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WIXOM, Mich. — The thing about recruiting is sometimes if you’re a recruit, you make your choice, and those who were recruiting you, or the coach you thought you were going to be playing for, isn’t there once you arrive.
Four days after 2022 River Rouge (Michigan) defensive tackle Davonte Miles pledged to Michigan, defensive coordinator Don Brown was ousted. It took nearly a month, but Michigan brought in Mike Macdonald, who spent the past seven years coaching linebackers with the Baltimore Ravens.
Given his experience in the NFL as well as coming up under Todd Grantham at Georgia, the expectation is Macdonald will run a 3-4 scheme. The way Miles sees it, that’s a perfect fit for him, and he couldn’t be happier with the hire.
“It’s gonna be kind of easy, because coach Parker and Macdonald run the same defense, that 3-man front,” Miles told WolverinesWire. “So he’s used to using big, athletic guys like me. I fit in perfectly.”
Eventually hoping to go into real estate once his football career is done, Miles says he trusts what Macdonald is bringing to the table. The questions he still has about the school he has committed to tend to be more on the academic side than on the field.
“It’s more education-wise,” “I always ask, what’s your graduation rate? Your dropout rate? If you have a high dropout rate, your school is not that good. Academic-wise, your school is too hard for people.”
Miles says he committed early to ensure he has a spot knowing that he was already all-in for becoming a Wolverine. Now he’s working to try to get others to join.
His primary focus is on Will Johnson, the five-star Grosse Pointe (Michigan) South cornerback who’s narrowed down his choices to Michigan, Ohio State and USC. He said he can feel Johnson’s pull to the Buckeyes, but is working ‘to persuade him slowly,’ to come to Michigan.
As far as what he says to him, the pitch is a no-brainer.
“It’s sponsored by Jordan, it’s at home and his pops played there!” Miles said. “Hopefully trying to get Will there!”
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