The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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OCTOBER 2019 THE WOLVERINE 45 FOOTBALL RECRUITING While he lacks height, he is a pun- ishing run blocker and also makes play after play along the defensive line for his high school team. Weatherspoon was on campus this summer for the BBQ at The Big House, and his interest level in U-M is extremely high. He is planning on returning to Ann Arbor for a game this fall. "After seeing so many good things, I may be feeling like spending my four years of college at Michigan," Weatherspoon said. "It just has a great campus with outstanding sports and academics, and is a very good all-around school." Michigan also happened to played host to Notre Dame center commit and Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy prod- uct Greg Crippen for its season opener against Middle Tennessee State. Crippen is listed as the No. 5 guard and No. 118 overall senior in the country per Rivals. However, the 2021 prospect may make the tran- sition to center at the next level — that's where the Irish want him, and his versatility is certainly intriguing. Crippen has been committed to Notre Dame since March, but his visit to Michigan shows there is le- gitimate interest in the Wolverines. There is also some buzz that Crippen may not be very solid to the Irish. The door is open with Crippen as well as all the centers mentioned. Mich- igan should be able to land at least one when it's all said and done. ❏ RB Donovan Edwards, West Bloomfield (Mich.) High Michigan is still looking for another running back this cycle, but might not end up filling the spot. And that makes four-star prospect Donovan Edwards even more important for the junior class. The staff would love to land a unicorn like five-star ball carrier Camar Wheaton from Garland, Texas, Rivals' No. 1 running back and No. 7 overall talent in the country. How- ever, Edwards is the more realistic option and is rated as the No. 4 running back and No. 89 overall player in the country. Michigan is trending in the right direction early on. Edwards, a 5-11, 193-pounder, likes Ohio State and is intrigued by a few SEC programs, but he's Michigan's to lose. OL Landon Tengwall, Olney (Md.) Good Counsel Landing an elite-level offensive tackle is a priority for any major college football team. It's one of the big focuses for Michigan this cycle, and four-star recruit Landon Tengwall is high on the wish list. While early signs pointed towards Notre Dame, it appears the Irish's momentum has slowed a bit. Michigan is set to host him for an unofficial visit later this fall, and the door is open for the Wolverines to overtake Notre Dame in a heated race for the services of Rivals' No. 8 offensive tackle and No. 54 overall prospect in the junior class. Ohio State, Penn State and a handful of SEC schools are also involved here. OL Rocco Spindler, Clarkston (Mich.) High It's important to win in the trenches in the Big Ten, and interior offensive linemen need to be valued just like other premium positions. Spindler is the No. 3-ranked guard and No. 82 overall prospect for his class, and would represent a huge land for the Wolverines. You can't get much better than Spindler at the position, and his athleticism is something the Michigan staff really values. He visited Ann Arbor for its game against Army and plans to be back on campus three times before the season is over. Michigan is the frontrunner, but the Wolverines will need to fend off Michigan State and Notre Dame. DL Tywone Malone, Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic Perhaps the most important of them all, Malone is a mon- ster prospect in the trenches. The big, athletic defensive tackle is an extremely disruptive player with so much ath- letic upside and checks in as the No. 4 defensive tackle and No. 36 overall junior in the land according to Rivals. Malone is actually a Division I baseball prospect at 6-4, 290 pounds, which is impressive. Malone is a teammate of 2020 Michigan commit Jordan Morant and plays under Vito Campanile, brother of Wolverines assistant Anthony Cam- panile. Michigan has a lot of ties here and appears to have the inside track in his recruitment. Malone visited over the summer and will be back this fall. LB Jamari Buddin, Belleville (Mich.) High Michigan has done a terrific job recruiting the linebacker position, which has become extremely difficult for major programs across the country with each passing cycle. The Wolverines should continue that success in 2021, and four-star prospect Jamari Buddin has emerged as a true priority for the Wolverines. The four-star prospect visited for Michigan's season opener, and there is growing confidence that the Wolverines will be able to close with the in-state prospect who is listed as Rivals' No. 14 outside linebacker and No. 187 overall recruit nationally. In fact, it would be disappointing if Buddin sides with any other team since he is a teammate of 2020 Michigan com- mit Andre Seldon and loves what the program has to offer on and off the field. — EJ Holland Donovan Edwards from West Bloomfield (Mich.) High is a high pri- ority for the Wolverines. Rivals ranks him as a four-star talent, the No. 3 player in Michigan, and the nation's No. 4 running back and No. 89 overall recruit in the class of 2021. PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN Five Most Important Realistic 2021 Targets