It’s clear that head coach Sherrone Moore has placed an emphasis on filling the needs in the secondary, and he’s done just that over the last three days.
It started on Thursday with the commitment of Aamir Hall. The 6-1 cornerback out of Albany was an FCS All-American for the Great Danes in 2023. He recorded 63 tackles, 15 pass breakups, and five INTs – helping lead the Great Danes a Semifinal Playoff appearance. Hall spent three seasons playing for Richmond before transferring to Albany last season.
The second commitment came early on Friday, as Wesley Walker (Tennessee) announced he was headed for Ann Arbor. Walker played three seasons at Georgia Tech before playing his last two at Tennessee. In 2023, he started 10 games for the Vols before missing the final two games with an injury. He transferred to Louisville this past cycle but re-entered the portal and is now at Michigan. The 6-foot-1 safety registered 53 tackles and two pass breakups in 2023 in the Tennessee secondary. He has one career INT in his five seasons of collegiate football.
The third commitment came later on Friday, and it was one that certainly caused a stir on social media. Former Michigan State safety Jaden Mangham announced that he was also joining the Wolverines in Ann Arbor, and he was one of the few bright spots in East Lansing in 2023. Mangham, who just finished his sophomore year, was a four-star recruit in the 2022 class from the state of Michigan. The 6-foot-2 safety had 53 tackles in 2023 and led the Spartans with four interceptions.
The fourth commitment came on Saturday, as ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that veteran defensive back Ricky Johnson had committed to Michigan. Johnson, who played 27 games at UNLV, has four career interceptions and seven PBU’s last season.
The group of four experienced defenders will join an already solid secondary group in Ann Arbor, one that consists of guys like Will Johnson, Makari Paige, Quinten Johnson, Jyaire Hill, and Zeke Berry. With the secondary now set for 2024, it appears as though the Michigan defense should once again be one of the top units in all of college football in 2024.
