The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2022 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 151 FOOTBALL RECRUITING Hall, listed as the nation's No. 46 running back and a three-star talent in the On3 Consensus, picked Michigan in late March. While programs like Miami and Georgia Tech have since jumped in the mix, he remains fully solid to the Wolverines. Cabana and Hall complement each other well, and it's likely the Wolverines stick with both through signing day. There has been discussion about adding a third back, but right now, that's not a true option. Wide Receiver Need: 3 Commits: 1 The Wolverines hold one wide receiver commit in West Bloomfield (Mich.) High's Semaj Morgan, who played for U-M as- sistant Ron Bellamy as an underclassman. Ranked as a three-star prospect and the No. 9 player in Michigan, Morgan is quick and explosive and should excel in a role similar to current U-M wideout A.J. Henning. He will be Michigan's lone slot receiver take. The Wolverines are looking for some elite speed on the outside, and it's no surprise Jalen Brown out of Miami Gulliver Prep is the top target on the board. Brown, the No. 18 overall prospect and No. 3 receiver nationally, clocked a 10.65 in the 100 meters as a junior and is a silky-smooth pass catcher at 6-1, 170 pounds. Ex-Wolverine Desmond Howard serves as a mentor to Brown and regularly helps out his high school football team. Brown is set to make a decision this summer. Michigan is also in play for another elite speedster in DeSoto (Texas) High prospect Johntay Cook II. Ranked by the On3 Con- sensus as the No. 32 overall prospect and No. 6 wide receiver nationally, Cook has been considered a Texas lean for a while, with fellow in-state program Texas A&M running in second. However, Bellamy has been working hard in this recruitment and is set to get Cook on campus for an official visit this summer. The Wolverines remain a dark horse in this race. U-M is also looking for some size on the outside. The top big-bodied receiver on the board is five-star Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic prospect Shelton Sampson. Ranked as the No. 15 overall prospect and No. 2 wide- out nationally by On3, he recently included Michigan in his top group. However, the Wolverines will have to beat out Alabama, LSU and Texas A&M. Some other top options at wide receiver include three-star Idaho Falls (Idaho) Sky- line prospect Kenyon Sadiq, three-star St. Louis (Mo.) Cardinal Ritter Prep prospect Fredrick Moore and three-star Raleigh (N.C.) Millbrook prospect Nathan Leacock. Tight End Need: 2 Commits: 1 Michigan took two tight ends in 2022 and is once again looking to add a pair in this cycle. The Wolverines lost a pledge from On300 Milton (Mass.) Academy prospect Andrew Rappleyea earlier this offseason (to Penn State) but already found his replace- ment. Four-star Oswego (Ill.) High prospect Deakon Tonielli gave Michigan a commit- ment on his official visit in June, siding with the Wolverines over Michigan State, Illinois, Tennessee and others. Ranked as the No. 17 tight end nationally by On3, Tonielli is an athletic prospect who doubles as a basketball star. He spends most of his time split out wide and is a true receiving tight end. The Wolverines appear to have the lead for three-star Houston (Texas) Strake Jesuit prospect Chico Holt after a strong official visit. Holt, the country's No. 45 tight end per On3, plays in- line and flexes out at the high school level. His blocking re- ally stands out, making him a quality complement to Tonielli. Michigan is looking to close with him this summer. Offensive Line Need: 5 Commits: 0 Michigan took an extremely small offen- sive line class in 2022, which means the Wolverines are in line to take five prospects in the trenches this cycle. U-M is still searching for its first com- mitment at the position, but four-star West Bloomfield (Mich.) High standout Amir Herring is a safe bet to jump onboard. The No. 261 overall and No. 15 interior lineman nationally according to the On3 Consensus, Herring played for U-M assis- tant Ron Bellamy as an underclassman and has visited Michigan more than any other school. The Detroit Free Press Division I first-team All-State selection as a junior projects as an interior offensive lineman, where there is a lot of talent this cycle. Michigan is also a top school for Mc- Donough (Ga.) Eagle's Landing Christian four-star prospect DJ Chester, On3's No. 237 player and No. 17 interior offensive lineman in the land; three-star Buford (Ga.) High prospect Paul Mubenga; three-star Ferndale (Wash.) High prospect Landen Hatchett; and three-star Glen Ellyn (Ill.) Glenbard West player Chris Terek. The true star power is at offensive tackle. Michigan is a top contender for five-star Rock Island (Ill.) Alleman prospect Charles Jagusah, who made an official visit this sum- mer. Notre Dame is considered the leader in this recruitment, but U-M is definitely a close second for On3's No. 7 overall pros- pect and top offensive tackle nationally. Other tackle targets to know are: Mount Pleasant (S.C.) Oceanside four-star prospect Monroe Freeling, On3's No. 38 prospect and No. 5 offensive tackle in the country; Provo (Utah) Timpview four-star Spencer Fano, On3's No. 149 overall prospect and No. 16 offensive tackle in the country; three-star Princeton (N.J.) Hun School prospect Lo- gan Howland; three-star Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga lineman Evan Link; and three-star Columbus (Ohio) St. Charles prospect Ryan Carretta. Defensive Line Need: 3 Commits: 1 New Michigan defensive line coach Mike Elston picked up his first win on the re- 2023 MICHIGAN COMMITMENTS LIST* Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) Brooks Bahr DL 6-6 265 Wilmette, Ill. (Loyola) Cole Cabana RB 5-11 170 Dexter, Mich. (Dexter) Benjamin Hall RB 6-0 225 Kennesaw, Ga. (North Cobb) Semaj Morgan WR 5-9 178 Bloomfield, Mich. (West Bloomfield) Adam Samaha K 6-0 170 Ann Arbor (Huron) Deakon Tonielli TE 6-5 200 Oswego, Ill. (Oswego) Raylen Wilson LB 6-0 205 Tallahassee, Fla. (Lincoln) * As of June 23 Johntay Cook II is a speedy wide receiver out of DeSoto (Texas) High who is rated as the No. 32 player nationally and the No. 6 wide receiver in the class of 2023. PHOTO BY MARSHALL LEVENSON/ON3.COM