Maize n Brew’s previews and outlook for each scholarship player continues today with a further look at redshirt junior safety Sammy Faustin. Up to this point, he hasn’t put it all together to find consistent playing time on defense. Is 2021 the year for him?
Let’s take a look at how he got to Michigan and what is in store for him in 2021.
The story so far
Faustin was offered by Don Brown and the Wolverines in Feb. 2017. A three-star recruit and top 600 player in the 2018 class, per 247Sports’ composite, he didn’t garner much attention from elite football programs on the recruiting trail. He had other significant offers from Maryland, Virginia, Ole Miss, Arizona, Kentucky, Iowa State, UCF, Purdue and NC State.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder from Naples, Florida didn’t take much time to commit to Michigan, pledging his services in Aug. 2017. He signed his letter of intent in Dec. 2017 and enrolled in the summer of 2018.
After redshirting his true freshman season, Faustin found his way onto the playing field in 2019 during his redshirt freshman year. He appeared in nine games on special teams and three games at defensive back that year, compiling two total tackles.
Going into his redshirt sophomore year in 2020, head coach Jim Harbaugh stated on the Inside Michigan Football radio show Faustin had moved from safety to cornerback. That very well could have been due to the lack of depth at corner last season after Ambry Thomas opted out, but Faustin never saw snaps in 2020 as a cornerback, nor a safety. He played just one game — the season opener at Minnesota — on special teams.
Outlook moving forward
It’s hard to get a gauge of where Faustin sits on the depth chart after hardly playing a season ago. His lack of playing time could have very well been due to injury or COVID, but that has not been publicly specified.
It is also difficult to gauge where he is on the depth chart due to the guys behind him. As a true freshman, Makari Paige played in all six games last season. There has also been talk that RJ Moten has taken a step forward as of late. And then there are guys like Quinten Johnson and Jordan Morant, who have potential but have not played yet due to injuries.
I wouldn’t totally rule Faustin out of a spot in the two-deep at safety this year, but I could absolutely see him getting passed up by one, or more, of the younger guys in the room.