The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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52 THE WOLVERINE ❱ SEPTEMBER 2024 ❱ COMMIT PROFILE BY EJ HOLLAND M ichigan landed a surprise com- mitment during the BBQ at The Big House in late July. On300 2026 Jacksonville (Fla.) Man- darin cornerback Brody Jennings, the No. 22 cornerback and No. 216 overall prospect nationally per On3, kept his visit under wraps and gave the Wolverines a verbal pledge before leaving campus. "I've been talking to Coach [LaMar] Morgan ever since he re-offered me," Jennings said. "Nobody really knew I was going to the BBQ , but I went up there and did a workout with him. I felt like I fit in perfect in their system. All the coaches love me, and I love them, so I just committed. Michigan just felt like the spot for me. It shocked me. I was like, 'This is where I want to be.'" Jennings initially notched an offer from Michigan when former area re- cruiter George Helow swung by his high school. However, Michigan and Helow parted ways last February, and Jennings' contact with the Wolverines completely dropped off. That changed this summer when new secondary coach LaMar Morgan got in contact and re-offered. The two quickly built up a strong relationship. "Our relationship has definitely been growing," Jennings said. "We talk every day. The first day coaches were allowed to talk to 2026 recruits, he reached out and re-offered me. It's been strong since then. I felt really comfortable with him on the visit. He told me I was a top priority and that I belonged there. "He wants to coach me and get me to the NFL. I want him to be able to use me as an example and say, 'This kid came to Michigan and now he's in the NFL.'" New Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore met with Jennings and his family on the visit and also played a key role in earning his verbal pledge. "Coach Moore was really excited when I committed," Jennings said. "He started jumping up and down. He really cares about his players and his coaches. He's a family guy. He wants you to be successful. He's going to hire the best guys to make you successful. He's just a great guy." Jennings is a tall, long and athletic cor- ner with the frame to add plenty of good weight. The Sunshine State prospect knows how to use his length to his advan- tage and has been described as extremely physical. That should make him an ideal fit in Michigan's defensive scheme. "I really like what the corners do," Jennings said. "They jam a lot, and they also do well in zone. I feel like that fits me. Every year, Michigan has a defen- sive back go to the NFL. "You can look at the stats, and they've been putting out the most defensive backs. They develop them and make them the best they can be. They get them where they want to be. I want to be successful on and off the field, and Michigan is the spot." Jennings is now part of a two-man 2026 recruiting class that also features Cocoa (Fla.) High top-100 quarterback Brady Hart. The two spent some time with each other at the BBQ at The Big House and are ready to keep building the class. "It was pretty cool hanging out with him," Jennings said. "He gave me his socials and all of that. He said we were going to do great things together at Michigan. Me and Brady are going to build up this class and make it the top class. We're both going to work on get- ting some other recruits." Jennings picked Michigan over offers from Florida, Kentucky, Miami, Mich- igan State, Missouri, Ole Miss, SMU, Texas A&M and others. ❑ On300 2026 Cornerback Brody Jennings Commits During Campus Visit On3 lists Jennings as a three-star recruit, the No. 35 prospect in Florida, and the No. 22 corner- back and No. 216 overall player nationally. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND PLAYER EVALUATION STRENGTHS: Brody Jennings definitely fits what Michigan values at the position. He has a good frame. He's going to continue to get bigger. At this point in the 2026 cycle, he's one of the taller top corners. There's probably a handful who are over 6-1 or in that range, and he's one of them. His size certainly fits what Michigan likes. When you look at the type of coverage that he excels at, I think that fits in with what Michigan wants to do at corner. Areas Of Improvement: With these young prospects, you want to see improvement in any area, but I wouldn't say there's anything that's necessarily glaring that we would want to see. He's tested as a good athlete. We are just looking for continued growth from a skill set perspective and continued improvement athletically. Michigan Player Comparison: He reminds me a little bit, at the same stage, of [current sophomore] Jyaire Hill. Jyaire was playing against a lower level of competition and was probably a little more dominant at that level. In terms of the size, the athleticism at the same stage, the two-way play-making abil- ity and the body type, there's a good bit of similarity there. Jyaire continued to get better and better as he went through his high school career. That would be the hope for Brody as well. But I think at the same stage, I do see some similarities between those two. — On3 director of scouting and rankings Charles Power