Weekend Visitors: The Other Sport
I don't envy recruiting writers on a post quota this month, as the start of both college and high school football has led to a very quiet stretch with recruiting. That's particularly the case with Michigan, which didn't host any major football visitors over the weekend; they're loading up the Michigan State and Ohio State weekends with visitors instead.
The basketball team, on the other hand, hosted a couple top targets over the weekend. The top 2018 target on the board, Canadian wing Ignas Brazdeikis, took his first official visit to Ann Arbor, and per Chris Balas he came away impressed:
"The trip was amazing," Brazdeikis reported (with two exclamation points). "I enjoyed everything so much. I just need a little time to soak it all in."
What that means is anyone's guess, but come might construe it that he's contemplating a commitment. He is slated to visit Florida and Vanderbilt, but U-M has long been one of his leaders.
Michigan is on a run of Crystal Ball picks for Brazdeikis, including one from 247's director of hoops recruiting, Jerry Meyer. If that holds, Brazdeikis will be the centerpiece of the class.
Three-star OH wing Justin Ahrenstold TMI's Josh Henschke he had an "awesome" visit, and he hit it off with Brazdeikis and two current 2018 commits:
With multiple Wolverine commits in tow, Ahrens says the entire group, including Brazdeikis, connected and discussed the possibility of playing together in the near future.
"David DeJulius, Brandon Johns, Iggy and I all got along really well," Ahrens said. "We did discuss how sweet it would be if we all went there. That would be a major recruiting class."
Ahrens has an obvious fit in John Beilein's system as a sharpshooter who hopefully can work the high screen game as well. Henschke CB'd Ahrens to Michigan; we could see this class wrap up in the relatively near future.
[Hit THE JUMP for the rest of the roundup.]
2018 Recruiting: Still Waiting On DTs
As noted, it's been quiet on the football recruiting front, but there were a couple updates on 2018 defensive tackle targets in the last week. Or, in the case of top-100 NJ DT Tyler Friday, an update to acknowledge there's no update, per Scout's Brian Dohn:
The Ramsey (N.J.) Don Bosco standout continues to look hard at a number of schools, including Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Rutgers, but his coach said no new visit plans are being made.
"Nothing new," Friday's coach, Mike Teel said. "He is focused on the season now."
There's more to report on four-star NC DT Rick Sandidge, who recently had a run of South Carolina picks on his Crystal Ball. Sandidge is coming off an unofficial visit to UNC last weekend that he told 247's Don Callahan"makes my decision even harder," but Michigan is far from out of it, as he's setting up an official for The Game:
Thus far, Sandidge has just one official visit scheduled -- Florida in October. He's also working on scheduling an official trip to Michigan for the weekend it plays Ohio State (Nov. 25). Otherwise, he is unsure what his official visit schedule will look like, but said most schools have asked him to officially visit after the season.
He added that his decision is "going to take a while." The local schools seem to have an edge right now but there's a long way to go.
Meanwhile, 247's Steve Wiltfong posted a very intriguing note about another top defensive lineman. While Alabama is the current favorite for top-100 MD DE Eyabi Anoma, who plays under Biff Poggi at St. Frances Academy, Wiltfong says Michigan is a team to watch:
The Wolverines have really made an impression and it sounds like Anoma is planning to be in Ann Arbor for the Ohio State game over Thanksgiving weekend. The Michigan staff has a great relationship with the St. Frances staff as well.
Maryland is also getting a long look, though even as the home school they'll have a tough time overcoming that level of competition.
Etc.
The Athletic's Mick McCabe with a fun profile on commit Aidan Hutchinson, whose nifty footwork can be traced back to something rarely associated with football:
“I did competitive dance with my two sisters for three or four years,” he said with a muffled laugh and a knowing look, realizing he had just changed the direction of the conversation.
“We competed in different states. I did hip hop and contemporary dances. I wasn’t a huge fan of ballet.”
Michigan offered top-25 2019 CA LB Henry To'oto'o last week, and he told TMI's Evan Petzold that the Wolverines will get a serious look:
"I want to learn more about Michigan and the surrounding, but I really love them," he stated. "They have always been one of the best schools."
He's looking to set up a visit, though a date hasn't been set. Yes, I really want to see that name on a Michigan jersey, and also hear Brian attempt to pronounce it on the podcast.
Top-100 2019 TN RB Eric Graywill visit for The Game.