The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1361683
MAY 2021 THE WOLVERINE 53 MICHIGAN RECRUITING Johnson will have an opportunity to really put on his recruiting hat this summer when he makes his of- ficial visit to Michigan on June 18. That weekend is set to have some big names in attendance, including Nolen and Finkley. Johnson said he's looking forward to making his pitch in person and just getting an overall vibe for the program with the new defensive staff in place. "For me, I've pretty much seen ev- erything," Johnson said. "It will be more about just meeting everybody. Getting the commits together will be really fun for sure. I've talked to guys on the team like Donovan Edwards, Makari Paige and Junior Colson. "They're loving it. The players are all saying the energy is way better. The practices are more competitive. I know the defense has more confidence. So it will be good to experience all of that." TWO 2021 SIGNEES OPT IN FOR SENIOR SEASONS Two members of Michigan's 2021 recruiting class are currently playing football despite signing in December. After seeing their normal fall seasons canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Bolingbrook (Ill.) High three-star linebacker Tyler McLaurin and three-star Mansfield (Mass.) High defensive lineman TJ Guy opted in for shortened spring senior seasons. While there is a risk of injury, Michi- gan head coach Jim Harbaugh was the first to call both McLaurin and Guy, and let them know that he wanted them to play before arriving in Ann Arbor as regular enrollees in June. "It wasn't an easy decision, but I couldn't leave these guys hanging," Guy said of his high school teammates and coaches. "They built me for four years, so I felt like I had to give back. They're going to make sure I'm not in when not needed, so I don't get hurt. "All the coaches at Michigan, in- cluding Coach [Jim] Harbaugh, sent me good luck texts before the game. They're all for it. Coach Harbaugh wanted us to play." Guy led Mansfield to a 49-7 blow- out win over Franklin (Mass.) High to open the year. He registered a few tack- les, but had a short night at the office, only playing one half in the contest. Guy was just grateful to be back on the field. "It was crazy to be playing," he said. "I didn't get any sacks, but I got a lot of double and triple teams, and my guys ate because of that, which was good to see. But like I said, it's crazy to be back. I never thought I'd be here in March." McLaurin and Bolingbrook started 2-2 and had two more games sched- uled in April. In a loss to Lockport (Ill.) High April 3, McLaurin notched six tackles and commanded the de- fense from his Mike linebacker spot. A developmental prospect, McLau- rin is thrilled he has a chance to con- tinue to hone his craft and get actual game experience before making the move from Chicagoland to Michigan. "I'm so happy. It's great that I get to spend time on the field working on my craft. I feel like I if I would have gone to Michigan after so long without playing, it would have been a tragic sight to see me out there," he joked. "Being on the field right now has been beneficial." Now, the next step for both is suit- ing up for the Wolverines. "I'm very excited, especially after talking to a lot of the guys that are al- ready enrolled," McLaurin said. "I've talked to [linebacker] Junior Colson multiple times. I've talked to [wide- out] Andrel [Anthony]. They've been talking about how they've been bonding within the position groups and just the team in general. "There is a lot of excitement on the defensive of the ball. Every time I talk to Junior, he tells me how aggres- sive they are going to be. They are ready to fire off the ball and make big plays right away." "I'm counting the days," Guy added. "When I get there, I'm ex- pecting the roughest week of sports I've ever had in my life. But I'm also expecting to learn a lot of things and make a lot of relationships with my coaches and teammates. "I just want to be coachable and learn as much as I can." MICHIGAN LOSES COMMITMENT Michigan has lost a key piece to the puzzle. Four-star 2022 Cross Plains (Tenn.) East Robertson athlete Taylor Groves backed out of his verbal commitment to Michigan in late March. "First, I would like to thank Michi- Three-star defensive lineman and U-M commit TJ Guy is preparing for his time at Michigan by playing a shortened spring season for Mansfield (Mass.) High. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM 2022 Michigan Commitment List Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) Will Johnson DB 6-2 182 Grosse Pointe, Mich. (Grosse Pointe South) Connor Jones OL 6-7 285 Monument, Colo. (Palmer Ridge) Kody Jones DB 6-0 180 Germantown, Tenn. (Germantown) Marlin Klein TE 6-6 215 Rabun Gap, Ga. (Nacoochee) Davonte Miles DL 6-4 265 River Rouge, Mich. (River Rouge) Tay'Shawn Trent WR 6-4 205 Eastpointe, Mich. (Eastpointe)