The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1511544
46 THE WOLVERINE ❱ DECEMBER 2023 BY EJ HOLLAND I traveled around the country and saw several Michigan commits and targets in action. Here are the five best based on their in-game evaluations during October. 5. DB SHAVAR YOUNG Brentwood (Tenn.) Academy (Class of 2026) One of the best underclassmen na- tionally, Young racked up close to 100 yards receiving and a touchdown in Brentwood Academy's tough loss to Montgomery Bell, and he looked the part of a Division I wide receiver. How- ever, Young projects best as a corner- back at the next level and was a stand- out in the secondary. At 6-foot, 166 pounds, Young has a similar build as 2025 Michigan commit Chris Ewald and a similar talent level. He is already ranked as the No. 76 overall prospect in the 2026 class and visited Michigan in the offseason. 4. DL OWEN WAFLE Princeton (N.J.) Hun School (2024) Another month, another dominant performance from Wafle. The three- star Michigan defensive line commit only played a half in Hun's blowout win over Baltimore powerhouse St. Fran- ces, but he was an absolute terror in the trenches. Wafle, the No. 44 defensive lineman and No. 440 overall prospect nationally, knifed his way through con- stant double and triple teams and re- corded multiple tackles for loss, includ- ing a body slam that went viral among Michigan fans on social media. Wafle is very Mason Graham-esque. No, he doesn't scream future high NFL Draft pick, but he is a guy that can come in and make an immediate impact at Michigan. 3. LB RILEY PETTIJOHN McKinney (Texas) High (2025) If you are looking for the next Junior Colson, then Pettijohn may be your guy. The top-100 prospect is listed at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds but has bulked up to 215 pounds as a junior and looks like a future Mike linebacker in Michigan's defensive scheme. Pettijohn fills gaps in a hurry, is comfortable in pass coverage and has elite sideline-to-sideline speed. Those were all traits that also made Col- son a high-profile prospect. Pettijohn is a bit longer than Colson and may offer more versatility — he's also capable of playing the Will 'backer role or coming off the edge. Pettijohn, the No. 3 linebacker and No. 27 overall prospect nationally, visited Michigan for its spring game in April. 2. OL DARIUS GRAY Richmond (Va.) St. Christopher's (2026) Gray is one of the most impressive sophomore offensive line recruits I've seen during my time on the Michigan beat. A true interior prospect, Gray plays tackle for his high school team and is still an absolute mauler in the run game. Gray enjoys being a physical blocker and knows how to put defenders in the dirt — I lost track of the number of pan- cakes he served up in St. Christopher's blowout win over Fork Union (Va.) Mili- tary. Gray is very fundamentally sound for such a young offensive lineman. If he continues to develop his feet and ath- leticism, he could be in the five-star discussion. Right now, he is ranked as the No. 77 overall recruit nationally in 2026. He is looking to make his first visit to Michigan soon. 1. OL BLAKE FRAZIER Austin (Texas) Vandegrift (2024) Frazier was an easy pick for the top spot. The On300 Michigan commit was extremely impressive in Vandegrift's blowout win over Round Rock (Texas) High, serving up multiple pancakes in U-M commit Blake Frazier, from Austin (Texas) Vandegrift, is rated by On3 as the No. 14 offensive tackle and No. 180 overall prospect nationally. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND ❱ MICHIGAN RECRUITING NOTEBOOK The Five Best Michigan Recruits We Saw In October