Quick note: I'm taking the rest of this week off. Since many have asked, my health is in a good place right now, and a week of relaxation should only help in that regard. Thanks to all who've asked about me, and I'll be back next week.
Michigan In Top Groups For Kelly, Okwara
A couple highly ranked targets on defense announced top groups that included Michigan this week. Five-star CA OLB Caleb Kelly included the Wolverines in a powerhouse-packed unordered top ten: Cal, Notre Dame, Alabama, USC, UCLA, Oklahoma, Florida State, Oregon, Michigan, and LSU. Kelly took an unofficial to Ann Arbor last month that went well, putting Michigan in position to potentially secure an official visit; Oklahoma currently holds the lead on his Crystal Ball.
Four-star NC WDE Julian Okwara named Michigan to his final five alongside Clemson, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Ole Miss. Okwara will make his decision on April 30th, and all signs point to Notre Dame, where his older brother Romeo is a senior defensive lineman.
Meanwhile, after four-star MD OG Terrance Davis said some very encouraging things about Michigan immediately following his spring game weekend visit, he flat-out told Rivals' Adam Friedman at a Rivals camp in Richmond that the Wolverines lead in his recruitment ($):
Rivals250 offensive lineman Terrance Davis recently visited Michigan and he is also going to visit Ohio State in the near future. As of now the Wolverines are Davis' favorite, but Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Maryland, Penn State, UCLA, Tennessee and Arkansas are all also in the mix. Davis wants to take official visits to Michigan, UCLA, Georgia and Maryland.
Getting Davis back on campus for an official visit would be a great sign.
[Hit THE JUMP for the rest of the roundup.]
New Offers
Jacksonville (FL) First Coast WR Kevin Stepherson has seen his recruitment take off recently. Michigan put forth an offer last week, but they trail two other recent additions to Stepherson's offer sheet, per 247's Clint Brewster ($):
"[Michigan is] a great school," he said. " I know that it's another big offer for me and I'm very excited. My top two are the same (Notre Dame/LSU) but im Interested in every school that offers and I'm going to continue to be thankful."
Stepherson added that he plans to visit this summer prior to a pre-season decision.
Michigan also offered the top inside linebacker in the class, though given Lokeni Toailoa is a California prospect committed to UCLA, odds are low it results in anything.
The coaches also extended offers to a few 2017 prospects. Five-star PA RB D'Andre Swift is familiar with the program—he visited last summer in hopes of getting an offer and is a St. Joseph's Prep teammate of 2015 signee Jon Runyan Jr.—and he looking to learn even more now that he has an offer, per 247's Steve Lorenz ($):
"I'm definitely hoping to come up now that I have the offer," he said. "With Jon (Runyan) going there, it definitely gives me a level of comfort with Michigan too because we're really close. I haven't decided when I will visit, but I'm planning to come up before my season starts."
Swift also has summer visits planned to Alabama and Florida State, among others. He won't be an easy pull.
The Wolverine reports twomore 2017 offers going out, to TX TE Kedrick James and NC WR JT Cauthen.
Etc.
Those who've dug into the message board posts regarding last week's sudden commit watch have probably deduced that four-star 2016 Detroit King CB Lavert Hill, Penn State commit and younger brother of Michigan S Delano Hill, made a surprise, on-the-low return visit to Ann Arbor after also taking in the spring game. In a video interview with GBW's Josh Newkirk, Hill played it coy, saying he's "100 percent committed to Penn State" ... while smiling ear-to-ear ($). Michigan is very much back in the picture here, though James Franklin will also get his say when Hill visits for Penn State's spring game this weekend.
Michigan is on the outside looking in for four-star FL DE Jordan Woods, who told Scout's Corey Bender he's "close" to a decision ($):
"I think the three Florida schools (Miami, Florida, Florida State) are in a dead lock right now," Woods said. "South Carolina and Michigan are two schools that are still fighting, Georgia as well."
Unless Woods makes a surprise visit, expect him to stay in his home state.
Three-star OR ATH LaMar Winston told Steve Lorenz that he plans to take an official to Michigan ($). Winston recently named Oregon as his leader.