The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1340560
64 THE WOLVERINE MARCH 2021 FOOTBALL RECRUITING Running Back Need: 1 Commits: 0 Michigan has a fresh but familiar face leading the way for running back recruiting in Mike Hart, the program's all-time leading rusher. Hart was known as a plus recruiter at Indiana and will have a lot to sell now that he's back in Ann Arbor. Perhaps the most coveted of the run- ning back recruits on his board is Ri- vals100 Highlands Ranch (Colo.) Valor Christian's Gavin Sawchuk, the No. 1 running back and No. 41 overall pros- pect nationally. Sawchuk has visited Michigan in the past and is extremely high on the Wolverines early on. While Oklahoma is considered the leader, the Sooners just took another back, and the door is open for U-M to make a move. One of the first ball carriers that Hart reached out to after taking the job was Rivals250 Shillington (Pa.) Governor Mifflin's Nicholas Single- ton, the No. 7 running back and No. 122 overall prospect nationally. Singleton is a bruising, downhill run- ner that visited Michigan before the dead period. Penn State and Notre Dame are considered early leaders, but Hart has U-M back in the mix. Hart also made sure to reach out to Suffolk (Va.) Nansemond's George Pettaway, the No. 4 running back and No. 108 overall prospect nationally, and Clayton (N.C.) Cleveland stand- out Omarion Hampton, the No. 8 run- ning back and No. 125 overall pros- pect nationally. Neither have visited Michigan, but both are remaining in constant contact with Hart. Wide Receiver Need: 3 Commits: 0 While Josh Gattis is still in town, Michigan now has a new wide re- ceivers coach in Ron Bellamy, who played at U-M in the early 2000s. Bellamy led West Bloomfield (Mich.) High to a state title this past season and is young enough (39) to relate to kids on a personal level. Bellamy has taken the reins on wide receiver recruiting and immediately got involved with U-M's top target at the position — Rivals100 La Grange Park (Ill.) Nazareth Academy product Tyler Morris, the No. 7 wide receiver and No. 74 overall prospect nationally. Morris played with the aforemen- tioned McCarthy at Nazareth Acad- emy and knows Gattis and area re- cruiter Sherrone Moore well. On top of that, Morris has visited Michigan on multiple occasions, including a self-guided trip in the fall. Notre Dame and Texas are still involved, but U-M is considered the early leader. Morris isn't the only Chicagoland recruit the Wolverines are after. They are also targeting Chicago St. Rita prospect Kaleb Brown, the No. 7 ath- lete and No. 67 overall prospect na- tionally. Brown plays running back at the high school level but will transition to slot receiver in college. Michigan is high on his list, but the Wolverines will have to beat out rival Ohio State. Bellamy is also making Portland (Ore.) Westview's Darrius Clemons, the No. 14 wide receiver and No. 131 overall prospect nationally, a top pri- ority. Clemons may hail from the Pa- cific Northwest, but he actually grew up in Lansing, Mich., and played youth football with U-M incoming freshman wide receiver Andrel An- thony. Clemson is strongly consider- ing returning to Michigan for college. E a s t p o i n t e ( M i c h . ) H i g h ' s Tay'Shawn Trent, the No. 30 wide re- ceiver and No. 243 overall prospect, and Birmingham (Mich.) Groves' Jaden Mangham, a four-star prospect listed as the nation's No. 27 athlete, are two in-state recruits that Bellamy is in frequent contact with as well. Tight End Need: 2 Commits: 1 Michigan took only one tight end in each of the last two cycle. Now, new tight ends coach Jay Harbaugh — who is moving over from running backs — will be tasked with signing two this recruiting cycle. Before the offensive staff was shuf- fled, Sherrone Moore — who now coaches the offensive line — was able to reel in a commitment from three- star Rabun Gap (Ga.) Nacoochee pros- pect Marlin Klein, the No. 21-ranked tight end nationally. Klein made a self- guided Michigan visit before picking the Wolverines over offers from Ari- zona State, Georgia, Michigan State, Nebraska, TCU and others. Klein is originally from Germany and just made his way to the United States last year. He is an upside pros- pect that is still commanding attention on the trail. Ole Miss just entered the race for him, and more are expected to follow. Michigan will have to fight to keep the 6-6, 220-pounder in the fold. Sticking with the Peach State, Michi- gan was the first to offer Rivals250 Cumming (Ga.) West Forsyth recruit Oscar Delp, the No. 5 tight end and No. 177 overall prospect nationally. Since then, the 6-5, 220-pounder has added scholarship offers from Ala- bama, Clemson, Florida, Ohio State, USC and a slew of other top programs. Still, U-M taking a shot on him early is giving the Wolverines a realistic chance at pulling him from the South. Michigan is also looking to land Greer (S.C.) High's Jaleel Skinner, the No. 3 tight end and No. 173 overall prospect, but he is considered an early Clemson lean. Bellevue (Neb.) West's Kaden Helms, the No. 29-ranked tight end nationally, is another top-of-the- board prospect at the position. Michigan already has one tight end from Georgia committed and would love to add Oscar Delp, the No. 5 tight end and No. 177 overall prospect nationally, to its haul. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM