The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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54 THE WOLVERINE OCTOBER 2022 MICHIGAN RECRUITING No. 11 offensive lineman) has been a bully in the trenches this fall, and he is a big reason Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga is undefeated through three games. The 6-foot-6, 290-pound Link and his team picked up their first win over Washing- ton (D.C.) Carroll in a matchup that saw Link go head-to-head with five-star Michigan athlete target Nyckoles Harbor. "It was great competition," Link said. "He has great speed and great power. It was fun. It's always great to play great competition. If he's interested in Michi- gan, I'll definitely let him know why I chose to go there." Link was one of the biggest surprises of the cycle so far. The Wolverines were thought to be a distant third behind Penn State and Stanford after he can- celled his official visit in June. However, Michigan offensive line coach Sherrone Moore was able to get him on campus for an unofficial visit in late July. It was on the trip that Link realized Michigan was the best fit on and off the field. "At the end of the day, it came down to it being the best combination of aca- demics and athletics," Link said. "Aca- demics have always been important to me. I want to pursue a degree in engi- neering, and Michigan is fantastic for that. Obviously, they have fantastic football. It's the best of both worlds." Link was arguably the best recruit- ing win for Michigan so far this cycle. And it's safe to say that Moore deserves plenty of credit. "I think he's great," Link said. "He has some good coaching experience. He's a bit younger in the game, but I don't see that as a negative. He has a fresh perspective on things. He's a former of- fensive lineman. He knows what it's like to play and coach the position." Link does not have a set fall official visit date, but he is looking to be in Ann Arbor for Michigan's matchup with Penn State on Oct. 15. "We want to try to get back for the Penn State game," Link said. "That would be a fantastic game. I've been to The Big House without people in it, but I'm sure it's an entirely different feel with people in it. The other thing is just getting to meet some of the commits since I'll be playing with them the next few years of my life." Link is one of 14 commits in Michi- gan's 2023 football recruiting class, which ranks No. 26 nationally. FIVE-STAR ATHLETE NYCKOLES HARBOR SHARES UPDATE Five-star Washington (D.C) Arch- bishop Carroll athlete Nyckoles Harbor is fully focused on his senior season. However, it's starting to get deep into the recruiting process, and Har- bor knows he has to start mapping out official visits. "September 17 is South Carolina," Harbor said. "Michigan is September 23-25. LSU, I might have to cancel, but I'm going to reschedule. Maryland is in December. … I didn't really talk to any [coaches] this week. I was locked in for the game. Everybody in my top seven said good luck and well wishes." Harbor has been high on Michigan for more than a year and is excited to get back to Ann Arbor for an official visit experience. "I just want to see how they play a ga i n s t M a r yl a n d ," H a r b o r s a i d . "Those are two of my top teams that I'm really looking at. I just want to see what they can do." Harbor added that he continues to maintain frequent contact with Michi- gan wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy, who is serving as his primary recruiter. "He just tells me to go out there and ball out," Harbor said. "He can't wait to see me." At 6-foot-5, 225 pounds with 10.28 speed, Harbor is a rare athlete that can excel on either side of the ball. This weekend, he spent time at defensive end, wide receiver and tight end. So, where does he see himself play- ing at the next level? "Offense or defense, it doesn't re- ally matter to me," Harbor said. "I'm probably more of an offensive player, though." Harbor said Michigan has talked to him about both wide receiver and tight end, but the potential for him to play edge hasn't been ruled out either. Harbor, the No. 1 athlete and No. 10 overall prospect nationally, has no set decision timeline, but it will likely be closer to the Dec. 21 signing day. ❏ On The Web For regular reports on Michigan football recruiting plus videos of U-M commitments and targets visit TheWolverine.com. Five-star athlete Nyckoles Harbor from Washington (D.C.) Archbishop Carroll will make his official visit to Michigan Sept. 23-25 to see the Maryland game. PHOTO COURTESY ON3.COM