The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1523593
W I D E R E C E I V E R S THE WOLVERINE 2024 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 59 Amorion Walker came to Michigan amid a class of receivers that had coach Jim Harbaugh talking about a "freak show" of talent. Now the junior will look to reestablish himself in Ann Arbor following several months away. Walker left Michigan for Mississippi following an undefeated regular season last year. His semester in Oxford did not prove fulfilling enough for him to remain there. Before the spring transfer portal closed, Walker sprang back to the North, presum- ably ready to try and break through in a relatively thin cadre of wideouts. It's just the latest bit of drama in the unfolding career of someone who, as early as 2022, became regarded as a can't-miss prospect. In fact, two days into spring football 2023, Harbaugh regarded him as a starting cornerback, following what Michigan's staff hoped was a successful position switch away from receiver. "I consider him a starter right now, just based on the first two practices," Harbaugh said, in a rare early spring shocker. Harbaugh went on to insist that the position switch that took Walker out of a receiving role — although Michigan's roster still listed him as DB/WR — could lead to Walker starting opposite standout cornerback Will Johnson, then a sopho- more. "There's no doubt in my mind that he would excel and thrive, both as a wide receiver and a defensive back, a corner," Harbaugh said. "Just really trying to find the absolute best position for him, for his career. Where is he going to make the greatest impact over the course of his career … and benefit the most from his football ability? "You just don't know for sure whether it's receiver or corner, but he has the length he has, the athletic ability, the speed, the change of direction for a guy that's 6-3, 6-4 to play both. "It's rare for a cornerback to have that length and speed, but also have that change of direction. We just want to find out. That's what Coach Clink [Steve Clinkscale] thinks. We'll see if we're right." Things went wrong in the 2023 spring game. Walker didn't look comfortable at cornerback and got taken advantage of by Michigan receivers. Al- though there was talk that he'd have time to re- cover and improve over the summer, he didn't make a strong push for a starting position in the fall, in part because of injury. Harbaugh never lost faith in him as a receiver, either. "He can also be a tremendous player as a receiver and score touchdowns," Harbaugh said. "The vision would be that someday he would be a great corner and a receiver as well in college. He has that kind of ability. The work ethic is so strong with him. Right now he's chasing strength and power. That will all be put on like you saw Will Johnson do in the nine months leading up to this season. … "There are none like him. A unicorn. That's the vision." Walker noted to The Wolverine at the Fiesta Bowl, months before his 2023 spring ball adven- ture: "Coming to Michigan, I thought I was go- ing to play receiver. That's what I was primarily [recruited] for. … I like to score touchdowns, but defense is fun, too." On offense, he said, "I can take the top off, get in the crevices when I need to. "I guess I'll figure it out." There have been some twists and turns in the figuring-out process, and the latest one proves intriguing for a team lacking depth at wideout. All involved hope this one sticks. — John Borton Amorion Walker Returns From Sabbatical At Ole Miss Walker (1), who played in five games as a defensive back a year ago for the Wolverines and notched 3 tackles and added half of a sack, will return to the wide receiver room for Michigan this season. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL