The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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46 THE WOLVERINE ❱ AUGUST 2024 ❱ COMMIT PROFILE BY EJ HOLLAND M ichigan surprised the re- cruiting world when it landed a commitment from Al- pharetta (Ga.) High On300 edge Julius Holly. Holly — who is ranked as the No. 28 recruit in the Peach State, and the No. 21 edge and No. 228 overall recruit nationally by On3 — was expected to end up in the SEC. Instead, Holly picked Michigan over fellow finalists Georgia, Ole Miss and Texas A&M. "Since that [official] visit to Michigan, me and my family have been talking Blue every day, all day," Holly said. "Georgia was a close runner up, and all four schools were great, but in the end, it is Michigan because of the people up there. Going into the visit, I knew about their academics and the football history, but the feeling around the people made it different. "In the end, I chose Michigan be- cause of the combination of academics and football, what kind of staff Coach Sherrone Moore has, the fit and how I just felt comfortable around the people. That was it for me." Michigan was the first school to host Holly for a summer official visit and definitely set the bar high. As Holly mentioned, the Wolverines wowed him both on and off the field. "I had a great time," Holly said. "I got to sit down with the coaches a lot. I got to spend time with the players and see how Michigan works and how I could fit there. It's everything I thought it was going to be and more. "The coaches really get down on a personal level and talk development. Obviously, academics are really big at Michigan. Overall, it was a great expe- rience." First-year Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito recently made his way to Georgia and offered Holly during the spring evaluation period. However, their relationship goes back to Esposi- to's brief stint at Memphis. The two also happen to share a similar background — both are originally from New Jersey. "He's known me since he was at Memphis, so he already knew a little bit about me," Holly said. "He recently started recruiting me a lot. He's really cool. I grew up in Jersey, and he's from there, so we have some common ground there. As a coach, he seems grounded and leveled. He knows what he's doing." This visit also gave Holly a chance to sit down with Moore, the Michigan head man. "It was really chill," Holly said. "We talked about a bunch of stuff, but it was mainly about getting down on a per- sonal level. It wasn't even that much football. It was more about how Michi- gan works and how he sees me there. It was a great time." Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale also played a big role on the visit, teaming up with Esposito to go over the scheme fit for Holly. "I think it's a high-level scheme," Holly said. "They are creative with the defensive line. Coach Espo pulled up a clip where they had three edge guys on the field at once. They go really in- depth with the edge. It seems like a great time to be an edge out at Michigan." Michigan's players also made an im- pact, including player host Dominic Nichols. "He was an early graduate, so he's still young," Holly said. "I was able to connect with him since he just went through the whole pro- cess. Seeing his experience was a great time. I met up with a few of the other guys for activities, and they seemed like cool, chill people — a lot like myself. I had a great time with them." When it came to presenta- tions, Holly was quick to point to Michigan's "M Power" roll- out along with the strength and conditioning program under Justin Tress. "I enjoyed the M Power pre- sentation and seeing what play- ers do outside of football," Holly said. "Seeing how much success they gain from M Power was re- ally good. Also, the weightlift- ing. They did a presentation and took us through the stretches that players do. I hadn't done that with any other school before, so I thought that was pretty cool. "They mesh together football, devel- opment and everything really well." ❑ Georgia Edge Julius Holly Picks Michigan Over SEC Suitors Holly, who plays for Alpharetta (Ga.) High, is ranked as the No. 28 player in the Peach State, and the No. 21 edge and No. 228 overall recruit nationally by On3. PHOTO BY JEREMY JOHNSON/ON3 PLAYER EVALUATION STRENGTHS: Julius Holly is a high-floor pass rusher who has continued to develop physi- cally over the last year, adding 25 pounds to his frame. He also clocked a 4.71 electronic 40-yard-dash at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds. He plays in a standup role at Alpharetta and should slide in well in Michigan's defensive scheme, which utilizes players with his build and ath- leticism effectively. He is at his best when rushing the passer but is also adequate at stopping the run. AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: While Holly has developed well physically, he doesn't have elite height or length, limiting his ceiling and athletic upside. He doesn't have a ton of room to grow as a player, but he is solid in many areas and the physical growth could allow him to see the field early. He can continue to develop as a run stopper and play with a more consistent motor. MICHIGAN PLAYER COMPARISON: Holly has a very similar build and playing style as former Michigan edge Jaylen Harrell, who was se- lected in the seventh round of this year's NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. Harrell wasn't the tallest or longest edge, but he checked a lot of boxes and contributed early. Holly could follow a similar path. — EJ Holland