The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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AUGUST 2023 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 39 ❱ COMMIT PROFILE BY ZACH LIBBY M ichigan dipped into North Caro- lina June 12 to land four-star West Charlotte High linebacker Jaden Smith. Smith is rated as the No. 248 overall prospect and No. 17 linebacker in the country by On3. He became the third prospect from Charlotte to join the Wolverines this cycle alongside four-star quarterback Jadyn Davis and three-star wide re- ceiver Channing Goodwin, who are teammates at Charlotte Providence Day. "He's a gamer," said Armand Brown, a tech entrepreneur and youth mentor in the Charlotte area. "He doesn't blink in the toughest of situations. Football is fun for him. For some people, it's hard. He embraces the tough moments. "They play in a conference with some of the best teams North Carolina has to offer. Jaden always shows up in the big- gest games. He's tough. He's criminally underrated. You get pads on that kid, and he turns into a different beast. He's the meanest dog on the field. "Every coach I've talked to always talks about how explosive he is. He flashes. When you watch his game, you can find yourself saying 'Wow!' three to five times. He's that type of player." Brown has worked closely with Smith throughout the recruiting process, and they've regularly visited schools to- gether. Smith's first trip to Michigan took p l a ce o n Ju n e 3. T h e 6 - fo o t -2 . 5, 195-pounder got to sit down with mul- tiple coaches on U-M's staff, including linebackers coach Chris Partridge and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Par- tridge had extended an offer to Smith in April of the spring evaluation period. "CP and Coach Minter are fantas- tic people," Brown said. "They explain things in ways that are simple and easy to understand. They know football. They eat, drink and sleep football. They get it. "On top of that, they're funny. We also had a chance to hang out with Coach [Denard] Robinson and CB [Chris Bryant]. Jay Harbaugh was great. "They all love the game, and they care about how these kids develop. That's important." The meeting with Jim Harbaugh on the unofficial visit allowed Smith and his inner circle to learn more about the program's leader. "Jaden asked him who some of the greatest linebackers are that he's coached," recalled Brown. "It was really neat to hear him elaborate on NaVorro Bowman and Patrick Willis [with the 49ers]. It was interesting to hear about his football journey and why he loves the game. That really resonated with Jaden. They see it the same way. "Coach Harbaugh is a good dude. He has a vision. It's clear there is an inher- ent grittiness and toughness, but they are still cutting-edge and modern. They are not archaic, and that's a testament to Coach Harbaugh and everything he does." Hearing Michigan strength and con- ditioning coach Ben Herbert's plan for him once he enrolls and the oppor- tunities for academic advancement impressed the linebacker. Smith also learned about the program's success with player development on and off the field. "You can tell when these schools are recruiting based off stars and what national recruiting folks are saying," Brown said. "You can also tell when schools are trusting their eyes. Coach Minter and CP trust their eyes. They see what Jaden can become. "I'm pushing Jaden on the academics and what opportunities you're going to have by having that degree. Michigan is one of the top institutions in the world. You're not going to find many equals." Smith collected his first Division I of- fer in January. By the time he announced a verbal commitment to the Wolverines in June, Smith's offer sheet had grown to over 20 schools. Smith helped lead West Charlotte to the third round of the North Carolina 3A state playoffs last season. He posted 33 tackles, including 5 for a loss, 3 blocked punts and 1 blocked field goal in the postseason. "I see Jaden getting up there, busting his ass and trusting the coaches to put him in a position to make plays," Brown said. "They are going to start him off at linebacker. That's the plan. "For Jaden, it's get up there and get to work. He doesn't care what he plays. He knows if he works hard and is one of the best, he'll get his opportunity to play." ❏ Linebacker Jaden Smith Becomes Third Commit From Charlotte, N.C. Smith is rated as the No. 248 overall prospect and No. 17 linebacker in the country, accord- ing to On3's updated rankings released in July. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND PLAYER EVALUATION STRENGTHS: "I'm really high on Jaden. He's a very athletic linebacker/safety type who's inched closer to the line of scrimmage his entire high school career and really came on as a junior. I really like his ability to rush the passer, and he's very fluid as an athlete. He projects well as a space player and to cover well. I think he has pretty good size right now, but Michigan will put better size on him. He's close to 200 pounds and ran a verified 4.58 40, so there's a lot to like about him." AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: " The biggest thing for him will be to develop physically. He has a lot of upside and is to me one of the most intriguing commits in Michigan's 2024 class." PLAYER COMPARISON: I'll go with Jamin Davis from Kentucky, who was actually a first- round NFL Draft pick [in 2021]. When you look at their frames, they have good length and have the athletic ability." — On3 director of scouting and rankings Charles Power