From the road: Thoughts on Top 100 Michigan DB commit Chris Ewald
*** I had a chance to get my second live evaluation of Top 100 2025 Michigan cornerback commit Chris Ewald at today’s Battle 7v7 tournament in Charlotte. The Miami (Fla.) Chaminade product suffered a minor injury the first time I watched, so I was excited to get another look. Ewald lined up at safety as opposed to cornerback in what appeared to be an effort to allow him to make more plays on the ball. Ewald hardly sees any action when he’s on an island at corner. Will Johnson used to play a lot of safety in 7v7 as well. It’s a testament to Ewald’s ability to take away an entire side of the field. While he’s just a sophomore, he’s already established himself as one of the best defensive backs nationally regardless of class and is a constant top performer in the biggest 7v7 events nationally.
*** Unfortunately, the move to safety didn’t result in much action. I saw Ewald in four pool play games, and there were maybe three passes total thrown in his vicinity. While it certainly wasn’t an exciting day for Ewald in terms of pass breakups and interceptions, he did his job to perfection. Ewald commanded his defense, didn’t let anything get behind him and was fantastic at picking up the right receivers in zone coverage. Ewald has an extremely high football IQ. I know it’s just 7v7, but his ability to diagnose what the offense is trying to do and picking up the right guy on crosses, meshes, etc. is extremely impressive for a sophomore. Ewald has an advanced level of understanding of coverages and scheme. I’m sure that’s something Jim Harbaugh and co. love to see, especially this early. Ewald must spend countless hours in the film room.
*** Ewald combines his understanding of the game with tremendous athletic ability. Again, he didn’t get to make a lot of plays today, but he did show off his closing speed and a smooth back pedal. Ewald is listed at 5-foot-11, 161 pounds, but it looks like he’s grown an inch. Perhaps his length just makes him look taller. The dude is really rangy. Ewald has added some muscle to his frame but is still filling out. He can add about 20 pounds with no issue while still maintaining his speed. Getting stronger and more physical is the biggest area where Ewald can grow. Aside from that, he’s the total package and a clear Top 100 recruit that could challenge for playing time as a true freshman at Michigan.
*** Ewald doesn’t do a lot of talking on the field. Instead, he plays with a quiet confidence — much like the aforementioned Will Johnson. Ewald is also shy off the field and very reserved. This was my second time meeting him and he did open up a bit, joking around with me about the Tank Davis vs. Ryan Garcia fight, carrying around a Baby Yoda and interrupting my interview with Zaquan Patterson to tease him. It was great to see. I love Ewald as a player and a kid and really hope he sticks in Michigan’s 2025 class. I also talked to Ewald’s father, Chris Sr., and he told me lead recruiter Steve Clinkscale has really gotten Ewald to open up as has staffer Denard Robinson. It seems like Ewald, who just visited again last month, is growing more and more comfortable at Michigan.
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