The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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44 THE WOLVERINE ❱ JANUARY 2024 BY ZACH LIBBY M ichigan's commitment to recruit- ing the state of Ohio has resulted in eight commitments across the 2023 and 2024 cycles. Loading up on athletes south of the border because of a vast effort by the coaching staff to hit the trail has greatly impacted how underclassman targets in the Buckeye State, even those with of- fers from the in-state school, view the program. After all, U-M has beaten Ohio State three consecutive years in a row. "I think [Michigan] is especially dif- ferent from a lot of places," On300 To- ledo (Ohio) Whitmer offensive tackle Carter Lowe told The Wolverine. "Just seeing the environment and seeing how familiar I am with the coaches. But es- pecially seeing Coach [Sherrone] Moore stepping up. It was different seeing him as the head coach [against Ohio State]. I enjoyed the experience of seeing him in such a big position. It was really fun." According to the On3 Industry Rank- ing, the 6-foot-5, 285-pound Lowe is the No. 12 offensive tackle in the 2025 class and No. 4 recruit in Ohio. Residing less than an hour away from Ann Arbor, he and his family have taken nine unof- ficial visits to Michigan, including two game-day visits this season. "It's right down the road, so it's an easy drive for us," Lowe said. "My par- ents like it there a lot. Also, with the coaching staff, knowing so many of them, it makes it very easy for us to get there back and forth and be com- fortable. That's why we like it there so much. We keep going back, feeling it out and seeing how I'm feeling about it. But I'm letting it roll. I love the company they give me, and I love being there ev- ery time I do get to visit." Top 100 Shaker Heights High cor- nerback Trey McNutt, the No. 56 overall prospect and No. 7 cornerback in the country, per the On3 Industry Ranking, and his family have known area recruiter and co-defensive co- ordinator Steve Clinkscale, a native of Youngstown, for years. Clinkscale worked hard to bring a large number of Ohio prospects to Ann Arbor for The Game, with McNutt making his second trip to campus. "Mike Sainristil is something else," McNutt told The Wolverine. "I remem- ber before the game, he was talking about how he's going to leave it all out there for his brothers. That's what he did, so that was good to hear. The 2 in- terceptions were crazy. The first one was cool, but the second one that sealed the game, everyone jumped up." Michigan's production from Sain- ristil, Will Johnson, Rod Moore, Josh Wallace and the rest of the defensive secondary was vital in securing the 30- 24 win over OSU to advance and ulti- mately capture its third straight Big Ten championship. McNutt was one of two highly rated Ohio cornerbacks at The Big House, both of whom left impressed with what they evaluated. "I feel great about Michigan," said Ak- ron (Ohio) Archbishop Hoban corner- back Elbert Hill, the No. 2-ranked Ohio prospect in the 2026 class, per the On3 Industry Ranking. "It's a great school and a great place for me to develop on and off the field as a man." Hill, who hails from the reigning OHSAA Division II runner-up program, drove to campus alongside three of his 2026 teammates, including offered wide receiver Payton Cook. "The game was crazy," Cook told The Wolverine. "Seeing how many people go to a game like that. Seeing how fast- paced a game like that is. Seeing how many people were watching the game ❱ FOOTBALL RECRUITING Michigan Is Making Its Presence Felt With Top Recruits In Ohio Carter Lowe, a 6-foot-5, 285-pound prospect from Toledo (Ohio) Whitmer, is the No. 12 offensive tackle in the 2025 class in the On3 Industry Ranking and the No. 4 recruit in Ohio. He and his family have taken nine unofficial visits to Michigan, including two game-day visits this season. PHOTO BY ZACH LIBBY