Tag: Makari Paige

2020 Season Countdown: #63 Makari Paige

Name: Makari Paige
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 192 lbs.
High school: West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield
Position: Safety
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Paige was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 94 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries, and 7 pass breakups.
TTB Rating: 79

Paige was a pretty big question mark at one point, and his recruitment as an in-stater was somewhat similar to his 2021 teammate, Donovan Edwards. We knew Michigan was in the top group, but it seemed at one point that Paige was leaning elsewhere. It seemed like his recruitment dragged out a little longer than it did, but he ended up committing to the Wolverines in July of 2019. He ended up as a 4-star, the #25 safety, and #243 overall.

This year should be a learning year for Paige, but Michigan will probably need someone to step up in this freshman class to get some snaps. Paige has the size and some athleticism to play in the box, but I would not trust any of the freshman safeties in this class to manage a deep half or deep middle of the field. Someone will have to be prepped to take over for Brad Hawkins in 2021. I think Jordan Morant is a better overall prospect, but my concerns about his injury situation put Paige ahead in the race for 2020.

Prediction: Backup safety, special teamer

Hit the jump for Paige’s senior highlights.

Senior Highlights: S Makari Paige

How does the 2020 class match up with Michigan’s all-time recruits?

Michigan wrapped up a decent recruiting class earlier in February. There are no 5-star recruits, but the Wolverines got a fair share of 4-star guys. For a historical perspective on where they match up with recruits from the past, here’s a look at where they slot in all-time, according to the 247 Composite.

A.J. Henning – WR – Frankfort (IL) Lincoln-Way East
2020 ranking: #101
Historical ranking: #80 all-time at Michigan
Flanked by: RB Kareem Walker (#100 in 2016) and DT Will Johnson (#105 in 2004)
Closest positional comparisons: Toney Clemons (#96 in 2007) and Adrian Arrington (#115 in 2004)

Braiden McGregor – DE – Port Huron (MI) Northern
2020 ranking: #122
Historical ranking: #103
Tied with: WR Tarik Black (#122 in 2017)
Closest positional comparisons: Aidan Hutchinson (#112 in 2018) and Chris Wormley (#129 in 2012)

Hit the jump for more.

Class of 2020 Early Enrollees

Very succinctly, here’s a list of class of 2020 commits who plan are enrolling early at Michigan in January.

• Blake Corum – RB – Baltimore (MD) St. Frances
• Darion Green-Warren – CB – Harbor City (CA) Narbonne
• Nikhai Hill-Green – LB – Baltimore (MD) St. Frances
• Aaron Lewis – DE – Williamstown (NJ) Williamstown
• Braiden McGregor – DE – Port Huron (MI) Northern
• William Mohan – LB – Brooklyn (NY) Erasmus Hall
• Makari Paige – S – West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield
• Andre Seldon, Jr. – CB – Belleville (MI) Belleville
• Zak Zinter – OT – Cambridge (MA) Buckingham Browne & Nichols

Visitors: December 13-15, 2019

2020

Jordan Morant – S – Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic: Morant is committed to Michigan (LINK).

Makari Paige – S – West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield: Paige is committed to Michigan (LINK). This is his official visit.

Andre Seldon, Jr. – CB – Belleville (MI) Belleville: Seldon is committed to Michigan (LINK). This is his official visit.

Dan Villari – QB – Massapequa (NY) Plainedge: Villari is a 6’4″, 215 lb. prospect with FBS offers from Buffalo, Kent State, and UMass. He was previously committed to Fordham, an FCS program. He’s a 247 Sports 3-star, the #40 pro-style quarterback, and #1239 overall, but the other major sites have not ranked him. He took an official to UMass last weekend and will take this official to Michigan, which means this is not a “blueshirt” situation. Michigan has already offered him a grayshirt opportunity, which means that he would not be on the team and start his eligibility until 2021. From anecdotal evidence, the majority of “grayshirt” guys seem to end up with straight-up scholarships by the following fall due to guys transferring out, getting injured, etc. The most recent example in Michigan’s case is kicker Jake Moody, who was supposed to grayshirt until some people transferred out; Moody then ended up on scholarship for his freshman year in 2018 and played quite a bit.

Hit the jump for more on Villari.