The Five Best Safeties Under Jim Harbaugh

Michigan hasn't really had an elite safety so it's pretty tricky to come up with a top five.

Like most positions on defense, there have been some pretty good safeties on the field over the last five years. There isn't really an elite, runaway choice for the top slot, which makes ranking the top five pretty tricky.

1. Josh Metellus

Metellus played all four years he was in Ann Arbor and finished with pretty decent numbers and a solid stance as one of U-M's most dependable players. He started 38 games and racked up 101 tackles including 9.0 for loss and a sack. He also picked off five passes and broke up 21 others. He took one of those picks to the house and should've had a fumble recovery touchdown as well. He was a three-time All-Big Ten honoree from various sources and on various levels.

2. Tyree Kinnel

Kinnel was never the fastest or flashiest player on the field but he was heady and dependable in the back end of some of U-M's stingiest defenses, resulting in him being a two-time All-Big Ten honoree. Over the course of his career he started 26 games and made 162 tackles including 9.5 for loss and a sack. He picked off two passes and took one of them back for a touchdown. He was voted a team captain during his senior season and was U-M's most improved player in 2017. 

3. Delano Hill

Hill was recognized as an All-Big Ten performer once over the course of his career. He was generally billed as a fast, skilled safety in the back end of U-M's secondary and used those abilities to rack up 119 tackles including 7.0 for loss. He broke up eight passes while at U-M, picked off three of them and took one of those back for a touchdown.

4. Jarrod Wilson

Wilson is sometimes forgotten as one of Michigan's standout safeties but he actually started 30 games and had more tackles than any other player on this list while in Ann Arbor. The long, rangy defensive back compiled 169 stops including four for loss and a sack while roaming the back of U-M's defense. He also broke up 11 passes and made four interceptions while in a winged helmet. 

5. Dymonte Thomas

Thomas started 21 games and compiled 128 tackles while at Michigan. He didn't make any stops behind the line of scrimmage but that wasn't something he was asked to do. He broke up 17 passes and picked one off, but was unable to get into the end zone as a Wolverine.