Jim Harbaugh considers converted wide receiver Amorion Walker starter at CB
One of the biggest questions surrounding Michigan’s defense heading into the 2023 season is what the Wolverines’ plans are for the cornerback position.
With Will Johnson a known commodity and looking to build on a strong close to this true freshman season, the depth behind him remains a big question mark. To be more specific, who is going to be the person to line up next to him on game days?
For Jim Harbaugh, he will have plenty of time to figure that out but with two spring practices under the program’s belt, it provides a good opportunity to get an early look at where things might be trending for the position.
One player seems to have the early edge, as converted wide receiver Amorion Walker is getting some early praise from Harbaugh.
“Amorion Walker is now playing corner,” Harbaugh told reporters on Thursday. “Mike Sainstril, of course—and they’re really excited about the young guys. Keshaun Harris, Myles Pollard, Kody Jones, Jaden McBurrows, and also Jyaire Hill and Cameron Calhoun. Just that group that hasn’t played a lot at corner in games, but we believe or are going to be really good players. So right now, Will, Mike Sainristil, Amarion Walker is—I consider him a starter right now, based on the way he’s—just off the first few practices, and I think those other players I mentioned will all be right there in the hunt as well.”
Playing corner isn’t exactly foreign to Walker, who the Wolverines tried at both corner and wide receiver in spells last season.
It appears that trend will continue as the hope of the coaching staff is that Walker will continue to play both positions and excel at them moving forward.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that he would excel and thrive both as a wide receiver and as a defensive back,” Harbaugh said. “Just really tried to find the absolute best position for him for his career. Where’s he going to make the greatest impact over the course of his career, benefit the most from his football ability. You just don’t know for sure whether it’s receiver or corner but the length he has, the athletic ability that he has, speed that he has, and the change of direction, mainly, for a guy that’s 6-foot-3, 6-foot-4. It’s rare, it’s rare for a corner to be able to have that length and speed, but have that change the direction. So it could be—just want to find out, you want to find out. And that’s what I think that’s what Coach Clink thinks. But we’ll see if we’re right.”
As for the immediate future, Harbaugh wants Walker to play at cornerback through the spring and see where things go from there.
“We’re mainly just playing him at corner through the spring,” Harbaugh said. “Once he gets that position locked down—which I really feel like he will—then eventually be he’ll become a two-way player because he can also be a tremendous player as a receiver, score touchdowns. But yeah, the vision would be that someday he will be a great corner and a receiver as well in college. And because he has that kind of ability, the work ethic is so strong with him.
“Right now he’s chasing strength and power. And that’ll all be put on much like you saw Will Johnson last year doing that nine months leading up to the season. But just really, really feel good. And we’re just gonna find out if that’s the right and best position for his career because it could be different. If we’re right, then yeah, he could be the type of corner that’s just—there are none like him—like a unicorn.”
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