Michigan DC Jay Hill Explains High Hopes for Wolverines' Cornerbacks in 2026

The Wolverines could have one of the better CB rooms in 2026.

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Michigan lost several defensive backs to the transfer portal in the offseason. Young guys like Elijah Dotson and Jayden Sanders are gone — two players who flashed potential last season. But the Wolverines managed to keep a solid core together, which consists of Jyaire Hill, Zeke Berry, Jordan Young, and Shamari Earls, among other key players like Mason Curtis and Rod Moore.

The Maize and Blue also went out and landed Smith Snowden from Utah, who will immediately become a starter for the Wolverines this season. On Thursday, defensive coordinator Jay Hill met with the media and not only did he say Michigan is going to hit this spring, but he is very impressed with the cornerbacks room he is inheriting in 2026.

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"Oh, yeah, yeah. I mean, football is about blocking and tackling and getting better at the fundamentals," said Hill. "We have to do those things. So we’ll be physical at times this spring for sure. Now, we’ve got to be smart. We’ve got to stay healthy. You talked about the corners. Like that group, Shug is an elite player in my opinion. Zeke Berry is an all-Big Ten player.

"We’re getting Smith Snowden from the University of Utah, who I believe is one of the better corners in the country. And there’s Shamari Earls, who shows big-time ability. So I really believe this. When we get to the season, we’re going to have four or five of the better corners out there. And I love the way Coach Guilford coaches those guys. They’ll be ready to go."

Two players could see time at Nickel

Fans will enter the season knowing Michigan has three All-Conference players starting at corner with Hill, Berry, and Snowden, but where Berry and Snowden play is up in the air — kind of. Snowden can be an elite Nickel in Hill's system, but the former BYU defensive coordinator likes Berry at that position, as well.

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Berry began at Nickel in 2024 before transitioning to corner, where he played the rest of 2024 and 2025 for Michigan under Wink Martindale. But it sounds like Hill is open to the idea of moving both Berry and Snowen around in 2026.

"Well, time will tell because I like Zeke Berry at nickel. I like Smith Snowden at nickel," Hill admitted. "Both of those guys have had experience in there. We’ll put those guys in the best position to be successful and try to find the matchup that we can get the best three or four corners on the field, depending on what the matchups are on the opponent that we’re playing. But, yeah, I see Smith playing some nickel and I see Zeke playing some nickel right now."