The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2024 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 153 edge and No. 40 overall prospect nation- ally, but Ohio State still seems to be the heavy favorite in his recruitment. A more realistic target is On300 Dan- ville (Calif.) San Roman Valley prospect Marco Jones, the No. 20 edge and No. 185 overall prospect nationally. U-M wowed him and his family on their official visit in June and cemented itself as a major contender in his recruitment moving forward. Michigan checks all the boxes for Jones, but the Wolverines face stiff competition in the form of Texas, Texas A&M and USC. On300 Alpharetta (Ga.) High edge Ju- lius Holly is another priority on the board for Esposito. Michigan made a nice move on his official visit in June. Holly, the No. 25 edge and No. 236 overall prospect na- tionally, also made summer official visits to a trio of SEC schools in Georgia, Ole Miss and Texas A&M. Linebacker Commits: 0 Need: 2 Michigan is focused on a small group of linebacker recruits, headlined by On300 Miami commit Elijah Melendez, the No. 9 linebacker and No. 111 overall pros- pect nationally. The Kissimmee (Fla.) Osceola product made an unofficial visit to Michigan last year, and the Wolverines are working to get him back to campus in the fall. On300 Princeton (N.J.) Hun School prospect Kamar Archie, the No. 21 line- backer and No. 196 overall recruit na- tionally, has visited Michigan twice this calendar year, including for his official visit in June. The Wolverines are at the top of his list along with Clemson, Rut- gers and Texas A&M. On300 Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy prospect Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, the No. 28 linebacker and No. 292 over- all prospect nationally, made his official visit in June and has the Wolverines in his top group along with Notre Dame, Florida, Ohio State and USC. Both Archie and Owusu-Boateng had preexisting relationships with new Mich- igan linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary. Three-star Stockbridge (Ga.) High prospect Chase Taylor, the No. 55 line- backer nationally, isn't as highly touted, but the Wolverines love his length and athleticism at 6-3, 200 pounds. Michigan is in his final three, along with Georgia Tech and USC. Defensive Back Commits: 1 Need: 4-5 New Michigan secondary coach LaMar Morgan notched his first recruiting win when On300 Washington (D.C.) Gon- zaga prospect Kainoa Winston, the No. 11 safety and No. 103 overall prospect in the country, gave the Wolverines a ver- bal commitment shortly after his official visit in mid-June. Winston was considered a heavy Penn State lean for the majority of the recruit- ing cycle, but Morgan was able to impress him and his family during their summer stay in Ann Arbor and turn the tide. At 5-10, 184 pounds, Winston projects as a nickel and will play a similar role as for- mer U-M star Mike Sainristil. Morgan has completely reset the sec- ondary board and is still working through options going into the fall. To p 1 0 0 So u t h C a ro l i n a co m m i t Shamari Earls is the clear priority at the cornerback position. The Chester (Va.) Thomas Dale product committed to South Carolina in April but made an un- official visit to Michigan in June. Earls, the No. 8 cornerback and No. 69 overall prospect nationally, is a big corner at 6-2, 200 pounds and boasts elite track times. There are several new names to know on the cornerback board, including Ow- ings Mills (Md.) McDonogh prospect Brandon Finney, the No. 5 athlete and No. 131 overall prospect nationally; Texas A&M commit Deyjhon Pettaway, the No. 24 cornerback and No. 277 overall pros- pect nationally; and Kilgore (Texas) High prospect Jayden Sanders, the No. 42 cor- nerback nationally. Sanders is the only one of the three that visited Michigan this summer. Top 100 Winston Salem (N.C.) Mount Tabor prospect JaDon Blair remains at the top of the safety board. Blair, the No. 8 safety and No. 85 overall prospect na- tionally, made an official visit to Michi- gan in June and has the Wolverines in his top group along with Notre Dame and Penn State. Blair is slated to announce his commitment in July. Michigan is also working hard to flip Notre Dame commit Ivan Taylor, the No. 13 safety and No. 120 overall prospect na- tionally. The Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange product gave the Irish a verbal pledge in December but made an official visit to Michigan in June. Other safety prospects to keep an eye on are Fayetteville (Ga.) Fayette County athlete Trennedy Whatley, the No. 24 a t h l e te n a t i o n a l ly ; So u t h C a ro l i n a commit Damarcus Leach, the No. 35 safety nationally; and Maryland com- mit Julien Horton, the No. 64 safety in the land. ❑ Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga prospect Kainoa Winston, the No. 11 safety and No. 103 overall prospect in the country, gave the Wolverines a verbal commitment just days after his official visit in mid-June. PHOTO BY THOMAS FRANK CARR/ON3