The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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54 THE WOLVERINE APRIL 2022 PREP PROFILES Brooks Bahr is quickly ascending as one of the most wanted prospects in the Mid- west. The three-star defensive lineman out of Wilmette (Ill.) Loyola Academy has notched offers from Cincinnati, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, Vanderbilt and others over the last couple of months. "Recruiting has been great," Bahr said. "I never thought this would happen. It's crazy. I was surprised by a couple of of- fers, but I worked hard and they came. I'm giving everyone an equal shot and just trying to collect information right now." Michigan has done well in Chicagoland in recent cycles, landing highly touted prospects like J.J. McCarthy, AJ Henning, Tyler Morris and Jimmy Rolder. Bahr could be next. "Playing in The Big House has always been a dream of mine," he said. "That would be crazy. I made a visit there and loved the whole atmosphere. The fa- cilities are really nice. The rich tradition stands out, as well as having the opportu- nity to play for the national championship. The fan base is awesome, too." New Michigan defensive line coach Mike Elston is making Bahr feel like a top priority. Elston just offered Bahr last month, but the two already had a relation- ship from Elston's time at Notre Dame. "I met Coach Elston at a camp at Notre Dame, and I really like the way he coaches," Bahr said. "We have a great bond. We talk every week. He's a really cool guy. He's been telling me that he sees me as a three- tech in their defensive scheme. "It's more of a defensive tackle role. He wants me to be a hand-on-the-ground type of guy that plays well against the run. We've been talking a lot about fit." Bahr was in Ann Arbor for Michigan's win over Northwestern last fall and is looking forward to making a return visit this month for a spring practice. "They just hired a new defensive co- ordinator [Jesse Minter], so I want to meet with him," Bahr said. "I want to see how he coaches and how the defense practices. I think that'll be interesting. I went to a game last year, and the energy they had on defense was crazy. Aidan Hutchinson was unbelievable. I try to [pattern] my game after him." Along with Michigan, Bahr listed Cincinnati, Duke, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio State and Vanderbilt as po- tential spring destinations. At 6-6, 265 pounds, Bahr is the No. 58 defensive lineman and No. 476 overall prospect nationally according to the On3 Consensus. — EJ Holland Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh made his way around the country for his satellite camp tour last summer. The Seattle stop featured a ton of elite talent from the Pacific Northwest, in- cluding top-100 cornerback Caleb Pre- sley, who earned a Michigan offer on the spot after a dominant performance in front of Harbaugh. Since then, Pre- sley, the No. 9 cornerback and No. 82 overall prospect nationally per the On3 Consensus, has continued to express interest in Michigan and loves what the program has to offer. "The interest is mutual," Presley said. "I haven't made my way down to The Big House yet, but I am planning to make a visit to Michigan soon. Coach [Steve] Clinkscale is a great dude. We're just building our relationship and keep- ing it going. I'm still very interested in Michigan." Presley was slated to visit Michigan for its game against Washington last fall. However, his plans ultimately fell through. Now, he's looking to make his first ever trip to Ann Arbor in April be- fore he narrows his lengthy offer list. "I just want to see the facilities," Presley said. "I also want to see Coach Harbaugh in person again and meet the rest of the coaches as well. I'm excited to see how they put in the work in the offseason." For now, the prospect from Rainier Beach High School in Seattle wants to continue to grow his relationship with Clinkscale, Michigan's co-defensive co- ordinator. "He's been keeping in touch with me and my family," Presley said. "He taps in with me on a daily basis. He just asks how I'm doing and makes sure that I'm working hard this offseason. He wants to know how track season goes and things like that. He's a cool guy." Presley, a 6-0, 165-pound feisty, athletic prospect in the secondary, added that he loved the way Clinkscale coached the cornerbacks last season and was impressed with Michigan's run to the College Football Playoff. "I was at Michigan State when they beat Michigan, which was a shocker to me," Presley said. "At the same time, they didn't let that game define them. They still balled out, fought through ad- versity and made it to the College Foot- ball Playoff. I really liked the defense and the way they play." Along with Michigan, Presley is scheduling offseason visits to Alabama, LSU, Michigan State, Oregon, Texas A&M, USC, Utah and Washington. — EJ Holland Another Chicagoland Prospect Shows Interest In Michigan West Coast Corner Sees Wolverines' Secondary As Potential Fit ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Loyola Academy Wilmette, Ill. Class: 2023 Position: Def. lineman Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 265 On3 Consensus Rankings: No. 58 de- fensive lineman and No. 476 overall prospect nationally Brooks Bahr ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Rainier Beach H.S. Sammamish, Wash. Class: 2023 Position: Cornerback Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 165 On3 Consensus Rankings: No. 9 cor- nerback and No. 82 overall prospect in the country Caleb Presley Bahr on his growing list of suitors "I never thought this would happen. It's crazy. I was surprised by a couple of offers, but I worked hard and they came. I'm giving everyone an equal shot and just trying to collect information right now."