The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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54 THE WOLVERINE SEPTEMBER 2019 BY BRANDON BROWN E ach summer, Aug. 1 marks the day that college football coaches can of- ficially offer rising seniors for that cycle. That means prospects' phones began blowing up at midnight — but none of them were buzzing with texts or di- rect messages from Michigan. That's because Jim Harbaugh and his staff have decided to approach things a little differently. Instead of recruiting staffers, gradu- ate assistants and position coaches bombarding kids in the middle of the night, Harbaugh has decided to personally message each target early the next morning when he starts his workday. U-M's head coach has made a mindful decision to make the official offer a little more meaningful and includes a personalized message. Owasso (Okla.) High three-star run- ning back Isaiah Jacobs received his offer from Harbaugh on the morning of Aug. 1 and definitely noticed the different approach. "It was great," Jacobs said. "It just shows the level of interest from Michigan." The Wolverines already have com- mitments in place from Baltimore St. Frances four-star running back Blake Corum and Shrewsbury (Mass.) St. John's three-star Eamonn Dennis, who is slated to be an all-purpose back at Michigan, so landing Jacobs would add a different dimension to U-M's running back haul. Corum checks in at 5-9, 180 pounds and Dennis is even smaller at 5-10, 173 pounds. The 5-10, 220-pound Jacobs is unique enough to complement the two commits. Harbaugh also sent out an offer to Destrehan (La.) High four-star running back Kyle Edwards, who is believed to be down to U-M and Alabama. Ed- wards, the No. 19 running back in the country per Rivals, tweeted out his official offer with the word, "Blessed," later on in the day Aug. 1. Another one of Michigan's top tar- gets, Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton four- star wide receiver Brenden Rice, also received his tender from Harbaugh. The 6-3, 208-pounder wasn't exactly surprised to see a message from U-M's head coach, but he definitely felt a lit- tle special because of the effort. "It really takes my recruitment to the next level," Rice said. "Now I feel and know that I'm wanted at the University of Michigan. It really shows the appreciation he takes in recruiting. It means a lot." Rivals' No. 48 wide receiver in the country has a top 11 of Michigan, Ari- zona, Arizona State, Colorado, Missis- sippi, Nebraska, Oregon, Texas A&M, UCLA, USC and Washington State, but many believe it could be a battle between the Ducks and Wolverines. The big-bodied pass catcher is keep- ing things close to the vest and said he has no leading group. He is expected to make his decision in September. Miami Central four-star corner- back Henry Gray waited a few days to tweet out his official offers, but when he did Michigan's was the first posted. The 6-1, 180-pounder visited Ann Arbor in early June and seems MICHIGAN RECRUITING Jim Harbaugh Personally Sends Out Official Offers Himself Four- star running back Kyle Edwards, ranked No. 19 at his position nationally by Rivals.com, received an official offer from Michigan Aug. 1. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM 2020 Michigan Commitment List Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) Reece Atteberry OT 6-5 290 Centennial, Colo. (Eaglecrest) Blake Corum RB 5-9 180 Baltimore (St. Frances) Eamonn Dennis WR 5-10 173 Shrewsbury, Mass. (St. John's) AJ Henning APB 5-10 183 Frankfort, Ill. (Lincoln Way East) Matt Hibner TE 6-4 228 Burke, Va. (Lake Braddock) Nikhai Hill-Green LB 6-2 225 Baltimore (St. Frances) Kris Jenkins Jr. DE 6-3 235 Olney, Md. (Good Counsel) JD Johnson QB 6-4 187 Phoenix (Pinnacle) Aaron Lewis DE 6-5 240 Williamstown, N.J. (Williamstown) Micah Mazzccua OT 6-5 330 Baltimore (St. Frances) Braiden McGregor DE 6-6 250 Port Huron, Mich. (Northern) William Mohan LB 6-1 190 Brooklyn, N.Y. (Erasmus Hall) Jordan Morant S 6-0 190 Oradell, N.J. (Bergen Catholic) RJ Moten ATH 6-0 201 Delran, N.J. (Delran) Kalel Mullings LB 6-2 220 Milton, Mass. (Milton Academy) Makari Paige S 6-3 185 West Bloomfield, Mich. (West Bloomfield) Nick Patterson TE 6-3 215 San Antonio (San Antonio Christian) Jeffrey Persi OT 6-7 265 San Juan Capistrano, Calif. (JSerra Catholic) Osman Savage LB 6-2 220 Baltimore (St. Frances) Andre Seldon DB 5-9 154 Belleville, Mich. (Belleville) Cornell Wheeler LB 6-0 229 West Bloomfield, Mich. (West Bloomfield) Roman Wilson WR 6-0 170 Honolulu (St. Louis) Zak Zinter OT 6-6 300 Cambridge, Mass. (Buckingham Browne & Nichols) 2021 Michigan Commitment List Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) Giovanni El-Hadi OT 6-6 285 Sterling Heights, Mich. (Stevenson) J.J. McCarthy QB 6-2 180 La Grange Park, Ill. (Nazareth Academy)