Bye Week Visits: Nauta, Gary Square Off

Coming to your citayyyyyyy

It's the bye week. Life is mercifully boring, unless you're on Michigan's coaching staff, in which case you're probably on a plane.

Spending the day mining for Gold with DJ Durkin & @JayHarbaugh ! #GoBlue

— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) October 23, 2015

The coaches will stop by schools and check out games of several top targets today and tomorrow. The headliner is tonight, when five-star DT Rashan Gary and Paramus Catholic take on five-star TE Isaac Nauta and IMG Academy at 7pm (televised on ESPN2 if you're curious); Jim Harbaugh will be there, per TomVH ($):

Harbaugh is expected to be in attendance at IMG’s game on Friday as it takes on Parramus Catholic, a team that features the No. 1-ranked player in the country, Rashan Gary.

"It’s awesome that he’s coming to the game,” Nauta said, “especially because I was just up there and he’s making the effort to come down here. He could have gone to a lot of places but he chose to come down here so that’s huge.”

That's a nice two-for-one, and it's not the only stop Harbaugh will make on the recruiting trail this weekend; 247's Steve Lorenz reports($) he'll also head to Houston on Saturday to see four-star ILB Dontavious Jackson and three-star S Chris Brown. John Baxter is heading out to California to see four-star CB David Long and, in all likelihood, four-star ATH Lamar Jackson. Jay Harbaugh is going to Tampa to check out three-star TE Jacob Mathis. Tim Drevno is on his way to Texas to watch four-star OT Jean Delance.

Several other top targets will receive visits, as well. There's also a new name on the list of bye week targets: four-star 2017 CO OT Jake Moretti, an Ohio State commit who 247's Bill Kurelic reports got a visit from Jedd Fisch ($):

Being a class of 2017 prospect and being an offensive lineman out in Colorado, Moretti’s name doesn’t often come up right now. But Wolverine assistant Jedd Fisch, with Michigan having a bye this weekend, stopped at Moretti’s school this week.

And Fisch isn’t the only coach interested in flipping Moretti.

“Schools keep coming after me,” Moretti said. “(But) I’m good with Ohio State. I’m 100%. I love Ohio State. Ohio State is a special place.”

Michigan's had some success recruiting in Colorado and could add to that if Carlo Kemp chooses the Wolverines over Notre Dame. We'll see if anything develops with Moretti.

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

The Latest From Kareem Walker

This is the latest statement from RB Kareem Walker, sent today, on where he's at and what visits he'll take pic.twitter.com/aBruV2KJ1i

— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) October 21, 2015

Now Michigan plays the waiting game.

More Visit Reactions: M Looking Good For McCaffrey

Michigan's top 2017 quarerback target, four-star CO QB Dylan McCaffrey, told Sam Webb that last weekend's game had the best atmosphere of any of his visits, and the Wolverines appear to be the standard-bearer in his recruitment ($):

"Coach Harbaugh has done such a great job over there and watching him was kind of incredible,” McCaffrey said. “Everyone likes him and he has kind of turned that program around. With the past couple years, I think they deserve all the success that they have had this year. I love the way they coach and work to get the best out of the players they have.”

After getting the chance to take in the game and atmosphere, his interest in U-M is still very strong.

“They are definitely at the top amongst other schools and it was great to get to visit them,” said McCaffrey. “Now, it is time to compare to other schools and see how they fit.”

Four-star 2016 WDE Levi Onwuzurike told Scout's Gabe Brooks he had a "great" visit; he otherwise kept his cards close to the vest. Nobody seems to have a clear idea what Onwuzurike is going to do, but Michigan is in the mix.

While three-star De La Salle RB/CB Allen Stritzinger doesn't have imminent commitment plans, he told The Wolverine's Brandon Brown that Michigan is in great shape after another campus visit last weekend ($):

"I love Michigan. Every time I go up there it's a great atmosphere," he said. "They are definitely No. 1 when it comes down to it for me. I'm just embracing the whole recruiting process still but if it was anytime soon or I was thinking about committing anywhere, Michigan is really high on my radar. I'll just keep that in mind while I go through everything."

Michigan will be tough to beat for him.

M In Top Group For Delance

Four-star TX OT Jean Delance may be atop M's board on the offensive line, and Delance has the Wolverines right in the thick of things, per Lorenz ($):

"Alabama, Michigan and Texas and I'm still considering A&M a bit," he said. "I'm taking my official to Michigan on November 28th for the game against Ohio State and then I'm going to visit Alabama on December 13th. I'm definitely taking one to Texas, but the others will be in January probably."

Delance added that Charlie Strong and Jim Harbaugh are "neck and neck" when it comes to forging a connection with his family.

Etc.

Brandon Peters continues to vault his way up the recruiting rankings. When Peters committed in April, he was outside the Scout 300, ranked as their #20 QB; now he's their #65 overall prospect and the #5 QB on their board:

Peters has put up good numbers this year, but numbers are only part of the story. He has the size, athleticism, intangibles and the arm to be a big time college player. He has made college level throws every week, down field, into coverage, deep to the sideline, wherever the ball has needed to be, it has gotten there.

David Reese has recently added mid-year offers from Florida, Nebraska, and Texas, and he plans to take official visits to all three, his father told 247's Steve Wiltfong.

Michigan sent out a few offers to 2017 prospects: four-star MD DE Chase Young, four-star PA OG CJ Thorpe, and four-star UT S Chaz Ah You (per 247, 247, and MGoFish, respectively). Obviously, Chaz Ah You becomes an immediate priority due to his massive NOTY potential.