Name: Zeke Berry
Height: 5’11″
Weight: 196 lbs.
High school: Concord (CA) De La Salle
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #10
Last year: I ranked Berry #43 and said he would be a backup safety (LINK). He played in eleven games and made 3 tackles.
TTB Rating: 82
There's not much to say about Zeke Berry from last year, because he barely played. Michigan had a stacked safety room, so the coaches used him on just 42 total defensive snaps - 30 against East Carolina and 12 against Michigan State. The former 4-star safety recruit has earned a lot of buzz behind the scenes for his athleticism, but he has yet to turn that into any meaningful playing time or production.
He seems poised to change that narrative in 2024. After nickel corner Mike Sainristil graduated and moved on to the NFL following last season, all eyes have been on the void left behind by his absence. Berry has popped up in almost every practice report as a standout with his speed and aggression. There has been caution not to expect him to get everyone organized like Sainristil did, and unlike last year, the backup nickel is a redshirt junior in Ja'Den McBurrows and not a redshirt sophomore Ja'Den McBurrows. I'm ranking Berry down near the bottom end of the starters because of the presence of McBurrows, but hopes are high that Berry is a star in the making.
Prediction: Starting nickel; 35 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 interceptions
Junior year is a great time for a highly rated recruit to step up. I was pretty concerned about the secondary a few months ago and part of the concern was how little Berry had played (and how far behind Sabb he seemed to be). But Michigan has shored up the secondary with tons of depth and Berry still seems to be in line for a starting job.
ReplyDeleteAs Thunder correctly notes, Berry has always gotten hype in the background, it just didn't show up much on the field. Now is his time and all indicators appear to be pointed in the right direction. A breakout season is coming, it seems.
I had him a few spots lower at 26 but I think Thunder's higher rating is more appropriate.
Lots of hope here. Big shoes to fill, so let's hope some of that hype is real
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