With the dead period finally lifted after more than a year, Michigan can now host in-person visits starting today. The recruiting process now resuming in a normal manner, it will become a bit easier to ascertain priority prospects, mutual interest and relevant timelines. 

The Wolverine staff is already in the full swing of things, with the first official visit scheduled to commence today. An overview of the wings below. 

On Campus

Top-80 wing Ty Rodgers (Grand Blanc HS/Meanstreets EYBL) is currently on an official visit in Ann Arbor. I checked in on where things stand in this recruitment and Michigan is in a great spot. So much so, that I'd put in a low confidence crystal ball if I had the ability to do so. To be candid, the only reason for the low confidence caveat is that Rodgers has additional visits lined up with UConn and Purdue in June. 

Official visits can change things, and Purdue/UConn will undoubtedly roll out the red carpet and bring their best pitches. But Juwan Howard and staff are already in a favorable position with Ty and the OV may very well put the Wolverines in pole position in the aftermath.

As mentioned in the linked article above, Rodgers doesn't plan on formally narrowing things down until late Summer. We'll see if that timeline holds coming out of the OVs. As I mentioned last week, I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing for the staff unless Ty is viewed as a clear Plan A type at the wing/forward spot. 

[After THE JUMP: Updates on Glenn + Walker and a new name to the board]

Gaining Clarity

4-star wing Gregg Glenn has been a bit of an enigma. Once thought to be the leader for first commitment in the 2022 class, things have been a bit quiet in terms of Wolverine buzz over the last few months until now.

In an article released by Rivals today, Gregg confirms that Michigan and Alabama are the schools he hears from the most:

“Michigan and Alabama. Those are the main two right now. Those are the ones I talk to most. Juwan Howard is like family to me, so we talk. He checks on me, like, every day. With Alabama, they check on me too. They just want my AAU schedule and all that.”

While Glenn shot down rumors that Michigan leads in the aforementioned piece, it's hard to dismiss family ties to the Howards as I alluded to last week. He plans to take all five available visits before making a decision, but it's not difficult to see this one going in favor of the Wolverines. As with Rodgers, the issue is timing. The clock is ticking here and the staff will continue to evaluate + pursue other options if commitments aren't made by the end of June. 

 

Not Trending In The Right Direction

I was in Indianapolis over the weekend for Under Armour Midwest and it was another opportunity to evaluate 5-star wing Jarace Walker. It was the best I've seen of Jarace from an efficiency perspective, in large part due to the absence of attempts beyond the arch. He worked primarily from 15 feet and in and looked unstoppable. He abused the competition with strong drives in the paint + finishes, hit multiple midrange jumpers and did his usual playmaking for others.

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear Michigan is in the thick of things when it comes to Walker's recruitment after speaking to him over the weekend. As I first reported on Sunday, Jarace has locked in visits with Auburn and Houston, with a visit to Ohio State in the works. Michigan was not mentioned among the schools pushing the hardest recently either. 

The reclassification option is still on the table as well. With the caveat being that Walker did not tell me this directly, so this is speculation, this has the feel of a prospect that is potentially weighing the professional option too. In any event, Michigan may still be showing interest but it is becoming clear that Jarace may not be a realistic option as of right now. As I've said though, this is a recruitment that takes abrupt turns and reliable information has been very hard to obtain. 

 

Waiting In The Shadows

I can confirm that 4-star wing/forward Chisom Okpara (La Lumiere HS/NY Rens EYBL) has serious interest in Michigan and recently put out feelers to measure the staff's interest. Having seen Okpara in Scranton last month, I have him higher on my board than both Ty Rodgers and Gregg Glenn. He's in the same mold as an athletic/high-motor forward that can put the ball on the floor, but he's a better shooter than both. If one or both of Rodgers/Glenn don't pull the trigger prior to July, this may be one to watch.