Aamir Hall and Quinten Johnson will certainly be remembered fondly by Michigan fans, but when there’s not as much attention from professional scouts, how are they preparing for the next phase in their careers?
Michigan football defensive backs Aamir Hall and Quinten Johnson are not getting a lot of hype like some other players in this year’s NFL Draft . However, they made memorable plays for the Wolverines and should be getting more recognition as we approach this year’s draft.
On a recent In The Trenches podcast , Hall and Johnson talked about their Michigan careers, what they’ll remember and how they’re approaching life after playing for the Wolverines.
Aamir Hall
No matter what happens, Hall said he’s, “excited for the future and what it has to hold.” While the Michigan football season wrapped up in December, he said he feels like his career is just getting started as he looks to the next step.
Hall had a major interception in The Game, along with 29 total tackles while playing in 11 games. Our own Sam Bernardi broke down Hall’s profile ahead of the draft, and while it’s not a guarantee teams will draft him, he has the skills to play at that level.
Hall was asked what it’s like to be in a new spot this offseason, and he admitted it has been a challenge. Still, he’s trying to focus on his purpose and keep occupied. He knows he can’t control everything, so he’s making efforts to control what he can control.
When it comes to feedback, scouts want to see him move better and play more fluid when he’s on the field. Hall went to the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl parade when he was growing up, and while he’d be thankful to get drafted by any franchise, that’s the team he cheered for when he was a kid.
Playing in the NFL is a dream come true, and Hall is trying to visualize himself in the league and mentally prepare for what’s happening. Coming to Michigan helped him understand film, schemes, preparation and making sure he’s ready mentally and physically.
Quinten Johnson
At the end of his career, Johnson finished with 78 tackles, an interception, nine pass deflections and one forced fumble. In his final season, he had 42 tackles and four pass deflections. Maize n Brew’s Matt Hartwell recently talked about how Johnson could hear his name called as a late-round selection in the draft.
Johnson was around for some of the most memorable moments in recent memory. He spoke about the importance of building and looking for culture when putting together a roster, and just how important that was for Michigan to find success. Johnson said the program got “more refined” during his playing career.
Johnson also talked about the Ohio State game in the 2021 season and the mentality heading into The Game. Johnson said they played their brand of football in that game and was successful because of that.
Since he’s been around a long time, Jansen asked Johnson about the older guys he looked to for advice — Brad Hawkins, Josh Metellus and Dax Hill. Johnson said when Michigan takes the field, he’ll still be a Wolverine, even if he’s not actively on the roster in 30 years.
When it comes to defensive coaching changes, Johnson had a few at Michigan, playing under Mike Macdonald, Jesse Minter, and Wink Martindale. He’ll use that to help him adjust to whichever NFL team takes a chance on him.