Michigan Football suffered a significant loss early in spring practices when it was reported Senior Safety Rod Moore sustained a torn ACL. It's still early, and we don't know any timelines or what Moore's plans are moving forward, but the expectation is that Moore will miss the 2024 season.

Moore forgoed entering the NFL Draft and chose to return to Ann Arbor for his senior season. A crucial piece of the Michigan defense since 2021, Moore was one of the country's top safeties and a leader coming back.

Losing Moore is massive, but Michigan has a talented safety with a good mix of veterans and rising underclassmen. So how does Michigan replace Moore, who is the "next man up"?

I posted a poll question on X (formerly Twitter) asking my followers who they thought would take the biggest leap in replacing Moore.

Michigan learned only recently that Quinten Johnson would be returning. After initially declaring for the NFL Draft, Johnson suffered a hamstring injury that prevented him from training and showcasing his skills for NFL teams. Johnson chose to return to Michigan instead, and now, with Moore's injury, his return is even more critical.

I was surprised to see Johnson come in 4th here. Along with big plays like his hit on Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka and his forced fumble on Jalen Milroe against Alabama, I don't think many realize Johnson played 323 snaps last season. Johnson was heavy in the safety rotations. He created pressure when he blitzed and had 3 pass breakups and an interception.

My guess is that many think Johnson, entering his sixth year, has already hit his ceiling, so while he is a super valuable piece, they don't see him taking a leap.

There are still many fans who are not familiar with Brandyn Hillman. A late addition to the 2023 class, Hillman joined Michigan after getting released from his NLI to Notre Dame. Despite joining a loaded safety room as a freshman, Hillman saw the field last year and contributed on special teams.

I've mentioned Hillman as a potential breakout candidate entering his sophomore year. He reminds me of another safety Michigan lost, Keon Sabb, who transferred to Alabama this offseason.

Hillman is a freak athlete with speed and toughness. He played quarterback and DB in high school. Hillman's versatility should allow him to earn some serious reps in 2024. He can play safety, corner, nickel, or line up like a Viper LB.

So maybe it's fair to say Hillman's role is to match Sabb last season, but that's a big leap. And Sabb was stellar when filling in for Moore.

Moore's partner in crime, Makari Paige also chose to return for another year this offseason. Paige has been a starter at different times since his career began in 2020. A fixture in the back end since 2022, who better to pick to step up than the guy who has been there with Moore the entire time?

Paige played the second most snaps at 479 last season. He didn't get the pass breakups or interceptions, but Paige was excellent in coverage, allowing only 8 receptions for 86 yards on 14 targets. He was also Michigan's best tackling safety, leading the group in tackles and missing only 3 on the entire season,

Paige taking another leap in 2024 would put him with some of the best safeties in the nation. His experience, 41 game appearances, and 20 starts will be valuable in replacing long-time starter Moore. Maybe Paige take on a more significant leadership role as well.

And the leader for the next man up appears to be Zeke Berry. Like Sabb, Berry was part of the 2022 class. Both are talented defenders with hybrid-like abilities. Berry was also looking at an expanded role to start last season, but his injuries slowed his progress.

Berry still played in 11 games but mainly contributed on special teams. Last spring, while we debated the CB2 position, one scheme Michigan attempted was having Sainristil at corner and Berry at nickel. A safety/nickel hybrid, Berry makes sense in the spot. With Sainristil heading to the NFL, many expected Moore to return to that hybrid role he played in 2021 with Dax Hill. In that way, Berry is the obvious candidate.

Berry will enter spring 2024, at minimum, the third safety, and will potentially compete or rotate with McBurrows at Nickel. Many thought Sabb and Berry would be the starting safeties in 2024, but Moore and Paige's return changed that. Now with Sabb gone and more hurt, Berry has to be a candidate to earn a starting job. Even if it comes in three safety looks or at nickel, Berry should see the field a ton this year.

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