The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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104 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2026 FOOTBALL PREVIEW S mith Snowden had a plan when he committed to Utah and head coach Kyle Whittingham as a four-star cornerback out of Lehi (Utah) Skyridge High. Like many his age, the 2023 standout wanted to bring glory to the home state school before em- barking on a successful NFL career, prefer- ably after a great junior season. For several few weeks following the Utes' 10-2 regular season a year ago, the 5-10, 185-pounder considered pursuing the dream. He'd earned second-team All-Big 12 honors after playing both ways, broke up a team-high 11 passes on defense, and earned notice from NFL teams as a poten- tial draft pick. When it came time to decide on his fu- ture, though, something prevented him from jumping two feet in. "I'm a local kid from Utah, went to Utah for three years. My goal, my plan, was al- ways to be a three-and-out type of guy — to play three years and go to the next level," Snowden admitted. "I was kind of think- ing both ways, but my [draft] grade wasn't where I wanted it to be. I knew I left a lot of unfinished plays on the field that I wanted to make, and I wanted to create more plays and continue to grow in my craft." Like most, he just assumed it would be in Salt Lake City. But when Whittingham stunned the college football world and left for Michigan, Snowden couldn't help but think it might be his destiny, too. He loved Utah, of course, but he he was thinking bigger. "And this opportunity came up," Snowden recalled. "I hit the transfer portal. I still took and enjoyed my visits, but I think this was the right fit. It just made sense. "I'm a lockdown corner who loves to compete. I have a really competitive na- ture. I want to go out there and compete at the highest level, and I'm so excited and blessed to be at the University of Michigan. It doesn't get bigger than this." If that's truly the case — the lockdown part, that is — then this Michigan second- ary could exceed already high expectations. With senior Jyaire Hill on the other side, the potential is there for one of the better tandems in the Big Ten, and possibly the country. However, there's still plenty Snowden has to prove, and it starts with earning his way on to the field. He had a minor surgery after last season that required an eight- week recovery. He didn't even get to the practice field until the last 10 days of spring practice. Even then, he was somewhat lim- ited. Having played the gamut at Utah — out- side corner, slot, nickel, in addition to dab- bling on offense last season — he's proven his versatility. But, so have the guys he's competing with. "I was telling my buddies, 'Dang — it's hard to transfer to a new spot and deal with the injury that I had last season,'" he said. "I was just grateful that it was only an eight- week recovery. I was ready to get out there. A STEP UP Smith Snowden Is Ready To Show What He Can Do On The Biggest Stage BY CHRIS BALAS Snowden started 24 of 36 games played during three seasons at Utah, racking up 92 tackles and adding 4 interceptions (includ- ing 1 pick six) and 25 pass break-ups. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY