Weekend Visitors: Two Big-Time Officials
As you'd expect, UNLV isn't a huge visit weekend for Michigan, but they are hosting a couple big-time official visitors. The Wolverine's Tim Sullivan has the full list of visitors ($). The highlights:
- Five-star CA OLB Caleb Kelly will take his first official visit this weekend. Oklahoma seems to have a commanding lead for him but Michigan still has an outside shot; this visit is obviously of paramount importance.
- Four-star FL DT Keyshon Camp, a USC commit, is also taking an official visit. He's an intriguing backup plan if Michigan whiffs on Rashan Gary; he's already shown he's willing to commit to a school far from home and he's from the same high school as freshman Reuben Jones.
- 2017 four-star Oak Park OL JaRaymond Hall is tentatively set to make it for an unofficial. M appears to be in the driver's seat for him. His 2018 OL teammate Marquan McCall, who is in a similar situation, should also be in Ann Arbor.
- 2017 four-star CA TE Jimmy Jaggers—JIMMY JAGGERS—has flown in for an unofficial. 247's Steve Lorenz thinks Michigan could position themselves at the forefront of his recruitment with a good visit this weekend ($).
A commitment this weekend would be a surprise.
[Hit THE JUMP for the rest of the roundup.]
Yeah, He Sounds Interested
Three-star 2017 GA RB Kurt Taylor was supposed to take an unofficial for the Oregon State game but flight delays prevented him from making it to Ann Arbor; per The Wolverine's Brandon Brown, that didn't prevent Taylor from watching ($):
Covington (Ga.) Newton junior running back Kurt Taylor was supposed to be in Ann Arbor last week for Michigan's game against Oregon State but after some flight delays, he was forced to watch the game in the airport.
Even though watching the Maize and Blue win on a TV in the airport didn't match the atmosphere in the Big House, Taylor swears he still enjoyed the game.
"I got to see the game pretty well," Taylor said. "I loved the way No. 4 [De'Veon Smith] ran the ball and the way Coach [Jim] Harbaugh coached."
Taylor was already on campus for the BBQ in July; he's rescheduled this visit for the BYU game. It's safe to say he's got a high level of interest.
WR Updates: Crawford, Stewart
According to a Scout autoplay video with no actual article attached—thanks for that, Scout—four-star CA WR Dylan Crawford set three official visits, including one to Michigan for the MSU game ($). Though things have been quiet on that front, M still has a decent shot here.
Three-star NJ WR Donald Stewart, who will take an official for The Game, told TMI's Brice Marich his interest in Michigan is still very high ($):
Stewart stated his interest in the Maize & Blue is as strong as it ever was, and a big reason for that is his connection with Jim Harbaugh.
“We have a great relationship,” said Stewart. “It is probably the best out of all the other coaches I’ve spoken with. We talk via Twitter daily and I’ve spoken to him on the phone twice since September too. He’s just very enthusiastic and knows the game and we get along very well.”
That said, he's still "open to everyone," and Stanford seems like they've got the best shot.
St-Juste Is A 2017 Commit
Steve Lorenz confirmed that Canadian CB commit Benjamin St-Justewill come in with the 2017 class. That means Michigan now sits at 22 commits in the 2016 class with 18 spots already open; the scholarship picture there is clearing up well before Signing Day.