Michigan S coach Tyler Stockton hints at depth ahead of 2026 season

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After a season full of rotations and a “next man up” mentality, it appears the Wolverines are looking to solidify the safety room. In an interview with Jon Jansen on “In the Trenches,” last week, safeties coach Tyler Stockton seemed to hint at some of the players getting more reps this offseason.

He’s not trying to sell the room short, but Stockton says he expects Rod Moore to “be one of the best safeties in the country.” He’s committed to making sure Moore is healthy, because if there’s something that can match his skills on the field, Stockton said it’s Moore’s leadership. Moore has been bringing some players into the building for extra work, so hopefully those efforts are rewarded this fall.

Hill hasn’t relied solely on the secondary, but having a group of experienced players will help him run the system he wants. Maize n Brew’s Nick Durand did a really nice job breaking down what to expect from Hill’s defensive unit in January. In it, Durand focused on the players in the secondary who really made a name for themselves.

Hill’s defenses were statistically in the Top 25 in seven categories including red zone defense, interceptions, defensive touchdowns, turnovers gained and third-down defense. The success and failure of his defenses lies in the secondary. Last season, BYU had 17 interceptions (No. 7 nationally) and three defensive touchdowns (No. 10 nationally) — those touchdowns were all scored by safeties or corners.

We might not see as many true freshmen on the field in 2026. It seems obvious that, if healthy, Moore is going to be a crucial part of the defense, but who are some of the other guys we’ll see getting some snaps at safety?

Mason Curtis

Curtis was on the field a bunch his first two seasons of college football. Last year, he had 34 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack and one interception. That’s good groundwork for the new coaching staff to build on. Stockton said that Mason has played a lot of different positions, but he “see(s) a guy this year that’s going to have a big year for us.” That’s the kind of thing you want to hear this time of year. Curtis has shown flashes of putting the pieces together, so the Wolverines could finally get his best output in 2026.

Chris Bracy

Stockton also weighed in on the transfer safety, saying how Bracy has played a lot of snaps and plays with a chip on his shoulder. Bracy spent time with UAB and Memphis, where he compiled 116 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and two interceptions. Bracy is trying to prove he can be one of the best safeties in the country, as Stockton said he is “expecting big things from (Bracy)” as well. Bracy has the experience that can really help bolster this defense, especially if Moore isn’t immediately ready when the 2026 season kicks off.

Jordan Young

We saw Young on the field quite a bit as a freshman last season. He finished with 15 tackles, three pass breakups and three quarterback hurries. He is another player that benefited from that early career experience, and Stockton sees that, too. When asked about players that stood out to him, Stockton said he’s been impressed the most with Young, saying he is “up there competing for a starting position.”

While Stockton mentioned a few young players, it seems like the above mentioned group is likely going to see the field the most in 2026, at least that’s what it sounds like now.

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