Position Breakdown: Safety

For our Position Breakdown series, we are going to take a look at each position group for Michigan Football with spring practices nearing a close.

How does the current depth chart shake out?
What are the storylines or things you should be watching heading into the summer and eventually of course the season?
What's the X factor, whether it's a player, coach, or situation that could change the way the group looks?

Let's talk about the backend of the secondary.

Michigan returns all of its production at safety, led by possibly the best all-around safety in the nation, Rod Moore. Moore was a surprise breakout as a backup/fill-in starter for Daxton Hill in 2021. The versatile defender excelled in multiple positions on the field in 2022.

There aren't many better stories on the Michigan roster than Makari Paige. Unlike Moore, Paige did not have a great introduction as a freshman during his 2020 season. His role took a major step back in 2021, but he fought back and eventually won the starting job from RJ Moten. Moten is still positioned to have unique role on the team in 2023. Michigan uses three safeties often and Moten is better than most in the box as a safety/LB like hybrid.

Kaden Kolesar and Damani Dent return after season ending injuries in 2022 to add valuable depth. Quintin Johnson performed very well as a backup last season and should be a valuable piece of rotations this season as well. Keon Sabb is in line to be the 4th safety and is simply too good to keep off the field. Michigan added freshman DJ Waller during the signing period and just recently received the commitment of former Notre Dame commit Brandyn Hillman. This group is one of the strengths of the 2023 roster and it appears positioned to be very good for years to come.

Moore is one of the most valuable players on the team in 2023 but his backup needs to see the field this season. Keon Sabb was a dynamic athlete in the 2022 class and despite not seeing the field much last year, his talent and skillset have him ready to contribute this year.

Sabb is big body safety who can play zone or lineup in man coverage. His physicality allows him to come up into the box and play hybrid linebacker as well, either impacting the run game or blitzing the passer. This defense thrives on versatility and Sabb is about as versatile as it gets. He is very reminiscent of the Viper position occupied by the likes of Jabrill Peppers and Khaleke Hudson the last time linebackers coach Chris Patridge was in Ann Arbor. Sabb isn't likely to take Moore or Paige's job, but with a coaching staff that wins by utilizing the strengths of its roster, Sabb is a player that needs to have a big impact in 2023.

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