Charles Woodson Jr. has officially made the call to join the Michigan Wolverines. A standout safety from Lake Nona High School, Woodson made the call after deciding to follow in his father's footsteps.

Charles Woodson Sr. was a shutdown cornerback during his time with the Wolverines from 1995-1997. He also won the 1997 Heisman Trophy as the only defensive player in NCAA's history. Woodson Jr. represents the 10th commitment for Michigan's 2027 class.

He also became the third player to give his nod to the program within a period of three days. Woodson Jr.'s improvement caught the eye of the Michigan scouts.

247 analyst Andrew Ivins remarked that his high football IQ and game processing ability allow him to play effectively in the defensive backfield.

However, Ivins pointed out that Woodson Jr. will have to put on some muscle to make it in college. Studying his tape, Ivins found Woodson Jr. took sound angles in run support.

Woodson chose Michigan over scholarship offers from Georgia Tech and Ole Miss. Texas A &M, Kentucky, Syracuse, and South Florida were also in line.

This is being looked at as yet another victory for Michigan. However, Woodson Jr.'s high school coach believes it's just the beginning for the youngster.

Woodson Jr. Has Big Shoes To Fill At Michigan

Charles Woodson Jr.'s former coach, David Aubrey, believes Woodson Jr. will need to live up to the family name at Ann Arbor.

"Obviously he’s going to have big shoes to fill because the narrative will always be how well does he match up compared to what his dad did. But I think he’s up for the challenge," Aubrey said.

Woodson Sr. was the starting cornerback for the Wolverines from 1995-97. He was also part of a team that finished with an undefeated record and a national championship in 1997.

He received more votes than the legendary Peyton Manning to win the Heisman Trophy that same year. The cornerback made a record seven interceptions, recording 43 tackles and catching 11 passes for 231 yards during his three-year collegiate career.

From then on, he went on to get selected as the fourth overall pick by the Oakland Raiders in the 1998 NFL Draft. He also made nine Pro Bowl appearances in a Hall of Fame NFL career.

However, Woodson Jr. has displayed early potential. Last fall at Lake Nona High School, Woodson Jr. collected eight passes defended, two interceptions, and 73 total tackles.

"He’s always been poised. And what’s really cool, his dad has never shown that he’s strongly influenced him to attend Michigan. He allowed him to choose his own path, and that’s really cool,” Aubrey said.

The three-star safety has already made his decision by following his father's footsteps. However, he still doesn't know what results that will yield. For Michigan's sake, they hope Woodson Jr. would create an immediate impact in the secondary in 2027.

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Written by

Sourav Ganguly

Edited by

Rishab Nandi