Former Georgia Tech, Tennessee, and Louisville safety Wesley Walker has committed to Michigan. He picked Michigan over LSU and USC.
Walker has started 25 games in his career, which started in 2019 at Georgia Tech, where he played for three seasons. He then transferred to Tennessee for the 2022-2023 seasons, hit the transfer portal in December, committed to Louisville, spent the spring at Louisville, and then re-entered the portal. Altogether, he has made 184 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 interception, and 12 pass breakups while playing in 45 career contests.
Walker was listed at 6'1" and 200 pounds at Tennessee last season. He started ten games for the Volunteers last year and finished #4 on the team with 53 tackles.
It will be interesting to see where Walker fits into the rotation at safety. Makari Paige returns and is guaranteed a starting spot, while Zeke Berry looks like the top nickel and Quinten Johnson returns, too. Those were the top three safeties prior to Walker's commitment, so can he unseat any of them? My guess is that Berry will stay at nickel, with Paige, Walker, and Johnson being a three-man rotation at safety, much like Paige, Rod Moore, and Keon Sabb did in 2023.
Overall, Michigan has now landed seven transfer portal players for the 2024 season, including offensive guard Josh Priebe (Northwestern), linebacker Jaishawn Barham (Maryland), kicker Dominic Zvada (Arkansas State), cornerback Aamir Hall (Albany), wide receiver C.J. Charleston (Youngstown State), and wide receiver Amorion Walker (Ole Miss), and now Wesley Walker. It seems like Michigan will still look to add at least one more defensive back, perhaps in the form of Michigan State's Jaden Mangham. Mangham has two years of eligibility remaining, whereas both Hall and Wesley Walker will be in their final year.
Wesley Walker's time at Tennessee coincided with current linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary, and Walker is also from Nashville (TN) Ensworth originally, which is the home of 2024 signee Mason Curtis.
Defense should be great again ... hopefully our offense carry their end
ReplyDeleteGiven that the coaches think our secondary needs help, I am even more curious as to why Keon Sabb left to play at Bama. Surely it is not because of playing time.
ReplyDeleteMoore was not injured at that time of his transfer. Sabb wanted to be the starter, showcase his talents, and go pro next year IMO. Going to BAMA based on those reasons, makes sense.
DeletePersonally, I think he is two years away at least from becoming a top safety draft pick.
It's true that Moore wasn't hurt yet, but QJo also wasn't back yet, so Sabb may have still left. Even with Moore healthy, Sabb was going to start at Michigan as well. It was just not as clear where he fit (nickel or safety) and he didn't want to deal with it. Alabama gave him a guaranteed starting spot and also paid him more, though Sam Webb said that wasn't the main factor.
DeleteI maintain that Courtney Morgan swooped in here and out-recruited Michigan at a time where Michigan was going through a lot of staff transition. And, as DJ Waller showed, Michigan hasn't quite yet figured out how to correctly NIL the up-and-comers relative to proven starters.
It's not likely that Walker is as good as Sabb (who might be a 1st round pick) but in the end the "trade" here isn't too damaging. Landed on their feet, it just took a little time. Credit to the program for out recruiting two NIL powers (USC and LSU) to get Walker.
Massive get in a stunning 24 hours for the 2024 team.
ReplyDeleteI agree Walker will likely slot into the "starter" rotation at safety, though QJo may have the edge to be an actual starter it's probably very similar number of snaps. Last year's safety rotation was 4 guys (Moore, Sabb, Johnson, Paige) so with 2 of those gone it's 2 new guys stepping in (Walker, Mangham) joining Johnson and Paige.
Relative to 2022 it's a step down in talent and continuity but increment up in experience and size at safety.
Shout out to Sherrone, Wink, and Sean Mageee for filling the biggest hole in the roster at DB so swiftly. Lamar Morgan of course. These DB additions might have added a couple wins to the season. These are potentially HUGE upgrades compared to relying on guys like McBurrows, Hillman, Oden and Hill to play starter-level snaps.