During the last two recruiting cycles, Juwan Howard's affinity for wing type prospects is becoming increasingly clear. He covets a certain type of player that generally goes 6'6+, has plus athleticism and a physically developed frame. That profile has bore out in terms of 2022 offers, with the Wolverines offering six prospects that fit the aforementioned criteria. 

I hit the over the weekend, making stops in Augusta and Indianapolis for the Nike EYBL and Under Armour shoe-circuit events. I now have a firm grip on pecking order with the wings after gathering the latest intel and will cover each option in order of staff preference (as opposed to most likely).

In-State Option

4-star Ty Rodgers is a high-motor athlete and versatile defender capable of checking three positions at the next level. Offensively, he's a bit limited in that he's a non-shooter at this stage of development, but figures to be productive in transition while providing putbacks on the offensive glass. He finished up EYBL play averaging 8.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists and received praise for his motor and passing at Peach Jam.

In early June it felt as if a Michigan/Rodgers marriage was inevitable, as he took an OV to Ann Arbor on the earliest possible date. Fast-forward a nearly two months and things don't look so certain here.

The coaching staff is still making a push here, taking in his games at Peach Jam over the weekend when time/resources are limited. But I get the feeling that time is running thin for Ty to make a commitment or give Coach Howard assurances regarding the same.

And Then There Were Five

Top-100 wing Gregg Glenn is out injured, so there isn't much to say in terms of his on-court progress. On the recruiting front, he released a final 5 last Wednesday that consists of Michigan, Georgia, Virginia Tech, Iona and USF.

I checked in on things last weekend and was told this is a recruitment Michigan has in its "back pocket". It appears the staff isn't making a real effort to land him right now, but moreso keeping the option open so if that he becomes a take down the road there isn't much work to be done. If Juwan Howard really wants Glenn, he will end up in Ann Arbor.

[Hit THE JUMP for the full rundown]

Cooling Down

4-star AJ Casey is a good athlete at 6'7 that projects to be a versatile player that does a lot of things at an above-average rate, while not necessarily excelling in any one area. His lack of production this spring has resulted in his stock slipping a bit. After a really slow start to EYBL play, Casey has picked things up a bit over the last week or so. His final numbers for EYBL were 7.5ppg and 5.1rpg on 41.4% from the field.

Nothing much has changed on the recruiting front, as most schools involved have slowed things down in terms of their pursuit level. While AJ is still a coveted prospect, he's not necessarily a heavy priority for those in serious contention and that includes Michigan. That may change depending on how the Ty Rodgers situation unfolds.

Likely Time To Move On

4-star wing/forward Colin Smith had a monster performance in Birmingham during the live evaluation period, going for 37 points with seven triples last Friday. More PF than wing based on his agility, Smith has been in the middle of my wings-board based on his ability to be a multi-year contributor in college while being compatible with most lineups due to his size + shotmaking ability.

The staff isn't pursuing Smith with much diligence these days and that's been the case for a while now. College coaches are changing their recruiting approach to a certain extent, taking less chances on HS prospects if the feeling is they can get an comparable talent via the transfer portal. I wouldn't take this one seriously unless Smith makes it to Ann Arbor for a visit.

Dailey Rumblings

Top-50 wing Eric Dailey is the sort of versatile + athletic prospect that probably projects to be an instant contributor at the college level. He's a three-level scorer that will likely be a matchup problem for the opposition. He was one of the very best players during EYBL, going for 17.3 points, 4.5 rebounds while shooting 48.2% from the field and 33.3% from distance.

Per a source on the Michigan side, the staff isn't really pursuing Eric at this point. He's viewed as being likely to pursue professional opportunities. Much like the aforementioned prospects, the same general rule applies. No visit = not serious.