TWO DEFENSIVE BACKS STANDING OUT TO MICHIGAN FOOTBALL COACH SHERRONE MOORE

Despite losing so much personnel from last year's national championship team, the Michigan football defense still figures to be loaded.

Kris Jenkins, Cam Goode, Braiden McGregor, and Jaylen Harrell are all gone, but with Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Derrick Moore, and Josaiah Stewart, there's still a lot to like up front. At linebacker, Ernest Hausmann and Maryland transfer Jaishawn Barham figure to be solid replacements for Junior Colson and Mike Barrett. And in the defensive backfield, Will Johnson may just be the best cornerback in the country.

But the defensive backfield isn't without some drama. Star safety Rod Moore, who opted to come back for his senior year, tore his ACL at the outset of spring practice. Makari Paige, back for a fifth-year, and sixth-year safety Quinten Johnson hold down the fort, but with Keon Sabb transferring to Alabama this offseason, the depth at the position is thinning.

One player who stood out this spring is junior Zeke Berry, who has particularly thrived in the Mike Sainristil role at nickel. Berry started in Week 1 last year but was injured on the opening kickoff in Week 2. While Berry has been working in that nickel back role, head coach Sherrone Moore notes (on the In the Trenches podcast) that no one will replicate what Sainristil did the past two years, but Berry has done more than a solid impression.

"We've got a lot of guys that left but we've got a lot of really good talent here," Moore said. "And not gonna be anybody that's gonna be like Mike because Mike. Mike's different. But Zeke Berry, man, he's had a heck of a spring. And he showed that potential last year and you can see flashes. And he started to put it together from a mental standpoint now and super excited for him. But he's really done a heck of a job this spring."

The other position that is under scrutiny is the cornerback opposite Will Johnson. With Josh Wallace gone to the NFL, the Wolverines appear to be honing in on sophomore DJ Waller, who brings size and athleticism to the role. But the other player to watch is fellow second-year corner Jyaire Hill.

Hill was impressive in the spring game, with the notable pass breakup on a perfectly placed ball thrown to Peyton O'Leary. Beyond that, he seemed instinctive and with a nose for the football.

Moore broke down why Hill could be a factor this year, noting that he's gotten positive feedback on the sophomore from his entrenched star corner.

"That kid's got immense talent to be as good as anybody," Moore said. "I know I've talked to Will a couple times. 'Sug,' they call him 'Sug,' he calls himself 'Sug' -- 'Sug' is gonna be good. This kid, he's got length, he's got speed, he's got athleticism. He's fearless. He'll tackle, he will go make a play on the ball. He's everything you want in a corner. So he's just had a heck of a spring."

This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Two defensive backs standing out to Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore

2024-04-24T15:11:39Z dg43tfdfdgfd