Top Five-Ish
Top-100 IL DE Josh Kingnamed a final five last Friday, including Michigan in the group along with Michigan State, Penn State, USC, and Notre Dame. According to 247's Steve Lorenz, Michigan State is believed to lead for King, while Michigan is potentially running second. King hasn't set a timeline for his decision.
In case anyone forgot how silly recruiting can be, three-star IL DT Naquan Jones felt compelled to release a "top five" of his own, despite only narrowing his choices to six schools*:
First I would like to say thanks to everyone who has taken their time to recruit me. Top 5 NO ORDER @CarolinaXposurepic.twitter.com/QBoOVrO6zx
— Almighty Nay (@thealmightynay) May 7, 2015
While this top group also has no order, it's pretty easy to glean that Wisconsin and Penn State are running behind the other four schools. Scout's Beth Long reports Jones will make his decision on June 5th, and his top schools were chosen largely based on his relationship with their respective coaching staffs, since he's only visited Michigan State and South Carolina among his top six. Michigan should get their shot; Jones told Scout's Josh Newkirk a pre-decision visit to Ann Arbor is in the works ($).
*To be clear, I'm not making fun of Jones here, but the near-universal, bizarre obsession with naming top fives and tens and almost never any other number.
[Hit THE JUMP for the rest of the roundup]
New Offers: New Norfleets?
Michigan offered two more 2016 running backs in recent days, despite already having two in the class. This pair of offers, however, target players with positional flexibilty. Oh, and speed. Three-star IN RB Kiante Enis, who ran a 10.53 100-meter dash last weekend, is being recruited as an athlete, per Scout's Anna Hickey ($):
"The coaches are great," Enis said. "They have a lot of experience in the NFL, so they know what they're doing. I can't wait to meet Coach Harbaugh." The 6-foot-2, 192-pound prospect said he's being recruited by the Wolverines as an athlete.
"[Jedd Fisch] really only talked about offense," Enis said. "Tailback or maybe wide receiver. They are recruiting me as an athlete, though."
Enis plans to visit this summer, and added Michigan to a top five that also includes Michigan State, Louisville, Cincinnati, and Indiana. MSU and Louisville have yet to offer among that group.
Michigan's other offer at the position went out to 5'9", 170-pound California prospect Daivon Vigiliant—what a name—who told Scout's Brice Marich about his reaction:
“I almost cried,” Vigilant told Scout. “Michigan has been one of my favorite schools since I was little. (Drevno) also told me that I fit the offense they are trying to run. I do think I could fit into their offense because they are looking to run the ball more this year. I’m glad they are giving me an opportunity to play there.”
It'll be interesting to hear how Michigan would theoretically use a back of that size.
More New Offers: Georgia On The Mind
It should come as no surprise at this point that Michigan targeted a talent-heavy southern state with a spate of new offers. The Wolverines offered four-star 2016 Roswell (GA) teammates LB Tre Lamar and CB LeAnthony Williams; both told Scout's Brice Marich that receiving the offer was some variation of "awesome/amazing," and both will consider Michigan down the road ($). Each prospect boasts an impressive offer sheet highlighted by SEC powers, so even getting a visit won't be easy.
Michigan didn't stop there. The Wolverine reports three other recent offers to Georgia recruits. Three-star 2016 DE Mykelle McDaniel has Cal, Florida, Nebraska, and Ole Miss as an early top group; Michigan entered the fray for him, as well as his 2019(!) teammate, ATH Owen Pappoe. Michigan also offered 2017 four-star CB William Poole III, who already boasts offers from the likes of Alabama and Georgia.
The Wolverine reported three other recent offers: 2016 four-star TN OT Bryce Mathews, five-star 2017 VA DT Breyon Gaddy, and 2017 AZ WR Tyler Johnson, a huge (6'4", 245) wideout who also added a Michigan State offer—his father played for the Spartans.
Etc.
Michigan should have plenty of wide receiver talent on campus June 2nd, when they'll host the state's top rising juniors. Recently offered OLSM WR KJ Hamler told Steve Lorenz he plans to be there ($). Cass Tech WR Donovan Peoples-Jones, the top 2017 prospect in the state, said the same to Scout's Josh Newkirk ($).
Three-star 2016 CB Wayne Davis announced Michigan is in his top five along with Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Tennessee, and Wake Forest, per 247's Ryan Callahan ($). Davis plans to visit Michigan for the first time this summer; he wants to make a decision prior to his senior season.
Running back commit Kingston Davis added an offer from LSU last week; he told Sam Webb that he's firm in his Michigan commitment—despite fielding ongoing interest from Alabama, Florida, and Florida State—and he'll even be back in Michigan next month ($). For now, this is much more "hey, that three-star commit seems pretty good!" than "oh no, we're losing our three-star commit!"
Happy trails to four-star Plymouth OT Michael Jordan (NTMJ), who committed to Ohio State last Thursday.