Ahmir Mitchell Visiting Saturday
Saturday I will be back at Michigan for a visit with Mom !!! #GoBlue
— Ahmir_SoDevoted (@TheDeuce_2_Nice) July 21, 2015
Four-star NJ WR Ahmir Mitchell, Michigan's top target at the position, will visit campus with his mother this Saturday. This is an opportunity for M to seal up a commitment; as Tim Sullivan outlines at The Wolverine, Mitchell will visit Ohio State the day prior, and unless they make a much stronger push than they have of late then the Wolverines will continue to be in the driver's seat ($):
Mitchell will be in the Midwest to take part in Ohio State's Friday Night Lights elite camp Friday evening, and will make the trip up to Ann Arbor afterwards. He has previously named the Wolverines and Buckeyes his top two (with Notre Dame not far behind), though it's unclear whether OSU would push for a commitment - or potentially, even accept one - at this time.
"He's giving Ohio State their last shot for Friday Night Lights," said Rivals.com Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Analyst Adam Friedman. "He will be at Michigan for the Barbecue. I think he's trying to figure out where he does stand with a couple schools."
The presence of Mitchell's mother is also a sign things could be winding down. While the Buckeyes are a threat, it's unclear whether they'll make a strong push for Mitchell, as they're heavily involved with a few other WR targets they seem to have higher on their board. If that remains the case, Michigan is the heavy favorite.
[Hit THE JUMP for the rest of the roundup.]
Xavier Kelly Deciding Tomorrow
Top-100 KS DE Xavier Kelly, another of Michigan's top overall targets, announced that he will make his decision tommorrow. The outlook?
Uh, not so good. Even if Kelly surprises and doesn't pick Clemson, Georgia looks like the next-biggest threat.
BBQ Visitors: Gary, Corley, "Pipeline 9" and More
The BBQ at the Big House on August 2nd is quickly turning into a major event. 247's Steve Wiltfong reported this week that five-star NJ DT Rashan Gary plans to be in attendance as long as an ACT prep class doesn't interfere with his schedule ($). That would mark Gary's third visit to Ann Arbor.
After previously reporting that a group of Detroit King prospects including LaVert Hill and Ambry Thomas would be at the BBQ, 247's Steve Lorenz confirmed that top-100 WR Donnie Corleywill be there, as well. Also planning to attend are all nine 2017 in-state prospects holding an offer:
Five-star WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
Four-star LB Josh Ross
Four-star CB Ambry Thomas
Four-star DE/LB Corey Malone-Hatcher
Four-star OL JaRaymond Hall
Four-star safety Jaylen Kelly-Powell
Three-star WR K.J. Hamler
Three-star ATH Allen Stritzinger
Three-star TE commit Carter DunawayMichigan is the 247Sports Crystal Ball leader for Ross, Malone-Hatcher, Hall, Kelly-Powell and Stritzinger and are serious contenders for all nine prospects.
They've been dubbed the "Pipeline 9" by the coaching staff.
Three-star MD CB Sir Patrick Scott will be there and he wouldn't rule out the possibility of a commitment when talking to The Wolverine's Brandon Brown ($):
"I guess we'll just have to find out when I get to Michigan," he said about a commitment with a laugh. "I'm really serious about Michigan though. I have visited Penn State, Michigan State, and Wake Forest and I really do like Wake Forest. I have a really good relationship with the coaches there so I don't know.
"I'm not sure where else I might visit soon but we'll see. I have thought about my officials and I had some schools in mind but I still have to discuss that with my family and my coaches and see how this visit to Michigan goes."
With Tony Butler planning to extend his recruitment into December, Scott has a good opportunity to join the class before spots fill up.
Another prospect who could be closing in on a decision is three-star NC LB Jonathan Smith, who told The Wolverine's Jacey Zembal he wants to make a choice before the season, and prior to making that decision he needs to see Michigan and Notre Dame ($). Per Lorenz, Smith will make his trip to Ann Arbor for the BBQ. North Carolina, Duke, and Georgia Tech are also in contention.
A couple of Alabama prospects are also expected to attend the BBQ. TMI's Josh Newkirk reports Florence High teammates three-star 2016 ILB Erroll Thompson and four-star 2017 S J'Marick Woods will see Ann Arbor for the first time ($).
There will be more prospects to add to the list before August. As it stands, the BBQ should already be at the center of an eventful weekend.
More 2016 Updates
Rumors that David Reese would wind up elsewhere swirled amid visits to Louisville and Notre Dame, but according to Brandon Brown, Michigan doesn't have much to worry about; Reese's father told Brown his son will be in the class—yes, as a linebacker—and they're working on getting him enrolled early ($).
The feeling around here is three-star FL LB Jonathan Jones will end up heading elsewhere despite Michigan being his long-stated top school. Jones told Sam Webb that he plans to decide after taking all five of his official visits, with Michigan still holding the top spot:
“(The Wolverines) are still #1,” said Jones. “I actually changed up my top three. My top three is Michigan, Duke and Notre Dame. Michigan, I stayed there for a good four or five days. I met a lot of knew family there. They’re definitely looking good.”
Webb also spoke to Jones' father, whose comments gave off a decidedly different impression ($):
It’s going to go about how far he is from us because of course we want to attend his games, weather conditions. I’m trying to explain to him, if you’re up north, you can’t just put on a pair of slip and slides and some shorts and go outside. You have to fully dress. Is he going to be happy, can he adapt up there in the north or wherever he goes, can he adapt? You have to realize this is where you’re going to live for four years. We try to give him a little bit of leeway but as parents, we can tell him about different things in life, but we try to give him a few nuggets. If you go too far, we may not be able to see you as often as we would like.
Jones may like Michigan but it doesn't sound like his parents are fully on board. With open spots dwindling, I'd be surprised if he ended up in the class.
Lorenz reports top-100 CA CB Lamar Jackson will take an official visit for the Michigan State game. Michigan should also get an official visit from four-star CA DT Boss Tagaloa, per Newkirk and Webb ($).