Tyler Stockton Names One Michigan Safety Battling For Starting Spot With Veterans

The Wolverines have a chance to have one of the better safety rooms in the country.

Jordan Young's X Account

Despite losing some starting experience at safety to the transfer portal from the 2025 team, Michigan's 2026 safeties have a chance to be really good in 2026. The key being a healthy Rod Moore, who if healthy, can be one of the nation's best safeties.

But Michigan also went out and landed starting Memphis safety Chris Bracy, along with retaining Mason Curtis, who played a lot of football for the Wolverines. However, another name that might not be mentioned enough is sophomore Jordan Young.

Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Young was a part of the excellent 2025 class for Michigan and the 6-foot safety opted to enter the transfer portal, but Kyle Whittingham's staff made a push to retain him. Now, entering the 2026 season, after playing 148 snaps for Michigan in 2025, Young is pushing to start.

"The person that probably impressed the most was Jordan Young," safeties coach Tyler Stockton told Jon Jansen on In The Trenches. "And I think obviously he played around 150 snaps last year as a young player, but he is — he's up there with those guys competing for starting position."

Appearing in 10 games last season, Young recorded 15 tackles and three pass breakups, while earning more and more playing time as the season went on. While Young might not start right away in 2026, he will certainly be in the rotation and play a pivotal role for Michigan.

Young guns are emerging from spring ball

The secondary depth itself isn't great heading into 2026, and Michigan will need some players to emerge if injuries rear their ugly head. You can figure the likes of Moore, Bracy, Curtis, and Young will be the primary four safeties who see the most time — with Jacob Oden seeing some action.

But the Wolverines also landed a pair of safeties from the 2026 class, who Stockton revealed stepped up this spring. Four-star Jordan Deck flipped from Baylor, and three-star Ernest Nunley came from Cal late in the process, and Stockton has been impressed with them.

Michigan freshman Jordan Deck | Via @Jordan_Russell8 on X

Add in 2025 prospect Kainoa Winston, and a couple of walk-ons, Michigan is feeling better and better about what it has at safety.

"And then we got two young guys as well in Jordan Deck and Ernest Nunley that have came in as early enrollees and competed their tail off every single day," said Stockton. "So, I mean, I really like the room. Kainoa Winston, he redshirted last year. He's a kid that ran a 10.4-10.5 out of high school. So I mean we got a competitive group and then we got guys who are unsung heroes with our walk ons like Nico, and Max Reyes who come in every single day and compete their tail off too."

Michigan will open things up against Western Michigan under the lights and it's possible the Wolverines allow some of their young depth to play.