Michigan football players react to Eyabi Anoma transferring in
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — While being in the middle of fall camp tends to see breaking news in terms of starting jobs won or lost and emerging players and such, the Wolverines have a different story entirely.
Michigan football added a former five-star prospect and college football journeyman to its roster via transfer, Eyabi Anoma, who originally committed to Alabama, but ended up going to Houston and then settling in at Tennessee-Martin.
Hailing from Baltimore (Maryland) St. Frances Academy, the same high school Michigan running back Blake Corum went to, Anoma was the No. 3 player in the country overall according to 247Sports’ rankings. He didn’t overlap with Corum in high school, but Corum is excited all the same to have him in Ann Arbor.
“He left the year I got there — I got there my junior year. He had gone to Bama,” Corum said. “He’s a baller. He’s a baller. He’s gonna help big time, just gotta get him the playbook. He’ll be on the field causing havoc soon. I’m glad to have him here.”
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Of course, Corum isn’t competing for playing time with him. But junior Jaylen Harrell will be.
Regardless of him being seeming competition, Harrell has taken Anoma under his wing, teaching him what he needs to know about the playbook and helping him get acclimated to Ann Arbor.
“Eyabi’s cool. He’s a good player,” Harrell said. “We’re really just competing every day. He’s a great guy to have in the room. We’re just excited to have him.”
His comment about competing every day begs the question: has Anoma been here longer than people have thought? No, Harrell clarified, he just arrived, but he’s ready to participate, all the same.
“He’s around. He got here yesterday — he’s around,” Harrell said. “Welcome him in with open arms — cool guy. Excited, he’s ready to learn. I’m helping him a little bit with the playbook and stuff like that. He’s ready to come into the room, to just compete and get after it.”
How did Harrell find out that he would soon have more competition at edge rusher? Did he find out online just like everyone else?
No, he says, the coaches shared they were bringing him in before the rest of the world found out. As far as Anoma’s journeyman status and his being kicked off the team in both Alabama and Houston, Harrell said he knows nothing about that. He reiterated he’s excited to see what Anoma brings to the room now that he’s getting another shot at a Power Five program.
“They talked to the whole defense, actually. Told us Eyabi’s coming in,” Harrell said. “Coach Harbaugh also told us he was coming in. Great addition to the team, like I said, welcome him in with open arms. Ready to just get out there and compete.”
Michigan has another week left of fall camp before it transitions into game week. The Wolverines open at home against Colorado State on Sept. 3, which could also be Anoma’s debut.
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