Freshmen Faces: William Mohan

Coming out of Brooklyn (N.Y.) Erasmus Hall, William Mohan was considered a three-star prospect, the No. 459 overall player nationally and the No. 23 athlete in the country according to the 247 Sports Composite. As a senior, Mohan recorded 56 tackles and 13 sacks, and also recovered a fumble during the season. He finished the year as the league leader in sacks and was widely regarded as one of the more athletic linebackers in the area.

Recruitment

Mohan committed to Michigan on June 23, 2019 after one of the biggest official visit weekends of the summer. Mohan was targeted by Michigan early in the process by Don Brown because of his fit at viper. The athletic linebacker picked up around 15 offers over his high school career and had some pretty good options beyond Michigan. He had opportunities from schools like Miami, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State, Tennessee and Wisconsin among others.

Player Breakdown/Player Comparison

There's a reason Don Brown wanted Mohan so badly — he fits the viper position perfectly. At 6-1, 195 pounds, he's got the right build and frame to do everything the viper is asked to do. Coming out of high school, he was billed as a relentless, speedy, athletic and tenacious defender. He's very aggressive, a natural blitzer and really punishes the ball carrier when he arrives. He's also played some safety in his day so he's not uncomfortable covering backs and tight ends.

He's also been described as an extremely hard worker and as a player who does not give up on a play — ever. If you need a player to run someone down from 40 yards away, Mohan is your guy. He's fast enough to do it and has the mentality to make it happen.

Because of Mohan's size, speed, tenacity and ability to pursue, he reminds me of Deone Bucannon.

The former Giant linebacker signed with the Atlanta Falcons in May, but actually played his best years with the Arizona Cardinals. The write up on Bucannon from NFL.com might as well be about Mohan.

Bucannon spent time as both a linebacker and a safety, finding success in a box safety role for the Cardinals.

That's exactly how Mohan will be used by the Wolverines and should be able to do everything Bucannon has done in the NFL. Like Mohan, Bucannon is that typical tweener — he's a little too small to be a true linebacker at 6-1, 211 pounds, and not quite explosive enough to be a true cover safety. However, spread offenses have made guys just like Bucannon and Mohan extremely valuable. Mohan should be used well at Michigan just like Jabrill Peppers and Khaleke Hudson were.

2020 Outlook

We don't know who the starter will be at viper for sure, but it seems to be redshirt sophomore Michael Barrett's spot to lose with sophomore Anthony Solomon backing him up. There are a few other players on Michigan's roster who could play the position, so Mohan likely won't be needed in 2020.

He's got the skill and speed, so if he picks things up quickly and impresses the coaches, we may just see him as a freshman. I wouldn't bet on that, but it wouldn't exactly shock me to see him backing up Barrett and getting on the field on defense. If that doesn't happen, playing on special teams seems like a certainty because of what he can do and how he plays. He's perfect for covering kicks.