With only 3 true guards on the roster heading into next season, landing guard depth via the HS route is critical. Visit season is upon us that means we're heading down the home stretch with priority prospects.

Let's take a look at where things stand coming off the final live evaluation period of the summer.

Isaiah Collier

Height/Weight: Listed height in the 6'2 - 6'4 range, with listed weight ranging between 170 - 205. Eye test says he's probably a legit 6'2 and 190-195.

High School/AAU: Marietta Wheeler HS (GA)/Nike EYBL The Skill Factory (GA)

Final EYBL Stats: 18.5ppg, 6.5asst, 4.8reb 

Mainstream Ranking: Now a top-5 overall prospect to both On3 and Rivals. 247 bumped him up to #9 overall. 

EM Ranking/Evaluation: I'm in the process of finalizing my 2023 rankings now (should be done within the next 10 - 14 days) and Collier will likely be a top-10 prospect. High floor prospect with a college ready frame. The playmaking ability for others is off the charts as seen in my footage above. While he was a known commodity as a passer, I didn't anticipate him to be a perimeter shotmaker to the extent I witnessed. Particularly when considering that a good portion of the attempts are difficult pull-ups. He's streaky as a shooter, but even if Collier is a consistent mid-30s type shooter from distance, that translates to a guy that has huge impact on the game given his ability to make others better and get downhill off the bounce. Athletically, my initial comp of poor man's Jrue Holiday was relatively accurate. Isaiah doesn't have the vertical explosion of Holiday (hence poor man's version) and isn't quite as tall, but his strength/core balance is impeccable for a HS junior. Defenders bounce off him when he's attacking the paint and his physicality can be overwhelming. He's not necessarily a shifty ballhandler, but he does have a solid handle and controls the ball while not being a big TO risk. There is no doubt in my mind that he can step in and be a rotational player at Michigan from the day he steps on campus.

Recruitment: I checked in to measure where things are with Collier in the aftermath of his official visit to Ann Arbor and was told things went very well. There is cautious optimism coming from Ann Arbor. That's not to say a commitment was given, as I'm told that is not the case. Moreso that Michigan nailed the OV and improved its standing with Isaiah + family. The other contenders in the final four are UCLA, USC and Cincinnati. UCLA insiders opined the Bruins were the leader as of last week, but fell short of calling him a lock. I checked with a few Cincinnati insiders yesterday evening and the Bearcats seem to be a serious player in this recruitment despite conventional wisdom, at least that's what Wes Miller + staff think. UC assistant coaches have heavy ties to the Atlanta-area and those connections are paying off. USC seems to be running last here, as the Trojans have sent out new PG offers in the last week. 

Reading between the lines here, this is a situation where Collier/family are keeping things close to the vest and nobody can really project the destination school with good confidence as of now. From a Michigan perspective, the staff maximized the visit and definitely launched the Wolverines into serious contention after many thought this was a UCLA/USC battle just a week ago. This one should be wrapping up in the next few weeks, so we're headed toward a resolution one way or another.

Elmarko Jackson

Height/Weight: Listed at 6'3 and 185 pounds. That appears very accurate to my eyes.

High School/AAU: Recently transferred to South Kent in CT (now teammates w/Papa Kante)/Under Armour WeR1 (DE)

Mainstream Ranking: 4-star/55 -150 range

EM Rankings/Evaluation: Will likely fall in the 30-40 range when my 2023 rankings are finalized. Made considerable improvements as a shooter this year during my live evaluations. He's a twitchy athlete with some real acceleration + strength and getting to the rim has never been a problem. Above-average handle with ability to change direction/speed with a live dribble. While the decision-making in terms of playmaking is still inconsistent, there are flashes there that allow one to project him favorably in that regard. Don't necessarily know if he'd be a guy that plays heavy minutes as a freshman, but there is some pro upside down the road given his positional size + athleticism in tandem with the much improved perimeter shotmaking. 

Recruitment: Looking to cut his list in the near future before taking OVs in the fall. I'd expect Michigan to make the cut. Maryland, Miami, Texas seem to be a few of the schools under serious consideration and Oklahoma continues to make a push to secure a visit as well. In any event, I anticipate Michigan will get a fall OV. There are serious family ties here, as former Michigan FB standout and Indianapolis Colt, Marlin Jackson is Elmarko's uncle. Michigan had some ground to make up here, as the offer came in late, but things are definitely picking up recently. I'll reiterate, its not an either/or scenario with Collier + Jackson. The staff will absolutely take both.