Amir Herring signs NLI, discusses decision to attend Michigan
On the afternoon of Early Signing Day, Michigan offensive line commit Amir Herring sat in front of his friends and family at West Bloomfield High School for his signing ceremony. After an emotional message from the soon-to-be early enrollee, Herring sat down to sign his National Letter of Intent to the University of Michigan.
Herring, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound lineman committed to Michigan back in July and has remained true to his word for the past five months until Wednesday afternoon, when he officially signed. The West Bloomfield native is ranked as the ninth-best player in Michigan and the 21st-best player nationally at his position.
He helped the Lakers to an 8-2 record this fall, before they were surprisingly defeated in the first round of the MHSAA Playoffs by Detroit Cass Tech.
Herring received all sorts of fond remarks in the moments leading up to his official signing on Wednesday afternoon.
"Amir was a four-year starter for us on varsity football, which is difficult to begin with," said West Bloomfield assistant coach Zach Hilbers on Wednesday. "And then if you think about what we asked him to do as a, I don't know, 14, 15-year-old, to play offensive line as a freshman on varsity football, it's quite an impressive feat."
Hilbers went on to talk about how, even though Herring was a freshman, no one could tell.
"As a freshman, you couldn't tell by looking at him that he was a freshman," said Hilbers. "[Someone] had that picture this week, I saw, of Amir as a freshman standing next to coach Harbaugh at Michigan on a visit, and then one from, I think it was like a week ago, and I don't think coach Harbaugh shrunk like three or four inches, but this kid must've got a lot bigger."
Not only is Herring a gifted football player, but Hilbers says he's just as good of a person, too. Hilbers talked about Herring's impact on the school and all of its students, as he looks forward to enrolling early at Michigan next month.
"I just want to thank my mom and my dad," said Herring in a statement on Wednesday. "They just flew me all around the country, they've been there from the start."
"I couldn't be more fortunate for them just to have them, overall and just my family, they're just my village, and they've been my village through this whole process," Herring said. "And just, overall, just traveling around the country, seeing different schools, it was hard to make a decision, but overall, I feel like I made the best decision."
Herring also talked about his excitement level as he begins to make a big transition from West Bloomfield to Ann Arbor.
"I couldn't be more proud to carry what I learned here, to Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan" said Herring. "I can't wait to work with the staff up there, with coach Harbaugh and coach Moore and reunite with coach [Bellamy], who I had my freshman and sophomore year. And just, overall, I felt like Michigan was the place for me in the end, academically, athletically, and I just can't wait to get to work there very soon."
Lastly, Herring couldn't help but mention the growing list of great offensive linemen to make their way through Ann Arbor, and he hopes to possibly win a third consecutive Joe Moore Award next season.
"I can't wait to continue the lineage of great offensive lineman to come out of West Bloomfield and also continue the greatness at the University of Michigan in the offensive line room, and hopefully win a third Joe Moore Award, and repeat in that."
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