Michigan Football: What Aubrey Solomon Brings The Wolverines

Michigan football got great news on National Signing Day with Aubrey Solomon choosing the Wolverines. Here’s what he’ll take to the program.

For the second straight National Signing Day, an uncommitted five-star defensive tackle chose Michigan football.

Last year, it was Rashan Gary. This time, it was Aubrey Solomon.

Solomon’s commitment wraps up what is going to be an excellent defensive line class that has six four- or five-star signings.

Solomon, who was previously committed to the Wolverines but dropped his pledge after a botched thank-you card, said on the ESPNU broadcast that the coaching staff “talked to me like I was truly family.”

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Soon after that, defensive coordinator Don Brown was being interviewed on the same show, and he mentioned something that fans have been salivating over for a while now: the thought of Solomon and Gary playing alongside each other.

Michigan’s biggest strength the last few seasons has been its defense, and within that, the defensive front has been outstanding.

According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Solomon is the No. 2 defensive tackle in the 2017 class, the No. 3 prospect out of the state of Georgia and the No. 25 prospect overall. He was choosing mainly between Michigan and Alabama.

Simply put, the Wolverines are getting a beast here. Solomon checks in at 6-foot-3, 288 pounds (a very similar build to Gary when he committed to Michigan). His high school tape shows a powerful presence on the interior defensive line that acted as a virtual wrecking ball.

Most scouts are immediately blown away by Solomon’s athleticism. He’s quick off the line and explosive enough to blow through the holes. He has a good arsenal of moves that might let him see the field sooner rather than later.

Given such a diverse set of skills, it’ll be interesting to see what the Michigan staff tries doing with Solomon. He definitely seems to be best fit for the tackle position, but if he can improve his hand work, his speed would be intriguing on the outside.

Getting Solomon was also important for Michigan’s larger recruiting feud with the SEC. Beating out Alabama and Georgia is obviously no small feat. This is the first time the Wolverines have beat out the Crimson Tide in a while. This also represents the first time Michigan has pulled the highest ranked prospect (according to 247Sports) out of Georgia.

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Michigan probably has a player who will be able to step in right away and contribute in a defensive line that’s losing all of its starters from last season.

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