An ex-Spartan from Michigan State will become a Michigan Wolverine: ,Jaden Mangham, who spent two successful seasons in East Lansing, has committed to Sherrone Moore and his programme.
An ex-Spartan from Michigan State will become a Michigan Wolverine: Jaden Mangham, who spent two successful seasons in East Lansing, has committed to Sherrone Moore and his programme.
After starting 10 games in the secondary for the Spartans, the former four-star safety prospect from Beverly Hills, Michigan, was named to the All-Big Ten Honourable Mention team in 2023. He will now join the defending national champions, providing the Wolverines with crucial defensive reinforcement and a cross-conference intra-conference transfer.
Michigan won Mangham’s commitment by defeating Nebraska and Ohio State. And the news adds to the Wolverines’ successful past few days, which included commitments from FCS All-American cornerback Aamir Hall and former starting safety Wesley Walker of Tennessee.
Mangham racked up 53 tackles, a team-high four interceptions, one tackle for loss, and one fumble recovery during his ten starts at free safety last autumn. As a true freshman in 2022, he made nine appearances (two starts) and recorded 20 tackles in 229 snaps in addition to 43 special team snaps.
According to Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, he was “viewed around the college football personnel space as one of the top uncommitted players in the transfer portal.”
The Wolverines had four elite secondary starters going into the summer in Will Johnson, Rod Moore, Makari Paige, and Keon Sabb, along with a group of young players that showed promise in DJ Waller. But Moore went down with a knee ailment that will, at most, keep him out of action for the bulk of 2024; Sabb moved to Alabama; and Waller departed for Kentucky. Quinten Johnson’s return gave the Wolverines an advantage at safety, but Michigan has been watching the Transfer Portal because of the other defensive backfield turnover.
The Wolverines, who will be coached by two of the top defensive tackles in college football in Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, have strengthened their defence with the commitments of Mangham, Hall, and Walker. With the reigning national champions, all three of the newcomers will have the chance to fight for significant playing time, and Mangham’s promise will add even more significance to the game against the Spartans on October 26.
On May 2, TMI’s Sam Webb revealed Michigan’s interest in Mangham and detailed how safety is negotiating the transfer’s logistics:
“Michigan defensive backs coach Lamar Morgan has made clear his interest, and Mangham is planning to reciprocate with a visit to Ann Arbour,” Webb stated on May 2. “According to sources, U-M had to overcome a well-known obstacle in order to reach thus far. It devised a scheme to enable Mangham to join the Wolverines without losing transfer credits. That is required even though he is only a junior in terms of eligibility because he enrolled early and is expected to graduate in the winter. It appears that Michigan’s approach would enable him to complete his MSU degree at Michigan in the autumn and then enrol in a doctoral programme in Ann Arbour.”
