The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/144506
michigan recruiting ing his attention on football rather than baseball should see him develop into a prime-time passer. Even better for the Maize and Blue is his childhood affinity for the Wolverines. "It would be great to play at Michigan," Malzone said. "I like the facilities and the coaches there, and I have always been a big fan of Michigan. I've talked to a few Michigan players, including Shane Morris, and Devin Gardner." With Morris in the 2013 class and Speight committed for 2014, the coaching staff has already built up highquality depth at the position. In 2015, they will look to bring in another talented passer. Miscellaneous • Detroit Loyola defensive end Malik McDowell is the state's top 2014 prospect, and he may be on the move for his final season of high school football. Rivals.com's No. 3 strongside defensive end nationally and No. 23 overall player in the country is looking into a transfer to Southfield (Mich.) High School, though nothing had been finalized as of midMay. Should he make the move, McDowell would join Michigan commit (and close friend) Lawrence Marshall on a formidable Blue Jays defensive front. Playing with a future Wolverine could also spur McDowell — who already favors U‑M — to pull the trigger for the Maize and Blue. • While the summer is an opportunity for the Michigan coaching staff to bring recruits on campus for unofficial visits, things really heat up during the season when official visits begin. Those trips, paid for by the college, are often a big factor in recruits' eventual college decisions. A handful of highly ranked Michigan prospects have already scheduled their trips to Ann Arbor. Woodbridge (Va.) High defensive end Da'Shawn Hand, the top recruit in the nation, will officially visit Sept. 6 for the weekend of the Notre Dame game, as will Gardena (Calif.) Serra linebacker Dwight Williams, the No. 81 player in the nation. Long Beach (Calif.) Poly safety John "Juju" Smith will see the Wolverines take on Ohio State Nov. 30. Smith is rated as the No. 6 safety in the nation, the No. 49 player in the class and the No. 4 prospect in California by Rivals.com. • When U-M offered Gardena (Calif.) Junipero Serra five-star cornerback/athlete Adoree' Jackson in the spring, the 5‑9, 185-pounder seemed very interested in Michigan. The Illinois native — the toprated recruit in California, No. 2 cornerback nationally and No. 9 overall player in the country according to Rivals.com — grew up a Michigan fan and would like to return to the Midwest (he's only lived in California for a couple years) for his college ball. However, Jackson would also like to compete in track and field at the college level, and long jump for a strong program. His non-wind aided jump of 25 feet even was the third-best in the nation this year. Michigan's lack of an elite program in recent years hurts the Wolverines in his recruitment. • Michigan's dreams of pulling off a triple-play at Tarpon Springs (Fla.) East Lake will not come to fruition. Although 2014 offensive lineman Mason Cole is a U‑M commit, his classmate, wide receiver Artavis Scott, committed to Clemson July 3. The Wolverines are still in play for 2015 wide receiver George Campbell. ❏