Michigan's Perfect Defensive Haul in the 2022 Cycle
Over this past weekend, Michigan hosted double-digit official visitors and a bunch of unofficial visitors as well. Two players committed and several top targets had a great time as evidenced by the photo shoot and uniform try on.
The Michigan coaches created a graphic pitching the "perfect defense" to the visiting defenders and showed them exactly how they'd fit into future schemes.
Arlington (Texas) Mansfield Summit strongside defensive end Joseph Adedire
At 6-2, 245 pounds, Adedire has some position versatility. He's athletic enough to play in space as a rush end hybrid, but he's also got a great frame and plenty of room to grow into a more traditional defensive end. The Michigan coaches see him playing just off the outside shoulder of the tackle, likely as more of a DE.
Johnston City (Ill.) High safety Austin Brown
The Illinois native is a little more under the radar when it comes to some of Michigan's top targets, but it's very clear that the U-M staff wants Brown bad as one of its potential starters at safety. At 6-1, 195 pounds, Brown has the perfect build for a safety, but it's his overall athleticism, speed and versatility that makes him such an interesting prospect. In high school, he shines a dual-threat quarterback and really as an "offensive weapon" just as much or more than he does at safety. He's got a strong, sturdy build and could easily play at 210+ pounds. He looks like a more dynamic Brad Hawkins as he enters his senior year of high school.
Clearwater (Fla.) Gaither weakside defensive end Mario Eugenio
Eugenio has been a top target for Michigan for a while and he might just be on the verge of committing to the Wolverines. Not long after wrapping up his official visit in Ann Arbor, he announced that he'll be making his decision on July 5. That bodes very well for U-M and most think he's a Wolverine lean. At 6-4, 240, he also has some position versatility. According to the "perfect defense" graphic, Eugenio projects as an outside linebacker in the yet-to-be-seen 3-4 scheme under Mike Macdonald. Eugenio is a high-motor plus athlete who just has a knack for making disruptive plays. He finished his junior season with 17 sacks, 20 tackles for loss and four defensive touchdowns. He's not super long but he's extremely flexible, runs well and just flat out gets after it. He's a lot of fun to watch.
Trussville (Ala.) Hewitt-Trussville defensive tackle Justice Finkley
At 6-2, 265 pounds, Finkley is yet another versatile, movable piece, but he projects best to the interior of the defensive line because of his thicker, more powerful build. He's very strong and really does a great job at getting pressure from the interior. He's not the hulking 330-pound type of defensive tackle, but he's plenty strong and brings a lot of athleticism to that position. Some feel Michigan now leads in his recruitment but he's got a ton of offers and hails from the state of Alabama. Kids like that are always a tough pull for Michigan.
Grosse Pointe (Mich.) South cornerback Will Johnson
Michigan fans know all about Johnson at this point, and the good thing is, so do visiting targets. Johnson was in attendance to recruit others and he's great at it. He's very mature, has a great personality and, most importantly, he's really good at football. Good players want to play with other good players and Johnson knows that. He's taken on the role as the centerpiece of Michigan's 2022 class and he's trying to rally the troops every change he gets.
Germantown (Tenn.) High athlete Kody Jones
Jones has been committed for a while, and he committed before U-M hired Steve Clinkscale, so he feels a little forgotten at times. In Michigan's "perfect defense" though, he's definitely not forgotten. The 5-11, 175-pounder is listed as an athlete by the major recruiting services but Michigan sees him as a nickel all the way. He's got the short-space quickness, fluid hips and quick feet you need at that position. He also has great ball skills and is dynamic with the ball in his hands, which is always good in case he picks off a pass.
Kennesaw (Ga.) North Cobb outside linebacker Joshua Josephs
At 6-3, 205, Josephs is another outside linebacker in a 3-4. He's obviously not quite as bulky as Eugenio, but he's longer and has that rangier build and skill set. When you put on his tape, he's all arms and legs and he just eats up ground as he pursues the quarterback. He's exactly what you look for when identifying a WILL linebacker in a 3-4 scheme.
Cordova (Tenn.) St. Benedict defensive tackle Walter Nolen
Nolen was the biggest fish in attendance and is coveted by every major program in the country. At 6-5, 300 pounds, he's big enough to hold his ground and eat up double teams in the middle of a defensive line, but he's athletic enough to move around a little bit and let him put pressure on quarterbacks. In Michigan's "perfect defense" he's not exactly a true nose tackle, rather he's playing a defensive end position that would allow him to use his rare combination of size, length, strength and speed to really put pressure on offense. He's got long arms and is cat quick for as big as he is. I still think he ends up staying down south, but Michigan is doing a really, really good job with him.
Nashville (Tenn.) Stratford safety D'Arco Perkins-McAllister
If Austin Brown is the bulkier, strong safety type, Perkins-McAllister is the rangier, free safety ball hawk, but don't that title fool you — he will absolutely knock your block off. Even though he's a little thinner at 6-1, 180 pounds, he's looking to cause bodily harm when he tackles. As good as he is as a hitter, his strength is covering in deep space and making plays on the ball. In Michigan's "perfect defense" he's the center fielder.
West Bloomfield (Mich.) High athlete Dillon Tatum
At 5-10, 193 pounds, Tatum shines on both sides of the ball but Michigan likes him at cornerback opposite Will Johnson in their "perfect defense". Versatility seems to be a theme among U-M's 2022 targets on defense and that's Tatum's middle name. He makes explosive plays on offense and locks down receivers on defense. He feels like a strong Michigan lean but the in-state Spartans are making a strong push as well. Having Ron Bellamy on staff and Makari Paige and Donovan Edwards on the roster definitely helps.
Detroit Cass Tech defensive tackle Deone Walker
Finally, there's big Mr. Walker. At 6-7, 340 pounds, he's the true plugger in the middle. He's obviously a little tall for a true defensive tackle but he's massive and plenty heavy. He needs to tighten his body up a little bit, but he's come a long way over the past couple of seasons and is now a true top target for the Wolverines. I think he'll eventually end up committing to Michigan. He specifically mentioned wanting to be in town this past weekend to spend time with Mario Eugenio. In other words, he's behaving like a commit even though he's still on the market.