The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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94 THE WOLVERINE MARCH 2017 2017 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY JOHN BORTON It's 642 miles from Florence, Ala., to Ann Arbor, Mich. The football in- tensity and the hitting aren't much different in those two states. That means 6-3, 205-pound defensive back J'Marick Woods has a chance to make himself right at home. "He has a lot of potential with a huge upside," Michigan defensive backs coach Brian Smith assured, on U-M's website. "He has got foot speed, and he's a hitter — he'll come up and hit you. "That's why they call him 'Woods.' He will come up and bring the wood." He's already emerged from the deep south and entered classes at the University of Michigan, one of the Wolverines' 11 early enrollees for 2017. A strong student, his perceptive- ness carries over onto the field of play, insists Florence head football coach J.B. Wallace. "He has a high football IQ," Wallace noted. "He understands the game. You'll get the athlete, but when you have a high football IQ, you take your game to a whole other level. That's what he's shown with us. "He's studied the game. He's a very physical player, very athletic. He's the total package." Wallace thinks Woods might stand a fraction taller than his listed 6-3. He's seen the lanky defensive back make strong recoveries, using mobil- ity and height to make plays. "The first thing I noticed was his nose for the ball," Wallace noted. "He's had a few pick-sixes since he's been here. In one game, he got in bad position with his eyes, in coverage. He realized it, and he went and recov- ered to get back in position. "He leaps and just swats the ball away. He was really beat. I knew the kid could jump, but I didn't know he could jump like that. His sense of urgency to make things happen is great." Woods made 70 tackles happen as a senior, delivering three passes broken up and a pair of interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. He picked off four passes as a junior, moving gracefully despite his length. "He's very fluid," Wallace said. "He's learned patience, throughout his high school career, in man cov- erage. He has really good technique there. He understands route combi- nations and things like that, so he can definitely cover and play in space." Woods expressed his excitement over the Signing of the Stars event, which he attended. Getting a taste of the fan excitement gave him a sense of what's to come. His goals for year one: "I just want to keep a high GPA in the classroom and compete for a starting job." He's also on alert, per his new coaches. "They told me, 'Whether you're ready or not, you're probably going to be on the field,'" Woods said with a smile. "I better get ready." Wallace insists Woods can play safety at the college level, but that he could also become a hybrid safety- cornerback, safety-linebacker or a nickel. Wherever he lands, there will be some rapid adjustments to the level of play, like there are for all who make that jump. "He'll need to be able to handle faster receivers in a bigger amount of space," Wallace noted. "That's some- thing he's going to have to adapt to quickly, playing Division I football and playing in that back half of the field. "You're going to be in some one- on-one situations with speedy guys, so he's going to have to work on flex- ibility, being able to open his hips and getting in the hip pocket, getting in phase with those receivers. Also, it's being able to handle a huge space. That's what he's got to work on at Michigan." That said, Wallace assured his now former player has the mental makeup to step up to the challenge. "He's business first," Wallace said. "He's not really one who is going to do a lot of cutting up, playing around. He's always business first. His par- ents really did a good job with his up- bringing. He's a high-character guy." Exactly the kind Jim Harbaugh was seeking, Wallace observed. "Those guys are down to earth," Wallace said of Michigan's coaches. "Jim Harbaugh came and you couldn't tell that was his first time in J'Marick Woods Takes The Long Road To Ann Arbor Woods compiled 131 tackles and six interceptions for Florence (Ala.) High the last two years en route to being a two-time first-team all-state selection. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM