'Matured' Michigan CB Jyaire Hill is 'balling' in fall camp

Michigan Wolverines football junior cornerback Jyaire Hill is a potential breakout candidate on a defense that’s expected to be strong once again.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder got his feet wet in 2024, appearing in 12 games with nine starts, registering 35 tackles with 5.5 for loss, 9 pass breakups and 1 interception.

He had his ups and downs, the latter of which included having to change jersey numbers from No. 20 to 36 at the end of the regular season in what was an apparent disciplinary action. Head coach Sherrone Moore said it was something Michigan was dealing with “internally” but didn’t specify what was behind the move.

With Will Johnson and Aamir Hall gone, Hill and senior Zeke Berry are the projected starters for Michigan at cornerback. When wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy was asked about the corners standing out in fall camp, Hill’s name was the first he mentioned.

“I love Jyaire. Jyaire’s balling. Jyaire’s doing good,” Bellamy said.

He discussed the others who are shining, too.

“Zeke Berry, [graduate] Caleb [Anderson] — Coach Morgan has experience with him, my fellow Louisianan,” Bellamy said. [Freshman] Shamari Earls is doing well. I really like him, kid has a very bright future. Jayden Sanders, freshman from Texas — we didn’t get the chance to see him in the spring. He came in the summertime, and he’s doing some good things. You can see him flashing.”

Michigan defensive backs coach LaMar Morgan discussed Hill’s progression, noting that his responsibilities will be much greater now that he’s an upperclassman.

“‘Sug,’ to me, is a unique kid,” Morgan said. “I think he’s loaded with talent. And I think you take a kid like that, that’s super talented and played high school running back and you get him and tell him he’s a DB, it takes him a little bit of time to develop.

“His first year, he redshirts, and then last year he’s playing on the other side of Will Johnson, who I still argue is one of the best corners in the country when he was here. There’s a lot of added pressure.”

The Kankakee, Ill., native is taking the necessary steps forward during Michigan’s offseason.

“Now, I think he kinda saw how Will did that,” Morgan continued. “I think he’s kinda allowing that to improve his game, understanding that the pressure is gonna be on with him. People are gonna know what he does — they’re gonna watch his tape, the errors that he makes in games are gonna show up.

“I think he’s matured. His family has done a great job. [Strength coach Justin] Tress and his staff have done a good job of challenging him, putting him in groups in the weight room to push himself. I just think he’s still a good kid. He’s still silly at times, but he knows when to turn on the switch and turn off the switch.

“I saw him a second ago and asked if he had media today. He said, ‘No, not today.’ He’s just a kid, man. He’s just nervous. He doesn’t want to talk in front of the camera. He’s just a young kid that is super talented. I think he can have a really good season if he can stay focused.”

Berry, meanwhile, began last season as Michigan’s starting nickel back, before moving outside to corner once Johnson went down with an injury that held him out of the second half of the year.

The Pittsburg, Calif., native led Michigan in takeaways last season and seemed to play his best ball on the outside. However, the Wolverines are still moving him around from the slot to the traditional corner spot.

“I think it’s the same plan,” Morgan said. “Zeke is playing inside and outside right now. Every day at practice, those guys get nickel reps and outside, so there’s a lot of time scripting practice periods and all that stuff. But that’s our plan for Zeke, just to move him around.

“… I don’t want to put kids in one box. You just do one thing all the time, only certain teams like you because you only do this. My job is to make the NFL figure out what he can and cannot do, not just give it to him.

“Our plan this year with Zeke is to move him around depending on the game plan, and kinda see where it goes.

“But he’s been doing a good job, pushing through with adversity. He didn’t play as much until last year, and you never know how a season is with your body until you actually play, knowing what the preparation is.”