Michigan Wolverines football senior safety Jaden Mangham was on the kick return unit and was in on two kickoffs during the 30-10 victory over Fresno State last season. That was just the beginning for the team, but wound up being his only plays of the season, with the Birmingham, Mich., native missing the remainder of […]
Michigan Wolverines footballsenior safety Jaden Mangham was on the kick return unit and was in on two kickoffs during the 30-10 victory over Fresno State last season. That was just the beginning for the team, but wound up being his only plays of the season, with the Birmingham, Mich., native missing the remainder of the year with a lingering injury.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder has what defensive backs coach LaMar Morgan called a “unique” story, and there’s no question he’s right.
Mangham enraged Michigan State fans when he transferred to the Spartans’ biggest rival following an All-Big Ten honorable mention season in 2023. He appeared in 11 games with 10 starts that year, recording 64 tackles, 7 pass breakups, a forced fumble and 4 interceptions, standing out as one of a three-win MSU team’s most productive defenders.
But Mangham didn’t make anywhere near that type of impact at Michigan in 2024 because he was working back from an undisclosed ailment.
“I love Jaden Mangham. There’s a story within the story for him,” Morgan said. “You leave your rival, you get here and you get hurt and you don’t play and you redshirt. People are like, ‘What happened?’”
Mangham worked behind the scenes and has had a positive offseason. He’s in the mix for playing time at safety, likely in the top four at the position alongside juniors TJ Metcalf and Brandyn Hillman and sophomore Mason Curtis. Metcalf and Curtis are also taking snaps at nickel, so that opens the door for Mangham to earn a significant role on the back end, as does the fact that graduate safety Rod Moore may not be fully healthy to start the season.
“He had an injury,” Morgan said. “That’s part of life. He had some adversity, and I think it made him grow. He’s been a great surprise. I’m a big fan of him. He’s definitely going to be helping us week one, first quarter, playing and he’s gonna be a real guy for us.”
The objective isn’t just to be a playable Wolverine on defense, but instead to stand out and earn accolades. It’s all there for the taking.
“I think he has some range,” the Michigan assistant coach said. “I tell him he’s gotta get back to an All-Big Ten type player. I mean, he did it at the other school. That’s something I’m really excited about.
“He’s done a great job. He’s gonna be out there playing. He’s in the mix. We roll a lot of guys with the ones and twos, and he’s been going with the ones and twos. So, I’m excited about him.”
Category: General Sports
