Tag: Jaden Mangham

Ex-Wolverine Player Updates: Spring 2026

Here’s the scoop on 77 former Michigan Wolverines players, how their 2025 went, and where they are for 2026.

FORMER PLAYERS

Raheem Anderson, C (Western Michigan): Anderson concluded his college football career by becoming an All-MAC center for the Broncos in 2025.

Andrel Anthony, WR (Duke): Anthony concluded his college football career by catching 26 passes for 246 yards and 5 touchdowns for the Blue Devils in 2025. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Falcons.

Devon Baxter, DE (Virginia): Baxter is a 6’6″, 247 lb. redshirt sophomore for his first season at Virginia.

Jeremiah Beasley, LB (Missouri): Beasley made 19 tackles and 1 forced fumble in 2025 and is penciled in as a backup linebacker for the 2026 season.

Josh Beetham, TE (Georgia Tech): Beetham started five games and played in all thirteen in 2025, making 6 catches for 134 yards and 2 touchdowns altogether.

Kechaun Bennett, DE (UCLA): Bennett transferred to UCLA for his final college season and made 25 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 1 quarterback hurry while playing in eleven games.

Christian Boivin, LB (Saginaw Valley State): Boivin transferred to Division II SVSU and made 105 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble in 2025.

Tristan Bounds, OT (Arizona): Bounds started eight games for Arizona in 2025 and is expected to be the starting right tackle in 2026. He’s listed at 6’8″, 306 lbs. going into his sixth year.

Hit the jump for more.

2025 Season Countdown: #33 Jaden Mangham

Name: Jaden Mangham
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 195 lbs.
High school: Birmingham (MI) Groves
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #3
Last year: I ranked Mangham #42 and said he would be a backup safety (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating: N/A

Mangham was a starter at Michigan State, and I expected him to play a key backup role in 2024. Instead, he played in one game on special teams and then disappeared for the rest of the year. Michigan did have good options at safety and Mangham was able to preserve a redshirt, giving him two remaining years. He was reportedly injured, which explains his disappearance.

Now Mangham should be a key backup for real. Both Makari Paige and Quinten Johnson departed after last season, and while the coaching staff brought in defensive back transfers, they look more likely to contribute at nickel and corner. Mangham could even be a starter, depending on the uncertain health of Rod Moore. I have Moore and Brandyn Hillman penciled in as starters at safety, but if Moore does start, I think the coaches will limit the number of snaps he gets.

Prediction: Part-time starting safety

2024 Season Countdown: #42 Jaden Mangham

Name: Jaden Mangham
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 185 lbs.
High school: Birmingham (MI) Groves
Position: Safety
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #3
Last year: Mangham played for Michigan State. He started ten games and made 53 tackles, 4 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, and 7 pass breakups.
TTB Rating: N/A

A year ago, Mangham was the enemy. A starting safety for the Michigan State Spartans is to Michigan fans what the vocabulary in a young adult novel is to Ohio State fans. It didn’t really matter that Mangham started ten games and made 4 interceptions on the season. We just laughed as Michigan skunked MSU 49-0. Mangham made 5 tackles and 1 pass breakup in that contest.

But then the off-season came, and Michigan needed safeties. Keon Sabb transferred to Alabama, Rod Moore got hurt, and suddenly the depth chart was looking somewhat questionable. Mangham had been recruited by the Wolverines out of high school but the interest on both sides was somewhat tepid. Time – and playing for Mel Tucker – had changed that perspective, though.

I could be underrating Mangham here by ranking him at #42. I think he’ll end up as Michigan’s fourth safety behind Makari Paige, Quinten Johnson, and Wesley Walker; rumors out of practice have Johnson and Walker competing for the spot opposite Paige. But Mangham could force his way into the lineup. Even if he doesn’t break into the top three this fall, Mangham should be good enough for the coaching staff to feel confident he can be a starter in 2025 after Paige, Johnson, and Walker are gone.

Prediction: Backup safety

Jaden Mangham, Wolverine

Former Michigan State safety Jaden Mangham announced his commitment to Michigan.

As a transfer portal player, Mangham is a 3-star, the #70 safety, and #718 overall. It’s somewhat mind-boggling to me that an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten safety can be the 70th best player at his position and #718 overall, but I guess that tells you the ridiculous number of transfers that have taken place this off-season.

Anyway, Mangham was a 4-star, the #13 athlete, and #311 overall coming out of Franklin (MI) Groves in the class of 2022. He spent two years in East Lansing, making 12 starts and totaling 73 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 4 interceptions, 3 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery. Michigan had recruited him out of high school, but the interest was tepid in both directions; that was the same class where Michigan landed Zeke Berry, Keon Sabb, and Will Johnson, so even with some so-so guys mixed in – like Damani Dent, Kody Jones, and Myles Pollard – it was still an outstanding defensive back recruiting haul for the Wolverines.

Mangham is one of four transfer portal defensive backs to pick Michigan in this 2024 cycle, all within the last week; he joins Louisville safety Wesley Walker, Albany cornerback Aamir Hall, and UNLV cornerback Ricky Johnson. With Michigan having lost Sabb to Alabama and Rod Moore to injury, the need at safety was significant. Now there’s some great competition to be had between Quinten Johnson, Walker, and Mangham for the safety spot not held by Makari Paige, and Berry might even factor in, though it seems like he’ll be playing the nickel corner spot.

Mangham has two years of eligibility remaining and the plan is for him to finish his undergraduate education prior to fall camp, making him a grad transfer who won’t have to worry about losing credits in the school switch. Once Paige moves on after 2024, Mangham could be a clear-cut starter going into 2025.

The last Michigan-to-Michigan State transfer was just a few years ago when linebacker Ben Van Sumeren became a Spartan, and a somewhat recent case saw Michigan State linebacker Edward Warinner join the Wolverines as a walk-on for one season in 2020 while his dad Ed Warinner was Michigan’s offensive line coach. Warinner the Younger played special teams in just three games during the COVID season.

Visitors: May 17-19, 2024

TRANSFER PORTAL

Aamir Hall – CB – Albany: Hall is a product of Baltimore (MD) Mount Saint Joseph’s who originally went to Richmond out of high school, where he played two seasons, making 88 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 16 pass breakups. After transferring to Albany in 2023, he notched 63 tackles, 5 interceptions, and 15 total pass breakups. At 6’1″ and 201 pounds, he’s probably more of a nickel than a true cornerback.

Jaden Mangham – S – Michigan State: Mangham was a 4-star, the #13 athlete, and #311 overall in the class of 2022. Trying to escape the dysfunction in East Lansing, he’s visiting Michigan this weekend to potentially fill the hole(s) left by Rod Moore’s injury and the departure of Keon Sabb to Alabama. Listed at 6’2″ and 185 pounds, he has started twelve games during his two seasons wearing green and white. He has 73 tackles and 4 interceptions during his college career and was named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten in 2022. Michigan did offer him coming out of Franklin (MI) Groves – also the home of recent Michigan commit Avery Gach for the class of 2025 – but both sides cooled a little bit throughout the recruiting process.

Wesley Walker – S – Louisville: Walker actually visited last week, but I did not include him in last week’s visitor list. He started his college career at Georgia Tech, transferred to Tennessee, entered the transfer portal in December, committed to Ole Miss, flipped to Louisville, and spent spring ball with Louisville. Then he entered the portal again. Originally, he was a 3-star, the #58 cornerback, and #572 overall in the class of 2019. Overall, he started 25 games and made 184 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 interception, and 12 pass breakups throughout his career.