Anthony Wilson
When Michigan in March lost safety Rod Moore for the entire 2024 seasonIt was a crushing blow — mostly to Moore, but also to a secondary that was suddenly reeling.
Leaving the national championship, the secondary I had seemed like it would be a strength for Michigan in 2024. Yes, defensive Swiss Army knife Mike Sainristil would leave for NFL. But the core of a group that ranked third nationally in opposing passer rating projected to return with junior cornerback Will Johnson alongside Moore, Makari Paige and Keon Sabb at safety. That quartet gave new Michigan defensive backs coach Lamar Morgan something to build on.
Just a few months after the national title game, 50% of that group was suddenly out of commission. Moore was injured and Sabb transferred to Alabama.
Although Johnson and Paige were key pieces, the Wolverines needed to turn to transfer portal reinforcements to reinforce the secondary. And they managed to do just that.
Michigan scored its second commitment in the transfer portal in just over twelve hours on Friday morning, when three-star safety and Louisville transfer Wesley Walker committed to Michigan and Morgan. Walker started at Tennessee last season and transferred to Louisville in the offseason. The Wolverines were able to hold off LSU and USC, among others, to lure Walker, who attended spring ball with the Cardinals. He traveled to Ann Arbor last week and was impressed.
The addition of Walker gives Michigan another defensive addition through the portal after the Wolverines signed FCS All-American cornerback Aamir Hall on Thursday night. An Albany product, Hall is viewed by the team as a perfect fit for the role that Josh Wallace, himself a transfer from Mass., filled a season ago.
The team is expected to continue pursuing another defense, with former Michigan State star and safety Jaden Mangham at the top of the list.
More: Latest VIP insights from 247Sports on Michigan’s ongoing search for portal defenders
Sophomores DJ Waller and Jyaire Hill showed promise as true freshmen last season. They will fight for the cornerback position alongside Johnson, which Wallace held last year. Senior Ja’Den McBurrows, one of the best downhill defenders on Michigan’s roster, hopes to get the first crack at Sainristil’s job.
Security is also not without internal options. Sophomore Brandyn Hillman took the field last year as a true freshman, playing nine games and showing a lot of promise.
The hit rate on spring transfers is not great as they miss valuable training and friendly games and also need time to acclimatize during the summer. But at least with the recent additions of Walker and Hall, Michigan’s secondary no longer looks like a unit that relies solely on hopeful projections rather than proven production.
