Preferred Walk-On Hello: Simeon Smith

According to The Wolverine's Brandon Brown, Michigan has added an intriguing preferred walk-on for 2016 in 6'6", 208-pound Kalamazoo (MI) Loy Norrix WR Simeon Smith, who spurned at least one lower-division full ride to realize his dream of becoming a Wolverine ($):

Smith did visit Ferris State last week and was offered a full scholarship but he's in a good situation to be able to turn something like that down and attend Michigan.

"I have the Kalamazoo Promise Scholarship," Smith explained. "I can get free tuition to any school in the state of Michigan. I told the coaches at Michigan that I was interested before the Oregon State game and they said they were definitely keeping an eye on me. Then yesterday they offered me a preferred walk-on spot and I had to accept it."

Smith is exactly the type of prospect you like to see as a PWO; the film shows a prospect with lots of raw physical talent—with that frame he could end up as a jumbo outside receiver or a tight end. There's little question he'll be able to handle the academic load, as well:

While athletics played a role in Smith's decision to become a Wolverine, so did academics. Since transferring to Loy Norrix for his junior year, Smith has accumulated a 4.4 grade point average.

“I’ve heard they’re one of the best engineering schools in the country, and I’ve been taking AP calculus and AP physics to prepare to be an engineer,” Smith said. “When this opportunity popped up for me, I couldn’t turn it down. 

“I get the education I’ve always desired in addition to getting to play football at a level most people dream about.”

Not a bad combination.

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

Gary's Three Easy Steps To Success

Five-star NJ DT Rashan Gary told Sam Webb that he's looking for three simple things in a school and Michigan looks to be in good shape given his criteria ($):

“It’s going to be how my mom feels at that college… (is she) comfortable,” said Gary. “It’s going to be food, academics and that’s about it.”

So what stands out about Auburn?

Said Gary, “Family environment, food, and just the defensive scheme that they have.”

And Michigan?

“Academics, family environment, and having my mom feel comfortable there,” he said.

Michigan checks off two of the three boxes there, and in other interviews Gary's mentioned enjoying the food on his last visit. Auburn remains the only other official visit scheduled for Gary. He mentioned some potential visit destinations to ESPN's Derek Tyson after Jim Harbaugh, among several other college coaches, took in the Paramus Catholic vs. IMG matchup last Friday ($):

“I’d say Ole Miss, Georgia, LSU, Clemson, Notre Dame and USC are all in the mix for the last visits,” Gary said. “I don’t have any leaders, I’m just trying to knock out my officials and from there I’ll know where I’m headed.”

It might take a bit for any of those schools to catch Michigan and Auburn. For now, Gary plans to announce his decision at the Under Armour game in January.

Webb also caught up with IMG five-star TE Isaac Nauta at the big game in Florida. Nauta had high praise for his recent Michigan visit and claimed he has no leaders at this time ($):

“No I wouldn’t say (Georgia is the favorite) at all,” Nauta replied.  “People like to make their assumptions and whatnot but I don’t have a leader at this point. I decided I was going to figure it out after all five of my officials and I’ve had two very good officials so that just makes everything a lot harder.”

He'll choose his school at the Army All-American Game.

Corley, Hill Still In Play

TMI's Josh Newkirk spoke with Detroit King four-stars Donnie Corley and LaVert Hill after their narrow PSL title game win over Cass Tech at Ford Field on Friday, and both seem to be seriously entertaining the thought of going to Michigan. Hill isn't saying too much, but he's not turning the Wolverines away:

While Hill has maintained his commitment to PSU, he hasn’t told Michigan to back off his recruitment either.

“They are going to keep coming after me till I say ‘No,’ or something,” Hill said.

So when does Hill plan on saying yes or no to Michigan? Well, according to Hill, that's not his decsion alone to make.

“I got to talk to my momma,” Hill said on his upcoming decision to stay with Penn State or go elsewhere, with Michigan being an option. “I don’t know right now.”

Corley, meanwhile, admitted that someone very close to his recruitment is in Michigan's corner:

However, Corley did confirm some rumors that had been swirling around his recruitment. He was asked if his mother prefers Notre Dame, while his father would like him to attend Michigan?

Which he replied: "There is a little truth to it,” Corley said with a smile. “My mom, she is big on the education part of it. She knows football, but he’s big on the education part. She like’s Notre Dame. But my dad, he likes (U-M coach Jim) Harbaugh getting you ready for the NFL.”

Corley is graduating early, so Michigan will need to move quickly if they're going to overtake Michigan State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State, but it's not out of the question.

More 2016 Updates: M Leads For Elliott

This is somewhat out of nowhere: top-50 TX DT Jordan Elliott, who's committed and decommitted from both Baylor and Houston, told 247's Taylor Hamm that the Wolverines lead heading into his official visit for the Rutgers game. Texas had been the presumed favorite. While it's obviously tough to put too much stock in this considering Elliott's recruitment thus far, he'd be an excellent addition to the class.

Speaking of which, top-100 LA ATH Shyheim Carter told Scout's Chad Simmons that Michigan is one of four schools standing out to him, and he's got a visit to Ann Arbor lined up:

No official visits to Alabama, Georgia or Ole Miss have been scheduled yet although each has a shot to get one of the five.  The one Carter has set is with Michigan.  November 7 is when he plans to see the Big House for the first time and that will be an official visit.

"I am really liking Michigan a lot right now.  I grew up a big Charles Woodson fan, so I feel I could go there and have a chance to be the next one like him at Michigan.  Coach [Jim] Harbaugh is a great coach too, so I like that about Michigan.  I am ready to see what it is like up there."

Even though some of these big-time recruitments are unlikely to end in commitments, it's impressive that Harbaugh even has Michigan in the conversation at this early juncture in his tenure.

Etc.

Not bad:

Michigan recruit Kiante Enis had 358 yards on 14 carries in Winchester's 62-6 victory over Eastern. #ktfootball #tgd via @SportsKT

— The Gridiron Digest (@gridirondigest) October 24, 2015

Other, less ridiculous stat lines from Michigan commits last weekend can be found at Maize n Brew.

Happy trails to four-star Farmington Hills Harrison DE Khalid Kareem, who committed to Notre Dame over the weekend. Michigan never showed much interest after Kareem decommitted from Alabama.