Latest news with #JulianWalker
USA Today
20-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Michigan football secures 2027 commit from coach's son, 3-star lineman Louis Esposito
As was the case for 2026 Irmo (S.C.) Dutch Fork four-star edge rusher Julian Walker, who committed to Michigan football despite his father being on the strength staff at South Carolina, it's not always a shoo-in that the progeny of coaches end up at the schools of their fathers. But the Wolverines certainly hoped that it would be the case with one prospect. 2027 Saline (Mich.) three-star interior offensive lineman Louis Esposito -- son of Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito -- earned an offer on his own merit, having received it on June 11. Sure, it helped that his father is on-staff, but the young offensive lineman has been garnering more and more offers, including from the likes of Purdue and Pitt. On Sunday, he ended his recruitment, opting to play for the team his father coaches at, committing to Michigan football. Esposito is listed at 6-foot-4, 255 pounds. He's the first commitment for the maize and blue in the 2027 class. He's rated the No. 510 player in the country according to 247Sports Composite, regardless of position.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Michigan football steals 4-star EDGE from South Carolina
The post Michigan football steals 4-star EDGE from South Carolina appeared first on ClutchPoints. The recruiting surge continues! The Michigan football team landed yet another impressive commitment on Tuesday as four-star EDGE Julian Walker announced that he will play for head coach Sherrone Moore and the Wolverines. North Carolina and South Carolina were two main competitors here, and it is especially impressive that Michigan beat out the Gamecocks. Walker's father, Jamil Walker, is the assistant football strength and conditioning coach at South Carolina. His son would rather play for Michigan. Advertisement 'BREAKING: Four-Star EDGE Julian Walker has Committed to Michigan, he tells me for @rivals,' Hayes Fawcett said in a post. 'The 6'6 250 EDGE from Columbia, SC chose the Wolverines over North Carolina & South Carolina.' Julian Walker had a message for the college football world upon his commitment to the Michigan football team: 'I'm beyond grateful for the opportunity to be a MICHIGAN MAN,' he said. Walker is a four-star recruit, according to 247Sports. He is the #155 player in the 2026 recruiting class, the #16 EDGE and the #3 player in the state of South Carolina. Walker currently attends Dutch Fork High School in Irmo, SC. The in-state Gamecocks tried their best, but Michigan was the right fit for this elite prospect. Advertisement 'Walker possesses great overall size and length that correlates well to the next level as a 3-4 defensive lineman,' Walker's scouting report reads. 'He has fluid movements to get past the offensive tackle from both inside and outside rushes. Chases the ball with a great motor and can turn and flatten down the line of scrimmage.' Michigan has had some elite pass rushers come through the program in recent years, and Walker is good enough to be one of the next. The sky is the limit for him. 'Plays with reactive quickness and has a counter move,' the scouting report continues. 'Walker has the strength and toughness to be disruptive against the run and make plays as a true 3-down player. Depending on body type and how he develops, Walker could potentially move inside on passing downs.' The 2026 Michigan football recruiting class is shaping up to be a special one. The Wolverines got off to a slow start, but the commitments are now pouring in almost daily. Sherrone Moore and Michigan now have one of the best recruiting classes in the country, and more commitments are coming. Numerous top targets are expected to announce their decisions this week, and the Wolverines are in great position with a lot of them. Related: Auburn football lands ex-5-star in transfer portal after Texas A&M exit Related: Tennessee football bolsters defense with pair of 4-star recruiting wins
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Michigan Adds Third Blue-Chip Commitment in Three Days
Michigan Adds Third Blue-Chip Commitment in Three Days originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Michigan Wolverines are on a heater. Their 2026 recruiting class was already among the top 10 in the country, and it keeps getting better. Advertisement On June 29, "Big Blue" secured a commitment from five-star EDGE Carter Meadows. The following day, Andre Clarke, a four-star safety out of Richmond, Virginia, committed to the program. On Tuesday, Michigan earned its third commitment in three days with the addition of four-star EDGE Julian Walker. The 6-foot-6, 250-pound defender is from Columbia, South Carolina, and chose the Wolverines over several big-time offers from schools like South Carolina, North Carolina, NC State, Georgia Tech and more. The race for Walker's services seemed to be down to two schools: Michigan and South Carolina. Walker's father, Jamil, is a staff member with the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks. Advertisement In June, Walker took his official visit to Michigan and spoke positively about his experience. 'It was a great visit to Ann Arbor,' Walker said. 'I got some really good time with the defensive staff and Coach Moore. Definitely another elite visit, where they continue to show me how they see me playing across the line. They really like my ability to play any position up front and want to use me on the inside and outside. I love that they want to use my versatility on the field." Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Per On3, Walker is the No. 180 player in the country, the 24th-best EDGE and fourth-ranked prospect from South Carolina. Advertisement The Wolverines now have 20 commitments in this recruiting cycle. They have the ninth-best class and rank third in the Big Ten. With the addition of Walker, Michigan has nine players ranked in On3's industry top 200. Related: Hours After Landing 5-Star EDGE, Sherrone Moore, Michigan Secure Another Recruiting Win Related: Michigan WR Makes Feelings Clear About Bryce Underwood Before 2025 Season This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Michigan Position Coach Has Stark Message For Fans After Wolverines' Latest Commitment
Michigan Position Coach Has Stark Message For Fans After Wolverines' Latest Commitment originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Michigan Wolverines are set to kick off the 2025 season against the New Mexico Lobos at the Big House, a game that most fans have counted as a surefire win that could be a trap game with a trip to Oklahoma looming the following week. Advertisement The Wolverines are expected to field one of the top defenses in college football this season led by edge rusher TJ Guy, defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny, linebacker Ernest Hausmann and others with defensive line coach Lou Esposito in charge of a physical and disruptive defensive line. On Tuesday, Esposito sent a message to the Wolverines faithful after the addition of a blue chip prospect that could give Michigan the best d-line class in the nation for 2026. Lou Esposito watches during the 2025 Michigan Spring Game. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images "Surround yourself with 5 hunters and you will become the 6th hunter ....It's Hunting season #Smash #MichiganMade #TrenchMobkid," Esposito wrote on X along with a picture of himself smoking a cigar and wearing shades with a backwards baseball hat. Wolverines fans were treated to news of a pledge from Class of 2026 four-star EDGE Julian Walker on Tuesday, a welcome update for a program that has significantly bolstered its 2026 class in recent days. Advertisement Michigan has now secured commitments from five-star defensive end Carter Meadows, four-star defensive tackle Titan Davis, four-star defensive tackle Alister Vallejo, four-star EDGE McHale Blade and three-star EDGE Tariq Boney. The commitment of Walker makes six defensive line commits for the Wolverines, coming months after former linemen Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant were taken in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft. Related: Michigan Adds Third Blue-Chip Commitment in Three Days This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Axios
20-03-2025
- Axios
Drivers keep hitting pedestrians on the same Richmond streets
Last month, a driver killed a man standing on the sidewalk on Chamberlayne Avenue. The next day, a woman died in a hit-and-run crash on West Main outside Helen's. Weeks later, a driver in an SUV fatally hit a man on Hull Street. The big picture: Despite a drop in pedestrian deaths in 2024, Richmond is still far from its goal of zero traffic-related fatalities. City data shows most of the severe pedestrian injuries or deaths in Richmond over the past two years happened along those same roads: West/East Main, Chamberlayne, Hull and Broad. By the numbers: On average, there are 133 pedestrian-involved crashes in Richmond each year, per the city's dashboard for Vision Zero, a plan to make streets safer. An average of 158 pedestrians have been injured and seven have been killed annually since 2022. The number of pedestrian deaths in Richmond fell to six last year, down from nine in 2023. It was a similar pattern statewide: There was a 9% drop in pedestrian deaths last year compared with 2023. State of play: The city has been pushing to improve pedestrian safety in recent years by adding speed bumps, curb extensions, pedestrian crossing signs and traffic cameras around school zones. One of the latest bumps is on Robinson Street near Monument. One radar trailer was added to the West Main intersection where the woman was killed last month. Another is down the street on West Cary. City spokesperson Julian Walker tells Axios the trailers are temporary and are generally moved by the Richmond Police Department within two weeks. But they're deployed "as needed on roads identified as areas of concern by community members." What's next: Last Friday, Richmond's Department of Public Works announced additional, more permanent, changes starting this week and next month. They include: Narrowing Midlothian Turnpike by one lane to reduce car speeds near pedestrian walkways. Adding curb extensions and street art on the Laburnum Avenue intersection near Linwood Holton Elementary, which has been a problem for years. Adding a raised bus boarding platform on Mosby Street near Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School so passengers don't have to step into traffic to get off or on the bus.
