A Michigan State Spartan will become a Michigan Wolverine: Jaden Mangham has committed to Sherrone Moore and his program after two productive seasons in East Lansing.
The former four-star safety prospect from Beverly Hills, Mich., started 10 games in the secondary for the Spartans and earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2023. Now, he will join the reigning national champions, giving the Wolverines important fortification at safety and an intra-conference transfer that crosses rivalry lines.
Michigan beat Ohio State and Nebraska to earn Mangham’s commitment. And the news continues what has been a productive couple of days for the Wolverines following pledges from FCS All-American cornerback Aamir Hall and former Tennessee starting safety Wesley Walker.
Throughout his 10 starts at free safety last fall, Mangham recorded 53 tackles, a team-high four interceptions, one tackle for loss and one fumble recovery. He made nine appearances, including two starts, as a true freshman in 2022, logging 20 tackles in 229 snaps in addition to his 43 snaps on special teams.
He was “viewed around the college football personnel space as one of the top uncommitted players in the transfer portal,” according to 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz.
The Wolverines entered the offseason with four high-level starters in their secondary in Will Johnson, Rod Moore, Makari Paige and Keon Sabb, and a group of promising underclassmen including DJ Waller. But Moore suffered a knee injury that will sideline him for — at best — the majority of the 2024 season, Sabb transferred to Alabama, and Waller left for Kentucky. Though the Wolverines got a boost at safety from Quinten Johnson’s return, the other turnover in the defensive backfield has meant Michigan has kept its eye on the Transfer Portal.
With commitments from Mangham, Hall and Walker, the Wolverines have fortified what should be a strong defense led by Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, two of the best defensive tackles in college football. All three newcomers will have opportunities to compete for meaningful playing time with the defending national champions, and Mangham’s pledge will make the October 26 contest against the Spartans that much more meaningful.
TMI’s Sam Webb first reported Michigan’s interest in Mangham on May 2 and explained how the safety is navigating the logistics of the transfer:
“Michigan defensive backs coach Lamar Morgan has made clear his interest, and Mangham is planning to reciprocate with a visit to Ann Arbor,” Webb wrote on May 2. “Sources say U-M cleared a familiar hurdle just to get things to this point. It came up with a plan that would allow Mangham to become a Wolverine without losing credits in transfer. That’s necessary because though only a junior eligibility wise, he was an early enrollee and is reportedly on pace to graduate in the winter. Michigan’s plan would apparently allow him to finish his MSU degree at Michigan in the fall, then enter a graduate program in Ann Arbor after that.”
Leave a Reply