Michigan lands key 2025 LB commitment from Georgia

Michigan scored a key commitment in the 2025 class from Buford (Ga.) High linebacker Mantrez Walker on Saturday. Walker becomes the second verbal pledge to join the Wolverines following Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade Madonna Top 100 cornerback Chris Ewald Jr.

“I’m feeling good about it,” Walker told The Wolverine. “Now, I’m going to continue to work and continue to prove why I‘m a Michigan commit. I’m going to bring a good attitude to the program and help them win a national championship.

“Definitely the winning. (Michigan is) the winningest program in college football history. My class could be the first to reach 1,000 wins. So for them to be a winning program, their defensive style, and defensive scheme, I feel like I can come in and make a big impact early.”

Walker was handed an offer back in early December and quickly scheduled his debut visit in Ann Arbor for the following month, touring the facilities and meeting with the entire coaching staff alongside his parents. Releasing a top four list eight days ago that featured Michigan, LSU, Penn State, and Florida, Walker also included his set commitment date in the announcement.

The 6-foot-1 and 215-pounder chose the Wolverines over other offers from Ohio State, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Cincinnati, South Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, and UCF.

“I pretty much always knew who I wanted to play for,” Walker said. “So when I got the Michigan offer, I really cherished it. When I went up there for my visit, I left with the same level of love that I always had. I also wasn’t really trying to stress out over the recruitment process. I knew in my heart where I wanted to go. So I thought, why not (commit)?”

Walker is planning on returning for a second time in March to watch a spring practice and reunite with the coaches who recruited him over the course of two months in defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, linebackers coach George Helow, and assistant linebackers coach LaTroy Lewis.

“I have a great relationship with Coach Lewis,” Walker said. “I actually just talked to him (on Friday). He’s a very good guy and gives it to me straight forward. I have a great relationship with Coach Minter too. I know they just brought in Coach (Chris) Partridge and I’m going to meet him once I get back in the spring. I also talk to Coach Helow on the daily.”

Photos that Walker published on social media of himself, his family, and head coach Jim Harbaugh inside the latter’s office went viral because of a book situated on a coffee table, titled “Everything Great About Ohio State.” Only thing is every page in the novel was completely empty.

With Walker’s first visit taking place once Harbaugh confirmed his return to Michigan for the 2023 season meant assurance to the rising sophomore that the school he was committing to wouldn’t be undergoing a head coaching change.

“It means a lot knowing that (Harbaugh) actually played at Michigan,” Walker said. “So he knows what it takes to be a Wolverine. He played in the NFL so he has the experience and a winning mindset. He’s a risk taker and is the type of coach who I want to play for.”

Michigan introduced Partridge as the newest addition to the staff earlier this week, his second stint with the program, after the former Ole Miss co-defensive coordinator left for Oxford in 2020.

“Coach Partridge will be a great addition,” Walker said. “He’s very defensive minded so I know that’ll help everyone on that side of the ball.”

Michigan has offered several more Buford High targets who Walker is going to start recruiting from here on out, including 2024 Consensus On300 cornerback TyShun White, 2025 running back Justin Baker, and 2025 cornerback Devin Williams, who Walker described as the next Will Johnson.

Walker and Ewald have also continued to strengthened their relationship with both understanding their role as the leaders for Michigan in 2025.

“We’ve been talking over the last couple of weeks,” Walker said. “He’s a great cornerback and we’re going to build this class around us with me in the middle. I’m planning on bringing a few Georgia guys with me too so the 2025 class is going to be very special.”

So what should Michigan fans expect from Walker once enrolled?

“A leader, hard worker, someone who’s going to make an early impact in order for us to win a national championship,” Walker said. “Someone who’ll leave a legacy at Michigan and be one of the greatest linebackers to ever suit up at Michigan.”

Walker has an On3 NIL Valuation of $6.7K with 2.6K followers on Twitter. The On3 NIL Valuation is an index that looks to set the standard market value for both high school and college-level athletes. The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.