The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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50 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2019 MICHIGAN RECRUITING camonga (Calif.) quarter- back CJ Stroud in game action. The Wolverines want to make it clear that he is the top guy on the board at the quarterback position in 2020, after commit JD Johnson retired from football. NEW MICHIGAN OFFERS GO OUT Michigan took advan- tage of the bye week by hitting the recruiting trail hard. With most of the staff out on the road, the Wolverines were able to make extra evaluations and send out new offers to underclassmen. Perhaps the most tal- ented recruit to earn an of- fer from U-M was four-star Lebanon (Ore.) High inside linebacker Keith Brown, who is ranked as the top player in the country at his position and the No. 48 overall recruit for the next cycle. The fact that U-M dipped for Brown all the way out in the Pacific Northwest speaks volumes of how much the staff values him. Brown has early interest and would like to visit down the line. "I was very excited to get an offer from Michigan," Brown said. "It's amazing knowing my talent is being recognized nationally and by a great program like Michigan." On the other side of the country, Michigan went a little wild with of- fers at national powerhouse Balti- more St. Frances, which is ranked as the No. 4 high school team in the country by MaxPreps.com. The Wol- verines hold four commitments from the school in 2020, and former Michi- gan assistant Biff Poggi is on the staff there. Needless to say, the Wolverines want to keep the pipeline flowing. Michigan offered a whopping six prospects at the school during the bye week — 2021 defensive end Ter- rance Butler, 2021 linebacker Jamon Johnson, 2022 offensive lineman Andre Roye, 2022 wide receiver De- nylon Morrissette, 2022 cornerback Cam Johnson and 2022 wide receiver Lamar Patterson. Meanwhile, Michigan defensive line coach Shaun Nua made his way to Hawai'i to check in on a handful of recruits. Nua personally extended an offer to rising 2021 wide receiver Titus Mokiao-Atimalala. Michigan has had success in Hawai'i, landing three-star wide receiver Roman Wilson this cy- cle, and Mokiao-Atimalala loves what the Wolverines have to offer early on. "Michigan is a big and great pro- gram," he said. "I'm just blessed with the opportunity. One of the guys I enjoy watching is Donovan Peoples-Jones. He runs great routes and make plays. "Also, just knowing that Coach [Jim] Harbaugh has been at the best level and knows what it takes to get there is big." RECRUITS SET TO VISIT MICHIGAN Michigan is gearing up for the big- gest game of the year with rival Ohio State slated to come to The Big House Nov. 30. Naturally, recruits want to watch "The Game," and the early list of prospects looking to make their way to Ann Arbor is stellar. Michigan will host several of its priority 2021 recruits. Perhaps the most interesting of them all is four-star Westlake Village (Calif.) Westlake defensive tackle Vic- tory Vaka, who included Michigan in his top five and is looking to make an early decision. Vaka, the No. 10 defensive tackle and No. 126 overall player in the ju- nior class per Rivals, will get his first look at Michigan, and the Wolverines need to make an impression to steal this monstrous defensive lineman away from the West Coast. Vaka has a great relationship with as- sistant Shun Nua and is super excited about mak- ing the trek to Ann Arbor. Michigan will also host some big names from its own backyard. West Bloomfield (Mich.) High four-star Donovan Edwards, Rivals' No. 4 running back and No. 89 overall prospect in the ju- nior class, is set to be at the game after visiting for the Notre Dame clash last month. Michigan is con- sidered the early favorite, but Ohio State is making a big surge for him. Clarkston (Mich.) High four-star offensive lineman Rocco Spindler will be mak- ing his fourth unofficial visit to Michigan of the season. Spindler, the No. 3 offensive guard and No. 82 over- all prospect in the country according to Rivals, has watched the Wolverines in action against Army, Notre Dame and Michigan State. U-M appears to have the early edge with him. Needham (Mass.) St. Sebastian's standout Louis Hansen, the No. 3 tight end and No. 114 overall player nation- ally per Rivals, will be on campus for the first time since this summer. The four-star prospect loves the Wolverines early on and could be the next New England player to jump on board. Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown, who recruits the Boston area, watched Hansen in action dur- ing the bye week and is making him a priority for the next cycle. Another big visitor is three-star Houston Bellaire Episcopal offensive lineman Cullen Montgomery, the No. 35 offensive tackle in the land per Rivals, who should see his ranking get a bump in the very near future. The Wolverines are in it with sev- eral outstanding offensive lineman but have made it clear to Montgomery that he is at the top of the board. This will be his third visit to Michigan this calendar year. If there is a prospect Michigan can pull from the Lone Star State, it's him. Overall, a win over Ohio State would certainly set the tone for 2021 recruiting and give the Wolverines a leg up with several national recruits. ❏ Westlake Village (Calif.) Westlake four-star Victory Vaka, the No. 10 defensive tackle and No. 126 overall player in the junior class per Rivals, is among several priority 2021 prospects making the trek to Ann Arbor for the Ohio State game Nov. 30. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM