The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MARCH 2023 THE WOLVERINE 27 P L AY E R BIOS College Football Playoff appearances in 2021-22. The Wolverines have a bit of a challenge in today's everchanging recruiting land- scape — finding talented prospects who will buy into the culture. Etta certainly fits the mold. Michigan State, which has been "NIL- friendly" was a finalist for Etta. Miami, which has become notorious in the NIL world, made a late push to flip Etta from the Wolverines before signing day. In the end, Etta made a real business decision. "Look at what they do with defensive linemen," Etta said. "The biggest part for me was development. There are a lot of schools that get more five-stars, but one of the first things Coach [Jim] Harbaugh told me was they weren't going to chase stars. They're going to chase guys that fit into the system, and that's been evident the last two years with the success we've had. "On the education side, you have the degree. There aren't a lot of places that offer more for my future than Michigan. It really has the best of both worlds. I want to do engineering and computer science. The sky is the limit for what they can help me do." There is no question Etta will receive the best development possible at Michigan. The Wolverines have recently pro- duced NFL Draft picks Kwity Paye, Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo, and Mike Morris will soon join that group. At 6-foot-5, 270 pounds, Etta already looks like he's in the same mold as Hutchin- son and Morris and will become even more physically impressive once he starts working in the Michigan strength pro- gram. Etta put up insane stats as a senior last season, racking up 122 total tackles, in- cluding 34.0 tackles for loss, 20 sacks, 5 forced fumbles and 2 touchdowns. How- ever, Etta faced lower-level competition and has only been playing the sport for a few years. He started off playing soccer and tennis before eventually transitioning to basketball and finally football when he enrolled in high school. Etta's ceiling is basically limitless. But in order to truly be that next great Michi- gan pass rusher, he'll need to develop un- der the tutelage of defensive line coach Mike Elston, who is known as one of the best teachers in college football, and de- fensive coordinator Jesse Minter. "The results speak for themselves on the field," Etta said. "Michigan gets the most out of their guys. I feel like I haven't touched the surface of what I can do. I'm really excited to see what Coach Elston and Coach Minter can do for me at Michigan. "Coach Elston actually talked to me about practice and going against such a great offensive line. I think that's going to help my game, too. Iron sharpens iron." Simply put, Etta and Michigan are a match made in heaven — just ask a former pro. "It's a great fit, especially with Enow's academic background and the fact he wants to do engineering," Reed said. "I told him, 'Go to a school that's going to suit both your needs academi- cally and going to the next level.' That was Michigan." ❑ Etta finished his high school career with 91 tackles for loss and 62.5 sacks at Colleyville (Texas) Covenant Christian Academy. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND 2023 Projection Etta has the size and strength to make an immediate impact at Michigan. Un- fortunately for the Wolverines, he is not an early enrollee and will need to catch up quickly once he arrives on campus in June. Etta will also need to get adjusted to the level of competition after playing in one of the weaker leagues in the state of Texas. However, the talent is there, and it wouldn't be surprising to see Etta get into the rotation as a true freshman with the Wolverines looking to fill the void left behind by Mike Morris. THEY SAID IT On3 Rankings Director Charles Power: "Productive pass rusher who dominates at a lower level of competition. Motor and willingness to pursue from backside jumps off the screen. Makes plays from sideline to sideline. Shows strong instincts and field vision for a defensive lineman. Has the frame and build to add quality mass throughout his body. Will need to continue to improve his pad level, but his effort cannot be taught, and he has it in buckets." Former NFL defensive lineman Tank Reed, owner of D1 Texas Skills Academy: "Looking at his size now, he doesn't need to add weight. I told him to get down to 240 and play there. Let Michigan add the weight they want. "Michigan does like bigger defensive ends. Let them put the weight on correctly. The kid can play anywhere on the line. They can pick up and continue to develop him. I have full confidence Coach [Mike] Elston is going to do that."