The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1523593
D E F E N S I V E B A C K S 110 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2024 FOOTBALL PREVIEW QUINTEN JOHNSON • S Gr. • Washington, D.C. Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 200 • Appeared in all 15 games, play- ing defensive back in 14 with 22 tackles, 1 interception, 5 passes defended and 1 forced fumble, which came in the Rose Bowl win over Alabama. • Played in all 14 outings in 2022, tallying 11 tackles with 1 for loss. • Saw action in 13 games on special teams in 2021, contributing 3 tackles. • Played in two games on special teams during the 2020 campaign. • Did not see game action during his freshman season in 2019. • Competed in the 2018 Under Armour All-Ameri- can Game, recording a tackle and 1 pass broken up. • Ranked as a four-star prospect, and the No. 30 cornerback and No. 335 overall talent in the country, per the On3 Industry Ranking. Year GP/GS Tkls. TFL PBU INT 2020 2/0 0 0 0 0 2021 13/0 3 0 0 0 2022 14/0 11 1 0 0 2023 15/1 22 0 5 1 Totals 44/1 36 1 5 1 WILL JOHNSON • CB Jr. • Detroit Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 202 • Appeared in 12 games with 11 starts, making 27 tackles (1.0 for loss), 4 interceptions (1 for TD) and 8 passes defended. • All-American in 2023 (first team, Sports Illus- trated; second team, USA Today and The Athletic) • First-team All-Big Ten selection. • Defensive MVP, 2023 CFP National Champion- ship game. • Played in all 14 games with five starts as a fresh- man in 2022, making 27 tackles with 2 for loss, 3 interceptions and 6 pass breakups. • Named a freshman All-American by On3, Pro Football Focus and The Athletic. • Shared U-M's Defensive Rookie of the Year award with Mason Graham. • Selected as the 2021 Michigan HS Player of the Year by the Detroit News. • Two-time Detroit Free Press and Detroit News Dream Team member. • Played in the Under Armour All-American Game. • Registered 45 tackles, including 3.5 behind the line of scrimmage, 1 interception and 1 sack, while also recording 1,302 all-purpose yards dur- ing his prep senior campaign. • Tabbed a five-star prospect, the No. 16 overall player and the second-best cornerback nation- ally, and the top prospect in Michigan by the On3 Industry Ranking. Year GP/GS Tkls. TFL PBU INT 2022 14/5 27 2 6 3 2023 12/11 27 1 8 4 Totals 26/16 54 3 14 7 KODY JONES • CB Jr. • Memphis, Tenn. Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 195 • Made three appearances in 2023, recorded 1 tackle in win over UNLV (Sept. 9). • Played in four games as a fresh- man in 2022, retaining his redshirt, and recorded 5 tackles. • Named a Class 6 first-team All-State selection by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association and Tennessee Football Coaches Association. • Regarded as a four-star recruit, the No. 282 over- all player and No. 31 cornerback in the country, and the ninth-best recruit in Tennessee by the On3 Industry Ranking. Year GP/GS Tkls. TFL PBU INT 2022 4/0 5 0 0 0 2023 3/0 1 0 0 0 Totals 7/0 6 0 0 0 JA'DEN McBURROWS • CB Sr. • Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 200 • Appeared in 11 contests, mak- ing 7 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and an interception. • Missed the entire 2022 season with an injury. • Played in four games at cornerback during his freshman campaign in 2021, retaining his red- shirt year. • Registered 2 tackles and 1 pass breakup in 2021. • Named a MaxPreps first-team All-American as a senior and a first-team defender for Bro- ward County's 8A-6A schools by The Orlando Sentinel. • Regarded by the On3 Industry Ranking as a three- star prospect and the No. 53 cornerback in his class. Year GP/GS Tkls. TFL PBU INT 2021 4/0 2 0 1 0 2022 — — — — — 2023 11/0 7 2 1 1 Totals 15/0 9 2 2 1 ROD MOORE • S Sr. • Clayton, Ohio Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 198 • Expected to miss the 2024 sea- son after suffering a knee injury during spring practice. • Appeared in 12 games with 11 starts last season, making 38 tackles, 2 intercep- tions, 5 passes defended and a quarterback hurry. • A third-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and honorable mention by media in 2023. • Competed in all 14 games with 13 starts in 2022, tallying 71 tackles (most among U-M defensive backs), 1.5 tackles for loss, a half-sack, 7 pass breakups and a team-best 4 interceptions. • Recognized as All-Big Ten honorable mention by the media as a sophomore. • Appeared in 11 games in 2021 with four starts at safety and tallied 32 tackles and 1 pass breakup. • Shared U-M's 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and also named Special Teams Rookie of the Year. • Received first-team Division I All-Ohio accolades as a senior and honorable mention status as a junior. • Ranked as a three-star recruit and the No. 35 safety in the nation by the On3 Industry Ranking. Year GP/GS Tkls. TFL PBU INT 2021 11/4 32 0 1 0 2022 14/13 71 1.5 7 4 2023 12/11 38 1.0 5 2 Totals 37/28 141 2.5 13 6 MAKARI PAIGE • S Gr. • West Bloomfield, Mich. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 208 • Suited up for 14 games with 13 starts in 2023, making 41 tackles with 2 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovered and a quarterback hurry. • Named honorable mention All-Big Ten selection by coaches. • Appeared in 12 games with five starts in 2022, recording 41 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, 3 pass breakups and 1 quarterback hurry. • Earned All-Big Ten honorable mention from the media in '22. • Saw action in nine games at safety and on special teams in 2021, posting 2 tackles. • Participated in all six games on defense and special teams in 2020, recording 6 tackles. • Enrolled early at U-M in January 2020. • Tabbed as an Associated Press Division 1-2 All- State first-team selection as a senior. SCHOLARSHIP PLAYERS No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. 10 Zeke Berry S 5-11 192 Jr. — Jo'Ziah Edmond CB 6-1 180 Fr. — Aamir Hall CB 6-1 201 Gr. 20 Jyaire Hill CB 6-2 181 So. 6 Brandyn Hillman S 6-0 200 So. 28 Quinten Johnson S 5-11 200 Gr. — Ricky Johnson CB 6-1 180 Gr. 2 Will Johnson CB 6-2 202 Jr. 14 Kody Jones CB 5-11 195 Jr. — Jeremiah Lowe CB 5-11 170 Fr. — Jaden Mangham S 6-2 185 Jr. 18 Ja'Den McBurrows CB 5-11 200 Sr. 9 Rod Moore S 6-0 198 Sr. 5 Jacob Oden S 6-1 206 Fr. 7 Makari Paige S 6-4 208 Gr. 24 Myles Pollard CB 6-1 190 Jr. — Wesley Walker S 6-1 200 Gr.