The Wolverine

February 2025

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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FEBRUARY 2025 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 31 BY CLAYTON SAYFIE RETURNING STARTERS Senior Zeke Berry He played in all 13 games with 12 starts in 2024, including eight appearances at nickel back and five at outside corner, showing his versatility. Berry totaled 37 tackles, including 2.5 for loss, 9 pass breakups and 2 interceptions. Junior Jyaire Hill The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder appeared in 12 clashes with nine starts, recording 35 tackles, 5.5 stops for loss, 1 sack, 9 pass breakups and 1 interception. OTHER RETURNERS Graduate Rod Moore The Dayton, Ohio, native missed the entire 2024 season with a torn ACL suf- fered last March. He appeared in 37 games with 27 starts in the previous three years, posting 141 tackles, 13 pass breakups and 6 picks. As of Jan. 9, he had not made an official announcement, but it is widely anticipated that he will return for 2025. Graduate Ricky Johnson The UNLV transfer saw time in two games in 2024. Graduate Ja'Den McBurrows He suffered a season-ending injury fol- lowing the fourth game of the season this past fall. Senior Jaden Mangham The Michigan State transfer spent the majority of his first year in Ann Arbor injured, missing all but the season opener against Fresno State. He was named honorable mention All-Big Ten as a Spar- tan in 2023. Junior Brandyn Hillman He saw action in 12 con- tests, registering 21 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, and 2 pass breakups. He closed the campaign out with 4 tackles against Ala- bama, including 3 solo stops and 1 sack. Sophomore Mason Curtis The 6-foot-5, 200-pounder entered the program as an edge but found a home at safety. He played in eight games, re- cording 8 tackles and an interception, as a freshman, burning his redshirt. Sophomore Jo'Ziah Edmond He played in eight contests as a fresh- man, making 2 tackles. Sophomore Jeremiah Lowe He didn't see game action as a fresh- man. Sophomore Jacob Oden The former four-star recruit played in four tilts in 2024, maintaining his red- shirt. NEWCOMERS Junior TJ Metcalf The Arkansas transfer racked up 57 tackles, 7 pass breakups and 3 intercep- tions while making 11 starts last season. Sophomore Tevis Metcalf The younger brother of TJ, Tevis played 12 contests — mostly on special teams — as a freshman at Arkansas. Freshman Elijah Dotson The Belleville (Mich.) High product is a four-star recruit. He's regarded as the No. 157 overall player and No. 20 cornerback in the nation in 2025. While he has posi- tional versatility, he's slated to play safety. Freshman Shamari Earls A four-star, Earls is the No. 32 over- all prospect and No. 5 cornerback in the country, according to On3. Freshman Jayden Sanders He's a four-star and the No. 169 overall prospect in the 2025 class. He ranks 22nd among cornerbacks. Freshman Kainoa Winston The nation's No. 100 overall player and No. 10 safety is a four-star prospect and the Gatorade Player of the Year in Wash- ington, D.C. Freshman Jordan Young The former Clemson commit is rated the No. 99 overall prospect and No. 8 safety in the 2025 class per On3. He flipped to the Wolverines late in the cycle. DEFENSIVE BACKS ANALYSIS Michigan lost an All-American in cornerback Will Johnson, who is a potential first-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, plus a three-year starter in safety Makari Paige (out of eligibility), but there isn't much worry about how the secondary will perform in 2025. For one, Johnson missed the final six-plus games of the season with a lingering toe injury, and others had to step up. Berry is at the top of that list, impressively moving from nickel to outside corner and performing as well as he did at his original position, perhaps even better. Hill is back as a starting corner, Berry could play in the slot or outside and the Wolverines have im- mense talent at safety, led by Moore, who has a year of eligibility remaining since he missed the 2024 campaign with an injury. Moore isn't just an experienced player with a high football IQ — he's an absolute game-changer with 6 career interceptions and boatloads of sure tackles. Pair him with Hillman and Curtis — two breakout candidates who impressed in limited action during the 2024 season — and the Wolverines will be just fine on the back end. TJ Metcalf also comes in from Arkansas, adding more experience and competition. U-M has been pursuing transfer portal cornerbacks and may still bring one into the fold. The only concern in the secondary is the lack of proven players there, but if Earls is ready to make a mark right away or others step up, that could be alleviated. — Clayton Sayfie PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL

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