The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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36 THE WOLVERINE ❱ AUGUST 2024 ❱ COMMIT PROFILE BY EJ HOLLAND M ichigan ended a month-long commitment drought by closing on one of its top targets in early June. Four-star Palatine (Ill.) High edge Jaylen Williams committed to Michigan over fellow finalists Nebraska, Tennes- see and Texas A&M shortly following his official visit. Williams is listed as the No. 217 overall player and No. 19 defen- sive lineman in the nation and the No. 6 player in Illinois per, the On3 Industry Ranking. "My heart was telling me that Michi- gan was the place for me," he said. "Ever since I was first there with [2025 com- mit] Nate Marshall and then being back for the official visit, it just felt great. Seeing The Big House again made my heart jump. "The development and the way they take care of their athletes after football stood out. Football isn't going to be here forever. If something happens, you are going to get your degree." Michigan was considered the favorite for Williams for the majority of the pro- cess. However, there were some bumps along the road when Michigan transi- tioned from Jim Harbaugh to new head coach Sherrone Moore. Harbaugh took former Michigan de- fensive line coach Mike Elston and ana- lyst Dylan Roney with him to the NFL. Elston's replacement, Greg Scruggs, was quickly dismissed from the program following an off-the-field incident. The Wolverines finally found their man this spring in Lou Esposito, who played a big role in U-M winning over Williams. "When that change first happened, it was a bummer because of the rela- tionships I built with Coach Elston and Coach Roney," Williams said. "But ever since Coach Espo came in, we've built a great relationship. He came to see me a couple of times at school. "He's that loud, positive energy that you need to play football. I love every- thing about him. He's a great coach and definitely a great man." Moore, who served as the area re- cruiter in Chicagoland during his time as an assistant, also played a major role in landing Williams. "Coach Moore is the best," Williams said. "When the staff changes hap- pened, I posted that tweet about chang- ing the crystal balls [that predicted he would commit to Michigan]. He called me that same night and said, 'Jaylen, just trust me.' And I definitely did. Coach Moore is a great man. "Spending the weekend with him made me realize that I want to be coached by him. He's going to do great as head coach. I'm just so happy to be a part of it. Just being able to call myself a Michigan Wolverine makes me feel good." U-M defensive coordinator Wink Martindale made an impact on Williams during the official visit as well. In fact, Martindale has a personal tie to Wil- liams' recruitment. "Wink coached with my high school head coach at Western Illinois a while back," Williams said. "They have a good relationship. My coach asked me if I wanted to get developed and go to the league. He said, 'You have to go to Wink.' He's a great guy. "He's going to have fun sometimes, but he's all business. It's tough to de- scribe him. He's one of a kind. That's why I want to be coached by him." Williams measured in at 6-foot- 5, 255 pounds during his official visit. While he carries the frame to put on a ton of weight and play with his hand in the dirt, he has the length and athleti- cism to slide into the bigger edge role in Michigan's defensive scheme. And that's exactly where the U-M staff envisions him. "They definitely see me as an edge player," Williams said. "They compared me to some of the edge players they have now and had in the past. I was watching practice with Coach Espo, and he said I'm going to be one of those bigger edge guys that could play anywhere in the formation. I'm a big kid, and we just have to see how my body develops." ❑ Big Edge Jaylen Williams From Illinois Picks Michigan The nation's No. 19 defensive lineman according to the On3 Industry Ranking, Williams measures 6-foot-5, 255 pounds entering his senior year at Palatine (Ill.) High. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND PLAYER EVALUATION STRENGTHS: Williams is a big, athletic de- fensive lineman with position flexibility. He could easily add weight and be a mismatch as a 4i or three-technique. However, he best projects as a bigger edge thanks to his length and raw ability as a pass rusher. He spends the majority of his time in a stand-up role and is very comfortable pinning his ears back and getting after the quarterback. AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: Williams will need to add weight, but he has the frame to carry it well. It will be interesting to see if he will slow down with added bulk and spin down or keep the same athleticism that makes him more of a pass rusher. Williams can also add strength to his game, so the majority of his improvement and development will come in U-M's strength and conditioning program. MICHIGAN PLAYER COMPARISON: Michigan views Williams in the same mold as former edge Mike Morris, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Se- attle Seahawks. Morris was also a taller edge that bulked up close to 300 pounds by the end of his Michigan career. Williams could easily follow a similar body development plan and turn into a similar type of player at U-M. — EJ Holland