The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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prep profiles West Coast Two-Way Standout Has U-M High On His List Long Beach (Calif.) Poly's John Smith, one of the country's top athletes in the senior class, has some difficult decisions to make. It's not just choosing among some of the best programs in the country, including Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and others, but deciding which side of the ball he'll play at the next level. It's Smith's versatility that makes him so highly coveted. Many on his list like him as a wide receiver, but some — including Michigan — think his 6‑1, 185-pound frame could suit him better as a defensive back in college, or even on both sides of the ball. He ended his season playing both ways, accumulating 47 receptions for 700 yards on offense as a wideout and 31 tackles on defense as a defensive back. "I think Michigan wants me at DB, but from what the commits are saying, they're probably thinking the offensive or defensive side of the ball," Smith said. "As of right now, I know I'm a DB. I want to play both ways, though. I haven't heard about playing both ways for Michigan, and I want to hear more." Michigan offered in March, elevating the Wolverines quickly among his favorites. U-M hadn't offered a Poly kid since cornerback Donovan Warren said yes to Michigan in 2007. Michigan's combination of athletics and academics has Smith intrigued. Others, though, will also get a look before he makes a decision. "I haven't been to Michigan, and I haven't been around the area at all yet," he said. "Most likely I'll be taking my trip either this spring or during football season, but I don't have a date yet. As of right now, Michigan, USC, Wisconsin, UCLA, Cal and Washington, are my top schools. The reason why I picked Cal and UCLA is because they are high academic-wise. Those are my top six teams right now. "The academic part is very important to me. I want to have a backup plan after football, and it's being a chiropractor or in John "JuJu" Smith ✪✪✪✪✪ Polytechnic High School Long Beach, Calif. Class: 2014 Position: Wide Receiver/ Defensive Back Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 185 Ranking: Rivals.com's No. 15 wide receiver nationally sports medicine. That's what I want to do." Smith has talked to Warren and received positive feedback on the school. He's hoping to take a visit to Ann Arbor in the summer, but if he can't make it on an unofficial trip, he definitely plans to use one of his five allotted official visits to see Michigan. He has already toured USC and UCLA and would also like to see Ohio State. For now, though, he plans to concentrate on academics and the track, where he runs the 200 and 400 meters for his school. "I'm taking it slow," Smith said. "I'm not going to commit early. I'll most likely commit toward the end of the college season. I want to see how they're doing, how the coaches are doing and how the players are doing." — Chris Balas