The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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52 THE WOLVERINE ❱ SEPTEMBER 2023 ❱ PREP PROFILES Michigan hosted several top underclassman re- cruits for unofficial visits this summer, including 2025 On300 wide receiver Kaliq Lockett. The Sachse (Texas) High prospect took his first trip to Ann Arbor in June and enjoyed his return visit for the BBQ at The Big House in late July. "The visit went great," Lockett said. "It's always great to be back in The Big House. As soon as I got there, Coach [Andrew] Goodrich met me with open arms. I met with Coach [Ron] Bellamy. I saw some of the commits and key targets. It was just a great time at Michigan." Bellamy, Michigan's wide receivers coach, has made Lockett a top priority for the next cycle and worked with him throughout the weekend. "He talked to me about the things I needed to work on," Lockett said. "We actually had a little skills camp. He coached me up. I really like his coaching style. He knows what he's talking about. He's going to get on you, but when you do something good, he's going to let you know. That's what I like about him. "He's down to earth and an all-around good per- son," Lockett said. "That's what I'm looking for." Lockett also had an opportunity to meet some of the players on Michigan's roster and spend time with four-star 2024 wide receiver commit I'Marion Stewart. "I talked to the players about the campus and the academics," Lockett said. "It wasn't just football. We talked about what I needed to do to graduate early. I'Marion is a great guy and great player. He's an all- around good person to be around. His family were great people." Lockett wasn't the only highly touted Texas pass catcher on campus. Michigan also played host to top- 100 wide receiver Andrew Marsh, whom On3 rates as the No. 3 receiver and No. 17 overall prospect nation- ally. And yes, the two did talk about the possibility of linking up at the next level. "We've known each other since freshman year," Lockett said. "We have a pretty good bond since we run in the same circles. We're both good at what we do. We talked about playing with each other, but we'll see what the future holds. It would be really cool to potentially team up with him." With his second visit in the books, it is clear Michi- gan will be a major player for Lockett moving forward. "There is still a lot of work to be done in my recruit- ment with building relationships and bonds with coaches at Michigan and other schools," Lockett said. "But Michigan is still very high in my recruitment right now." Along with Michigan, Lockett holds offers from Arizona State, Penn State, Louisville, Nebraska, SMU, TCU, Texas Tech and others. At 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, Lockett is ranked as the No. 22 wide receiver and No. 164 overall prospect nationally per the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average of the four major recruiting services. — EJ Holland Rowan Byrne has quickly become a priority for Michigan in the next cycle. The 2025 On300 offensive lineman out of New Rochelle (N.Y.) Iona Prep visited Michigan in June and returned for the BBQ at The Big House the last weekend of July. "It went really well," Byrne said. "I loved it from the second I stepped on campus. When you walk into the facility, you go into the main lobby and there is a big hall by the stairs. You can see all the All-Americans. When I saw that, I was like, 'This feels like home.' It was a great day. "Last time was more focused on learning about the program. This time, my dad was on campus, and he absolutely loved it." This visit gave Byrne a chance to work out in front of Michigan offensive line coach Sherrone Moore in a one-on-one setting. "Working with Coach Moore, you can see why he's probably the best offensive line coach in the country," Byrne said. "He explains things super well and in a simple way. He's generally very positive. He's intense but a more modern coach. "He's going to make sure you understand what he's trying to tell you." Moore has obviously established himself as a pre- mier offensive line coach nationally, helping Michigan win back-to-back Joe Moore Awards as the nation's top unit. The recent offensive line production as well as a rich tradition in the trenches is making a strong impact on Byrne. "It plays a big part for me," Byrne said. "If you look at my top schools, they are all big offensive line fac- tories. When you have the tradition of offensive line [play] that Michigan does, it's passed down. They get it and know what it takes to be an offensive lineman at Michigan. It's in their DNA. If you go to Michigan, you know you're going to be part of a great offensive line culture no matter what." Aside from Moore, Byrne also had a chance to spend time with a trio of 2024 offensive line commits in Luke Hamilton, Ben Roebuck and Blake Frazier. "I learned a little bit more about the culture from them," Byrne said. "I was with those guys for a couple of hours, and we were just messing around and hav- ing fun. You would have thought that we knew each other for years. That matters. If you have the ability to go to a school with guys you have a great relationship with, that just adds on. You're going to want to take that opportunity." Overall, Michigan is a strong contender early on. "They stand really high," Byrne said. "I couldn't give you a reason why I wouldn't love Michigan. That's my feeling. They say, 'Why not Michigan?' I couldn't tell you." Along with Michigan, Byrne holds offers from Florida State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Stanford, Texas A&M, Wisconsin and others. The On3 Industry Ranking has Byrne rated as the No. 17 offensive tackle and No. 216 overall recruit nationally, slightly lower than On3's scouts. He is the top overall prospect in New York state on both lists. — EJ Holland 2025 Texas Wide Receiver Is High On Michigan New York Tackle Drawn To The Wolverines' O-Line Tradition ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Sachse High School Sachse, Texas Class: 2025 Position: Wide receiver Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 175 On3 Rankings: No. 32 player in Texas, and No. 27 wide receiver and No. 186 overall prospect nationally Kaliq Lockett ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Iona Prep New Rochelle, N.Y. Class: 2025 Position: Offensive tackle Ht.: 6-6 • Wt.: 290 On3 Rankings: No. 1 player in New York, and No. 14 offensive tackle and No. 150 overall prospect nationally Rowan Byrne ❱ Lockett "There is still a lot of work to be done in my recruitment with building relationships and bonds with coaches at Michigan and other schools. But Michigan is still very high in my recruitment right now." ❱ Byrne "When you have the tradition of offensive line [play] that Michigan does, it's passed down. … It's in their DNA. If you go to Michigan, you know you're going to be part of a great offensive line culture no matter what."