Quick note on paywalled info: Obviously these articles rely a ton on the work of people like EJ Holland, Sam Webb, and Steve Lorenz, who can do that for a living because they're paid to do so by their subscribers. If you want more than a little taste, today is the last day you can get in on 247's 60-percent off deal, and Rivals has a deal if you use the promo code Blue60 to get the next 60 days free. That means right now you can have both this season for 40% of the price of one. On with the show!

Dead Period Fallout

The NCAA's D1 counsel decided last week to extend the dead period through January 1. All in-person recruiting, including official visits, are off until the end of the year. I get it, but it's more terrible news for the worst-done recruiting class in living memory. Effectively it means if players want to visit they have to do so on their own dime, and can't access the coaches and staff they'll be working with. With the early signing day still set for Wednesday, December 16, we're heading for a clustershfushow of epic proportions.

The fallout for Michigan's recruiting is mixed. It probably helps their chances to win the Donovan Edwards marathon, as does Oklahoma starting to pull ahead for 5* RB Camar Wheaton($) and Georgia pulling in IMG's Lovasea Carroll, who's a similarly electric back. Rivals' EJ Holland thinks($) it also helps keep MI 4* DT target Rayshaun Benny home. While Benny's other suitors—Ohio State, Kentucky, and Penn State—are all relatively within driving distance, Michigan seems to have a solid lead on all of them (especially PSU--via that link), and Benny's reasoning for extending his recruitment to next January was a chance to see what schools further abroad have to offer. Denied that opportunity he may just end his recruitment earlier. 247 posted a free a writeup of their recent podcast that makes it sound like one more competitor for Benny's services is going all-in on the Josh Christopher gambit (emphasis mine):

To the new [MSU] staff's credit, they didn't take that side-eye from him, when they came in the door, personally. They were persistent. And (the Spartans) started to register with him a bit. He does have a teammate committed to Michigan State. But they've started hitting him with this pitch about building his brand and it being this thing that would propel him into life after football.

Goodluckwiththat.gif. Benny, by the way, watched in street clothes last Thursday as Edwards and West Bloomfield blew out Benny's Oak Park team.

On the other side of the coin are some Michigan commits who won't get to campus before early signing day. That includes the Aquinas duo, 4* LB Jaydon Hood and 3* CB Ja'Den McBurrows. McBurrows seems to be solid unless Ohio State has a rash of decommits and jumps in, but pressure from hometown Miami (YTM) to stay close to home remains a threat with Hood. Minnesota might have been a quiet 2nd place, revealed Holland on his podcast. The Canes do currently have three LBs (including their hybrid) committed, but I don't think that has any more bearing on this than Michigan losing a commitment from MA 3* Casey Phinney since UM (the Ann Arbor one) got four in the extra-year'd class of 2020.

It also really hurts with CA 4.5* CB Ceyair Wright, who's the last realistic shot at a game-changing secondary recruit they badly need this cycle, who did tell Brice Marich of plans to get to Ann Arbor unofficially before a planned commitment at the All-American game($). Also in that article, Agent David Long is on the case.

247's Brice Marich says Michigan's trying to plan a big recruiting weekend for late January($).

[After THE JUMP: 2021 class has a few loose ends, a half-assed 2022 primer]

2022 Class Reaches Draw Distance

This is by no means a comprehensive rundown, but there has been enough news about the 2022 class now that we'd better start covering it. Bits by position rundown:

Quarterback: Lorenz posted a mini-board($) a few weeks ago; only change is Michigan offered KY top-100 dual-threat Gavin Wimsatt, though that came and went without any of the fanfare that might signal an immediate change of direction (Kentucky).

Running Back: Donovan Edwards's teammate Dillon Tatum is being recruited at both RB and CB($) by Michigan. WolverineWire's Isaiah Hole is a big fan of Tatum.

Wide Receiver: IL 5* Tyler Morris remains a premier target for Gattis next cycle. Holland saw him at the recent Next Level Showcase($), used the word "smooth", and has reason to believe($) Penn State's right there with Michigan-Notre Dame in this one. Holland also saw more of IL 4* Kaleb Brown, and made a comp to Golden Tate($) I can neither debate nor un-think.

Tight End: I'm filing recent German via Georgia commit Marlin Klein here. Michigan's also been very high on as-yet-unrated GA prospect Oscar Delp, who recently visited, talked to Lorenz($) about his recruiting plans, and told Sam Webb his dad grew up in Bloomfield Hills($), which is where my wife grew up, so great, when she gets off work I'll have to ask if we're old enough to have grown up with someone who's old enough to have a Michigan recruit. Sam also found this Forsyth County News article wherein Delp's teammates seem to know his destination:

In fact, a certain high-profile West Forsyth player rushed to greet Delp after his 46-yard touchdown, shouting, “Yeah, Michigan.”

Delp is also friends with Klein, yet another reason Sam gave for a recent crystal ball to Michigan($). Lorenz has a primer up for 2022 TE recruiting($) if you're wondering which big national fish they're going after beyond the Georgians.

OL: Nothing of great interest to report.

DL: Ditto.

Linebacker: MA 4* LB Tyler Martin committed (Hello). Here's some analysis from Brian Dohn($) that came in after I posted that:

Martin is solid in his depth drops in the passing game, but has to show he has the quickness to close on running backs on quick dump passes in the middle. He has to continue to work on his flexibility, which should increase his change of direction, lateral movement and acceleration. He will have to show he has the speed to pursue to the edge.

Dohn then mentions fullback. Both he and Lorenz reported Martin is down to 238 (from 250+). EJ Holland admitted this was the purple devil he'd been teasing Michigan fans with, though Rivals' young reporter isn't quite hip enough with the Michigan community yet to recognize this might be an issue in Ann Arbor:

Some of my favorite stories included Tyler being pretty unimpressed with Penn State despite his sister's enthusiasm, Tyler threatening hecklers who chanted 'Molly' during a game…

Keep him away from circa 2002 Yost and we're good. Holland also saw MI 4* Joshua Burnham, who plans to commit after this season($), ie around Thanksgiving. Michigan seems to be in a good position.

Safety: The Wolverines seem to be in a tight two-horse race with Penn State($) for now-TX 3* Sherrod Covil, who grew up in Virginia but moved this summer to play at Houston-area power North Shore. Dollar says he's a top-150 prospect by this time next year. Former commit Myles Rowser is back at Belleville and names Arizona State and Michigan State as the other schools besides Michigan he's looking at, before giving this quote to an ASU reporter($):

“The relationship with coaches is first to me,” Rowser said of his considerations when evaluating schools. “Then I look at the team. I want to have team chemistry. I also want to go to a school where the coaching staff has been there for a long time. I want to go somewhere where I know most of the coaches. I don’t want to be at a place where the staff leaves and I have to meet a bunch of new people. That’s really important.”

At first blush: lolMSU. But one of the things I've picked up from putting together these roundups is what other schools use to recruit against Michigan. If you hear something that sounds like they're wondering if Harbaugh/Gattis/Brown will still be around in a few seasons, you can bet a dollar he heard it from someone negative recruiting Michigan, especially the one that rhymes with Ben's Date.

MO 4* ATH target Isaac Thompson seems to be leaning Texas($).

Cornerback: Given the state of the cornerback depth chart and 2021 recruiting at the position, at least there's some hope on the horizon as Michigan's starting the 2022 cycle in ideal position with some national prospects. They're "putting the full-court press" ($, information in title) on CA 5* Domani Jackson, who's from the same powerhouse we just got Cristian Dixon from and might be the best prospect in the country next year. His dad, who like Zordich is a Youngstown boy, is also a Dr. Sap-following Michigan fan, and recently spoke to Marich($) about where the Wolverines stand.

That's not the only 2022 5* cornerback recruit in proximity to someone who listens to The Teams Podcast, as Grosse Pointe South's Will Johnson is the son of former Wolverine Deon. That doesn't mean Will's a lock ($, info in title) to follow his father to Big Blue, says Sam Webb. The younger Johnson is a Marlin Jackson-like player and would prefer to stick at cornerback. There's also this bit that I read and immediately assumed Penn State's been talking to him($):

“He asks me all the time, ‘in two years are the coaches still going to be there?’,” Mr. Johnson stated. “He could commit tomorrow, and if Don Brown decides he wants to take a job out of the East Coast, the whole philosophy changes.”

Answer: yup. Speaking of Dudes who like Don Brown, NJ 4* Jaedon Gould is close with Jordan Morant and seems to be favoring joining him. Holland talked to Gould's private trainer($) about the 6'2/200 cornerback/safety tweener and got the word "twitchy" plus a comp to Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Michigan's also in good shape with top-50 CA ATH Larry Turner-Gooden, who has a brother who played for Zordich at Youngstown, and NV 4* Fabian Ross, who gave Marich an apparently winnable top seven($).

OL Happy Trails, Plus a New Offer

The Drew Kendall saga appears to be all over but for the once-again-delayed announcement; he's going to Boston College. Michigan is kicking the tires($) on 2021 Texas 3* Remington Strickland but they can also probably sit tight with the class they have given the extra year of eligibility for the six they recruited last year. They're all but officially out for a couple of longshots since 5* Nolan Rucci announced he'll join his brother at Wisconsin (nailed it!). Consequently, NC 4* Diego Pounds seems ticketed for Penn State.

Speaking of this year's recruits, Cass Tech 4* Raheem Anderson was back on the field last week for the King game, giving recruiting reporters another chance to fall in love with his personality. 247's Josh Newkirk has a free article that includes Anderson's plans to enroll early.

Rooks Watch

If you asked me last week who was likely to be Michigan's next 2021 I'd guess it's 3.5* DT George Rooks, if only because he told 247's Brian Dohn he wanted to make his decision before his senior season($) which starts Oct 2. That decision still might get pushed back again. Rooks was a Cuse-Michigan battle and now says he's a BC-Michigan-PSU-Pitt battle. BC's guy at 247 thinks that's really just Michigan-PSU($). Holland agrees PSU is the biggest threat($) but admits Rooks is hard to read, both to him and the two schools' staffs. The best I can tell is Rooks likes the staff at Michigan but Penn State's closer to home and he's visited there a lot. Holland has a Rooks workout video on Twitter from his recent trip out east.

Safety Looks Set

Happy trails to Daymon David, a two-horse race with Boston College that got a big ugly Oregon offer dropped in the middle of it. Last week the balls flew to the Ducks($), and then EJ Holland said there's a chance for Michigan if he doesn't commit in the next few days($), and then David committed to Oregon. Michigan still wants to bring in another safety, but this scouting win seems the last of the good ideas that aren't longshots.

The good news is OH 3* commit Rod Moore isn't budging($) though his friend and teammate Markus Allen decommitted, though Moore might not be enrolling early anymore. Also Michigan got three blue chips last cycle who will all still be true freshmen in 2021. Moore also had a monster game last weekend.

Etc.

Isaiah Hole also took in West Bloomfield's practice and got a lot of photos. Hole on three West Bloomfield prospects. Holland on 2022 New England recruiting($). EJ Holland just loves TJ Guy($) I mean *LOVES*($). Like so much that Guy's now getting random evals in the middle of other peoples' scouting reports($) Has a workout video and everything. Anchor/DT commit Dominic Guidice is up to 275 pounds($). DE commit Kechaun Bennett won't be enrolling early($) via Holland; Dohn says Bennett's coming in as a SAM, which: so did Frank Clark, Brennan Beyer, et al. Play guess-the-coach with the quotes in Wiltfong's free article on how playing affects Big Ten recruiting.