Myles Hinton embracing competition along Michigan’s o-line

A family legacy at Michigan might not always indicate where a recruit goes. Sometimes following in the footsteps of family leads to a desire to forge a different path. Finding their own way in a different place, outside of the expectations of others, is a process that many athletes go through. Though, if there is one thing about Michigan football, the allure of championships and the city of Ann Arbor is too appealing to pass up.

Hinton, the younger brother of Chris Hinton, who was with the Wolverines from 2019-2021, played his first three years of collegiate football at Stanford. Initially following in the footsteps of his brother and father, he chose the route to Palo Alto to create his own name.

“I wasn’t sold on the sport going into college, it kind of surprises people,” Hinton said on In the Trenches with Jon Jansen. “My dad and brother played, it was part of the family. Once I got to college, I learned more about football and how it was a vehicle for future success, so I was trying to put myself in a position to where I could have that.”

The thing was Hinton hadn’t fully realized his own potential until last season.

“I was trying to set myself up for if football didn’t set me up,” he explained. “I worked in a lab last summer, so I could be in the biology world. That’s what I was studying when I was out there. I think it was a good stepping-point. I started to love the sport a lot more halfway through last year.”

It might sound odd to some, he admits, but Hinton shares what led to that mental shift.

“The biggest thing was realizing my ability. For a while, I didn’t understand what I could do off and on the field physically,” Hinton shared. “I was kind of the tag along to my brother and then I saw myself as a big-time athlete.”

With this profound new perspective about football Hinton realized that he would have to leave Palo Alto behind and go to a place that fit his football vision.

“I wasn’t sure if [Stanford] was conducive to the player I wanted to be,” Hinton said.

Hinton wanted a place that could take that fuel he had and sharpen him into an even more elite competitor. With a decision of where to go next before him, he knew there was only one place he would go.

“For me, it was the history of the school and being a recruit in high school. I knew the program, knew the people around the program. I was like if I leave Stanford at all, that’s where I am going,” Hinton shared.

Hinton doesn’t expect to be handed a starting job, he knows he’ll have to work for it. But that is fine with him.

“The course of action for me is to get better, stronger, quicker, and learn the playbook as fast as I can,” Hinton said. “The reason I came here was to be challenged. I didn’t want to get here and walk into a spot. I knew I wouldn’t grow. If there is some comp, I will be pushed.”

Challenges are where he thrives. He shared how working through injuries has helped grow as a competitor.

“I like challenges and being challenged,” Hinton explained. “I don’t like comfort because you get complacent. I like something to strive for. It makes me work harder and if I do that I grow more.”

Hinton brings a lot of promise and fiery determination after taking the lessons he learned about himself in Palo Alto. An intriguing prospect to Michigan’s offensive line this year, the excitement he exuded about the experiences he has had since arriving in Ann Arbor can only translate to on-field success. He knows the weight his last name bears in that locker room, but he owns it as his own, and not anyone else’s.