ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The Wolverines had a banner class last recruiting cycle, not only bringing in No. 1 overall recruit in Bryce Underwood, who flipped from LSU, but several other players who flipped from top-tier schools.
One such player is Shamari Earls, who had been committed to Georgia since the summer. Now, as an early enrollee, he's not only impressing coaches on his side of the ball, but even offensive coaches during spring ball.
"(The guy) I mentioned to Coach Morgan the other day, was Shamari Earls, a freshman from Virginia," wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy said. "He's long. He's a long corner, 6-2 corner, moves, very skilled -- you know, those type of body types. He's built a little longer than Will Johnson. Those guys give receivers problems just because if you beat them initially, they can recover with their length and athleticism. And he's a kid that, expecting big things from him. Obviously, his recruitment everybody in the nation wanted him, and you can see why. I think he's going to be a really good player."
With that in mind, his direct position coach, LaMar Morgan, has been pleased with what he's seen from Earls since he arrived on campus in December. Noting his upbringing, there's a lot to like about what Earls brings to the table -- especially his work ethic.
It's going to be a process, given that he's in his first year, but Morgan says that Earls is doing the right things for a young player and that he can see a solid trajectory for him as he continues to acclimate to the college game.
"I think Shamari has done a good job of getting here in January, trying to put it all together," Morgan said. "He didn't play his senior season, got hurt in preseason as a senior. So, it's been a lot on him. I think he's been pushing through. He's a tough kid, his parents, former in the military, both of them. So, I think that kid is just -- he's a pleaser, asking all the right questions. Trying to get better each and every day. So, I think it's a lot on Shamari. Just, you know, he has a lot of confidence in himself, but he also doesn't want to let anybody down. Doesn't want to let us down, doesn't want to head coach down, doesn't want to let Michigan down. He just puts a lot of pressure on himself, which is, you know, it's a good trade if he can balance it all. But I'm excited about Shamari."
So, what does Earls bring to the table?
Seeing him during bowl preparation practices, though he wasn't in pads as he continued to rehab his injury from high school, he towered over most of the other defensive backs. Now he's practicing for the first time in nearly a year, and Morgan sees a guy that will frustrate opposing receivers when he gets out there due to the combination of his length and his speed.
"Yeah, Shamari is a tall, long guy," Morgan said. "I think Michigan every year for the last couple years has at least had one or two guys that way. So, I think the combination of being over 6-1, around 200 pounds, and also ran in the 10s in high school allows him to be a unique player. He's kind of like Bambi sometimes because he's just so long and he has to figure it out. But I'm really excited about him."
Fans will get an opportunity to see Earls and the other Michigan football players in action on April 19 in the annual spring game to be held at The Big House.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Shamari ...
