Spring Visits Taking Shape
The Spring Game won't just be the first opportunity to see Michigan playing under Jim Harbaugh; it'll also be a major recruiting weekend for the program. The stakes got a little higher last night when Top-150 ILB Dontavious Jackson and three-star S Chris Brown, both M offer recipients from Houston (TX) Alief Elsik, booked their flights for a three-day visit that weekend, per Steve Lorenz.
While Jackson is one of the top targets for the likes of Texas, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma, Michigan is the highest-profile school to offer both him and Brown, which may give the Wolverines an edge. Securing an unofficial visit is a good sign they'll at least be a major factor going forward.
Four-star FL ILB Devin Bush Jr., who recently said Michigan was one of a handful of schools sticking out to him, told Sam Webb that he's looking to visit for a spring practice at the end of the month ($). An FSU legacy, Bush said he's been learning about the school from DJ Durkin, who's spearheading his recruitment.
Another four-star linebacker, California offeree Darrian Franklin, told Scout's Greg Biggins that he's also looking to visit this spring, and with a summer decision looming Michigan is among his top schools ($):
"Right now, the main schools I'm really feeling are USC, Michigan, UCLA, Arizona, Oregon and LSU. I haven't decided if I'll still take some official visits after I commit or not. I kind of want to for the experience and see some places but I haven't really thought about it too much yet. I still need to make a decision first and then I'll go from there."
USC is his stated leader; we should find out soon if a visit can change that.
GBW's Josh Newkirk reports that Michigan is "comfortably within" four-star Cass Tech S Demetric Vance's top five, and Vance plans to visit for a spring practice ($). M's made positive strides with Vance since offering him last month.
[Hit THE JUMP for the rest of the roundup.]
Another QB To Monitor?
This could be a significant development:
Top50 QB Dwayne Haskins RT @dh_simba7 Bro & I tryna head up to Michigan @NaseirUpshur
— Steve Lorenz (@TremendousUM) March 9, 2015
Haskins, the #5 pro-style QB on the 247 Composite, hasn't shown a great deal of interest in Michigan since getting an offer from the last regime; a visit would obviously change that.
Making it even more intriguing is the possibility of him visiting with four-star PA TE Naseir Upshur, one of M's top targets at a position of need. Upshur has shown increased interest in Michigan lately; if Haskins follows suit, that could be quite the package deal. Before getting too excited, of course, we'll have to see if such a visit actually materializes.
New Offers
Michigan offered three-star NC CB Mark Gilbert last week, and given what he told The Wolverine's Brandon Brown it sounds like they're in good shape to eventually push for a commitment ($):
"For starters, with Coach Harbaugh, coaching in the NFL and then coming back to college you just expect him to be more experienced," Gilbert explained. "He has a lot more knowledge than the average coach.
"Michigan itself just has such a history. I know they have a great alumni base. I know about Ty Law and Charles Woodson so the legacy of great corners is there too. The corners that have come out of Michigan over the years are some of the great ones."
Gilbert called it his "biggest offer" so far and added Michigan to a spring visit lineup that also includes Pitt, Penn State, and West Virginia.
After he received an offer Thursday night, three-star TX OLB Alton Robinson spoke to Steve Lorenz and pretty much confirmed that he doesn't read MGoBlog ($):
"I follow the NFL somewhat closely but not too much," he said. "The 49ers have always been my favorite team and Aldon Smith has always been my favorite player. It was really awesome to hear that Coach Harbaugh is at Michigan now (laughs). I don't know how I didn't really know that already."
Robinson also holds offers from Houston, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech.
A handful of other offers have gone out to players whom the recruiting sites haven't caught up with to discuss Michigan yet:
- Top-150 CA ATH Mique Juarez, a USC commit, added an offer but hasn't indicated he's looking around, per The Wolverine's Tim Sullivan.
- Top-150 TX DT Jordan Elliott, a Baylor commit, was offered this week, per 247's Clint Brewster.
- Four-star TX WDE Brandon Bowen added Michigan to an offer sheet that already includes all the major Texas schools save A&M, per Brandon Brown.
- FL TE Nick Eubanks can now put Michigan on one of the more impressive offer lists for a three-star prospect, per Sullivan. Alabama and Miami (YTM) have early picks on his Crystal Ball.
- Michigan offered brothers Austin Anderson and Riley Anderson, both three-star OT prospects from Texas, perSullivan. As Sullivan notes, the heavy academic bent to their offer lists—Northwestern and Vanderbilt also feature—could be a plus for Michigan's chances.
More 2016 News
Per 247's Luke Stampini, top-50 GA TE Isaac Nauta—a longtime FSU commit and top Michigan target—plans to use an official visit to see Ann Arbor ($):
“I never want to close any doors to anything, because in recruiting anything can happen at anytime,” Nauta said. “My commitment to Florida State is 100-percent firm.
“I’m going to take all of my official visits, because that’s one thing guys in college have told me, don’t make the mistake of not taking them. So I’m going to do those and have fun with the recruiting process. Michigan will get one, Florida State will definitely get one, South Carolina, Southern Cal and maybe UCLA.”
It won't be easy to pry Nauta away from the Noles; if a program can, though, it's probably Michigan.
Four-star CA DB CJ Pollard told Scout's Greg Biggins that he will use one of his officials on Michigan ($). Pollard's father played for USC, so it's no surprise experts expect the California prospect to end up with the Trojans.
Michigan should get either a summer unofficial or fall official visit from four-star FL SDE Jordan Woods, who also told Sam Webb that M is one of a handful of programs sticking out early ($).
The Wolverines are sixth in the ordered top six for top-100 NJ WR Ahmir Mitchell, per Scout's Sam Hellman:
Mitchell, who hails from Egg Harbor City (N.J.) Cedar Creek announced a top six schools Friday via social media. In order, Mitchell lists Rutgers, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Mississippi and Michigan.
I bet a dollar Rutgers doesn't get him, because that's just how it goes.
Three-star SC CB Troy Pride Jr., a Virginia Tech commit, is fielding interest from Michigan and told GBW's Josh Newkirk that he'd "love" to get an offer from them ($):
“If there was an offer on the table, I would try to get up there sometime,” Pride said. “Everyone knows about Michigan. They are a great school, like I said. I need to be touched up on it. I have heard good things about it. But I don’t know all the details about Michigan. I would love to go up there for a visit.
If Michigan comes through with one, it sounds like he's a serious flip candidate.