Tag: Makari Paige

2022 Season Countdown: #38 Makari Paige

Name: Makari Paige
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 200 lbs.
High school: West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield
Position: Safety
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #7
Last year: I ranked Paige #30 and said he would be a backup safety and special teamer (LINK). He made 2 tackles.
TTB Rating: 79

Paige went from a quasi-starter in 2020 to only playing in nine games in 2021 without having an impact role. It was an odd detour for Paige’s career, especially playing for a position coach who used to be Paige’s high school head coach in Ron Bellamy. I figured the connection and relationship would build into a good amount of playing time, but the young guy who played a lot turned out to be true freshman Rod Moore instead.

Now that Brad Hawkins and Daxton Hill are gone to the NFL, that opens up a door for Paige. It seems as if Rod Moore and R.J. Moten will both start in some capacity, leaving room for Paige to be the #3 guy instead of #4 or lower. It remains to be seen who will play Hill’s nickel position, whether it will be Moore, Mike Sainristil, or someone else. If Moore plays nickel, Paige could start at safety. If Sainristil plays nickel, Paige would probably be a backup. At this point I haven’t seen anything to make me think Paige is a true difference maker, but he is experienced and has good size (he’s 1″ taller and 8 pounds heavier than last year’s listed measurements).

Prediction: Backup safety, special teamer

2021 Season Countdown: #30 Makari Paige

Name: Makari Paige
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 192 lbs.
High school: West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield
Position: Safety
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #7
Last year: I ranked Paige #63 and said he would be a backup safety (LINK). He made 6 tackles.
TTB Rating: 79

It’s not usually a good thing when the third best safety in the program is a true freshman, because safety is a notoriously difficult position to learn so quickly. And yet in 2020, that was exactly where Michigan found itself. Paige was a well regarded recruit but not a superstar high school player, and with no spring ball during a COVID year, he was apparently the best guy available to back up Brad Hawkins and Daxton Hill at safety. He performed adequately for a freshman, but he was still slow to read things and lacked something when supporting the run.

Paige looks to be the third best guy again, but now he has six games and an entire off-season under his belt. He also now plays for his former high school coach, Ron Bellamy, the new assistant at the position. (It’s also worth noting that last year’s safeties coach, Bob Shoop, was not with the team for the entire season and fill-in Aashon Larkins was not nearly as accomplished.) So there should be an improvement here, and Michigan needs to groom replacements for Hawkins and Hill, both of whom are likely to be gone to the NFL in 2022.

Prediction: Backup safety, special teamer

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.