Starkville (MS) Starkville LB Willie Gay (image via Twitter)
Normally I do a position-by-position look when I do these “If I Had My Druthers” posts, but it’s coming down to crunch time and I don’t have the chance. So here’s a quick look at how I prefer the guys on Michigan’s short list:
Leesburg (GA) Lee County DT Aubrey Solomon (image via Scout)
National Signing Day 2017 begins on Wednesday, February 1. Below are six storylines and all the uncommitted prospects that Michigan has offered.
Iowa City (IA) West wide receiver Oliver Martin (image via The Gazette)
Ellis Brooks – LB – Richmond (VA) Benedictine: Brooks is a 6’2″, 233 lb. prospect who was committed to Duke at one point. He also has offers from LSU, Maryland, Michigan, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Oregon, and Virginia, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #12 inside linebacker, and #267 overall. He has had a bit of a meandering journey with the Duke commitment, a few different leaders, a few teams slow-playing him, etc. In fact, both Michigan and Notre Dame have pulled back at times. UPDATE: Michigan is no longer pursuing Brooks.
Joel Honigford – OT – Sugarcreek (OH) Garaway: Honigford committed to Michigan in June of 2016 (LINK). This is his official visit.
Oliver Martin – WR – Iowa City (IA) West: Martin is a 6’0″, 188 lb. prospect with offers from Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #28 wide receiver, and #170 overall. He played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl a few weeks ago, and as a senior in 2016, he caught 85 passes for 1,272 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was also Gatorade Player of the Year in Iowa. Michigan had been his leader at one point but backed off when they thought Nico Collins was coming. Now that Collins seems to be headed for Georgia, Michigan has picked things back up for Martin. This will be an official visit.
Hit the jump for some more visitors.
Pinson (AL) Clay-Chalkville WR Nico Collins
COMMITMENTS
Michigan’s wide receiver recruiting situation has been slow to develop, even though it’s been clear for two years now that the team would be losing two senior starters after the 2016 season in Jehu Chesson and Amara Darboh. The first player worth mentioning committed last Thursday, and that’s Detroit (MI) Cass Tech’s Donovan Peoples-Jones, a 5-star, the #1 receiver, and the #11 overall player in the class, according to the 247 Composite. He’s 6’2″, 192 lbs. and checks all the boxes you would want in a wideout. The next highest rated guy is Cheshire (CT) Cheshire Academy’s Tarik Black, who committed just one day earlier. He’s 6’4″, 208 lbs. and a 4-star, the #17 wide receiver, and #124 overall. Last – and sneakiest – is Suffield (CT) Suffield Academy’s Brad Hawkins, Jr., who pledged to the Wolverines as a part of the 2016 class. He had to attend a year of prep school, and nobody really knew whether he would qualify or if Michigan would still want him.
Hit the jump for a deeper look at Michigan’s wide receiver recruiting in 2017.
Alex Leatherwood
This might be Michigan’s biggest recruiting weekend of the year, since the MSU and OSU games are on the road. So here’s an early list of the visitors headed to Ann Arbor.
Jordan Anthony – LB – Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy: Anthony is a 6’0″, 220 lb. prospect with offers from Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Penn State, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #7 outside linebacker, and #115 overall. Though he has played the last couple seasons in Florida, he’s a Maryland native. The Crystal Ball is 40% in favor of Michigan. This is his official visit.
Markquese Bell – S – Bridgeton (NJ) Bridgeton: I did a scouting report on Bell in April (LINK). He tweeted not long ago that distance is no longer a factor in his decision, which has made some people think that he’s leaning away from Rutgers and perhaps toward Michigan. UPDATE: Bell is no longer planning to visit.
Kenney “K.J.” Britt – LB – Oxford (AL) Oxford: Britt is a 6’0″, 232 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, and Michigan, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #15 inside linebacker, and #317 overall. So far his Crystall Ball is 67% for Auburn and 33% for Georgia. UPDATE: Britt is no longer planning to visit.
Hit the jump for a bunch of people who are planning to visit, I swear.