Wednesday Recruitin' Is Talkin Bout Practice

Keep track of Michigan's offers on the 2012 Michigan Recruiting Board, which will see some format updates as soon as Michigan starts getting commits.

Weekend Practice Visits

Spring practice kicked off last weekend, and Tom had a full list of weekend visitors coming into the practice.

OH OL Kyle Dodson (in the epic shirt at right) told Tom he liked the visit, though he grew up disliking Michigan ($, info in header). TheRinger breaks down his game:

It is hard to envision Dodson needing a redshirt year once he enrolls at his school of choice. You just don’t see very many prospects with his size/quickness/strength ratio. He has areas where he needs improvement like any other high school junior. However, he’s already at a point where we foresee him competing for playing time as soon as he hits campus.

Ohio State recruiting guru says a qualifying test score is all that stands between Dodson and an Ohio State offer, so making in-roads before that offer comes is a Big Deal for the Wolverines. In Tom's interview, Kyle said he's not going to wait around for schools to offer him.

OH OL Caleb Stacey was blown away by his recent Michigan visit ($, info in header), and received a Michigan offer while on campus. He does not yet have a favorites list or a decision timeline.

MI OL/DT Kelby Latta was on campus over the weekend ($, info in header).

IL DT Vontrell Williams told Tom that he's always been a Michigan fan, and that the Wolverines are in his top 3, even though he doesn't hold an offer. He'll be back in town for the spring game.

OH DE Pharoah Brown liked the pace of Michigan's practice ($, info in header), and the visit moved Michigan up in his recruitment. He told Tom he'll decide after just a couple official visits in the fall.

Royce Jenkins-Stone was on campus over the weekend. Sam Webb thinks Michigan is the favorite for Royce, and says that Michigan was a hit with Royce's family. Royce is continuing to rack up bigtime offers, and told Tom about his decision timeline.

He plans on coming out with a top ten before the season, a top five mid season, and then a top three before he decides towards the end of the season. He was also nominated for the US Army All American game, so he may decide then if he gets chosen.

So, although Michigan fans were hoping he might break the seal on the 2012 class, it doesn't look likely.

MA LB Camren Williams spoke with Tom about how his Michigan visit went:

This visit was probably a 10. The visit was huge, it's definitely up there in my favorite schools. I want to make my decision in June, so I definitely want to get back up here for another visit. I really like Coach Hoke, Coach Smith, and Coach Mattison a lot. It's going to be a great place and I'm really interested in looking into Michigan more.

Williams is down to Michigan, Maryland, Penn State, North Carolina, and Wake Forest. He plans to take at least four more visits, including another to Michigan, before deciding. The Wolverines also made an impression on and excited his teammate, CB Armani Reeves ($, info in headers).

MI CB Terry Richardson likes the new staff following his visit($, info in header).

General visitor reactions to last weekend, and most seemed to love the energy.

IN DT Sheldon Day visited a couple weeks back, and gave that trip to Ann Arbor "high marks" ($, info in header).

NEXT! (Weekend)

KY QB Zeke Pike will visit Ann Arbor this week. He was recently named to the Army All-American Game.

MN OL Jonah Pirsig will visit this week.

On yesterday's recruiting roundup, Sam Webb said OH DE Chris Wormley will be in attendance this weekend, probably with his mom.

OH LB Joe Bolden has an offer from Michigan confirmed by his coach (slash father?), and he will be on campus this weekend. He has played MLB in high school to this point, but can also play outside.

Aside from those guys, Tom has an enormous list of prospects who will be in town:

• IN WR Aloyis Gray
• IN TE Pierre Aka
• MI TE Devin Funchess
• OH TE AJ Williams
• MI TE Matt Doneth
• IN OL Sid Anvoots
• MI OL Chase DeBack
• IN OL DeAndre Herron
• MI OL DaRon Brown
• MI DE Mario Ojemudia
• OH DE Alex Pace
• MI LB Royce Jenkins-Stone
• OH LB DeAndre Rollins
• OH S Allen Gant
• NY CB Wayne Morgan
• OH CB De'van Bogard

All those guys, plus some additional "maybes." Check out Tom's post for the full list. As for future weeks, CO TE Evan Baylis will visit Michigan on his spring break, and OH QB Austin Appleby will visit next weekend.

Other Updates

Not only is OH QB Maty Mauk (at right) closing in on national passing records (currently held by his brother, former Cincinnati QB Ben), but he's also closing in - slowly but surely - on a college choice:

Colleges have certainly paid attention. He has offers from Notre Dame, Michigan, Missouri, Illinois, Vanderbilt and Cincinnati. Those also happen to be his favorite schools at this time. "I would like to make a decision before my senior season so I have it down to those schools," Mauk said. "I have been to see all of them but Illinois and I plan on seeing this in the next month or two. I want to be in a spread offense with the coaches and people that I want to be around. I also want to get a good education."

Uh, maybe nobody told him Michigan doesn't plan to run a spread anymore? He seems to like Michigan, but his family's relationship with Brian Kelly may be hard to overcome.

I told you to beware a Bleacher Report link when I shared the info originally, so it's no surprise that CA WR Malik Gilmore does not in fact have Michigan and Notre Dame atop his list. Cal leads Notre Dame, Washington, Oregon, UCLA, and Arkansas. He does plan to use all 5 officials before deciding.

Tom broke the news last week that MI OL Ben Braden had received a Michigan offer, and it sounds like the big instate OT will not wait long to make a decision ($, info in header). Might we finally see the first Hello post of the year? Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Syracuse are the other finalists.

CA OL Erik Magnusson spoke with Tom about his recruitment... and it sounds good:

My list of top five changes about every week with new offers coming and what not, but Michigan is always in it. Right now it's Oregon, USC, Michigan, Miami, and Oklahoma.

"School X is always in my ever-changing favorites list" is usually code for "School X is my favorite, or close to it." Erik plans to take an official visit to Ann Arbor.

MD DE Brent Wilkerson has an interesting "best experience" of the recruiting process so far:

For me, it was talking to Michigan and getting that offer. They're a great academic school and they have a tremendous football tradition. I talked to the defensive line coach and the defensive coordinator, who coached with the Ravens. That was pretty awesome to talk to those guys.

Maybe that bodes well for Michigan's chances with Wilkerson and his teammate, DE Michael Moore.

Happy Trails

OH OL Anthony Stanko has committed to Penn State. He was on the radar, but unlikely to get a Michigan offer.

TX LB Jeremiah Tshimanga committed to Oklahoma State.

Etc.

Rivals has released their first set of 5-star prospects. Among those with Michigan offers are PA DE Noah Spence, MD DT Eddie Goldman, FL OL John Theus, MD WR Stefon Diggs, MO WR Dorial Green-Beckham, NC OL DJ Humphries.

Keep an eye on MI LB Lester Liston, from the same high school as Justice Hayes ($, info in header). MI DT Dakota Perry likes Michigan but isn't hearing from the Wolverines. IL DE Mikhail Dubose is hearing from Michigan. GA DE Jordan Watkins is hoping for a Michigan offer.