2025 Season Countdown: #10 Zeke Berry

 

Zeke Berry (image via MLive)

Name: Zeke Berry
Height: 5’11″
Weight: 196 lbs.
High school: Concord (CA) De La Salle
Position: Cornerback
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #10
Last year: I ranked Berry #22 and said he would be the starting nickel with 35 tackles, 3 sacks, and 2 interceptions (LINK). He started twelve games (7 at nickel, 5 at cornerback) and made 37 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 9 pass breakups, 2 quarterback hurries, and 1 forced fumble.
TTB Rating: 82

Berry went from not playing much at all in 2023 to being a guy Michigan felt they could plug in everywhere in 2024. He started off the season playing nickel and made an interception against Fresno State in his debut. But things in coverage were a little iffy during the first half of the season and he got lost at times.

Then star cornerback Will Johnson suffered an injury and missed the second half of the year. As coaches often say, "Get your best eleven on the field." So rather than putting in a backup cornerback who wasn't ready for prime time, Michigan reshuffled pieces in the defensive backfield and moved Berry to cornerback, moving safety Makari Paige to nickel. I wasn't sure if Berry would be able to pull it off because he can be a little bit stiff in the hips, but his speed and physicality paid off. Michigan's defense improved in the last third of the season as players got used to new defensive coordinator Wink Martindale and his deployment of personnel.

Now Berry is a key part of the defense going into 2025. He's solidly in the starting lineup and expected to play corner all season. In fact, last year he was named the team's defensive player of the year, probably largely because of his versatility to play a variety of positions. (I don't think he was a better overall player than Mason Graham, for example.) I think Michigan has more depth at cornerback than some people think because there are talented players on the roster, but there is a general lack of experience outside of the two starters and backup transfer Caleb Anderson.

Prediction: Starting cornerback; 30 tackles, 2 interceptions