The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1536962
D E F E N S I V E B A C K S THE WOLVERINE 2025 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 111 • 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 ac- colades as a senior and honorable mention status as a junior. • Ranked as a four-star recruit and the No. 27 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 2024 — DNP, injured — Totals 37/28 141 2.5 13 6 JACOB ODEN • S So. • Detroit Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 196 • Appeared in four games on special teams as a freshman in 2024, maintained his red- shirt eligibility. • Attended Harper Woods High School, coached by father and former U-M player Rod Oden. • Selected to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and named a PrepStar Top 300 All- American. • Tabbed all-state for Divisions 3-4 by the As- sociated Press as a senior. • Led team to Division 4 state championship in 2023, the first in school history. • Posted 56 tackles with 14 passes defended, 4 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles and 2 de- fensive touchdowns as a senior. • Competed in track, specializing in sprints, jumps and relays. • Regarded as a four-star recruit, the No. 339 overall prospect and No. 29 safety in Amer- ica, and the seventh-best player in Michi- gan, per the On3 Industry Ranking. NEWCOMERS CALEB ANDERSON • CB Gr. • Clinton, La. Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 200 • Spent five seasons at Loui- siana, appearing in 36 tilts with 13 starts, before trans- ferring to Michigan ahead of the 2025 campaign. • Played in nine outings with four starts in 2024, making 18 tackles. • Totaled 23 tackles, including 1 for loss, and 1 interception in 10 games with eight starts in 2023. • Competed in 13 contests with one start, tallying 13 tackles, including a half-stop for loss, 3 pass breakups, 1 interception and a fumble recovery in 2022. • Missed the 2021 season, after playing in four games and making 4 tackles as a fresh- man in 2020. • The On3 Industry Ranking placed him as a three-star recruit in the 2020 class. Year GP/GS Tkls. TFL PBU INT 2020* 4/0 4 0 0 0 2021* — DNP — 2022* 13/1 13 0.5 3 1 2023* 10/8 23 1 5 1 2024* 9/4 18 0 0 0 Totals 36/13 58 1.5 8 2 *at Louisiana TEVIS METCALF • CB So. • Birmingham, Ala. Ht.: 5-10 • Wt.: 192 • Transferred to Michigan in 2025, after one year at Ar- kansas. • Played 15 defensive snaps and appeared in 12 contests on special teams as a freshman in 2024, featuring on the kick return, kick coverage and punt return units. • The On3 Industry Ranking regarded him as a three-star recruit and the nation's No. 79 cornerback. • Younger brother of transfer TJ Metcalf. TJ METCALF • S Jr. • Birmingham, Ala. Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 200 • Spent two seasons at Arkan- sas before transferring to Michigan. • Racked up 57 tackles, includ- ing 1 for loss, 7 pass break- ups and 3 interceptions in 2024, appearing in 12 games with 11 starts for the 6-6 Ra- zorbacks. • One of 35 Power Conference safeties with 3 or more picks in the 2024 regular season. • Had career-highs of 12 tackles versus Okla- homa State and 2 interceptions at Auburn, both in 2024. • Saw action in all 12 outings as a freshman in 2023, posting 15 tackles. • Older brother of Tevis Metcalf. Their father, Tarrus, played football at Ole Miss. Their cousin, D.K. Metcalf, is a wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers. • A three-star recruit and the No. 52 safety in the country and the No. 26 prospect in Alabama, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. Year GP/GS Tkls. TFL PBU INT 2023* 12/0 15 0 0 0 2024* 12/11 57 1 7 3 Totals 24/11 72 1 7 3 *at Arkansas ELIJAH DOTSON • S Fr. • Detroit Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 171 • Transferred to Belleville (Mich.) High fol- lowing three years at Detroit Jesuit. • Checked in as a four-star re- cruit, the nation's 94th-best overall prospect and No. 12 cornerback, per the On3 In- dustry Ranking. • Slotted as the second-best player in Michi- gan, behind only his Belleville (Mich.) High and U-M teammate, quarterback Bryce Un- derwood. SHAMARI EARLS • CB Fr. • Chester, Va. Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 203 • Enrolled early at U-M in January 2025. • Missed his senior season due to injury after totaling 25 tackles and 3 interceptions as a junior at Chester (Va.) Thomas Dale. • The four-star prospect was rated as the No. 97 player and No. 13 cornerback in the na- tion and the second-best product in Virginia, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. JAYDEN SANDERS • CB Fr. • Kilgore, Texas Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 181 • Made 27 tackles, 15 pass breakups and 3 intercep- tions as a prep senior at Kilgore (Texas) High. • Four-star recruit, the No. 175 overall player and No. 26 cornerback in the country and No. 28 prospect in Texas, per the On3 Indus- try Ranking. KAINOA WINSTON • S Fr. • Washington, D.C. Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 194 • Gatorade Player of the Year in Washington, D.C., in 2024. • Selected to the Navy All- American Bowl. • A four-star recruit at Gonzaga, Winston checked in as the No. 91 overall player and No. 9 safety in the country, earning status as the top prospect in Washington, D.C., per the On3 Industry Ranking. JORDAN YOUNG • S Fr. • Monroe, N.C. Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 177 • Totaled 38 tackles, 14 pass breakups and 6 intercep- tions as a senior for Monroe (N.C.) High. • Selected to the Navy All-American Bowl. • Slotted as a four-star prospect, the No. 147 overall recruit and No. 13 safety in the coun- try, and No. 6 player in North Carolina, ac- cording to the On3 Industry Ranking.