Michigan gets commitment from Ohio DB/ATH D’Juan Waller

Michigan has received a commitment from Youngstown (Ohio) Chaney senior D’Juan Waller. Waller was in Ann Arbor for an official visit this weekend.

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Waller is listed as a safety and has played all over the field for Chaney, but indications are that Michigan could also try him as a cornerback.

Waller was committed to Toledo for a time, but re-opened his recruitment in October. This was following an offer from West Virginia and an official visit with the Mountaineers. Michigan and Kentucky would then offer scholarships in November and Waller would take an official to Kentucky at the end of the month.

He was recruited by defensive backs coach and defensive passing game coordinator Steve Clinkscale, a Youngstown native and Chaney graduate. The Wolverines conducted home visits with Waller with Clinkscale, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and head coach Jim Harbaugh coming by.

“He’s from where I am from where I’m from, Youngstown, Ohio. So, it’s always good to have a coach like him. Because he knows where you are from, where you be at and where you grew up from,” Waller said to 247Sports’ Mick Walker. “We have a nice connection because we are similar in a lot of ways so that’s one of the reasons I want to get up there.”

He added, “It’s really big because I know he’s gonna do whatever it takes to help me out and so long as I play my part in it. So it was really big knowing that he knows where I’m from. Just having a nice bond like that and we can relate on a lot of things.”

Waller is rated an 88 by 247Sports and ranked a Top 25 recruit in Ohio. That is a solid amount higher than his 247Sports Composite score (generated along with ratings across the recruiting industry) which is a .8537 and has him the No. 37 senior in Ohio.

His senior season, which propelled him to the new offers also led to a rise in his ranking with 247.

“It’s probably how physically he plays on the defensive of the ball [that stands out most],” said Chaney head coach Seth Anthram. “We play a 4-2-5, so we roll him down a lot as a weak safety into the box, but we can leave him high and he cover flats, he can cover a deep third and still be able to come down and be a huge impact guy.”

Anthram believes Michigan will have options on where to play him.

“Basically anywhere in the secondary and possibly even putting weight on and moving to WILL backer or a SAM really or either type of safety,” he said. “He played corner last year has shown that on film so several schools are even considering trying him at corner. He his feet are great for his size and length.”

Michigan currently has a Top 20 recruiting class.

He joins his Chaney teammate Jason Hewlett in the class.