Why Michigan freshman cornerback Shamari Earls is a ‘unique player’

Freshman cornerback Shamari Earls was committed to Georgia for nearly four months before flipping to Michigan in November. Earls was a four-star prospect coming out of Thomas Dale High (Chester, VA) and was the No. 1 player in Virginia, according to 247Sports.

Earls enrolled early and has been on campus since January.

LaMar Morgan shares insight on freshman cornerback Shamari Earls

Michigan defensive pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach LaMar Morgan said Earls is resilient.

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“Yeah I think Shamari has done a good job of getting here in January (and) trying to put it all together,” Morgan said. “He didn’t play his senior season – got hurt in preseason as a senior – so it’s been a lot on him. I think he’s been pushing through. He’s a tough kid, his parents (were) in the military, both of them, so I think that kid is just – he’s a pleaser – asking all the right questions trying to get better each and every day.

“I think it’s a lot on Shamari. He has a lot of confidence in himself, but he also doesn’t want to let anybody down. Doesn’t want to let us down, doesn’t want to let the head coach down, doesn’t want to let Michigan down, he just puts a lot of pressure on himself, which is a good trait if he can balance it all.”

Although he missed his senior season, Earls posted 25 tackles, four pass breakups and three interceptions as a junior in 2023. He also set a school record with 201 receiving yards in a game. In track and field, Earls won the Virginia 6A state championship in the long jump (23’ 10.75”).

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Listed at 6-foot-2, 203 pounds, Earls has the size of an NFL cornerback. Morgan said it helps set him apart from the pack.

“Shamari is a tall, long guy. I think Michigan every year for the last couple years has at least had one or two guys that way,” Morgan said. “I think the combination of being over 6-foot-1, around 200 pounds, and also ran in the 10s (in the 100m dash track event) in high school, allows him to be a unique player.

“He’s kind of like Bambi sometimes because he’s just so long and he has to figure it out, but I’m really excited about him.”

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