A young Michigan football DB reminds veteran of former first-round pick

It seems like there are a lot of Michigan football players who have something to prove in the 2024 season. One of them is defensive back Zeke Berry.

The 5-foot-11, 192-pound defensive back is entering his junior season but has yet to break into the starting lineup. The former four-star recruit played in 11 games last season, but with a hole left on defense by the departure of Mike Sainristil, plus the injury to Rod Moore, Berry is a Wolverine who needs to step up.

Yet Berry did just that this spring. Even Sherrone Moore was praising him, and there was talk of Berry being an All-American in the future. That may just be offseason buzz, but Michigan football veteran Makari Paige amplified that buzz at Big Ten Media Days this week.

“I’ll start with Zeke Berry…he’s going to be really good,” Paige said, via Michigan Wolverines on SI “Brandyn Hillman, same thing with him…He’s going to be really good. So those guys over there. Jyaire Hill is going to be really good too. A lot of young guys, a lot of talent.”

As for Berry, Paige, a longtime starter for Michigan football and perhaps the most underrated player on defense, compared Zeke to former first-round pick Dax Hill.

“He’s just so smooth. He kind of reminds me of Dax Hill, the way he moves, the way he plays, it’s kind of like Dax,” Paige said of Berry. “But yeah, he’s just so smooth with everything he does, and he just makes plays.”

Berry is competing with Ja’Den McBurrows for the nickel job and it feels like he has a slight advantage heading into fall camp. But he can also play safety and either way, Michigan football needs Berry to live up to that expectation.