Michigan football star Will Johnson identifies two breakout freshmen

Last weekend was the first time that Michigan football star Will Johnson was fully cleared to go — it was for the Wolverines’ Big Ten opener against Rutgers, a game that Michigan won 31-7. Heading into Nebraska, Johnson addressed the media earlier this week, where he identified a pair of standout freshmen for the Maize and Blue: DJ Waller and JyAire Hill.

Michigan football star Will Johnson identifies two breakout freshmen

DJ Waller standing out so far

DJ Waller, a former three-star safety, and Jyaire Hill, a former four-star cornerback, are both freshmen on this year’s Michigan football defense, which is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation. On Tuesday, Will Johnson dove into what makes this freshman duo special for the Wolverines.

“He’s a huge, huge corner out there. Very long, very instinctual,” Will Johnson said of DJ Waller, who also earned praise from Jim Harbaugh earlier this week. “So having those two features about him is some of the biggest you need at corner. Now you just got to, like everybody, keep getting better every week, keep working those. … And like you said, by the end of the year, he’ll be ready to go.”

Praise for Jyaire Hill

Johnson continued on about Jyaire Hill as well.

“He’s always around the ball,” Johnson said of Hill. “He’s very athletic, kind of same as a DJ (Waller) — they’re both freak athletes. Soon enough, he’ll be out there and making plays.”

Michigan football defense in good hands

The Michigan football defense is elite right now, and if these top-ranked prospects continue to pan out for the Wolverines, it sounds like the defense will continue to thrive. It is also worth pointing out that, next fall, Will Johnson will be returning to the Michigan football program, leading a group of defensive backs that includes Jyaire Hill and DJ Waller, so be on the lookout for some breakout stars emerging.

This weekend, Johnson, these freshmen, and the rest of the Michigan football team head to Nebraska for a Week 5 road bout against the 2-2 Cornhuskers.

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