marquise williams

Remember, all-time updates can be found on the 2011 Michigan Football Recruiting Board. If you have any recruiting tips or questions, you can e-mail them to me at t.w.sullivan1@gmail.com or tweet @varsityblue. For game updates on Wolverine commits, check out the F riday Night Lights series.

This week, Wednesday Recruitin' goes overview. This isn't a comprehensive list of prospects that are considering Michigan, but a look at several of the more likely guys to end up in the Wolverines' class. Tom published a Best Guess list last weekend, as well.

QB

UMGoBlog has an interesting interview with FL QB Commit Kevin Sousa (at right), in which he says he's not hearing from Michigan as much as he'd like:

He'll visit Middle Tennessee State this weekend [10/24]. He will also visit Louisville and Wake Forest later in the season and hopes to get two more officials planned soon.

The reason?

"My commitment to Michigan is the same as their commitment to me. I want to be their guy but I was also told that they are going after another quarterback. "

That quarterback is obviously NC QB Marquise Williams, who visited for the Michigan State game (and is up for the National Player of the Year award). Williams is committed to North Carolina, but one must assume he's not particularly excited about suffering through 3-4 years of severe NCAA sanctions, so that commitment is soft.

Whichever guy Michigan ends up with, it's likely there will only be one quarterback in this class when all is said and done.

RB/Slot

FL RB Demetrius Hart is committed, but Michigan is still pursuing a couple guys who could play running back or slot receiver.

FL RB/Slot DeVondrick Nealy is more of a combo guy than fellow Floridian Prince Holloway, but both have the Wolverines high on their lists, and are candidates to fill the spot.

NJ Slot Miles Shuler is still considering Michigan, and was recently named to the Army All-American game.

WR/TE

With OH WR AJ Jordan coming off the board to Wisconsin and VA WR Quinta Funderburke headed to Arkansas, there are dwindling options at outside wide receiver in this class. It appears the Wolverines want another wideout only if it's a top guy, but definitely want to take a tight end.

FL WR Chris Gallon (at right) has started picking up interest from some of college football's big boys, including the Wolverines:

"I'm considering all schools that have offered right now [Colorado State, Memphis, FAU, BGSU]," said Gallon, who visited Florida Atlantic last season. "My cousin (DeAndre Williams) plays at FAU and he likes it a lot and we both pretty much like the same thing."

Michigan, Nebraska, USF, Miami and Iowa State have also shown an increased interest in Gallon, who leads the Panthers with 317 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns on 15 catches.

Gallon is yet another member of the Dr. Phillips group, and if Michigan continues to pick up interest, Dee Hart could help secure his commitment. Gallon is a tall wideout, listed between 6-4 and 6-5, and he could end up as a tight end if he lands with Michigan.

Fluff on FL WR Sammy Watkins, including the tidbit that Michigan sent coaches to watch his game on Friday (teammate Dallas Crawford is mentioned below).

There are a few more tight end prospects considering Michigan, such as recent visitor Drew Owens, but it seems like the Wolverines will have to wait to see how it all shakes out.

OL

The Wolverines are stockpiling linemen in this class, with Jack Miller, Tony Posada, and Jake Fisher already committed, and a couple more realistic prospects out there. Only one or two more will probably land in this class.

IL OL Chris Bryant has scheduled his Michigan official visit ($, info in header) for December 10th.

DT

Michigan may be in dire need of a defensive tackle or two in the class, and they're going hard after a few guys.

FL DT Tim Jernigan, who visited a couple weeks ago, has dropped Florida - who many presumed to be his favorite - from his tops schools list, and now has a top four of Michigan, LSU, Florida State, and Alabama.

The Wolverines are getting renewed interest from DC DT Kevin McReynolds.

DE

Though the Wolverines already have OH DE Chris Rock and MI DE/LB Brennen Beyer committed, they're going after other defensive ends (which could mean Rock ends up at defensive tackle).

Freep fluff on MI DE/OL Anthony Zettel, whom Josh Helmholdt calls "arguably the top prospect on left on [sic] their board." He keeps pushing back his decision timeframe:

He expects to start taking official visits once his senior season is complete and decide following those trips. Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Iowa and USC appear the most likely at this time to receive official visits.

It seems as though the Wolverines still lead, and as long as they're able to win a few more games this year, things look pretty good for Zettel.

Serious fluff on GA DE Ray Drew. He's a much more likely option if his buddy, GA S Avery Walls, picks the Wolverines.

PA DE Deion Barnes will visit after the season, and won't decide before January.

LB

TX LB Kellen Jones and OH/VA LB Antonio Kinard are both in Michigan's class already, but the Wolverines are still in need of some LB talent.

NC LB/WR Kris Frost has a top four of Auburn, Michigan, Florida, UCLA, and Cal

OH LB Sean Duggan has Michigan in his final four, but has put the recruiting process on hold until after his season.

Both premium sites ($, info in headers) mention that an in-state linebacker was recently offer, and that happens to be MI LB Desmond Morgan:

He also has a mid-season highlight reel that can only be watched on Youtube. Morgan is currently a 3-star prospect with offers from a few MAC schools and Boston College.

VA LB Travis Hughes has eliminated Michigan.

S

Michigan is looking for at least one true safety in this class, and maybe more.

GA S Avery Walls and FL S Wayne Lyons are two prime candidates to fill that spot, with Walls receiving a recent visit from Greg Robinson.

FL S HaSean Clinton-Dix and Karlos Williams are both committed to elsewhere, but will consider Michigan (unlikely though it may be that they actually switch commitments).

CB

Local fluff on LA CB Daren Kitchen and his buddy Jermaine Johnson, a Memphis commit. The article says that schools are waiting to evaluate Kitchen against better competition, which is an accurate assessment, methinks.

Michigan is no longer on the list for VA CB Demetrious Nicholson.

2012

Josh Helmholdt talks early offers in the Free Press, and concludes that the (idiotic) change in NCAA rules hasn't slowed that process down.

Michigan has only offered a couple quarterbacks in the class of 2012, but it seems that one of them, FL QB Bennie Coney, can't seem to keep himself out of trouble. With the negative PR swirling around Ann Arbor, I doubt Rich Rodriguez would be able to take a chance on this kid.

I talked about OH QB/Ath Demitrious Davis last week, and his teammate William Mahone is looking at Michigan as well ($, info in header).

Fluff on IL OL Dan Voltz. With a commitment coming at the end of his junior season, the lack of a Michigan mention probably means the Wolverines don't stand much of a chance.

PA OL Tyler Alt will visit Penn State for the Michigan game this weekend. He's already been to Ann Arbor this fall, and is very interested in the Wolverines.

OH DE Chris Wormley (at right) is the subject of last week's Sam Webb column in the Detroit News:

"It is Michigan and Ohio State at the top," stated Wormley matter-of-factly. "I don't really have them one-two right now, but they are definitely at the top."

At this early stage in his recruitment Wormley remains wide open to overtures from any schools. However, it is abundantly clear the Wolverines and Buckeyes have a few built-in advantages that will make them major players in his recruitment until the very end.

As you may recall, Wormley received his Michigan offer at the Iowa game a week ago, and conventional wisdom - even among Buckeye fans - has him eventually landing with the Wolverines.

But first, we wrap the recruitment of Dee Hart:

Demetrius Hart Goes Blue

Still goin' "weeee!" The Orlando Sentinel covers Hart's commitment:

"They had everything that I wanted," Hart said "Academics, family and love"

"I had known a while ago," said Hart in regards to when he knew Michigan was the right school for him. "I had told the (Michigan) coaches that I was going to take it easy and weigh all my options, but I came through."

"I'm a versatile guy and they need that guy at running back who can break tackles and have speed around the edge and I think I can bring that to the table," he said.

ESPN's Corey Long talks to Hart about the commitment as well:

"The Michigan fans are such friendly people, they make you feel comfortable and calm," Hart added. "They want you to enjoy the Michigan experience and take it all in. And the coaches are the same way. They wanted us to be around the team and experience everything first hand."

For more details on Hart's abilities, check out Hello: Demetrius Hart. If he were a more NFL-sized back, he'd be a lock for 5-star status, and his lack of height won't be an issue in Michigan's system. Video of his commitment (at 3:25) along with some highlights from his game Friday:

Hart's teammate LB Darryl Monroe, a Washington State commit, plans to visit, and S Roderick Ryles plans to give Michigan a look, as does WR Chris Gallon. The ESPN article linked above points out that S Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix probably isn't an option:

And there are some hoping that Hart's commitment to Michigan will have an affect on Clinton-Dix, but the running back says that his teammate is happy with his choice at Alabama and they will not pressure each other... "But we'll find out for sure in 2012, because that's when Michigan plays Alabama. I'm happy for HaHa and he's happy for me. It's all about finding the right fit for you."

Darn. And yes, that defense has 4+ D-1 prospects on it. There should be a mass visit by several Dr. Phillips guys (including Hart, 2012 QB Nick Patti, and the above listed guys) for either the Illinois or Wisconsin game.

Visits

Before getting into the upcoming weekend, let's see how a few of the visitors to last weekend's game enjoyed themselves:

FL RB Devondrick Nealy has Michigan on top coming out of his official visit, and even came close to a commitment.

VA WR Quinta Funderburke has narrowed his list to Arkansas, Florida, Michigan, and West Virginia, with the Hogs currently on top.

FL OL James Elliott enjoyed his Michigan visit ($, info in header) enough for the Wolverines to be in front for his services. He doesn't hold an offer yet, as Michigan's coaches are waiting on players like Chris Bryant and Anthony Zettel.

OH LB Sean Duggan is down to BC, Duke, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Virginia. He enjoyed the visit to Michigan.

As for the upcoming week, Tom hath compiled the usual list of game visitors:

• DT Timmy Jernigan - 6'2", 275 lbs, 4 star, Lake City, Florida
• TE Drew Owens - 6'5", 225 lbs, 3 Star, Charlotte, North Carolina
• DB Dallas Crawford - 5'10", 185 lbs, 3 Star, Fort Myers, Florida
• WR Sammy Watkins - 6'1", 180 lbs, 4 Star, Fort Myers, Florida
• WR Hakeem Flowers - 6'2", 175 lbs, 3 Star, Greenville, South Carolina
• WR Quinta Funderburk - 6'5", 204 lbs, 3 Star, Chesapeake, Virginia
• WR AJ Jordan - 6'2", 165 lbs, 3 Star, Trotwood, Ohio

2012

• DE Chris Wormley - 6'4", 255 lbs, Toledo, Ohio
• RB Will Mahone - 5'11", 205 lbs, Austintown, Ohio (He confirmed he will be there)
• DB Luc Haupt - 6'0", 180 lbs, Austintown, Ohio
• DB Chris Davis - 5'10", 183 lbs, Austintown, Ohio
• QB Demitrious Davis - 5'10", 183 lbs, Austintown, Ohio

The list is always changing, so be sure to click through for the latest update.

Other Guys

Last week's Sam Webb article in the Detroit News covered how Michigan's recruiting efforts could benefit from the national popularity of one Denard Xavier Robinson. Scout Southeast expert Chad Simmons on NC QB Marquise Williams:

I definitely don’t think his recruiting is done. After talking to him and his coaches when I was there for a couple of hours, he is still on that commitment list for North Carolina, but he is definitely reevaluating everything. He still does like North Carolina and they still are the team to beat for sure, but Michigan is up there.

Williams was yet another of Michigan's visitors for the Michigan State game, so we'll see how his recruitment turns out.

OH Slot Tyler Williams, a high school quarterback, has been hearing from the Wolverines lately:

Williams has scholarship offers from Cincinnati, Kent State, Buffalo, Ohio and Akron. He has also received strong interest from the likes of Michigan and Louisville.

If he receives an offer, it won't come until much later in the process.

SC WR Hakeem Flowers named Michigan to his final five ($, info in header), along with LSU, Oregon, UCLA and Georgia Tech.

NC WR/LB Kris Frost (at right) was recently selected to the Army All-American Bowl, and gave a brief recruiting update:

"At this point Michigan, Auburn, LSU, (UNC) Chapel Hill and Cal are really starting to stick out a little bit. These colleges are really coming at me, showing me all they can, and I'm loving it. I'm just taking it all in," he said.

Frost hasn't yet taken any official visits, but he currently plans to be in Ann Arbor for the Wolverines' game with Wisconsin the weekend of November 20.

Should Frost pick the Wolverines at the game, expect him on campus in January, as he plans to enroll early.

GA S Avery Walls will take a few more visits instead of deciding within a couple weeks. Things are still looking good for Michigan, but other schools have plenty of time to persuade him.

Though he comes from a past class (2009), CA S Byron Moore, a USC transfer, may consider Michigan.

Check out Tom's weekly update for the latest on a couple more prospects, including 5-star safety Karlos Williams.

2012

In last week's Sam Webb column in the Detroit News, Scout Midwest recruiting expert Allen Trieu ran through a number of the top prospects in Michigan and Ohio for the 2012 class,

AL LB Reggie Ragland, a top prospect in next year's class, has early interest in the Wolverines. He's already been offered by Alabama and Auburn, so he'll certainly be no easy pull.

Remember, all-time updates can be found on the 2011 Michigan Football Recruiting Board. If you have any recruiting tips or questions, you can e-mail them to me at t.w.sullivan1@gmail.com or tweet @varsityblue. For game updates on Wolverine commits, check out the Friday Night Lights series.

The past couple weeks have been heavy with updates on official visitors, but with MIchigan taking on a couple lesser opponents i the next two weeks, important visits are likely on hold until the Michigan State game. Stay tuned later for a visitor's list for that game.

NC QB Marquise Williams (at right) is committed to North Carolina, but that won't stop him from officially visiting Michigan ($, info in header). No word on how serious the interest is, or whther Michigan is even in a position where they can use a second scholarship on a quarterback.

FL RB Demetrius Hart (whom you may have heard of) still favors Michigan over Auburn and Alabama, but has added Arkansas to his list as well. He's officially visiting the Tigers this weekend, but is expected to pick Michigan sometime soon. He will enroll early at his school of choice, so a decision will be coming soon.

NJ TE Jack Tabb will take his time finishing up the recruiting process. Michigan, North Carolina, and the Florida schools seem to be out front for him at this point.

According to WTKA, MI DE/OL Anthony Zettel skipped out on an official visit to Iowa... to watch Michigan play on TV. That sounds pretty positive for the Wolverines' chances of landing him. He intends to visit both Michigan and MIchigan State on Saturday. He now plans to wait until the end of the season to make a decision.

MGoBlog's own TomVH runs down a list of recruits who may be swayed toward Michigan with the strong start to the football season. Anthony Zettel and IL OL Chris Bryant are just a couple of the prospects who have taken notice of the Denarding. Click through to the Diary to see who else is being convinced. Tom's weekly update contains more information on several prospects.

TN OL Antonio Richardson might try to visit Michigan at some point this year.

Recruiting fluff on MI DT Eric Crume. With Michigan's need for DTs, they probably aren't interested in him if they haven't offered by now.

IL DE James Adeyanju has narrowed his list to five schools ($, info in header), and Michigan isn't among them.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution runs down the recruitment of NC LB/WR Kris Frost:

Auburn, Cal, FSU, Michigan, North Carolina and Southern Cal are all supposed to get visits. So there are plenty of takers out there.

Michigan's strong season may be helping convince him that Ann Arbor is a place he can come to win championships.

FL S Ha'sean Clinton-Dix (pictured at right) is about "85 percent" committed to Alabama. Despite softening up his commitment status, MIchigan is not one of his top schools. Florida, Florida State, and USC are his top non-Alabama suitors.

FL CB/S Jonathan Aiken currently favors Rutgers and Illinois.

Despite his commitment to Florida State, FL S Karlos Williams is still interested in a few schools, including MIchigan:

"I'm committed to FSU, but I'm still watching FSU, Miami, USC, Michigan, and Ohio State," he said. Karlos had previously stated that he may take some of his official visits, if the schools he's monitoring are having good seasons, and if he has the time.

Though he sounds likely to stick with FSU, the Wolverines' chnces will improve dramatically if he takes a visit to Ann Arbor.

LA CB Daren Kitchen is thinking about visiting for the Michigan State game ($, info in header). Though he doesn't hold an offer from the Wolverines yet, Michigan and Texas A&M are his top two.

The Distant Future. The Year 2012

Local fluff on FL OL Abraham "Nacho" Garcia, including a list of top schools:

"I'm looking at LSU, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan and UM. I've visited a lot of colleges. For right now, those are the top [ones]. So until I see other colleges that's how it's going to stay for a while."

He's' previously said SU leads for him, but there's plenty of time to sway him.

MIchigan is among the suitors for IL DT Vincent Valentine. He'll take his time making a decision (which means there's a looooooong way to go in his recruitment).

OH DE Chris Wormley visited Michigan for the UConn game ($, info in header), as did MI LB James Ross ($, info in header).

Remember, all-time updates can be found on the 2011 Michigan Football Recruiting Board. If you have any recruiting tips or questions, you can e-mail them to me at t.w.sullivan1@gmail.com or tweet @varsityblue. For game updates on Wolverine commits, check out the Friday Night Lights series.

The Afterglow

Tom's weekly update had a quick rundown of how some prospects enjoyed the game. Most Michigan fans were expecting a commitment from FL RB Demetrius Hart (at right), so not landing him is a bit of a disappointment. Tom says Michigan still leads, and a commitment at the MSU or Iowa game is still a possibility. On Hart's teammate, FL S Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix:

Speaking with a few people about him makes me feel like he's pretty solid with Alabama. That's not to say that it would be impossible to sway him, it would just take quite a bit to do that. If Demetrius makes another trip up to Michigan and Ha'Sean were to come with him, there would be reason for excitement. I've been told that there may be some teammates (possibly former as well) trying to persuade him to go north.

Swinging Clinton-Dix would be huge for the Wolverines, and I'm willing to bet his former teammate talking up Michigan is one Ricardo Miller. Fluff on him. The Orlando Sentinel covers the visits of Hart, Clinton-Dix, and 2012 QB Nick Patti. No news other than "it was a little unseasonably cold." Patti has an early top 4 of Michigan, Oregon, North Carolina, and Florida State.

Click through to Tom's update to see reactions from OH WR AJ Jordan and MI OL/DE Anthony Zettel (who Rivals say was "impressed with U-M win" ($, info in header)), along with a few 2012 guys.

GA S Avery Walls said:

"The game was great, and the visit went great," he said... "This visit helped Michigan a lot. I'm going to be watching their next few games," he said.

MIchigan was already the presumed favorite, so if the Wolverines perform well over the next few games, a mid-October commitment is a possibility (he has west coast trips planned for the 2nd and 9th).

Tom also talked to 2012 OH DE Chris Wormley, who said Michigan's attention has picked up now that it's, you know, legal for them to give it. The visit helped Michigan in his recruitment.

Josh Helmholdt runs down some of the prospects who were in attendance in that one Detroit paper. Of note other than the known 2011 guys:

Flint Northern running back Thomas Rawls, Crockett linebacker Bilaal Collins and Lake Orion running back Marques Stevenson also attended the game.

The class of 2012 was also well represented. Notable prospects in attendance included Crockett quarterback Brian Blackburn and running back Marcellous McElrath; Catholic Central lineman Matthew Godin; Flint Powers defensive tackle Danny O’Brien; King running back Dennis Norfleet; Kenton, Ohio, quarterback Maty Mauk; Orchard Lake St. Mary’s linebacker James Ross; Cass Tech teammates Terry Richardson and Royce Jenkins Stone, and Toledo (Ohio) Whitmer defensive end Chris Wormley.

I also heard from a source on 2012 PA OL Tyler Alt:

Ty had a blast at the Mich game. Got chills walking out of the tunnel and the recpetion by the Mich fans was unbleiveable.

Good to see younger guys enjoying Michigan. If Rich Rod and Co. can put it together on the field this season, the 2012 class could be a special one.

On the other side of the fence, FL S Wayne Lyons is the only mutual prospect officially visiting South Bend for Michigan's game against the Irish.

Etc.

I won't put him back on the board just yet, but NC QB Marquise Williams says he'll decommit from the Tar Heels if the NCAA puts them on probation. If that comes to fruition, there's a chance he'd consider the Wolverines again, especially since he's still planning an official visit to Ann Arbor.

OH TE/LB Austin Traylor is still considering MIchigan ($, info in header).

FL DT Timmy Jernigan won't be announcing his decision at an All-Star game:

He'll probably trim his list to a final three schools by the midway point of his final prep football season. National Signing Day is Feb. 2.

"I hope by signing day, I am pretty sure I will have something figured out by then," Jernigan said. "Of course there is pressure but I am pretty sure I'll make the right decision."

No word on exactly when he plans to visit Ann Arbor, but he still plans to.

IL DE James Adeyanju does not have Michigan on his fall visits list. He took a trip to Ann Arbor this summer, and is still considering the Wolverines. Both Adeyanju and IL OL Chris Bryant will make decisions after their senior seasons.

Recruiting fluff on PA DE Deion Barnes. He'll make his selection at the Army Game (if invited), or at the end of his senior season. He also talks a bit about his game:

Once he gets to a college campus and in an enhanced weight lifting program, Barnes figures to fill out and become even stronger. For now, his quickness and instincts have proven him to be a natural at rushing the quarterback.

"My instincts and my experience, I would say those are my strengths," he said. "And I like to think of myself as probably one of the smartest guys on the field."

Michigan's efforts at both offensive line and defensive end will become much more clear when we figure out how the recruitments of Zettel and Bryant shake out.

KY LB Lamar Dawson has reportedly been selected to the Army All-American Bowl.

OH LB Sean Duggan breaks down his top five of BC, Wisconsin, Michigan, Virginia, and Duke. On the Wolverines:

Michigan- "Again they have great academics at Michigan. Football is big in Ann Arbor, which is great. The coaches there are great, and the tradition is huge."

All of his schools are academic powerhouses, so he's looking as much for a good education as he is for good football.

FL S LaQuentin Smith, (a teammate and friend of the Dr. Phillips guys), has added Michigan to his list of favorites. He plans to visit Michigan before making a final decision at the end of this month. His highlights:

Happy Trails

MD Ath Darius Jennings does not have Michigan in his top/final 10.

Re-removed NJ OL Keith Lumpkin, who is deciding between five non-Michigan schools soon.

The Distant Future. The Year 2012.

Fluff on MO WR Dorial Green-Beckham.

MI TE Matt Doneth is a prospect to keep an eye on ($, info in header).

LSU is the favorite for 2012 FL OL Nacho Garcia. There's still plenty of time for other schools to overtake the Tigers.

Michigan leads for MI LB Royce Jenkins-Stone ($, info in header). As noted above, he visited for the UConn game.

Michigan is recruiting PA S Okezie Alozie ($, info in header).

Remember, the Michigan Football Recruiting Board holds all the info you need.

Tournaments, Visits, Decisions. Oh My!

FL RB Dee Hart and his Dr. Phillips teammates participated in the Nike 7ON tournament last weekend, and though the team results weren't the best, Dee tore it up:

Hart was easily the best player on the field for Dr. Phillips and when the team seemed out of sorts to start the competition, he stepped up to make some key plays.

That's an extremely positive review, the type that Michigan fans are used to seeing by now. That, along with Dr. Phillips's fourth place finish, earned Hart a spot on the all-tournament team, and the Orlando Sentinel explains why:

"One play sums up Hart's style of play: He caught the ball for a short gain and put a swift move on a linebacker and then sprinted toward the middle of the field to gain some separation. When two defensive backs came to meet him he side-stepped them and they collided as he ran past for an even bigger gain. Hart is electric with the ball in his hands and he can catch coming out of the backfield.'

Craig Haubert points out that he's great at going up to get the ball, despite his smaller stature. Here's a bit of recruiting fluff on Hart and his teammate FL S HaSean Clinton-Dix. Hart is also cryptic in his recruiting interviews, though reporters still haven't realized that he just wants to be left alone. He'll be in Ann Arbor today with 2012 FL QB Nick Patti.

AZ OL Cyrus Hobbi was in Ann Arbor this week ($, info in header). He told Tom that he really enjoyed the visit.

Tom talked to IL OL Jordan Walsh (pictured at right) prior to his Michigan visit this past Tuesday, and this week's Detroit News column by Sam Webb has the latest:

"It went well," said Walsh of his one-on-one time with Michigan's head coach. "We talked a lot about (different) stuff, and not always about football. He told me about the new additions to the Big House, the town, and everything. I like him. I guess you could say he's different from how he is portrayed. He's a really cool, laid-back person. He's always smiling, and the way he talks about things, you kind of just feel good talking to him."

Walsh, who grew up a Michigan fan, plans to make a pre-season decision. He is down to eight schools, including Michigan, conference mates Michigan State, Iowa, and Northwestern, and a pair each from the PAC-10 and SEC in the Los Angeles schools and the Tennessee schools.

MI OL Jake Fisher has made up his mind between Michigan and Michigan State, and will be announcing very soon. I hope Michigan State blogs didn't bother preparing Hello: Jake Fisher posts in advance.

LA CB Daren Kitchen has been openly lobbying for a Michigan offer, going so far as to say he'd commit to the Wolverines on the spot. According to Tom, he's not only been offered, but also upheld his pledge to accept. Rich Rodriguez recently returned from vacation, so we'll have to see if that offer becomes committable. If so, look for a Hello: Daren Kitchen post i the near future.

Happy Trails

Happy Trails, NC QB Marquise Williams. After the commitment of FL QB Kevin Sousa, it was clear that Michigan's staff knew Williams was heading elsewhere, now it's just been made official—he'll be a Tar Heel.

Michigan is not mentioned in a Rivals article about PA DE Desimon Green, who "knows where he wants to go." He's still on the board, but close to a Happy Trails moment.

Adios, FL LB AJ Johnson. He's narrowed his list to three, and Michigan is nowhere to be found.

Paring It Down

LA DT Mickey Johnson is down to a final five schools:

“UCLA, Nebraska, Michigan, Tennessee, and LSU are my final 5 in that order. I’m going to take 4 official visits, I won’t take one to LSU since it’s so close. I may enter a 5th visit down the line but we’ll see. I’m up to over 40 total offers right now so it’s been tough to narrow them down.”

Here's Johnson in action during his junior season:

Johnson is probably Michigan's last best hope for a high profile nose tackle in this class, though he maintains that UCLA and Nebraska have a healthy lead on the other three schools.

PA DE Deion Barnes plans to narrow his list to four or five schools by the start of his high school season.

GA S Avery Walls has a top 11, which includes Michigan. He plans to visit Virginia and Oregon, the only schools on the list that he hasn't seen yet, before making his mid-season decision. Remember, he spoke glowingly of Ann Arbor when he came through last month.

FL S Wayne Lyons has cut his list to 14 schools ($, info in header). Phil Kornblut shares the contents:

He announced a cut down list of 14 Saturday night that included the Gamecocks, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Stanford, Vanderbilt, UCLA and South Florida.

Michigan hadn't seemed too involved in Lyons's recruitment, but we'll see if interest increases now that it's obviously mutual. From the same article, Michigan is in a top 9 for FL S/WR Sammy Watkins. Clemson and Miami are his top two.

Michigan is in the final eight for OH CB Doran Grant. Ohio State and Michigan State (where his dad played) are still the presumed favorites.

Etc.

FL RB DeVondrick Nealy has a Michigan offer and the Wolverines are in his top five. He's likely a backup plan if Demetrius Hart doesn't end up in Ann Arbor.

OH WR AJ Jordan is up to 21 offers. He'll also make a return trip to Ann Arbor:

"I'm visiting Illinois, Wisconsin, Purdue, Indiana and Michigan this summer and hopefully I'll be able to make a decision before the start of the season.

He's been to Ann Arbor a couple times, so Michigan is likely near the top of his list. At this time, I think most people expect him to be Michigan's second outside wideout in this class. Here's his junior video, for those who are interested.

MI OL Anthony Zettel won't decide until after at least one official visit, to Iowa ($, info in header). Even just that header mentions that Michigan and Michigan State have a big lead on the field.

The Oakland Press's Scott Burnstein obviously turned on his BROTASTIC filter before writing this article about MI CB Valdez Showers:

Then summertime hit and with the increase in temperature, the Eagles very own, "REIGN MAN," caught red-hot fire and proceeded to BLOW UP like DA BOMB he is.

So, uh, yeah. Not really sure how I should react to that.

PA CB/S Dondi Kirby tore his ACL at Michigan's camp ($, info in header), and will miss his senior year of football.

Michigan is giving attention to OH CB Roger Williamson ($, info in header). I've added him to the board.

The Distant Future. The Year 2012.

As mentioned above, FL QB Nick Patti (right) is in town this weekend with his 2011 teammate, FL RB Dee Hart. Though he's a little guy, the Orlando Sentinel still points out that he's one heck of a QB:

"[H]e's going to make some school happy. He has a big arm, is smart and capable and was one of the better quarterbacks at the event."

Patti, just a junior, is heading into his first full season as the starting QB at Dr. Phillips. He recently won the Golden Gun award for accuracy, hitting all eight targets at the Las Vegas Elite 11 camp.

Offers, much less a commitment, for Patti are a long way off, but keep him in the back of your mind.

Michigan has picked up a couple players from Columbus St. Francis DeSales in the past couple years (Patrick Omameh in 2008, Chris Rock in 2011), so don't be surprised if they go after OH RB Warren Ball, who should be one of the Midwest's top running backs. Alas, they'll have to fight Ohio State if they want to land him.

SC WR Dorial Green, who holds a Michigan offer, will be a big-time recruit next year:

He helped lead the Hornets to a Class 5 basketball state championship. He also closed his sophomore year by winning two state titles, including the 100 meters, at the track and field championships.

Projections will have him as one of the most highly regarded national football recruits of the Class of 2012. The top programs in the country will be offering to Green, who is 6-foot-5.

The rest of the article is of the variety "his Rivals profile says he's interested in...," so take it with a grain of salt.

As a reminder, recruiting updates are saved for posterity on the 2011 Michigan Football Recruiting Board.

About To Drop?

FL OL Tony Posada may be getting close to a Florida offer ($, info in header). He just needs to lose 10 pounds and the Gators have promised he'll receive one. [Ed: Or that could be a slow-play and Florida isn't going to offer.] Florida was his childhood favorite, so that could dampen his Michigan lean. Posada and MI OL Jake Fisher (pictured at right) are both deciding soon.

If one or both of them pick(s) Michigan, that would be a fine start to Michigan's offensive line haul in the class. The Wolverines are the favorite for both, but Fisher plans to check out Michigan State once more before making a decision, and Posada is searching for that Florida offer.

Much, much more on their ability to play football if they commit.

Tops In State

Scout has released its Top 80 List for the state of Michigan. The Top 10, and other recruits of interest (or who might be at some point):

• 1 LB Lawrence Thomas (MSU Commit)
• 2 WR DeAnthony Arnett
• 3 DE Brennen Beter (Michigan Commit)
• 4 OL/DE Anthony Zettel
• 5 RB Justice Hayes
• 6 OL Jake Fisher
• 7 CB Valdez Showers
• 8 RB Onaje Miller (MSU Commit)
• 9 LB Ed Davis
• 10 CB Delonte Hollowell (Michigan Commit)
• 11 WR Shawn Conway (Michigan Commit)
• 13 RB Thomas Rawls
• 16 LB Taiwan Jones (Michigan State Commit)
• 21 DE Damon Knox
• 22 TE Ben McCord
• 35 TE Nate Dreslinski
• 46 FB Joey Kerridge
• 59 RB DaShawn Bell
• 66 LB Dwight Trammer
• 73 OL Bryan Bell
• 74 OL Willie Beavers

Right now, it appears as though Michigan State has the slight edge in-state, but the Wolverines have a good chance to close out strong.

In the same vein, Sam Webb's weekly Detroit News column runs down a few of the top guys in the state who are uncommitted. The main prospects of interest in that story are OL Jake Fisher and LB Ed Davis, but it sounds like RB Thomas Rawls could pick up a Michigan offer somewhere down the line.

Scott Burnstein of the Oakland Press runs down a couple in-state sleepers who impressed at Michigan's summer camp.

Assume The Position: Tight End

The times, they have changed since I last broke down tight end recruiting. With the number of offers Michigan's coaching staff has out at the position, I think it's pretty clear that they want one in this class (though they could be offering some guys with the intention of moving them to the defensive side of the ball).

The biggest recent news is OH TE Ray Hamilton's commitment to Iowa. Michigan had appeared to be very strong in his recruitment until he joined the Hawkeyes' class of 2011. Though his commitment seems firm, his dad's connection to Rich Rodriguez could help Michigan stay in the picture with a good season.

SC TE Jerrell Adams seems to have a Michigan offer, and the Wolverines are definitely in the picture ($, info in header). He's definitely a possibility for the spot.

NJ TE Taques Franklin has legit Michigan interest, and plans to take an official visit. However, a little birdie tells me that he has some work to do in the classroom to ensure that he will qualify to play at the next level.

NJ TE/QB Tanner McEvoy (maybe intent on being a QB?), NC TE Drew Owens, FL TE Brandon Fulse, and OH TE Austin Traylor and are guys that Michigan tossed an offer to, and haven't seemed to talk about the Wolverines too much since. I'll assume they're pseudo-longshots.

Happy Trails

Happy trails, NY QB Ashton Broyld. Though he's visited Michigan, he's not hearing from the Wolverines.

Happy trails, NJ RB Savon Huggins, who released a Top/Final 10 list without Michigan.

Happy trails to FL LB Kent Turene. For whatever reason, the staff never offered Turene, even as it became clear that Demar Dorsey's former teammate was going to wind up as a big time prospect. With adequate time to evaluate him (and obvious hints that he was interested in Michigan), I'll trust their opinion in not offering him. He's now committed to USC.

As predicted last week, OH S Ron Tanner picked Ohio State on Friday. Check out Rivals's video, in which he puts on a Michigan hat before actually picking the Bucks. OMG PUNK'D.

Etc.

NC QB Marquise Williams is still planning to decide soon ($, info in header). Michigan was already slipping, and the commitment of FL QB Kevin Sousa is another indication that he won't put on the maize and blue cap.

As The Demetrius Turns... FL RB Demetrius Hart still has Michigan and Auburn on top. Those two and Alabama are still the main contenders for his services. He's considering multiple Michigan visits this fall, and there's no reason to believe the Wolverines have slipped.

OH WR AJ Jordan plans to trim his list soon ($, info in header). Jordan is probably the hottest prospect on Michigan's board at wide receiver, as most expect him to end up donning the winged helmet. AJ should commit before the season starts, and could join his former teammates (Roy Roundtree et al) in Ann Arbor.

MI WR Willie Snead hasn't been hearing much from Michigan, but is getting attention from... Florida? I wonder if things will pick up with the local schools. If not, he'll slip right of the ol' recruiting board.

Though some Michigan fans have been expecting an early decision from MI OL Anthony Zettel, he tells ESPN that's not going to happen. He's considering a couple official visits, mainly to check out Penn State and Iowa (and maybe UCLA), schools on his favorites list that he hasn't had a chance to see. The Wolverines and Spartans still have a healthy lead on the rest of the field. Zettel seems like one of the many prospects that Michigan should land as long as they start the season strong.

Shoutout to MGoUser JC3 who brought this to my attention: IL OL Chris Bryant recently received a Big Ten offer ($, info in header), and Tom confirmed via Twitter that it was from the Wolverines . He'd been openly campaigning for such an offer, so does that mean he might join Michigan's class? He won't decide for a while, but the Wolverines are probably near the top of his list.

Though this local fluff on VA LB Curtis Grant (pictured at right) doesn't mention Michigan, it does say he's planning to take his time making a decision - and he has interest across the country.

In came Grant, a freshman who had played sparingly up to that point in the season for Richmond-based Hermitage. On the conversion attempt, Highland Springs' quarterback rolled to his right and stopped before attempting to catch Hermitage's defense by surprise with a pass back across the field. Grant batted the pass down to negate the threat.

"I was like 'Wow, the first play we send him in and he makes an impact play'" Kane said. "From then on, he was not afraid of competition. He just went out there and played. That was pretty special for a kid of that age — a ninth-grader coming into a playoff game to replace a senior."

Yay fun anecdote. VolNation doesn't mention a Michigan visit, but I think he's planning to take one in August.

PA CB Kyshoen Jarrett has released a top/final 9, with Michigan, Illinois, MSU, UConn, Penn State, Pitt, Stanford, Virginia, and Wisconsin. He plans to trim again in about a month, and take a few official visits before coming to a decision.

TomVH's weekly update has all the latest news on AZ OL Cyrus Hobbi, FL OL Tony Posada, GA S Avery Walls, and a couple more prospects. Check it out for the news. Speaking of Walls, he comes in for some local fluff. He genuinely enjoyed his Ann Arbor visit, and the coaches will be all over this top safety.