Lamar Morgan reveals leaders in Michigan football secondary battles
Secondary depth was a major concern in the spring for Michigan football but after the Wolverines were able to land some reinforcements via the transfer portal, the depth chart feels much more secure.
New players still need to transition to a new program though. Wesley Walker, Jaden Mangham, Ricky Johnson, and Aamir Hall all joined Michigan football after the spring, so fall camp is the only time they have really had to prepare in addition to summer workouts.
There are starting jobs up for grabs at cornerback and safety. Will Johnson will be one starter at corner for Michigan football. The former five-star recruit has been projected as a top-five pick in nexy year's NFL draft.
But starting alongside him could be Jyaire Hill, a true sophomore, or Hall, a transfer from the FCS ranks. Hall is experienced and he's drawn comparisons to Josh Wallace. Regardless of who starts, Hall and Wallace have upgraded the depth. They have also allowed Ja'Den McBurrows to focus on nickel instead of cornerback.
Lamar Morgan, the Michigan football secondary coach, noted an intense competition between Hill and Hall, saying it has been a "constant battle" via The Wolverine. Morgan gave Hill the edge right now, but there is still time before the first game for Hall to make his case.
Both players will be needed and sub-package defenses aren't going away. The Wolverines will need more than two corners to play regular snaps and more than two safeties.
Makari Paige is one sure-fire starter at safety. He's not talked about enough but is a future NFL player. He's got one job locked down after the injury to Rod Moore. The other is up for grabs, but with transfers such as Mangham and Walker catching up to joining a new team, Morgan highlighted Quentin Johnson as the other safety likely to start the season.
That doesn't mean Mangham and Walker won't play. They will. A lot. Both will have roles in sub packages and last year, Michigan football play four safeties regularly in Rod Moore, Paige, Quentin Johnson and Keon Sabb.
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So there are plenty of snaps to go around and even if the transfer defensive backs don't earn starting jobs right away, doesn't mean their impact will be minimized.