sione heimuli-lund

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Thursday Recruitin' Tethers Self To Laptop
Ace •

BBQ Visitors: Offense

The weekend in which I can't leave my laptop for more than 30 seconds is nearly upon us. The BBQ at the Big House is on Saturday, and it features a visitor list absolutely loaded with top-end talent. 247's Steve Lorenz has the full, updated list posted for free, as well as an excellent VIP post that goes in-depth on each uncommitted 2017 and 2018 prospect who'll be on campus. I'll do my best to cover the highlights. Keep in mind that every 2017 Michigan commit save for Aubrey Solomon, Kai-Leon Herbert, and AJ Dillon is slated to be in attendance.

The headliner, of course, is #1 overall prospect Najee Harris, the California running back committed to Alabama. According to Lorenz, Bama insiders think Michigan is the top threat to flip him from his current commitment, and Harris will be accompanied by his mother on the trip. Harris won't be the only back at the BBQ; four-star UT RB Sione Heimuli-Lund is a Stanford commit who could wind up at RB, FB, or LB (or, given Harbaugh, all of them).

Michigan's top four targets at wide receiver will all be in attendance. Donovan Peoples-Jones and Nico Collins need no introduction at this point; Michigan leads for Collins and is the presumed leader for DPJ. Four-star IA WR Oliver Martin is ramping up his recruitment now that baseball season is over—this weekend should give us a good idea of where Michigan stands compared to MSU, Iowa, Wisconsin, and his other contenders. Four-star CT WR Tarik Black has Michigan in his top group, though Lorenz thinks Notre Dame and Stanford are out ahead at this point. Michigan's top tight end on the board, four-star CA TE Josh Falo, will also be at the BBQ.

With three-star AL OT Toryque Bateman naming Michigan his leading heading into his BBQ visit, the offensive line is the most likely (though far from only) source of a weekend commitment—Bateman pegged his chances of committing at 50% and potentially higher if the visit goes as well as his last trip to Ann Arbor. Four-star tackles Isaiah Wilson and Aaron Banks are also on the list; Wilson is a Michigan/Bama battle right now, while the Wolverines are hoping to lure Banks away from top-tier Pac-12 programs.

As I was writing this, Steve reported that four-star OT Henry Bainivalu will make the trip from Washington. This is the second unofficial for Bainivalu, which is especially notable for a prospect from the other side of the country—Michigan definitely has a shot, and...

...oh boy, we might have a situation here.

One prospect who'd been mentioned as a possible visitor who won't make it: five-star KY OT Jedrick Wills, who looks like a longshot at best.

In the 2018 class, four-star Oak Park OG Marquan McCall—who could also wind up at DT—will accompany his committed teammate, OT JaRaymond Hall. While I've avoided mentioning the 2019 class, early rankings have Belleville OT Devontae Dobbs as a five-star prospect; he'll be at the BBQ with a couple classmates from a program that's got a lot of young talent.

[Hit THE JUMP for the rest of the roundup.]

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Wednesday Recruitin' Makes Newhart Reference No One Mentioned In This Post Will Understand
Brian •

Eno arrives, another Sione, another top RB offered

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TX RB Eno Benjamin just completed a midweek official visit shortly after an offer that he'd been trying to get for over a year; prior to that visit Michigan and Iowa were a tentative top two, with Iowa leading. Benjamin was interested enough to send Lorenz a bunch of pictures from the trip, so that's a good sign. He also told Wiltfong his trip was "amazing," for whatever that's worth; he'll be at Northwestern, Iowa, and Arkansas over the next few days.

Benjamin is a different kind of back than most of the dudes currently on the roster:

"They're looking for a guy to change the pace," Benjamin said. "A guy who can run in between the tackles as well as lining up at slot and making a difference out there too."

Over the weekend Benjamin proved he is dangerous as a receiver, as he was the best running back competing in the Pylon 7-on-7 National Championships in that setting.

Harbaugh does like to screw with people by motioning TEs and RBs and FBs all over the place.

Also in RB recruiting, UT RB and Stanford commit Sione Heimuli-Lund is still hearing from Michigan:

Lund talked to Brice Marich and said he'd try to visit, possibly for the spring game. All in favor of Polynesian tailbacks named Sione say "aye."

And Michigan has offered TN RB Ty Chandler, who said he would visit at some point over the summer in the aftermath. Tim Sullivan:

“I would definitely like to go up and visit to see something new. It’ll be different from the South, so that’d be interesting to go up there and plan a visit. Nothing is planned yet, but probably this summer. I’m starting to take a lot of trips now, and I’ll definitely try to take a trip up there this summer.”

Chandler doesn't have a top team, but LSU might be that team, if you get my drift. With that offer Michigan is vaguely in the recruitments of the top four RBs in the country per the composite; they're also in on three of the top five "all purpose backs." Are they particularly likely to get any of these dudes? Maybe CJ Cotman but Cotman wants to play D. The rest? Eh, long shots until otherwise noted.

This is my other brother Tedarrel

FL OL Tedarrel Slaton named Michigan his leader really early in his recruitment, which means something. He backed off that in favor of general neutrality, which also means something. In your Bayesian model of his recruitment that means Michigan is around 50/50, waiting for the other shoe to drop. These recruitments can go in one of two directions: nevermind that early leader or yes, that did matter.

In Slaton's case the direction seems positive. First, a neutral reporter from Bleacher Report bleacher reports thusly:

(You can also check out Slaton getting his Backstreet on because the internet is rather obsessive.)

Meanwhile Slaton took a deep-cover unofficial visit:

“I visited Michigan recently, but I did not meet with the staff,” said Slaton. “I went up there to see my brother [Drake Lamont] play [basketball] for Western Michigan and we went over to take a look at Michigan.. I loved it. We got to see the weight room, the locker rooms, we got to walk on the field and see all the things they have done with the stadium. It’s nice, and I like it."

The catch:

"It was a good experience, but it’s a little chilly up there.”

Slaton must have caught one of the recent snow storms instead of the 60-degree days that have generally followed them since Michigan's weather has decided to start careening wildly from one thing to another.

Per ESPN, Slaton has a top five of M, Clemson, FSU, Duke, and Tennessee. 247 posted a note on Slaton's recruitment that seemed pretty encouraging and named M, FSU, and Alabama as the main contenders—FSU and M may be a tentative top two. Lorenz cites an FSU source that doesn't think Slaton is actually that into the Seminoles. Long way to go but leaning towards "yes, early lead counts" in this one.

FWIW, 2016 TE signee Nick Eubanks is a hook for Michigan but it sounds like everyone in his top five features a former teammate.

Insert Moses promised land joke here

Michigan finally offered FL LB Dylan Moses, a highly highly touted gent who may end up the #1 kid in the class. Moses is at IMG, originally from Lousiana, and an LSU decommit. Per Webb this has been coming for a while but Michigan wanted to get some sort of indication he was serious before offering:

“Michigan was hesitant before because it seemed like a foregone conclusion he was going to either Alabama or LSU,” The Michigan Insider’s Sam Webb said. “He said he wanted to hear from Michigan, so that opened the door. He was a guy that insisted he was interested in Michigan so that led to the offer.”

If that sounds odd to you what with Michigan spraying out "offers" to anyone with passing familiarity with football or cool hair, it sounds odd to me as well. I'm guessing that Michigan was trying to get the kid to commit to some sort of visit before offering. In the aftermath of the visit, he did sound pretty interested:

"Since I haven’t been up to Michigan, for me to see them practice personally helps [Michigan]. … When I watched the practice, I saw the determination that they have, and played with throughout the season. To see that, it did help them with me.” …

“I love it. I have wanted an offer from Michigan for so long. Since coach Harbaugh got there, you can see the impact he will have.

Uphill battle for sure but Harbaugh. Like many prospects of his ilk, Moses plans to go to Signing Day before a final decision. LSU and Alabama are the top competition.

More Spring Game/practice visitors

Add these gentlemen to the pile:

  • TX TE Major Tennison. Tennison is a Texas commit who's obviously a bit soft. Lorenz thinks Michigan and other schools will get a swing at him. Probably dependent on how well Texas does this year. Guy has a Bama offer, too, so may be underrated as a composite three-star.
  • NJ DT Corey Bolds and NJ LB Drew Singleton plan a visit on the 24th to take in a practice. Both guys attend Paramus Catholic, of course.
  • MI WR Donovan Peoples-Jones says he would "like to" make the Spring Game but doesn't know if he'll be able to; the next milestone in his recruitment will be a cut to five over the summer.

FL OL Robert Hainsey reconfirmed that he will be there with Lorenz.

Oh, look, Ohio

For those wondering when and if Michigan would ever get in on Ohio kids, it appears your answer is 2018. Michigan was behind the curve for all these kids since much of the staff came from the NFL and Urban Meyer was not. A gander at any 2017 state ranking for Ohio will show most of the high profile guys already off the board to OSU; Michigan has focused its attention elsewhere rather than go for the leftovers.

That's set to change, as Michigan has offers out to a number of 2018 Ohio folks who are at least showing reciprocal interest. Teammates Antwaun Johnson and Leonard Taylor, an ILB and DE respectively, will visit this weekend. RB Jaelen Gill plans a visit next weekend.

Michigan is involved with a couple kids in the 2017 class. TE Trey Pugh plans a visit this weekend:

“The only coach I have talked to is Coach Jay Harbaugh, and we have been building a relationship,” Pugh said.

He was just at Duke and plans visits to NW and Penn State; Ohio State has also offered.

Quick hits

News out of the Opening regional in SoCal, where Michigan is fighting USC for a half-dozen prospects they hope to get maybe one or two of:

  • CA WR Greg Johnson says Michigan and Florida are schools he will visit officially in fall. USC is thought to lead.
  • CA DE Jaelan Phillips has a tentative top five of Stanford (potential leader), UCLA, ND, M, and Alabama. That is the kind of list that indicates a willingness to leave the West Coast.
  • CA OL Wyatt Davis says Bama leads, apparently. He will visit all schools.
  • CA CB Jaylon Redd has a tentative top two of M and USC.

Other items:

  • AL OL Kendall Randolph has an offer and attends the Alabama high school where Michigan will hold its upcoming satellite camp. Randolph thinks having Jim Harbaugh come to him is "awesome" and will definitely attend.
  • Michigan offered TN OL Trey Smith a bit late; Smith plans a Midwest swing through ND and OSU that he may or may not be able to fit Michigan in on.
  • Michigan also offered OR DT Marlon Tuipulotu; says he'll visit but doesn't know when, etc.
  • Offer to, tentative visit plan from GA OT D'ante Demery.
  • FL WR Leroy Henley has one of those not-top-fours that includes Michigan. Sullivan landed an interview and he said he's trying to make "at least two visits," which sounds pretty good.
  • UCLA leads for UT S Chaz Ah You; no mention of Michigan. Close to a happy trails there.

Etc.: Scout says FL OL Kai-Leon Herbert and FL CB Stanford Samuels III are risers after The Opening's Miami camp. MS RB Cam Akers decommits from Alabama. Michigan is trying to get in on him, but Mississippi black hole and all that.

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Thursday Recruitin' Has Gumby Arm
Ace •

Coach Plastic Man

The satellite camp tour certainly can't produce anything stranger than shirtless Peruballing Harbaugh, right?

Never mind!

Michigan has made their way through two stops in Texas and is now in California; meanwhile, the Sound Mind Sound Body camp (TomVH preview here) is underway in Michigan, and many of the participants in that camp are expected to drop by Ann Arbor this weekend.

The satellite camps are moving so quickly—and the visitor lists have been so fluid—that I can only say I'm doing by best to hit the highlights here. Coverage of all this is certainly going to bleed into next week as reporters are able to catch up with the various high-profile participants.

Top performers from the Houston camp included four-star OLB Jeffrey McCullough and 2017 five-star DT Marvin Wilson, who has Michigan in his top five, per Steve Lorenz. Four-star TX DT Jordan Elliott, a Houston commit, also dropped by to connect with the coaching staff, per Scout's Ahmard Vital.

The Dallas camp featured a lot of talent, including top-100 OT Jean Delance, who told Lorenz that he's got a "great relationship with the staff," and he plans to visit Ann Arbor soon. Three-star DE Rahssan Thornton, whose recruitment has seemingly become a Michigan/LSU battle, told 247's EJ Holland($) it was "the best camp I've gone to that I can remember." (He also said "Jim Harbaugh is like someone's cool dad.") 2017 five-star QB Shawn Robinson called Harbaugh "a quarterback genius."

Michigan leads for a couple prospects from their camps in Florida. Three-star DE Terrell Lucas told Steve Lorenz that Michigan "is on top" in his recruitment ($). He laid out a timeline for The Wolverine's Tim Sullivan ($):

"I like the whole thing about Michigan," Lucas explained. "When I hear 'Michigan,' I hear 'family.' You think of Ann Arbor, the town, you don't just think of the football team, you think of the city itself.

"Right now I'm open and trying to keep my options open. I'm considering all the colleges and trying to evaluate. I don't think it should take me that long to make my decision on which college I'm going to go to. Well before the end of the summer, I will have made my decision. End of the month or two I'll be done with it."

If he sticks to that timeline, Michigan is in very good shape. The Wolverines also emerged as the leader for DE/TE Rashad Weaver, who was offered as a jumbo athlete a few days after performing in front of the coaches, whose promise to uphold their end of the bargain stood out to Weaver, per TMI's Brice Marich:

“I would have to say yes (Michigan leads),” said Weaver. “At first when they offered, I had no leader, but when he said they would honor my commitment even if I got hurt, then that put them at the top of my list. They are the only coaches that have told me that.”

That's all from the camp tour for the moment; with SMSB this weekend, there will be much more next week.

[Hit THE JUMP for the rest of the roundup.]

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