One of the more overlooked sleeper storylines on Michigan’s roster heading into 2026 might be in the secondary.
Michigan’s cornerback room already has plenty of recognizable names — Jyaire Hill is earning national attention, Zeke Berry returns as one of the defense’s most experienced playmakers, and Utah transfer Smith Snowden arrives with expectations of making an immediate impact. But if there’s a defensive back that feels positioned for a breakout season, it might be sophomore cornerback Shamari
Earls.
The former four-star recruit entered college with plenty of expectations. Ranked among the top defensive backs in the country coming out of high school, Earls has the type of length and athleticism that usually garners a ton of attention early on.
Unfortunately, Earls never really had a chance to gain momentum last year. An early injury slowed his development, and by the time he was healthy enough to contribute, he was largely limited to rotational work. He appeared in six games and logged just 72 defensive snaps, making it difficult to gain any real rhythm.
That limited playing time shouldn’t be confused with a lack of potential, however. In fact, the comments coming out of spring practice suggest the opposite.
While speaking with Jon Jansen on In The Trenches, cornerbacks coach Jernaro Gilford specifically singled Earls out when discussing the depth chart beyond just Berry, Hill, and Snowden.
“And then we have some young guys. Shamari Earls: a big, long guy who can run, had his ups and downs. But by the end of spring ball, he came around,” Gilford said.
That’s probably the most encouraging part of Earls’ outlook entering the season. Michigan doesn’t necessarily need him to win a starting job in order to be an important piece of the defense in 2026. Hill, Berry and Snowden are the headliners of the room, but the Wolverines are going to need a reserve piece to step up. Last season alone, Jayden Sanders eclipsed 300+ snaps as the team’s CB3. With departures from him and Elijah Dotson, there is a clear pathway for Earls to become the next man up in the rotation.
At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Earls brings the type of size Michigan covets on the outside. He’s long enough to disrupt receivers at the line of scrimmage, athletic enough to carry routes vertically, and still young enough that significant development shouldn’t surprise anyone. Those traits were what made him such a coveted recruit in the first place, and now he’ll have the benefit of a full offseason, a year in the program and a better understanding of what Big Ten football requires.
The reality is that Michigan doesn’t need Earls to become a star overnight. But if he develops into a reliable fourth corner and begins flashing the ability that made him a Top 100 recruit, the Wolverines should find themselves with one of the better cornerback groups in the conference.
