Tag: 2021 season countdown

2021 Season Countdown: #54 Sammy Faustin

Name: Sammy Faustin
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 200 lbs.
High school: Naples (FL) Naples
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #9
Last year: I ranked Faustin #39 and said he would be a backup safety (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating: 76

Through three seasons on Michigan’s campus, Faustin has played in a total of ten games, including just 3 on defense. He has two tackles to show for it. He has practiced at safety and a little bit at corner, just to try to shore up the latter position, but so far he has not been able to establish himself at either position.

This year he’s in a tough spot with a couple established safeties ahead of him in Brad Hawkins and Daxton Hill. And while Faustin is a more veteran backup option, freshman Makari Paige played more in 2020 and his classmate, R.J. Moten, has earned quite a bit of practice hype. Faustin was a steady special teams contributor in 2019, so he has the ability to get on the field, but he’s running out of time to help much on defense.

Prediction: Backup safety, special teamer

2021 Season Countdown: #55 Andre Seldon, Jr.

Name: Andre Seldon, Jr.
Height: 5’8″
Weight: 172 lbs.
High school: Belleville (MI) Belleville
Position: Cornerback
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #0
Last year: I ranked Seldon #32 and said he would start at nickel corner (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating: 83

Seldon was an Under Armour All-American and seemed destined for early playing time in a Michigan uniform, especially for a team lacking corners.

Then 2020 rolled around, and he almost never played.

That can be partially explained by the fact that Seldon suffered an injury, but he supposedly got healthy partway through the season and still was kept off the field.

I still think Seldon could be an excellent nickel corner because of his quickness, man coverage, and willingness to come up and stop the run, despite his diminutive stature. It remains to be seen how this staff will use a player in that mold. Talk is that safety Daxton Hill could move to the nickel spot when that position is necessary, but I would think that would be dependent on who’s available to play in the slot.

If the extra safety is better, move Hill to nickel. If the extra corner is better, keep Hill at safety.

I don’t know how much Seldon will play in 2021, but I do think he’s one of the top five most talented defensive backs.

Prediction: Backup cornerback

2021 Season Countdown: #56 Jordan Morant

Name: Jordan Morant
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 207 lbs.
High school: Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #31
Last year: I ranked Morant #100 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He redshirted.
TTB Rating: 87

Morant suffered a potential career-threatening injury in high school, which caused him to miss not only his senior year of high school, but also spring ball when he enrolled at Michigan in January 2020. That setback probably cost him his freshman year of college, too, meaning he lost time while classmates or slightly older guys were able to gain an edge.

Morant is well built and was a standout recruit. Another one brought in to player Viper, he will have to find a role at safety. If he or any other safeties can build the staff’s confidence, that may allow another safety to be inserted for Daxton Hill, who could potentially play a nickel role and cover more one-on-one. Morant is more physically ready to play than some of the other young safeties (Morant is almost the exact size as Baltimore Ravens starting strong safety Chuck Clark, who is 6’0″ and 208), but he hasn’t played much competitive football over the past two years. So what he does this year is a complete mystery.

Prediction: Backup safety, special teamer

2021 Season Countdown: #57 Quinten Johnson

Name: Quinten Johnson
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 200 lbs.
High school: Washington (DC) St. John’s
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #14
Last year: I ranked Johnson #52 and said he would be a backup safety (LINK). He played in two games on special teams.
TTB Rating: 79

Johnson is a player who has had a fair amount of adversity in his career, especially for someone who has only played in two games for his career. He suffered a knee injury as a freshman, causing him to miss the entire year. Brought in to be a Viper in Don Brown’s defense, he bounced back and forth between Viper and safety. And now with an entirely new defensive staff that doesn’t employ a Viper-type player, he has to re-invent himself as a safety only.

The outlook for 2021 doesn’t look great for Johnson, although the transfer of frequently used backup Hunter Reynolds (Utah State) does open up a small window. Daxton Hill and Brad Hawkins return as starters at safety, but the primary backup in 2020 was Makari Paige, who also returns. Add in Sammy Faustin, Jalen Perry, R.J. Moten, Jordan Morant, and others, and there’s a lot of competition to get on the field. Johnson will have a tough time getting on the field on defense, but I do believe he has the skill set to be used on special teams a fair amount.

Prediction: Backup safety, special teamer

2021 Season Countdown: #58 Darion Green-Warren

Name: Darion Green-Warren
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 180 lbs.
High school: Harbor City (CA) Narbonne
Position: Cornerback
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #28
Last year: I ranked Green-Warren #49 and said he would be a backup cornerback (LINK). He redshirted.
TTB Rating: 78

Green-Warren was a highly touted recruit and played in the All-American Bowl back in January of 2020. He was a 4-star and the #190 overall prospect in the class. I thought last year he would step in and play a backup role for a team that really needed help at corner. Unfortunately, even though Michigan’s corners were pretty terrible overall, Green-Warren never sniffed the field.

I have always had questions about Green-Warren’s overall speed and athleticism, but he’s feisty and has good technique. Unfortunately for him, Michigan is pretty much in the same spot they were in 2020 when Ambry Thomas opted out. Vincent Gray and Gemon Green both got torched for a big chunk of the season, and the backups who got a shot to play were immediately shredded, too. Thomas has moved on the NFL, and both Gray and Green return. Reportedly, D.J. Turner II is vying for playing time. At no point have I heard that Green-Warren is in the mix to play, but you never know what could happen with a new defensive coaching staff.

Prediction: Backup cornerback