Michigan Football: Wolverines recruiting Dillon Tatum on defense too

Michigan football is now recruiting four-star Dillon Tatum as a defensive player, as well as a running back.

There’s no doubt that Dillon Tatum is one of Michigan football‘s top targets in the 2022 class. But now, there is some question about where he would play if he committed to the Wolverines.

That’s because Michigan football is now recruiting Tatum, as a defensive back, in addition to recruiting him as a running back according to Brice Marich of The Michigan Insider ($).

Tatum is 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds and he’s also one of the top recruits in the state of Michigan out of West Bloomfield in 2022. He’s ranked as the 243rd overall player in the 247 composite rankings for 2022 and is ranked fourth in Michigan, as well as 25th among running backs.

And that’s where Michigan has been recruiting him. However, that changed recently as cornerbacks coach Mike Zordich reached out and told Tatum the Wolverines were looking at him on defense too.

"“They are now recruiting me as an athlete,” Tatum told The Michigan Insider. “(I found out) a few weeks ago and I’m very excited because now they’re giving me options. They’re (Michigan) very high on my list and I really like the staff there.”"

Tatum currently has 30 offers and some of the notable ones are Florida, Ohio State, Penn State, Notre Dame, Miami and Kentucky, which has done well in the state of Michigan recently, including a recent commitment from Tatum’s teammate in 2021, three-star corner Maxwell Hairston.

And some schools are taking the same approach Michigan is, by recruiting him as an athlete, while others just see him as a running back or a defender. Here’s what Tatum told Wolverine Digest:

"“Right now, it has changed to 50% of my offers are really athlete offers and 25% are running back and 25% are defensive back.”"

Tatum is listed by Rivals as an athlete and EJ Holland, the Michigan recruiting expert, who has a Futurecast pick in projecting Edwards to the Wolverines, has said before he thinks Tatum is better on that side of the ball.

It will be interesting to see how this develops, but there is a ton of running back depth in the 2022 recruiting class, so that shouldn’t be a worry if Tatum ends up on defense.

With his size and speed, he feels like a safety or even a potential viper down the road. The biggest thing though, is that it gives him the option, so if he decides he wants to play defense, Michigan football won’t miss the boat.