The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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50 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2021 MICHIGAN RECRUITING highly touted 2023 recruits for the clash with Ohio State and made waves thanks to a monumental victory. With a huge season and coaching sta- bility no longer in question, the Wolver- ines are poised to land an elite-level class next cycle. The Game set the tone for what's to come. "The first time in The Big House showed me how much fans are really into Michigan football," said Garland (Texas) Lakeview Centennial edge rusher Trey Wilson, who holds several Power Five conference offers and is a top Michigan target. "Coach [defensive coordinator Mike] Macdonald and the whole defense had a great game plan, and all three phases played great against a good opponent." Added On300 Wylie (Texas) East edge rusher Anthony James, who is commit- ted to Texas A&M and ranked as the No. 269 overall prospect nationally: "It was an amazing win and atmosphere. Those defensive ends get after it." Even national recruits who weren't in attendance for The Game were impressed with Michigan's performance against Ohio State. Several 2023 Michigan targets watched the highly anticipated matchup on televi- sion and came away with a better feeling about the Wolverines. "I definitely was tuned in from the start," said consensus four-star Ow- ings Mills (Md.) McDonogh School of- fensive lineman Antonio Tripp. "I mean, that game was what college football is all about. I'm definitely excited about Michi- gan's future and how they played after this huge game." Kahuku (Hawaii) High linebacker Li- ona Lefau, a four-star prospect in the On3 Consensus rankings, was equally impressed. "It was a big-time win," he said. "That was a statement win for Michigan. It let everyone know how dangerous they are this year and what they're capable of do- ing. It was very exciting to watch them fly around and play with so much emotion." MICHIGAN COMMITS MAKE BIG JUMPS IN ON300 RANKINGS The On300 rankings for the 2022 re- cruiting class have been updated and fea- ture six Michigan commits. The highest rated of the group is Grosse Pointe (Mich.) South cornerback Will Johnson, who moved up seven spots from No. 48 to No. 41 overall nationally. Johnson remained a four-star per On3 but is a consensus five-star when tak- ing into account all four major services. He picked Michigan in the spring over Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, USC and several other programs, and has remained the face of the class. A trio of Michigan pledges made huge jumps in the rankings. Merrillville (Ind.) High defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, Chicago Marist linebacker Jimmy Rolder and Germantown (Tenn.) High defensive back Kody Jones all went from unranked to inside the On300. Grant established himself as a premier nose tackle this season and now checks in at No. 129 overall. Rolder went from an unknown to one of the hottest recruits in the country this fall. He committed to U-M in mid-November and is now ranked No. 154 overall. Jones, one of Michigan's earliest commits, came in at No. 269. Lawndale (Calif.) Leuzinger edge rusher Kevonte Henry fell from No. 82 to No. 92, while Belleville (Mich.) High line- backer Aaron Alexander slipped from No. 282 to No. 295. However, both are ranked higher by On3 than any other major re- cruiting service. Plainfield (Ill.) East wide receiver Ty- ler Morris fell from No. 260 to outside of the On300. Morris is recovering from a torn ACL but should be cleared for winter conditioning when he enrolls at Michigan in January. MICHIGAN BATTLING TENNESSEE ON RECRUITING TRAIL Michigan has encountered some un- usual foes on the recruiting trail this cycle. The common Michigan-Michigan State and Michigan-Notre Dame recruit- ing battles have been few and far between. Instead, the Wolverines are quickly build- ing up some intriguing recruiting rivalries with a few schools down south, including Tennessee. Here is a look at three key 2022 Michigan-Tennessee recruiting battles: RB Justin Williams, Dallas (Ga.) East Paulding The four-star Williams recently de- committted from West Virginia and is taking hard looks at both Michigan and Tennessee. Michigan is exploring add- ing another running back this cycle and jumped in the mix for Williams in early November. The Wolverines are working hard to get the nation's No. 190 overall recruit and No. 12 running back on cam- pus for an official visit before signing day. Tennessee got him on campus in Novem- ber for an unofficial visit and is looking to host him for an official soon. WR Kaleb Webb, Powder Springs (Ga.) McEachern Michigan has just one wide receiver in its 2022 recruiting class in Tyler Mor- ris and needs to add at least one more. Webb, who is committed to East Caro- lina, is a top priority. Michigan hosted the four-star prospect, who is listed as the nation's No. 160 overall recruit, for an of- ficial visit in November and made a strong impression. However, Tennessee is closer to home and made its own mark on his recruitment when it hosted him for two unofficial visits earlier this fall. DB Kody Jones, Germantown (Tenn.) High Jones has been committed to Michigan since the spring, but has continued to ex- plore other options. On top of taking two trips to Illinois, the four-star prospect has also made two visits to Tennessee — both unofficially. The Volunteers are making Jones a top priority and doing whatever it takes to flip him from the Wolverines. Tennessee is looking to get the nation's No. 269 overall recruit back on campus a third time for an official visit. ❏ Four-star defensive back Kody Jones has been committed to the Wolverines since Feb. 2021, but U-M will have to hold off a strong push from Tennessee to secure his signature. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND