Michigan Football: Anthony Solomon adds depth and potential at LB

Michigan football continued to add to its momentum on the recruiting trail by flipping Anthony Solomon from Miami Sunday night. Here’s what it means.

It seems that when head coach Jim Harbaugh talks, people listen and ever since declaring he’s not going to the NFL, things have gone pretty well for Michigan football in recruiting.

First, Trevor Keegan, a four-star offensive lineman committed to the Wolverines Friday night, choosing Michigan football over Georgia and Penn State. However, it was far from the only good news of the weekend as four-star linebacker Anthony Solomon also flipped to Michigan from Miami after a visit over the weekend.

With the two new commits, Michigan now ranks eighth in the country when it comes to the 2019 recruiting class and more importantly, the Wolverines are No. 1 in the Big Ten according to 247sports.

Getting Keegan was really big up front. Yet, nabbing Solomon, a 6-foot-1, outside linebacker was just as important for the Wolverines, who haven’t added a ton of linebackers in the last two recruiting classes.

Solomon is an intriguing prospect because of his short-area quickness and all around speed. He runs just 4.8, which is a little slow for an outside linebacker, considering Devin Bush is around 4.67, however, who knows when Solomon was last officially timed.

40 times aren’t the end all and be all for linebackers. You need to be able to move side-to-side quickly, especially in coverage and at least on film, Solomon looks to have that ability. Right now, depending on what you believe, Solomon is around 200 pounds. That’s too small to play right away at Michigan football. At least if he wants to play right away at linebacker.

Solomon will need to get into the weight room and bulk up, but once he does that, he should have a chance to earn his way onto the field. Bush is leaving after this season, which will leave guys like Khaleke Hudson, Josh Ross and Devin Gil in position to be the top three guys.

Yet, others like Cameron McGrone, one of the Wolverines top recruits from 2018, should put himself into the mix, along with others such as Jordan Anthony, who will be a junior next season and Hassan Haskins, who was moved to linebacker after being recruited as a running back.

Solomon joins a recruiting class that already had Charles Thomas, a three-star inside linebacker and Amauri Pesek-Hickson, an athlete, who could play the viper position at some point in the future.

Solomon seems more like an outside linebacker or a viper, however, if he can bulk up, it’s possible he could play some inside too, even though he looks more like a run-and-hit guy, instead of someone who wants to battle inside the box and take on blocks from interior offensive lineman all game.

Regardless, Michigan football got better at linebacker with the addition of Solomon, who not only adds depth right away but also brings some big-time potential with a chance to contribute in a big way by 2020 or 2021.