The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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D E F E N S I V E B A C K S THE WOLVERINE 2026 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 107 tackles, including 3 for loss and a sack, forc- ing a fumble, and breaking up 6 passes. He also notched 1 interception, though he had opportunities for several others. The veteran of 29 games (22 starts) has all the skills to be a great one. He and Berry both showed they could be efficient in man and zone coverage in the spring, Jay Hill re- ported, their learning and application "re- ally standing out" to Gilford. Both showed a high IQ for the game, as well, as you'd expect for a pair that have played a lot of football. Berry has been called upon to play every position in the secondary, and he figures to play a lot of nickel this season. That will put more on Earls' plate, as well. "All four of those guys are going to play a lot," Jay Hill said. "We've got to have a rota- tion to keep them fresh for the way we play. "I would anticipate Smith and Zeke being the nickel guys inside, and we need strong nickels. For our defense to be great, we need a strong nickel." Snowden missed time this spring recov- ering from injury, but experience and famil- iarity with the new defense gives him a leg up on the competition. Those familiar with his game echoed what we heard from those who saw him after he began working again — his versatility is a strong suit. At Utah, he played both boundary and field corner, showing he could cover the slot or play nickel. His 43.9 percent allowed reception rate was reportedly the best in the Big 12 among corners with at least 300 coverage snaps last season, one of the rea- sons he became a second-team All-Big 12 selection. Though Snowden was limited this spring, Gilford noted when he got on the field, it was evident he could really play. Jay Hill concurred. "We love Snowden," he said. "I've seen him up close and in person, seen him play in games I've coached in, watched him on film a lot. He was a guy in high school I loved and tried to get. I know what he's about." Earls was hurt early last year, but of- fensive players and coaches were talking about him as a potential future star. He just needed reps and confidence. "He's a big, long guy who can run, had his ups and downs," Gilford reported. "But by the end of spring ball, he came around." But who else is going to step up? Junior Jo'Ziah Edmond has shown flashes, and it seems like it's now or never. Beyond that, it's up to Gilford to develop some more depth here, get them to trust themselves. That comes with experience and time spent in the film room, he said, and that's one of the biggest challenges he issued to his group this year — to make the most of their down time by working with teammates and then breaking down film. It's a complex defense after all, as head coach Kyle Whittingham noted on the spring media circuit. The Wolverines "will be bringing a lot of pressure, a lot of man coverage, mixing some zone pressures" with "a little bit of split safety look," he said. That means more pressure on this group, and Gilford noted the aspect most empha- sized was man-to-man techniques, along with the "mindset of competing." Aggressively preventing the catch is goal No. 1, Gilford said. But putting bad plays behind them is every bit as important, and he's seen a lot of progress. "I'll be 100 percent honest with you — we have some talent. We have probably half the group that can play, play," he said. PRESEASON ANALYSIS ❱ ❱ X-FACTOR X-FACTOR Sophomore safety JORDAN YOUNG fared well in limited action last year, including getting thrown into the fire late in a win against Northwestern at Wrigley Field, com- ing down with a massive pass breakup late that kept U-M in the game. He will play a bigger role in the safety rotation this season and has a shot to compete for a starting job on the back end. DEFENSIVE BACKS CORNERBACKS 10 Zeke Berry (5-11, 196), Gr. 2 Shamari Earls (6-2, 205), So. 16 Jo'Ziah Edmond (6-1, 185), Jr. 0 Jyaire Hill (6-2, 190), Sr. 32 Jeremiah Lowe (5-11, 180), Jr. 3 Smith Snowden (5-10, 185), Sr. 28 I'Marion Stewart (5-11, 180), Jr. 24 Jamarion Vincent (6-2, 170), Fr. SAFETIES 20 Chris Bracy (6-1, 195), Jr. 25 Mason Curtis (6-5, 211), Jr. 22 Jordan Deck (6-2, 190), Fr. 1 Rod Moore (6-0, 198), Gr. 27 Ernest Nunley (6-0, 180), Fr. 5 Jacob Oden (6-1, 205), Jr. 26 Taylor Tatum (5-10, 212), Jr. 28 Kainoa Winston (5-11, 204), So. 6 Jordan Young (6-0, 195), So. STARTERS ★ ★ ★★ ★ ★ ★★ We're giving this group a bump assuming Rod Moore will be back to full health and the player he was before his injury. The veteran safety is one of the most instinctive players in college football, and when healthy one of the top secondary players in the Big Ten. Jyaire Hill wowed the new coaching staff with his physical skills this spring and could be an NFL guy with a bit more consistency, while Utah transfer Smith Snowden is another who could be among the best corners in the conference. Grad senior Zeke Berry has played a lot of football at Michigan, while junior Mason Curtis got better last year. Memphis transfer Chris Bracy also impressed this spring and could start. That's a very talented top five within that group. DEPTH ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ½ Finding third and fourth corners is going to be a key, and the hope is that sophomore Shamari Earls continues to perform how he did at the end of spring. He's long and talented, and he improved. There's a lot of talent at safety in addition to those listed above, starting with 6-0 sophomore Jordan Young. He made some big plays last year, including one massive one in the tight win at Northwestern. Junior Kainoa Winston was a highly rated prep who could make a move, and fellow junior Jacob Oden will also vie for playing time after seeing action in 10 games in the defensive backfield last year. OVERALL ★ ★ ★★ ★ ★ ★★ If this crew stays healthy, it should be one of the Big Ten's best. Snowden is a fantastic talent, while Moore could be the team's most pleasant surprise if he comes back at full strength. He's expected to be, and it's not as though he forgot how to play the game. The key will be to develop a few players behind the starters. Head coach Kyle Whit- tingham said he liked the starting corners, but he added they needed a few guys to step up behind them. It will be the same at safety, though there are a lot of strong candidates. We like this group.