The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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40 THE WOLVERINE ❱ AUGUST 2025 ❱ COMMIT PROFILE BY EJ HOLLAND T he Wolverines made it a priority to find an elite long snapper this recruiting cycle and came away with a commitment from one of the nation's best in Phoenix Sandra Day O'Connor High's Colton Dermer, the No. 1 long snapper in his class according to Rivals. "Michigan has been a dream of mine," Dermer said. "My grandpa was the big- gest Michigan fan you could think of. The first gift I got from him was a Jabrill Peppers jersey. It's a family tradition. I had an opportunity to go there, and it was the only thing I wanted to do. "It seemed like the right place. I feel like it's an amazing fit." Dermer notched an offer from Michi- gan after making his way to Ann Ar- bor and working out in front of special teams coach JB Brown a week prior to his commitment June 14. His experience on campus played a big role in the decision. "That was amazing," Dermer said. "It blew all my expectations away. Coach JB is an amazing guy. Him and his dad [analyst James Brown] are awesome to be around. The workout was great. I was the only per- son there, so I killed it. It was a good visit." Brown takes pride in finding the best special teams prospects across the country and works diligently to evaluate top kickers, punters and long snappers. Dermer appreciates Brown's dedication and has quickly built up a bond with him. "He's super easy to talk to," Dermer said. "He's everything you look for in a coach. He's super nice. He just seems like an amazing coach. His coaching style stands out. "I've been to other schools, and play- ers didn't seem to be having fun. When I went to Michigan, all the players were smiling and having fun. That ties into the way he coaches them." Dermer also has a connection to Mich- igan through friend and training partner Dominic Zvada. One of the best kick- ers in the country, Zvada, like Dermer, is originally from Arizona and works out with specialist trainer Steve Rausch. "I work out with him all the time when I go out to Rausch's workouts," Dermer said. "He's the best kicker I've seen. He's a total stud. He's insane. I'm lucky to be around him. To have that skill level around me makes me strive to be better." Dermer is also familiar with new Michigan long snapper Trent Middle- ton, who transferred from UCLA to U-M this offseason. "I've worked out with him a little bit," Dermer said. "It's going to be awesome to have him give me a breakdown of my footwork and things in general. I feel like I'm going to learn a lot from him." Dermer, who picked Michigan over Alabama, may play an obscure posi- tion, but he's one of the very best in the country, according to Rausch, who is an expert on all things long snappers. "He's elite," Rausch said. "Michigan wouldn't have been looking at him if he wasn't. Rankings are rankings, but I personally think he's the best 2026 long snapper in the country. He's an absolute stud. He's 6-foot-1, 235 pounds and a great athlete. He snaps and spins a great ball — high velocity and very accurate. He's as elite as you can get. "Michigan is going to do its due dil- igence and seek out the best at every single position. JB is extremely relat- able. He understands long snapping, place kicking and punting probably bet- ter than any other specialist coach that I work with across the country." ❑ Michigan Adds Elite Long Snapper Colton Dermer PLAYER EVALUATION STRENGTHS: Colton Dermer is a thickly built long snapper who can block as well as run down the field and make tackles. His size is a strength as is his athleticism — Dermer clocked a 4.9 in the 40 this offseason, which is impressive for a long snapper with his build. Dermer finished with an average snap time of .66 seconds at the Kohl's Kicking competition and is ranked as the No. 6 long snapper in the country per Kohl's. AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: According to personal trainer Steve Rausch, Dermer is work- ing hard to improve all aspects of his game this offseason: "It's a lot of repetitions. It's a physical position — different from punting and kicking. You have to be able to snap, release, cover, protect and block. It's not only the time and the discipline of mastering their craft as a snapper, but it's also the weight room and the conditioning." MICHIGAN PLAYER COMPARISON: Dermer works side-by-side with Michigan long snapper Trent Middleton, who transferred in from UCLA this offseason. Dermer receives a lot of the same technical training as Middleton, so their fundamentals are very similar. Like Middleton, Dermer will likely sit for a couple of years before emerging as the team's starting long snapper. — EJ Holland Rivals ranked Dermer as the No. 1 long snapper in the 2026 class, and Kohl's Kicking wrote that he is an "elite snapper talent, great size, and tremendous athleticism." PHOTO COURTESY COLTON DERMER