The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1474004
38 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2022 M ichigan has had a busy summer on the recruiting trail so far, notching seven commitments through mid-July for its 2023 class along with its first two commits for 2024. The Wolverines hosted several top targets for official visits in June and have one of their biggest recruiting events of the year scheduled on July 30 — the BBQ at The Big House —which usually re- sults in a few more verbal pledges. Here are four candidates to be Michi- gan's next commit as the Wolverines look to keep building on their recent momentum. DL MY'KEIL GARDNER Peoria (Ariz.) • Liberty Michigan took a commanding lead for Gardner following his official visit in June. Both Texas and Oregon also hosted him for June official visits, but it appears neither trip went as well as Michigan. U-M defensive line Mike Elston has made a hard push for Gardner and wowed him with his track record of development. While Gardner, the No. 39-ranked defensive lineman nation- ally, is out West, he is more than willing to leave the region and is a fit on and off the field. The four-star prospect is looking to make his decision on Aug. 3. Oregon is circling back around, but this is U-M's recruitment to lose. DL KAYDEN McDONALD Suwanee (Ga.) • North Gwinnett A mammoth prospect at 6-foot-2, 325 pounds, McDonald is a priority at nose tackle. Michigan hosted him for an unofficial visit last month and is set to get him back for the BBQ at The Big House. McDonald also has an official visit set with Michigan for September. The Wolverines have done a fantas- tic job of recruiting him so far, and all those visits obviously bode well for U-M. Elston and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter are working to close with McDonald, the No. 45-ranked defensive lineman nationally. DL XZAVIER McLEOD Camden (S.C.) High McLeod is the most unlikely candi- date on this list, but the On3 Consen- sus four-star prospect recently tweeted that he had news to share soon. Michi- gan remains firmly in the mix here and made a huge impact on him on his final official visit of the summer. Michigan is the only out-of-region school on McLeod's short list, but he really liked the program, environment and staff in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines are capable of pulling off a surprise with McLeod, the No. 43-ranked defensive lineman nationally, if a decision does come this summer. ATH KENYON SADIQ Idaho Falls (Idaho) • Skyline Everything has been pretty quiet since Sadiq made his official visit to Michigan in June. But it does appear that the three-star prospect is close to making a decision. Michigan and Iowa State seem to be at the top, with Washington hanging around as well. Michigan is recruiting Sadiq, the No. 42-ranked athlete na- tionally, hard at wide receiver, and the Wolverines impressed him on and off the field. However, Iowa State is pitching him on being a game-changing tight end with the opportunity to play right away. This one remains a close battle. MICHIGAN RECRUITING Who Will Be Michigan's Next Commit? The Wolverines appear to have pulled ahead of Oregon and Texas in the race to secure a verbal commitment from four-star defensive line prospect My'Keil Gardner. PHOTO BY CHAD SIMMONS/ON3.COM 2023 Michigan Commitment List Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) Collins Acheampong Edge 6-8 254 Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. (Santa Margarita Catholic) Brooks Bahr DL 6-6 265 Wilmette, Ill. (Loyola Academy) Semaj Bridgeman LB 6-1 235 Warminster, Pa. (Archbishop Wood) Cole Cabana RB 5-11 180 Dexter, Mich. (Dexter) Enow Etta Edge 6-4 260 Colleyville, Texas (Covenant Christian Academy) Benjamin Hall RB 5-10 227 Kennesaw, Ga. (North Cobb) Amir Herring IOL 6-3 290 West Bloomfield, Mich. (West Bloomfield) Aymeric Koumba Edge 6-4 230 Paris, France (Pionniers de Touraine) Frederick Moore WR 6-0 180 Saint Louis (Cardinal Ritter College Prep) Semaj Morgan WR 5-9 185 West Bloomfield, Mich. (West Bloomfield) Adam Samaha K 6-0 170 Ann Arbor (Huron) Deakon Tonielli TE 6-5 200 Oswego, Ill. (Oswego) 2024 Michigan Commitment List Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) Mason Curtis LB 6-2 190 Nashville, Tenn. (Ensworth) Manuel Beigel DL 6-5 282 Frankfurt, Germany (Choate Rosemary Hall [Conn.])