Michigan safety Makari Paige makes NFL draft shocking decision
In 26 games over the past two seasons, he has recorded 82 tackles, one sack, one interception and four pass breakups..
Monday evening, the Michigan football team’s defense received confirmation that a key piece will be back in 2024. This time, 6-foot-4, 208-pound safety Makari Paige officially announced that he would to Ann Arbor for a fifth season.
With his return, Michigan’s secondary figures to be loaded, as the Wolverines also return Will Johnson, Rod Moore and the bulk of its backup players. Up front, Michigan will also return Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Rayshaun Benny, Derrick Moore, Josaiah Stewart and Ernest Hausmann.
After two seasons on the bench in which he played in six games and recorded just eight tackles, Paige has been a solid, underrated piece of Michigan’s defense the last two seasons. In 26 games the last two years, he has recorded 82 tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception and four pass breakups.
At safety with good length and speed, Paige has been excellent over the past two seasons. In 260 coverage snaps this year, he had eight receptions for 86 yards on 14 carries, with no target longer than 20 yards all season. He had similar stats last year, allowing 54 yards and six receptions on 11 targets. That means in 556 coverages over the past two years, Paige has been targeted 25 times, allowed 14 completions and just 140 receiving yards.Paige also grew as a tackler this year, finishing with 41 tackles compared to three sacks. According to Pro Football Focus’ rating system, Paige ranked 24th in defensive rating, 14th in tackle rating and 10th in tackles among 224 Power-Five safeties..
