The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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D E F E N S I V E B A C K S THE WOLVERINE 2024 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 107 "I expect him to be the best corner in the country," Moore said. The dude just doesn't stop working. I've got to tell him some- times, 'Bro — you need to chill.' "He's not satisfied with anything. He's not satisfied with hype. He's not satisfied with any of that. It's cool to be around those type of players." Last year, the Wolverines brought in Josh Wallace from UMass to compete at the cor- ner opposite Johnson, and it couldn't have gone much better. The former FCS stand- out improved each week, and by the end of the regular season he'd earned honor- able mention All-Big Ten honors. When it was over, he'd started 11 of 15 games for the eventual national champions and had great games in the postseason. It worked so well that Moore and Co. didn't hesitate to go that route again, sign- ing Aamir Hall from FCS Albany to compete with sophomore Jyaire Hill and others. Hall, an FCS All-American in 2023, notched 63 tackles (42 solo) and 5 interceptions last year for a team that made it to the FCS play- off semifinals. He'd spent the prior three years at Richmond, totaling 106 tackles (61 solo), 2 interceptions, and 19 pass breakups. Moore nodded when asked if he saw similarities between Wallace and his new cornerback addition. "His personality is just like Josh," Moore said. "He's just a very humble, great kid. "The first thing he said when I talked to him was, 'I just want to help you win another championship.' When you have kids like that, it means a lot. He gets it. He's a great human being from a great family. I'm super stoked and ready for him to impact our team." Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale agreed, adding Hall's maturity "comes out at you" and noting, "he played a ton of snaps at Albany." Sophomore Jyaire Hill appears to be his main competition, and he also had an outstand- ing spring. Hill has always had the physical skills to play the position, and he showed them early last year. Now, his maturity has put him in po- sition to play, especially with fellow junior DJ Waller Jr. having transferred to Kentucky post-spring. Waller and Hill seemed to be 1a and 1b in the pecking order before Hall arrived. Heading into summer, Hill is in position to snag the job. "That kid's got immense talent and can be as good as anybody," Moore said. "'Sug' — they call him 'Sug' and he calls himself 'Sug' — is going to be good. He's got length, he's got speed and he's got athleticism. He's fearless. He'll tackle; he will go make a play on the ball. He's everything you want in a corner." He made some big plays this spring, Moore added, and took the next step in challenging for the spot. "He's going to play a lot of football for us this year and in the years to come," Moore said There are others vying for the position, too. Senior Ja'Den McBurrows has played some corner, though he seems more suited for nickel back. Juniors Myles Pollard and Kody Jones have been waiting their turn, and grad student Keshaun Harris has started three games in his career, playing in six last season at corner. Two true freshmen, top-125 corner Jo'Ziah Edmond of Indianapolis, and three- star Jeremiah Lowe of Lexington, Ky., will also add competition to the room. Safety Battles Are Ongoing With Rod Moore sidelined, the Wolver- ines will turn to a few other veterans to lead the way as the last line of defense at safety. Much of the added pressure falls on gradu- ate student Makari Paige, who has played a lot of good football in his four years but never really been in the spotlight. That's about to change for the two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten selec- tion (2022 and '23). Paige has appeared in 41 games at safety and on special teams with 20 starts in the secondary, bringing a wealth of experience. He started 13 games a year ago, including one at nickel back in the national championship game win over Washington. He registered 41 tackles, 2 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery and 1 quarter- [FYI] ❱ Junior cornerback Will Johnson enters the season as one of the top overall prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft class. Pro Football Focus lists him as its No. 4 overall prospect in next year's cycle and cites his single-coverage grade as an 86.3 score in his first two seasons combined in Ann Arbor. Charles Woodson went No. 4 overall to the Oakland Raiders in 1998. One of the biggest storylines to watch this season will be how Johnson, the Detroit native and former five-star recruit, matches or potentially eclipses the program legend. ❱ Sophomore Jyaire Hill is the lone remaining defensive back from the 2023 recruiting class on the roster. Cameron Calhoun transferred after the season and landed at Utah, while DJ Waller Jr. went through all of spring at U-M before transferring to Kentucky when the spring portal opened. Hill and Waller were expected to compete for the No. 2 cornerback job prior to the roster move. ❱ U-M's defensive back room, which loses Mike Sainristil (a second-round pick of the Washington Commanders) Josh Wal- lace (undrafted free agent) and Rod Moore (potential season-ending injury in the spring), helped guide the team to a national title last year. The Wolverines ranked second in the country, allowing 157.0 yards per game. U-M also emphasized more interceptions from the secondary, ranking third in the nation with 18 passes picked off and tied for the lead in interceptions returned for touchdowns with 4. ❱ The Wolverines bolstered their secondary depth in the span of three days in mid-May by landing four gradu- ate transfers in the secondary: cornerback Aamir Hall (UAlbany), safeties Wesley Walker (Louisville) and Jaden Mangham (Michigan State), and cornerback Ricky Johnson III (UNLV). Sophomore Jyaire Hill (8 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, in four games last season) had a strong spring. He will compete for the starting cornerback role opposite Will Johnson this fall. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL