The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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50 THE WOLVERINE SEPTEMBER 2021 PREP PROFILES Rising 2023 offensive lineman Dylan Senda is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after underclass- men in the Midwest. Senda, who is ranked as the No. 2 center nationally by Rivals.com, has already notched offers from Iowa, Kentucky, Miami, Michigan, Michi- gan State, Northwestern, Penn State, West Virginia and others. The 6-5, 274-pound Dearborn (Mich.) Divine Child product made the rounds in the summer and is set to see more programs in the fall. "Recruiting has been going really well," Senda said. "June was really busy. I went on a couple of visits in July. Right now, I'm weighing out my options and seeing where things go for the future. Of course, some of the Big Ten schools are sticking out like Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Northwestern and Penn State. There are a plethora of other schools I'm interested in as well." Senda earned an offer from Michi- gan after impressing the staff at a private workout just before the BBQ at The Big House. "I was stoked," Senda said. "I went into the visit not expecting much. I went out there to get work and get my name out there. The coaches liked me and said they wanted to offer me. "It was an awesome feeling. My face blew up. It was fun. It was a sur- real experience. I'm really blessed. I love the facilities, the coaching, the campus and just Michigan as a whole. It's a really good school." During his time on campus, Senda spent a lot of one-on-one time with new Michigan offensive line coach Sherrone Moore. "He's a really cool guy," Senda said. "I love his coaching style. I love the way he treats his guys. I think he's a really solid coach. I'm excited to keep building that relationship with him." Senda has a special connection to Michigan through former Divine Child star Aidan Hutchinson, who is one of U-M's top players head- ing into the fall. While Hutchinson is older, he was still pumped up to see Senda receive an offer from the Wolverines. "Aidan was here a couple of years ago and went to Michigan," Senda said. "I kind of have that trail to fol- low if I potentially do choose Michi- gan. That would be really cool. "I've talked to him a little bit, and he's really excited about it. He wants to see me at Michigan." Senda plans to return to Michigan for a game-day visit this fall. — EJ Holland Debron Gatling is quickly establish- ing himself as one of the top overall recruits in the country in the 2024 re- cruiting class. The fast-rising wide receiver from Alpharetta (Ga.) Milton is up to a dozen offers and is coming off a busy June in which he made a number of visits. "I'm just seeing how much love the coaches are showing," Gatling said. "That's what I'm going to go off of. This summer, I've visited Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Georgia Tech and Michigan. I should be going back to Michigan soon." A Detroit native, Gatling grew up loving Michigan and still has a lot of family close to Ann Arbor. Nabbing an offer from the Wol- verines on his June unofficial visit was a dream come true. The fact that the scholarship came directly from head coach Jim Harbaugh made the mo- ment even more special. "It meant a lot, especially coming from Coach Jim," Gatling said. "He of- fered me while I was there. I was kind of nervous talking to him, but it was exciting getting it. "That offer means a lot to me. Michi- gan is always going to be a top school for me." While on the visit, Gatling also had a positive one-on-one meeting with offensive coordinator Josh Gattis. "He took me through a PowerPoint about Michigan," Gatling said. "He talked to me about how many people they have at the games and the legacy behind Michigan. I believe they put the second-most guys in the NFL. "That's attractive to me. We con- nected well. I got his number, and we've been talk- ing." Gatling added that he enjoyed his time in Ann Ar- bor and got an in- depth look at the campus and facilities. "I got to go out and eat around Ann Arbor," he said. "I toured the facilities and the weight room. I got to test out some of the machines. I love the in- tense environment in the weight room. "I was there for two days and met with the coaches. I really liked the way they connected with me." While it's still extremely early in the process, Gatling obviously has high interest in the Wolverines and loves the idea of returning to his home state to play college ball. "It would be really cool," Gatling said. "All my family in Michigan could come to the games and watch me." Along with Michigan, Gatling has early offers from Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Tennessee, Texas A&M and others. — EJ Holland 2023 In-State Center 'Stoked' About Michigan Offer 2024 Pass Catcher With Michigan Roots Interested In Wolverines ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Divine Child H.S. Dearborn, Mich. Class: 2023 Position: Center Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 274 Rivals.com Rankings: No. 9 prospect in Michigan and No. 2 center nationally Dylan Senda No star rating yet Milton H.S. Alpharetta, Ga. Class: 2024 Position: Wide Receiver Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 181 Rivals.com Rankings: No ratings for 2024 class yet Debron Gatling Senda on his U-M offer "It was an awesome feeling. My face blew up. It was fun. It was a surreal experience. I'm really blessed." Gatling "That offer means a lot to me. Michigan is always going to be a top school for me."