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Recruiting Update: March 30, 2016

Greg Mattison with Dearborn (MI) Divine Child DE Aidan Hutchinson

COMMITMENTS
Groton (MA) Lawrence Academy running back A.J. Dillon committed to Michigan (LINK).

Florence (AL) Florence safety J’Marick Woods committed to Michigan (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2018
Dearborn (MI) Divine Child defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was offered by Michigan. Hutchinson is a 6’5″, 234 lb. prospect whose first offer came from LSU; Michigan was his second offer. He’s the son of former Michigan All-American defensive lineman Chris Hutchinson. As a sophomore in 2015, Aidan made 57 tackles, 5 TFLs, and 2 FFs. He has good technique for a sophomore in high school, though he is not a standout athletically.

Saraland (AL) Saraland quarterback Jack West was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’3″, 200 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Duke, Ole Miss, Stanford, and USC, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #6 pro-style quarterback, and #92 overall. If his high school’s name sounds familiar, that’s probably because Michigan pursued West’s receiver, Velus Jones (USC), toward the end of the 2016 recruiting cycle.

Hit the jump for some players who committed elsewhere, visitor lists, and some random bits.

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Michigan basketball looks good half the time

Derrick Walton

I avoid posting much about basketball until after National Signing Day, because there’s too much football-related stuff going on for a part-time blogger to cover everything. However, it’s nice to sit back, relax, and enjoy some good college basketball when things settle down after NSD. In the aftermath of Michigan’s win over Tulsa and loss to Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament, here are some thoughts from a football coach on Michigan basketball.

G Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman
I was thoroughly impressed with Abdur-Rahkman down the stretch. He has been a pleasant surprise after not doing much in 2014-2015.  MAAR is the one guy on the team who can attack the basket in the half-court and make things happen. Add in the fact that he doesn’t mind getting dirty and making hustle plays, and I might even suggest that he was Michigan’s best player at the end of the year. If not the best, then he was at least the most consistent. He averaged 13.6 points/game in Michigan’s final nine contests after only topping that average once in the first fourteen games of the season. He’s not a future NBA star because he’s not particularly quick or explosive, but he’s on par with some of the guys who were the team’s stars in Michigan’s lean years.

G Spike Albrecht
Albrecht was one of two seniors for Michigan this season, but hip problems – for which he had surgery last summer – derailed his season. It was announced at one point that he wouldn’t continue his basketball career at Michigan, but others have suggested recently that he could use this season as a redshirt year to return in 2016-2017. If he does come back, he would be a great backup point guard to Derrick Walton, and Michigan’s offense has enough wiggle room to allow Walton, Albrecht, and incoming freshman Xavier Simpson all to get minutes. (It would also hopefully ensure that Andrew Dakich doesn’t have to play a crunch-time role, which would be great.)

F Kam Chatman
It was fun to see Chatman hit the three-pointer to win the Indiana game, and not only because it was a win for Michigan. Chatman was about the last person I would expect to hit a dagger like that, but he pulled it off. You can see his talent, but he needs to get stronger. He’s also one of those kids who would benefit from an influx of confidence, and maybe the finish to his season would help him get there. It would be excellent if he could develop as an option at the four, so Zak Irvin doesn’t have to play out of position. Michigan could use his presence in the frontcourt not only next year, but in 2017-2018 after Michigan has lost Albrecht, Irvin, Derrick Walton, and maybe Mark Donnal.

Hit the jump for a rundown of the rest of Michigan’s key players.

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Visitors: April 1-3, 2016

Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy offensive lineman Robert Hainsey

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Here’s an early list of visitors for the 2016 spring game, which will take place on April 1. There will be lots of additions (and probably some subtractions), and I expect a good number of local recruits to visit Michigan Stadium for the event. However, local recruits are less vocal about these types of things, because they can hop in a car and drive an hour or two to the stadium, whereas players from far away have to make travel plans ahead of time. It’s shaping up to be a pretty good group so far.

2016 SIGNEES
Camaron Cheeseman
Kekoa Crawford
Nick Eubanks
Chris Evans
Devin Gil
Brad Hawkins, Jr.
Lavert Hill
Nate Johnson
Ron Johnson, Jr.
David Long
Elysee Mbem-Bosse
Eddie McDoom
Josh Metellus
Quinn Nordin
Michael Onwenu
Simeon Smith
Joshua Uche
Tru Wilson

2017
Jordan Anthony – LB – Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy: Anthony is a 6’0″, 220 lb. prospect with offers from Auburn, Clemson, Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #9 outside linebacker, and #133 overall. Anthony is now at IMG Academy with some other Michigan prospects – including Robert Hainsey – but he started off his high school career at Olney (MD) Good Counsel. He is a “maybe” for the spring game if he can arrange transportation.

Markquese Bell – WR – Bridgeton (NJ) Bridgeton: Bell is a 6’3″, 200 lb. prospect who released a top ten that includes Michigan and Rutgers, among others. He also has offers from Florida and Georgia. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #30 athlete, and #364 overall.

Corey Bolds – DE – Paramus (NJ) Catholic: Bolds is a 6’3″, 260 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, and Rutgers, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #18 defensive tackle, and #305 overall. He was a teammate of 2016 signee Rashan Gary and is a current teammate of 2017 linebacker Drew Singleton (see below) and 2018 quarterback Allan Walters.

Ellis Brooks – LB – Richmond (VA) Benedictine: Brooks is a 6’2″, 240 lb. prospect with offers from Duke, Michigan, North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Virginia Tech, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #25 outside linebacker, and #292 overall. As a junior in 2015, he made 117 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 6 sacks. He is expected to stay in ACC country to play ball, but shortly after being offered by the Wolverines, he said he would visit for the spring game. That indicates he does have some serious interest in Michigan. UPDATE: Brooks committed to Duke on Thursday, so this visit may not occur.

Hit the jump for several more visitors.
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J’Marick Woods, Wolverine

Florence (AL) Florence safety J’Marick Woods (image via Scout)

Meta: I have disabled the popup window that appeared when you vote on comments, so now that will no longer be a nuisance.

Florence (AL) Florence safety J’Marick Woods committed to Michigan on Monday. He was the second commit of the day after running back A.J. Dillon (LINK). Woods chose the Wolverines over offers from Duke, Florida, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, Penn State, Tennessee, and Virginia Tech, among others.

Woods is listed at 6’3″, 205 lbs. and claims a 4.62 forty. He also lists a 4.11 shuttle, a 35″ vertical, a 275 lb. bench press, and a 390 lb. squat.

RATINGS
ESPN: 3-star, 79 grade, #25 S, #286 overall
Rivals: 3-star, #31 S
Scout: 4-star, #22 S, #278 overall
247 Sports: 3-star, 88 grade, #30 S, #400 overall

Hit the jump for more on the new commitment.

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A.J. Dillon, Wolverine

Groton (MA) Lawrence Academy running back A.J. Dillon

Groton (MA) Lawrence Academy running back A.J. Dillon committed to Michigan on Monday morning. He chose the Wolverines over offers from Boston College, Florida State, Iowa, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, UConn, UMass, Virginia Tech, and Wisconsin, among others.

Dillon is 6’1″, 230 lbs., and ran a 4.64 laser-timed forty, along with a 4.39 shuttle. As a junior in 2015, he ran 187 times for 1,887 yards and 26 TDs. When he was a sophomore in 2014, he ran 161 times for 1,368 yards and 21 TDs.

RATINGS
ESPN: 3-star RB
Rivals: 4-star, #16 RB
Scout: 3-star, #41 RB
247 Sports: 4-star, 91 grade, #18 RB, #207 overall

Hit the jump for more on Dillon’s commitment.

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