The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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OCTOBER 2024 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 49 ❱ MICHIGAN RECRUITING NOTEBOOK much, but he knows we want him." At 6-foot-3, 285 pounds, Strayhorn is listed as the No. 42 interior offensive line- man and No. 502 overall prospect nation- ally, per the On3 Industry Ranking. UNCLE OF TOP RB TARGET HAS BOND WITH TONY ALFORD Richard Alexis knows what it's like to play under new Michigan running backs coach Tony Alford. While their time together was brief, Alexis and Alford really bonded dur- ing their one year at Washington back in 2001. "I wish I played for him longer," Alexis said. "Under his tutelage, I know I would have been a much better player. I was a raw player and new to the game. I only played one year of high school football. "It was really special learning from him. I miss my time with him. He's a great coach and a great guy. He's been success- ful everywhere he's been." Alexis went on to spend a few years in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars and St. Louis Rams before hanging up the cleats. Fast forward 20 years later, and Alexis is now the running backs coach at Boca Ra- ton (Fla.) West High. His star ball carrier is none other than his nephew and On300 2026 Michigan running back target Javian Mallory. "Javian can play any position on the field," Alexis said. "He could play wide receiver or quarterback if he wanted. He's just special. He has great vision and great size. He likes to learn the game. "He's one of the best I've been around. He's special. He can run in between the tackles and run any route in the route tree. The kid can do anything." Alexis and Alford stayed in touch throughout the years and have now been able to really reconnect through Mallory's recruitment. "He's doing a great job recruiting," Alexis said. "His resume speaks for him- self. You look at the backs he's put in the league and their longevity, it's impressive. He had a lot of success with a lot of backs. If Javian decides to go there, he would be in great hands." Michigan currently has the lead for Mallory in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine. Alexis believes Mallory would be an ideal fit under Alford in Ann Arbor. "They run the ball a lot, and that's what Javian wants to do," Alexis said. "The transition would be seamless. Javian has a lot of different skills. He can catch the ball and block. "I know he would learn from the best in Coach Alford. I consider him the best in the game. They picked a great one when they hired Coach Alford as the running backs coach." Only time will tell if Mallory will end up following in his uncle's footsteps by suit- ing up for Alford. But one thing is clear — Alexis fully expects Mallory to have the better career. "He's definitely going to be better than me," Alexis said. "He's way more ad- vanced than I was at his age. I can't wait to see what the future holds for him." The On3 Industry Ranking lists Mallory as the No. 177 prospect and No. 14 run- ning back in the 2026 class. NATE MARSHALL FLIPS TO AUBURN Michigan lost one of its highest-rated commits in the 2025 recruiting class when On3 Top 100 Oak Park (Ill.) Fenwick de- fensive lineman Nate Marshall flipped his verbal pledge from U-M to Auburn on Aug. 23. Marshall originally committed to the Wolverines in April but made a visit to Auburn later in the offseason. The threat of the Tigers remained throughout the summer. However, Michigan felt like it took a big step forward when it hosted Marshall for the BBQ at The Big House in late July. Marshall, himself, reiterated his com- mitment to U-M following that campus visit. Auburn continued to work on Marshall behind the scenes and was able to steal him away before the start of the season. Marshall was a bit of tweener with the flexibility to play edge or defensive line at the next level. Michigan will look to replace him by adding at least one more defensive line recruit this cycle. At 6-foot-4, 265 pounds, Marshall is listed as the No. 6 defensive lineman and No. 58 overall prospect nationally, per the On3 Industry Ranking. He is also ranked as the No. 3 overall recruit in the state of Illinois this cycle. ❏ New running back coach Tony Alford was instrumental in U-M landing a commitment from IMG Academy tailback Donovan Johnson, the No. 25 running back in the class of 2025. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN