The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1334389
FEBRUARY 2021 THE WOLVERINE 47 MICHIGAN RECRUITING in a 7-on-7 game. I looked at his film and wasn't nervous anymore. He can move. I would be so excited to coach him because he can play anything on the field. "You can line him up at linebacker or safety. I love the way he moves at that size. He's a special athlete." Rivals250 wide receiver Cristian Dixon, the No. 35 wide receiver and No. 201 overall recruit nationally ac- cording to Rivals.com, immediately separated himself as the top pass catcher for Team Stripes at practice, but unfortunately he played only five snaps in the game due to a hamstring tweak. "He had a great practice," Niklos said. "He's a big-bodied receiver. He high pointed the ball. We had him matched up against our best cor- ner, and he was taking him down. That's what you want. You want mis- matches from those types of bodies. We definitely missed him in the game and needed him towards the end." Team Stripes wide receivers coach Donald Fusilier, a prominent high school assistant coach in Louisiana, had high praise for Dixon as well. "He's a hands catcher," Fusilier said. "He's very competitive. I like the competitive dog he has in him. He's going to help that program. "He's going to be a big-time play- maker at Michigan." ALL-AMERICAN PARENTS TALK HARBAUGH EXTENSION The wait is over. Michigan head coach Jim Har- baugh signed his contract extension in January and will be in Ann Arbor for the foreseeable future. While the Harbaugh situation lasted longer than anticipated, par- ents of Michigan signees that played in the Pylon 7-on-7 All-American Game in Dallas were delighted it ul- timately got done. "I'm extremely happy," said Chris- tian Dixon, mother of Rivals250 Michigan wide receiver signee Cristian Dixon. "I feel Cristian will benefit greatly from his knowledge. Harbaugh was a major factor in the decision for Cristian to go to Michi- gan, so we are completely invested. "I've talked to him and asked him multiple times throughout this pro- cess if he would be around, and he reassured me that he would. I some- what expected it, but it was great to know that he will continue to be at Michigan for sure now." Harbaugh also played a big role in the recruitment of Rivals100 Michi- gan linebacker signee Junior Colson. Still, his mother, Melanie Colson, who is originally from The Mitten and grew up a U-M fan, was ada- mant that the family was confident in their decision regardless. "I'm happy," Melanie said. "That's all I really have to say. I'm a Har- baugh fan because I rooted for him when he was the quarterback at Michigan. But Junior made a busi- ness decision to go to Michigan. He was going to Michigan regardless of who the head coach was going to be." Jim McCarthy, father of Rivals100 quarterback J.J. McCarthy, is trying to stay out of the media, but he gave one simple quote. "I couldn't be happier," Jim said. "That's all I have to say." Colson, Dixon and McCarthy are all early enrollees. All three are part of a 2021 recruiting class that was ranked No. 11 nation- ally as of Jan. 27 and stuck together despite ongoing question marks sur- rounding Harbaugh's status. Colson, Rivals.com's No. 5 outside line- backer and No. 94 overall prospect nation- ally, picked up the Pylon 7-on-7 Linebacker of the Year award. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM 2021 Michigan Commitment List Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) Raheem Anderson* OL 6-3 298 Detroit (Cass Tech) Andrel Anthony* WR 6-2 180 Lansing, Mich. (East Lansing) Kechaun Bennett* DL 6-4 220 Suffield, Conn. (Suffield Academy) Tristan Bounds* OT 6-8 305 Gaithersburg, Md. (Choate Rosemary Hall [Conn.]) Junior Colson* LB 6-2 230 Brentwood, Tenn. (Ravenwood) Greg Crippen* OL 6-4 285 Northborough, Mass. (IMG Academy [Fla.]) Cristian Dixon* WR 6-2 187 Santa Ana, Calif. (Mater Dei) Tommy Doman* K/P 6-3 180 West Bloomfield, Mich. (St. Mary's) Tavierre Dunlap* RB 6-0 196 Del Valle, Texas (Del Valle) Donovan Edwards* RB 5-11 190 West Bloomfield, Mich. (West Bloomfield) Giovanni El-Hadi* OL 6-5 305 Sterling Heights, Mich. (Stevenson) Dominick Giudice* DL 6-4 265 Freehold, N.J. (Mater Dei) TJ Guy* DL 6-4 240 Mansfield, Mass. (Mansfield) Louis Hansen* TE 6-5 232 Dover, Mass. (St. Sebastian's) Jaydon Hood* LB 6-1 212 Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (St. Thomas Aquinas) Ja'Den McBurrows* DB 5-10 165 Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (St. Thomas Aquinas) J.J. McCarthy* QB 6-3 195 La Grange Park, Ill. (IMG Academy [Fla.]) Tyler McLaurin* LB 6-2 220 Bolingbrook, Ill. (Bolingbrook) Rod Moore* DB 5-11 180 Clayton, Ohio (Northmont) George Rooks DL 6-4 260 Jersey City, N.J. (St. Peter's Prep) Xavier Worthy* WR 6-1 160 Fresno, Calif. (Central) 2022 Michigan Commitment List Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) Connor Jones OL 6-7 285 Monument, Colo. (Palmer Ridge) Marlin Klein TE 6-6 215 Rabun Gap, Ga. (Nacoochee) Tyler Martin LB 6-2 249 Cambridge. Mass. (Buckingham, Browne & Nichols) Davonte Miles DL 6-4 265 River Rouge, Mich. (River Rouge) Alex VanSumeren DT 6-2 260 Essexville, Mich. (Garber) * Signed