Michigan Leading For Costello?

In a video interview with Rivals' Mike Farrell, 2016 four-star QB KJ Costello said he's still looking to take a visit to Michigan soon, though he may have to make it a mid-week visit to fit into his schedule ($). Then Farrell pushed him to say which school among his top three—Michigan, Stanford, and USC—was "in his head the most" at the moment:

Honestly, a couple days ago I got off the phone with Harbaugh. I've got a ton of respect for him. What he's trying to do with the program, it's gonna be something special. I'd love to be a part of that. But then again, Stanford's been a favorite all along and SC is the home town, so we'll see.

It's not quite naming Michigan the flat-out favorite, but given his glowing quotes about the program earlier in the interview and his desire to see campus again, it's safe to feel good about M's chances.

Along with an elite quarterback like Costello, Michigan will look to add a top-flight running back to this class. Last week, Harbaugh made sure four-star NC RB Robert Washington knew he's a top priority, per GBW's Josh Newkirk ($):

“The conversation went well,” Washington said of his talks with Harbaugh. “He said he rates guys on a one to three scale. One being a guy that is starter – a game changer. Two being a guy that can develop into a starter. And three, a guy who is just a role player. He said I am a one. He said ‘you’re a game changer. You’re a big time player.’

“He’s going to recruit the heck out of me. He’s going to come to North Carolina before I commit. So he said he’s going to talk to me more and more every day.”

Washington added he is "very high" on Michigan; they should join North Carolina, Syracuse, and TCU in his top six when he unveils the full group within the next month. He's planning to commit on April 25th, so look for a visit to materialize sooner rather than later if Michigan is going to be a serious contender.

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

New Offers Out

Continuing the trend in the 2016 class, Michigan continues to focus on California, Texas, and SEC country with their early offers.

Tim Drevno offered a Top-100 talent in CA OT Jonah Williams, a Georgia transplant with family in Michigan who told The Wolverine's Brandon Brown that location won't be a major factor in his recruitment ($). Right now, he's far from narrowing down his list.

Another Californian, three-star DE Bryson Young, told 247's Steve Lorenz that an official visit is "very likely" after he received his Michigan offer ($). USC and UCLA have both already offered Young.

Three-star GA OL Jack DeFoor pulled in his offer over the weekend and immediately made plans to visit during spring ball, per Brown ($). That could put the Wolverines in position to challenge Clemson, which currently stands out among DeFoor's top group by virtue of being the only program he's visited:

"Right now my biggest offers are Clemson, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Louisville and Michigan.," he listed. "Vanderbilt is up there too. The only school I've been able to see on campus is Clemson. I guess you could say they are my top right now just because I haven't seen any other places yet."

Three-star FL TE Jacob Mathis recently added an offer and has a former Michigan player, Garrett Rivas, on his high school staff, but the Wolverines will have to beat out an impressive list of programs to get a visit from him before next season, per Lorenz ($):

"My parents are letting me take one unofficial visit out of town," he said. "I get one plane ticket. My basketball season just ended and I'm going to start sitting down with my coaches to figure out where I may take that visit. Coaches from a lot of schools are really pushing me to come up and visit, but I'm undecided as to what I am going to do right now."

Mathis plans to take all five officials, which gives M another shot should they not secure an unofficial. Florida, Kentucky, Miami (YTM), Ohio State, and Ole Miss have also offered, among others.

The Wolverine reports four more recent offers:

• Top-100 GA WR/TE Charlie Woerner, who stands at 6'5", 220 pounds. He's got a short but impressive list of offers, with Alabama, Clemson, and Georgia currently at the forefront.
• Four-star TX SDE Isaiah Chambers, who might be a tough pull from Texas with A&M, Baylor, and Oklahoma already after him, along with several national powers.
• Four-star FL WR Tre Nixon, who boasts over 30 offers, headlined by Alabama.
• Three-star AL S Spencer Perry, whose Crystal Ball reads 100% to Auburn—not a surprise, considering he hails from... Auburn. The Tigers offered him the same day as Michigan.

Mack Sets Visit

One of Michigan's top Midwest targets, four-star IN WR Austin Mack, will visit for a spring practice on March 7th, per Lorenz ($). Mack was a top priority under the previous staff—he's already been to campus multiple times—and it appears the same is the case with Harbaugh in town. Ohio State currently holds the edge in his recruitment, but the Wolverines could definitely climb back into it.

In other visit news, top 2017 in-state target Corey Malone-Hatcher rescheduled the unofficial he'd planned to take yesterday for this Friday, per Lorenz. Malone-Hatcher said this would be a "much more productive visit" than going for a basketball game, which was the initial plan; instead, he'll get to go over film with the coaches and watch the team's first padded practice.

More 2016 Updates

Four-star CA OL Frank Martin II, who added a Michigan offer last week, told Lorenz that he'll take an official visit to Ann Arbor this fall ($):

"I will take an official visit to Michigan," he said. "Absolutely. I want to learn about the academics (Martin wants to major in business/finance). I want to know about how I could mesh with the coaching staff and learn about the current players and how they feel about the coaches as well."

It sounds like the interest level there is quite high; he also said that "everyone wants to play for Coach Harbaugh," and expressed his desire to see the Big House in person.

Four-star TX DT Chris Daniels, one of M's top targets at a major position of need, told Sam Webb where the Wolverines stand among his top group ($):

Prior to receiving the offer Daniels already had Michigan third on his list behind TCU and Baylor. Though elated with the news he isn’t quite ready to shake up his leaderboard yet.

“It’s still the same right now,” he said regarding his order of favorites.  “I just have to go up to the campus and meet them and see more of what they have to offer me.”
“(The visit will likely take place) in the summertime.”

Daniels has family in Muskegon, which should help get him on campus this summer.

Another top target at a position of need, four-star PA TE Naseir Upshur, told Lorenz that he plans to take an unofficial when he heads to Michigan this summer for the Sound Mind Sound Body camp, something he also did last year—he may, in fact, even try to visit earlier. Michigan is currently in his top group ($):

"South Carolina, Miami, Alabama, LSU, Michigan, UCLA and Ohio State," he said. "I guess you could say those are the schools I am feeling the most right now. They're all recruiting me pretty hard too. I'm just honored to have so many potential choices to choose."

Michigan isn't in as good a spot for four-star IN DE Auston Robertson, standing outside his top three—Michigan State, Ohio State, and Notre Dame—but he told Brandon Brown that Michigan could break into that group ($). Robertson said he'd like to visit within the next couple months.

Wilcher Visits Ohio State

While I doubt the Mike Weber saga won't have some effect on Ohio State's ability to recruit at Cass Tech, it looks like Urban Meyer and Co. have smoothed things out with Thomas Wilcher and the CT staff.