburn, Florida, Oklahoma and Tennessee. • Recruited by Michigan defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale. DID YOU KNOW? • Is an early enrollee at Michigan. • Also lettered in basketball for Ravenwood. • Born Dec. 22, 2003. THEY SAID IT Nashville-area trainer Daryl Gra- ham: "Myles brings a lot of confi- dence. He's a great kid. He studies the game. He works hard. He's go- ing to give 110 percent day in and day out. With his size and ability, he's the type of player Michigan needs to keep making them turn back to the old Michigan." BY EJ HOLLAND Michigan dipped down into the Nash- ville area and landed a priority recruit from Brentwood (Tenn.) Ravenwood for the second cycle in a row. Like freshman All-American line- backer Junior Col- s o n b e f o re h i m , three-star corner- b a c k Myl e s Po l - lard spurned several So u t h e r n sc h o o l s and committed to Michigan over the summer. Despite a late run from Au- burn, he inked with Michigan in Decem- ber. "I chose Michigan because the coach- ing staff was on me d u r i n g my wh o l e recruiting process," Pollard said. "I re- ally believe there is something special going on in Ann Ar- bor. The life after football at Michigan is the best. The con- nections they have are just different from other schools. It's just a great place. I could see myself there without football." Pollard initially received an offer from former Michigan co-defensive coordina- tor Maurice Linguist. However, Linguist bolted for the head coaching job at Buf- falo and left Pollard with questions about Michigan. Those were quickly answered when the Wolverines hired new cornerbacks coach Steve Clinkscale in what was somewhat of a full-circle moment for Pollard. After all, Clinkscale gave Pollard his first offer when he was at Kentucky. "We've known each other for a long while, and we have a really good rela- tionship," Pollard said. "He's just a great leader on and off the field. I think he's the guy that's going to make me a better person on and off the field over the next three or four years." Clinkscale ulti- m a te ly wo n ove r Pollard with a little b i t o f h e l p f ro m five-star Michigan cornerback signee Will Johnson. Both Pollard and Johnson made several visits together during the process and became close friends. "Will played a big part in my recruit- ment," Pollard said. "He's a big reason I committed to Mich- igan. Will is a great player. I think we're going to be a problem on that back end. He's also a great person off the field. I'm already good friends with him. He's easy to connect with." Pollard should pair well with John- son as true outside corners. At 6-2, 185 pounds, Pollard has the length and physicality often desired in Big Ten cor- nerbacks. "His length and his hip movement are his biggest strengths," said private trainer Darryl Graham, who worked closely with Pollard as a recruit. "He has great feet. He can check smaller guys and bigger guys. At his size, to be able to check any type of athlete makes him a dynamic corner. He's going to give 110 percent day in and day out." Pollard enrolled at Michigan in Janu- ary and is ready to keep building the pro- gram. "I think the future of the program is great," he said. "We have some great players coming in. We have a top-10 class. It's just going to keep going up from here. I'm excited about the future at Michigan." ❑ Myles Pollard Joins Friends Junior Colson And Will Johnson In Ann Arbor Pollard was teammates with rising- sophomore linebacker Junior Colson at Brentwood (Tenn.) Ravenwood and also became close to cornerback classmate Will Johnson during the recruiting process. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND 2022 Projection A large defensive back, checking in at 6-2 and 185 pounds. He's a smart, instinctual player who can develop into a lockdown outside corner within a couple years in the pro- gram in the same mold as Gemon Green. Could also slide to safety as speed was a major concern during the course of his recruitment. consensus