M's Biggest Recruiting Weekend Is Here

Michigan has stacked this weekend with visits, many of the official variety, and it's shaping up to be their most important recruiting weekend of the fall. TMI's Brice Marich has a free rundown of the top visitors on campus, and 247's Steve Wiltfong has an overview of the major recruiting storylines. Here's a quick runthrough with some additional notes where applicable.

OFFICIAL VISITORS

Five-star TX OLB Baron Browning: Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas, and UCLA appear to be Michigan's primary competition, and while the Wovlerines have been regarded as a fringe contender for much of Browning's recruitment, 247's Steve Wiltfong said this week his summer visit put M in better position than ND and OSU. Browning's brother played for Jim Harbaugh at Stanford, which can't hurt M's chances.

FIve-star FL OT Alex Leatherwood (Alabama commit): Michigan and Florida are trying to pry Leatherwood away from Bama, but Steve Lorenz has mentioned on our podcast that this is quite a long shot unless Bama OL coach Mario Cristobal leaves the staff after the season.

Four-star KY OT Jedrick Wills: Wills looked like he'd drop to Alabama before ever making it to Ann Arbor. While that didn't occur, Bama remains the favorite.

Four-star NJ OLB Drew Singleton: There's still a lot of optimism from Michigan insiders about Singleton—who's here for his second game this season—despite the buzz surrounding Clemson.

Four-star IMG OLB Jordan Anthony: Another linebacker prospect long considered a Michigan lean.

Four-star IMG OC Cesar Ruiz: As Lorenz said in this week's recruiting mailbag, Ruiz is arguably the most important target left on the board, and with Alabama seemingly out of the picture this is a race Michigan expects to win.

[This list is long enough to JUMP mid-section. As I said, it's a huge visit weekend.]

Four-star TN RB Chase Hayden: Technically still an Arkansas commit, Hayden is taking visits and the Hogs are proceeding like they have to re-recruit him into the fold. It's not clear how Michigan plans to fit him into the class, but he also doesn't look like a candidate to make an immediate flip.

Four-star TX OT Chuck Filiaga: Filiaga hasn't come up much around these parts, but Lorenz named him the most intriguing visitor of the weekend:

Many have already pegged 2017 Top100 offensive tackleChuck Filiaga to USC, Texas and some other programs. However, with the Trojans faltering badly and his top schools consisting of some programs that are having rough years (Oklahoma, Oregon, TCU), it could be a situation where Michigan sneaks in here. He's always been a "periphery" recruit to me in that they've been recruiting him pretty consistently, but not someone I have believed they had a legitimate shot with. That could change this weekend. 

Three-star FL ILB Shanon Reid: Mississippi State has been Reid's leader for a while, but the news he'd take an official this weekend caused a run on Michigan Crystal Ball predictions, including ones from Lorenz, Wiltfong, and Ryan Bartow. If he's a take, Lorenz believes he's the most likely to commit this weekend, along with...

Three-star RI DE Kwity Paye (Boston College commit): Paye picked up a Michigan offer recently, and in fact his original BC offer came from Don Brown. Setting up an official immediately upon receiving an offer is usually a good sign.

Three-star NC OLB/S Brelin Faison-Walden (PSU commit): Michigan has picked up their pursuit of Faison-Walden recently, and Lorenz suggests he could take the hybrid linebacker spot many expected Markquese Bell would occupy:

We're told that is the case as of now. Michigan is not planning on hosting Bell for an official visit this weekend to our knowledge. The emergence of Greensboro (NC) Grimsley three-star Brelin Faison-Walden may be coinciding with this, as the Penn State verbal will be on campus this weekend and is a similar player in that he could project to safety or outside linebacker for the staff.

Scout's Brian Dohn reported yesterday that Bell, a four-star from New Jersey, will also be in on an official visit, but added that he's hearing Clemson and Ohio State have moved in front of the Wolverines.

UNOFFICIAL VISITS

Four-star IA WR Oliver Martin: There were some concerns Notre Dame would land Martin when he visited there last weekend, but after reading his father's rather muted reaction to the visit to Scout's Allen Trieu, capped off by this...

"We had a great time at the game. Unfortunately, it did not go Notre Dame's way. It is neat Oliver gets the chance to go to college games and he is looking more and more forward to college ball. He got to see the route combinations and how the work to get receivers open. He sees that and is anxious to be part of a college program."

As for next visits, Martin says, "We are definitely going to Michigan this coming weekend. We are looking forward to that a lot."

...I like M's chances in a race that's admittedly become difficult to get a read on.

Four-star MI DT Deron Irving-Bey: This will be Irving-Bey's second visit for a game at the Big House this fall after this summer's BBQ made a big impression on him. He told Wiltfong he still plans to see Michigan on an official visit, too. Michigan State and Tennessee are still challengers, but Michigan looks like they're in a great position to land him.

Five-star IMG DT Taron Vincent (2018): While OSU is the early favorite and other big-time programs are in play, Vincent has a Michigan connection in Biff Poggi, who coached him at Gilman for two seasons before Vincent moved on to IMG Academy.

Four-star TX ILB BUMPER POOL (2018): Yes, please.

Four-star IN OT Emil Ekiyor (2018): Michigan is in position to solidify their spot atop Ekiyor's list. After visiting Tennessee last weekend, Ekiyor kept Michigan as co-leaders with the Vols, per Rivals's Josh Helmholdt. This will be his first Michigan game.

After initially being on the list, four-star FL ATH Christopher Henderson, a Miami commit, cancelled his official visit after Michigan apparently never set it up. He was a longshot as it was.

WR Updates: Peoples-Jones Bonding With Najee Harris

Five-star Cass Tech WR Donovan Peoples-Jones still isn't showing his cards after last weekend's unofficial visit, but he dropped a very intriguing tidbit when talking to TMI's Josh Newkirk this week:

“Yeah, we’ve definitely developed a bond and a good relationship,” Peoples-Jones said of [Najee] Harris, adding: “When we see each other we stay in contact with each other, but when he’s in Cali he’s in Cali, when I’m in Michigan I’m in Michigan.”

Peoples-Jones even noted that his mother stays in contact with Harris’ mom.  

“Yes, she actually does talk to Mrs. Harris,” Peoples-Jones said.

That can't be bad. Meanwhile, DPJ plans to cut his list to five after the season before enrolling at his school of choice in January.

Although he missed last week's planned unofficial because of his ride falling through, four-star AL WR Nico Collins still publicly has Michigan atop his list with Alabama and Georgia, per Scout's John Garcia. Sam Webb posted some quotes from Collins's father, a big Michigan fan, on the Victors Board; the elder Collins said regarding Michigan that "the only thing we're concerned with right now is travel." Webb believes this is the final hurdle for M to clear, and he thinks they'll clear it. Importantly, Collins has plenty of family in the area.

Four-star NJ WR Tarik Black told Steve Wiltfong his Michigan official was "awesome," and he "really bonded with those guys," then mentioned he's close to making up his mind:

At this point in the process, Black has a good idea where he wants to go to school and is just making sure.

“Mind is almost made up,” he said. “Not 100 percent sure yet.”

That seems good.

Etc.

The Wolverine's Brandon Brown caught up with commit James Hudson's head coach, who's playing Hudson both ways this fall and believes he could excel in college on offense or defense:

"It’s him telling us when he needs a break too. He does a pretty good job of that but it’s not very often that he asks to come out. Sometimes we do have to yank him out but he’s a special player on both sides. He could play anywhere in the country at either position. I’m confident in that. We are really glad that he has the toughness and the want-to to do it."

Hudson is probably ticketed for DT, but OT could be a possibility.

As expected, Michigan made four-star UT DT Jay Tufele's top seven. They're believed to be in his top three with Ohio State and Utah.

Lorenz reports Michigan offered three-star CO TE Dalton Keene, a Virginia Tech commit. Lorenz expects him to visit at some point, and hopefully his proximity to Dylan McCaffrey could help M's cause.

Per Lorenz, 2018 four-star QB Artur Sitkowski named a top six without Michigan included. Sitkowski looked likely to join the class heading into last summer's QB camp, but after watching him in person M seemingly backed off. Dorian Thompson-Robinson remains their top QB target in the class.

Isaiah Wilson lines up at QB, hilarity ensues.