Offense was yesterday. Here are the defensive recruits and a bit on 2022 guys.

Defensive Line

If the COVID situation hurts Michigan with a bunch of out-of-state guys it helps with top DT target Rayshaun Benny, who did that thing where you release a top eight when you're down to fewer than that. While Michigan leads that one may draw out to February he told Rivals. Brian already linked the interview with Trieu but I found it interesting that he was confident enough in Benny going blue to use him as the answer to Damon Payne whining:

“So I don’t think there’s a huge issue there when you look at what they’ve gotten in this class already and with what they could finish with. If you get Donovan Edwards, if you get Rayshaun Benny — which, right now, I think they’ll probably get both of those guys. If you look in ’22, you get guys like Will Johnson and Joshua Burnham — (who) Michigan’s in good shape for — I think you feel fine with in-state recruiting efforts.

Just as NJ 3* George Rooks was coming close to a decision between Michigan and Syracuse, Penn State turned up as the new #2 hat($) in Wiltfong's rundown of where the top DTs are leading. The only two 247 crystal balls in on Rooks are from Loy and Clint Brewster, both from late May.

[After THE JUMP: So you're saying there's a chance?]

After adding him and removing him twice I have decided to re-add USC commit Jay Toia back on the board and leave him there until he signs an LOI. The latest cause for optimism was Toia saying he plans to take five visits, which five aren't hard to figure out from the 247 articles that resulted.

The Michigan one is by Greg Biggens and highlights Michigan's depth chart, coaching staff, and academics($):

"A big thing for me will be finding a school that is strong academically as well as strong in football and that’s definitely Michigan. I look at them as the Ivy League of the Big 10 and they’re very strong in my major, which will be Engineering."

In end news, if we don't end up getting a top-200 DT who's 6'2"/315 at least we can keep that quote.

247's Brice Marich is now on board with MA 3* TJ Guy, who's reportedly been leveling up and mastering new techniques:

“I weigh 250 now with about a 6-7% body fat. I’ve been getting more technical and violent with the hands and added moves like jack knife, club combinations, forklifts, so really a bunch of stuff too much to count. I’ve just been watching defensive line videos from the college to pro level and soaking it all in.”

If Guy adds a finishing move and ranged attack he may move up past 800 on the Composite. As for Michigan's lowest-rated recruit, Allen Trieu sees NJ 3* Dominick Giudice as the sleeper of the class because of this production and motor.

Linebacker

It's all playing defense right now. None of Michigan's recruits seem to be less than solid, but Miami's 247 site reports Hood is still talking to the Canes($):

LB Jaydon Hood – Hood committed to Michigan sight unseen back in May picking the Wolverines over the Hurricanes. While many had assumed he had cut off contact with other schools, there's still dialogue with Miami.

Lorenz admits Hood is the guy you would most be concerned about because he hasn't visited and Miami is in his backyard. Minnesota also had a weird recruiting event in Florida that Hood made it to. Losing him would be bad, especially now that we've got a coach quote for next year's writeup:

"Hood was always making plays and around the ball all the time, and just stood out during the game. It seemed like he was at the point of contact every time, and constantly disrupted what we were trying to do.”

…which, man, that poor coach just lost 13-0 in 100 degrees in a pandemic and now he's got to praise the guy who did it.

4* TN LB commit Junior Colson's season is underway and already showing Khaleke things:

Michigan LB commit Junior Colson (@JuniorColson) just demolished the entire Centennial backfield. Just a terror off the edge. #GoBlue

Ravenwood comes away with a turnover on the play. pic.twitter.com/gRwf0x2jF2

— "EJ Holland" (@EJHolland_TW) August 22, 2020

There was also a touchdown return on a kickoff. #justlikehitman. There will be a game vs IMG (McCarthy/Crippen) to watch in a few weeks.

Son of a Coach got to see Junior in person, and Oklahoma is popping up again, though Colson told Brewster he's solid to Michigan($). Ole Miss also recently offered; Colson's sister is going to be a freshman there in fall. Sam notes the Southern schools are trying to hit Southern kids hard with a "we care more" pitch, which Sam thinks isn't going to move Colson but who knows with Hood. Miami is using Tyler Cochran's angry-at-Schlissel IG post against Michigan. Because yeah dudes, your state's COVID response is totally a selling point with parents.

Hood, Colson, and low 3-star Casey Phinney all made the national Butkus Award watch.

The fourth commit did finally make it campus; Tyler McLaurin visited in July, sampled the Brown Jug, and drove home how much the campus has changed since I was there:

“We really just got the chance to see all the different buildings and view what the campus looks like on a beautiful summer day. One of the major things that stood out was just how well and clean the campus was. There’s always talk about how Michigan treat their athlete as top priority, but it just went to show that the school cares for every student by putting them in a clean and welcoming environment.”

How they got him from the athletic campus to North University without him seeing the State & Packard area is an accomplishment nearly up there with the Cazzie Russell visit that somehow avoided the leaky building basketball played in before he built the new one.

Via Holland Michigan is talking to McLaurin about playing Will or Sam($) not viper.

Safety

MD 3* Daymon David is Michigan's top safety left on the board, and critically underrated to everyone who's recruiting him according to Brice Marich on the TMI podcast. He almost destroyed a kid on his third play of the season. Oklahoma was in heavy but looks good to pick up another criminally underrated safety in LA 3* Jardin Gilbert, who's got serious Alabama interest. That leaves BC, which was the first Power 5 school interested and has Aazaar Abdul-Rahim, which name you probably remember from being involved with all the 5* players from DC who weirdly chose Maryland. David goes way back with AAR.

Dohn talked about Michigan's other big battle with BC on the TMI podcast, who was coming close to a decision when Oklahoma dropped out. That was before Oregon came in with an offer, and David confirmed that this means the Ducks "are in it big time." It was his dream school as a kid and he's got family out there. While BC was the school to beat previously, Dohn feels it's 33-33-33 between the three schools now.

Holland likes Michigan's chances($).

Cornerback

It's been a frustrating cycle at a position of need as another top underrated target, this time Kamonte Grimes, went off the board to a rival, this time Nebraska. CA 4.5* Ceyair Wright is going to star as LeBron's son in the Space Jam sequel but remains mysterious as to his intentions. Michigan has won a few of these long, quiet battles for Cali corners in the past but Michigan would have to get him on campus to have a shot($). Wright told the ND 247 guys that Nebraska and a lot of Pac 12 schools($) have been reaching out the most lately. Stanford seems like the leader if he makes it in, though don't count out USC for a film guy. Michigan hasn't been mentioned lately but Holland said Harbaugh's been talking to him lately, and Wright goes back with Darion Green-Warren and Cristian Dixon.

At least Hood's Aquinas teammate Ja'Den McBurrows seems to be "1000% solid" to Michigan despite that being ten times the limitation of the metaphor, and despite still not being able to visit, though they're still going to do what they can to make that happen. On the other end of that game, Michigan wasn't giving up on A&M commit Tyreek Chappell of Pennsylvania but the A&M 247 site has Chappell seemingly pretty sincere about the Aggies despite not visiting.

EJ Holland added a new name to the board: AL 3* Kamari Lassiter, who's also a top priority for Auburn, which needs cornerbacks like we do and might be close to wrapping up his recruitment($) according to their 247 site. Clemson just offered too.

Maybe next year then? The nation's top 2022 CB is Domani Jackson, who grew up a Michigan fan (originally from Ohio, dad is Michigan, Mom is Ohio State) and might be the best DB in high school right now, but the only crystal ball so far is for USC. Jackson is tight with Worthy too. The other super cornerback target Michigan's in early with is MI legacy 5* Will Johnson of Grosse Pointe South. Like his father Deon, who played for Moeller and Bo, Will is tall and freakishly athletic. Ohio State and Oklahoma are the other two at the top of his list right now, but Michigan is going to use everything they have.

Michigan is also in good shape to start with Bergen Catholic (Jordan Morant)'s 2022 top-150 CB Jaeden Gould, who's 6'2"/190 and has visited Michigan several times. A bad cycle or two (relative to the school's position) happens to everybody, but I think we all agree Zordich needs to win at least one or two of these battles.

Happy Trails: FL 3* Kamonte Grimes committed to Nebraska. Prophet Brown committed to USC to play defense($).

The Distant Future: 2022

Stuff is happening fast now because yesterday (9/1) was the first day schools could officially communicate with 2022s, and I'm just not able to keep up. I'll probably have a board up when the 2021 class signs in December, when I feel like I have a handle on things. One thing is former commit Myles Rowser is coming back to Belleville after IMG didn't work out.

Keep an eye on($) Abdul Carter an OLB in Pennsylvania who's starting to climb the rankings. Also Oak Park QB Kaden Cobb($) and GA QB Sam Horn($), OH 4* RB G'Bran Payne, and their top TE target, SC 4* Jaleel Skinner. IN DE/DT Joe Strickland will be a typical Michigan/Notre Dame battle($), and Markus Allen's 2022 DT-shaped DT teammate Derrick Shepard is picking up interest. Bama and Penn State are sniffing around Van Sumeren's brother, who remains committed to Michigan. Also 2023 LB David Vadala($) has connected with the program.

There is one piece of 2022 news however that I have to cover immediately:

The Wolverines have entered the picture for several juniors within the state like Franklin (Mich.) Wylie E. Groves 2022 athlete Jaden Mangham. …Michigan already has offered the 6-foot-3, 185-pounder and offensive coordinator Josh Gattis has quickly formed a strong rapport with him.

If the name rings a bell his brother was Cass Tech's RB in 2019 and ended up going to Colorado. Also you read that correctly: SETH'S ALMA MATER HAS A MICHIGAN-CALIBER RECRUIT! Cue the fight song!

Rise Up, All Falcons! Rise Up, All Falcons!
Duh nuh nah nuh nuh. Mah na nah num…

I don't actually know my high school's fight song. Rise Up!