The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1386887
THE WOLVERINE 2021 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 159 FOOTBALL RECRUITING It may be early, but Michigan's new, aggressive recruit- ing staff is already making a push for some of the country's top prospects in the 2023 class. As usual, Michigan is taking a true national approach when it comes to strategy. But for the third straight year, the crown jewel of next cycle is right in the Wolverines' own backyard. Much like Donovan Edwards and Will Johnson before him, elite 2023 Detroit King quarterback Dante Moore is the top overall target on U-M's board. The 6-3, 199-pounder has beautiful ball place - ment and is athletic enough to extend plays and pick up chunks of yards with his legs. Simply put, Moore is the total package. A borderline five-star recruit, Moore trains with former U-M quarterback Devin Gardner and was on campus June 2 for an unofficial visit. The Wolverines are in a great spot for Moore early on but will have to fend off programs like Auburn, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee and a slew of others. He's ranked by Rivals.com as the nation's No. 30 overall prospect, while 247Sports.com listed him as a five-star recruit and the No. 9 player in the class. "I like Michigan," Moore said. "With Jim Harbaugh being the head coach, it would be great to have him coaching you. A lot of King players went there. They've told me some great things. "It would be great to go to a prestigious school like Michigan and just go out there and have fun." While it appears talent is down in the state of Michigan for the 2023 cycle, there are a pair of four-star prospects in the trenches that U-M is really honing in on — Detroit Cass Tech defensive lineman Jalen Thompson and West Bloomfield High offensive lineman Amir Herring. Thomp - son is ranked No. 124 overall in the country by 247Sports, while Herring checks in at No. 99. Both Thompson and Herring unofficially visited Michigan June 2 and have several ties to the program. Thompson's head coach at Cass Tech is ex-Wolverine Thomas Wilcher, while Herring's former head coach at West Bloomfield is new U-M assistant Ron Bellamy. The maize and blue are off to a strong start with Thompson and may be in the pole position for Herring, thanks in large part to Bellamy's early efforts. "Coach Bell is a really good guy," Herring said. "He's done a really good job of recruiting me and my family. My mom and dad know him from West Bloomfield. It's just really cool to see his success and his rise to the college rankings." Sticking in the Midwest, Michigan has its eyes set on a big playmaker in Chicago native Carnell Tate, who followed in J.J. McCarthy's footsteps and transferred to national powerhouse Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy this offseason. Tate, the No. 48 overall prospect per Rivals.com and a consensus top-50 recruit, is back home in the Windy City for the summer and will be making an unofficial visit to Michigan soon. He has a strong relationship with area recruiter Sherrone Moore, played club seven-on-seven with the McCarthy and loves the Wolverines early on. "Coach Moore is a great man," Tate said. "He's a family man. We talked about family the last time I talked to him. It was just great being able to connect. I really like Michigan, and I'm looking forward to getting out there." From a more national perspective, Michigan is making blue-chip prospects like Wylie (Texas) East defensive end Anthony James and Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson cornerback Tony Mitchell top priorities for next cycle. James is already committed to Texas A&M. However, the nation's No. 49 overall recruit per 247Sports.com is originally from the state and still has plenty of family in the area. James and his parents are in the process of setting a Michigan visit and have plenty of interest in the Wolverines. "I was born in Flint, Mich., so I was excited about the Michigan offer," he said. "Flint is still home. I want to visit and build a relationship with the coaches. "That gives me a better chance to see my family. I don't see them often. Almost all my family lives up there. It would be a dream to play in front of family." On the flip side of the coin, Mitchell, 247Sports.com's No. 14 overall prospect in the 2023 class, is developing a strong bond with new Michigan director of recruit - ing Aashon Larkins, who is leading the Wolverines' push in the state of Alabama. "I talk to Coach Larkins a lot," Mitchell said. "He's just been telling me about coming there and how I could be a top safety. He also said they like me as a nickel because I have good versatility. I can play anywhere in the secondary." Entering June, Michigan was still looking for its first commit in the 2023 recruiting class, but the Wolverines are setting themselves up to build early momentum with a strong season in the fall. — EJ Holland A priority for Michigan in the 2023 class is Detroit King star Dante Moore, who is ranked as the No. 3 quarterback and No. 9 overall player in the junior class by 247Sports.com. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM Michigan's New-Look Recruiting Staff Is Making Inroads With Top 2023 Prospects