Michigan CB Jyaire 'Suga' Hill on redshirting last season, transfer CBs, freshman standout
Michigan Wolverines football sophomore cornerback Jyaire Hill‘s late uncle was nicknamed ‘Suga,’ and the family passed the name on to Hill after he passed. Hill embodies the nickname, typically carrying candy with him. Speaking with the media Monday morning at Schembechler Hall, though, Hill didn’t have any sweets on him because he had already indulged.
“I ate it before,” a smiling Hill said around 9 a.m.
The second-highest ranked commit in Michigan’s 2023 class, Hill came to the program with a lot of fan fare. He was competing for the team’s starting cornerback job opposite junior Will Johnson last season, but UMass graduate transfer Josh Wallace, now a Los Angeles Ram, ran away with the position.
Hill — a 6-foot-2, 185-pound Kankakee, Ill., native — played in four of the Wolverines’ first five games, including nine defensive plays in a Big Ten win at Nebraska, before not seeing another snap all season. Hill took the coaches’ decision in stride.
“I mean, if they sat me on the sideline it was for a reason,” Hill said. “I just took it as get better, use that. Coming from high school, I had to learn the play book first before I get on the field.
“I sat out, redshirted, so I just asked what I needed to do to play next year. Certain stuff — the play book, just follow behind the leaders like Will Johnson, [graduate safety] Makari [Paige], just stay with them. Teach me the game, work out and stuff.”
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Leading into Michigan’s fall camp, head coach Sherrone Moore said Hill was the top candidate to start at corner alongside Johnson. His time to shine may be near.
Hill is more comfortable in the defense, thanks in part to shadowing Johnson.
“I learn technique,” Hill began, speaking on what he takes from Johnson. “I just follow what he does on the field, take notes on how he does things. At the start of practices, how he warms up, gets his body ready, staying healthy. Stretch — deeply stretch — and you don’t have to worry about pulling anything at practice.”
Graduate cornerback Aamir Hall, an Albany transfer, is in pursuit of playing time, as well. Michigan also brought in another graduate transfer at the position in Ricky Johnson from UNLV.
“He’s an aggressive cornerback, smooth, silent,” Hill said of Hall, who was an FCS All-American a season ago. “We call him ‘Silent Reaper.’ He’s really quiet. We’ve been battling. Everybody needs a role on the team, so we’ve been going back and forth with everybody.
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“Ricky, he’s really physical, he tackles well. He’s coming strong. We call him ‘Crash Out Ricky.’ He’s coming hard. He’s smooth. He knows a lot about the game.”
Hill was also asked about freshman Jo’Ziah Edmond, a 6-foot-1, 180-pounder out of Indianapolis who joined the program this summer, and gave a positive review.
“I like Jo’Ziah,” Hill said. “I’m trying to help him get in the play book early. He’s really smooth. He really wants to practice, is really excited. His feet are good. Physical, too. He just wants to get out there and play, run around.”
Michigan is also looking to replace Mike Sainristil, the No. 50 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, at nickel back. Hill said two contenders are standing out in fall camp.
“I’d say [junior] Zeke Berry and Ja’Den McBurrows,” Hill said of who’s impressed. “They’ve been doing really good.
“I’ve seen growth. They’ve both grown. The play book, they know more, so they can really do everything. Speed, tracking the ball, tackling.”
