The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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46 THE WOLVERINE ❱ DECEMBER 2024 ❱ MICHIGAN RECRUITING NOTEBOOK Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin corner- back Brody Jennings dropped 53 spots from No. 214 to No. 267. While Jennings fell, On3 is one of two services, along with Rivals, that have him ranked as a Top 300 prospect. He is ranked as a three-star re- cruit on the two others. Jennings committed to Michigan in July over offers from Florida, Kentucky, Miami, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and oth- ers. Jennings' decision came as a bit of a surprise when he pulled the trigger while on his visit for the BBQ at The Big House in the summer. Dallas Parish Episcopal wide receiver Jaylen Pile, who just committed to Michi- gan in October, remained a three-star re- cruit in this update. Michigan has the No. 14-ranked 2026 recruiting class, per the On3 Industry team recruiting rankings. The Wolverines sat at No. 4 in the Big Ten behind Oregon, USC and Penn State as of Nov. 11. MICHIGAN COMMIT CONSIDERS ALABAMA One of the most important recruits at Michigan for its game against rival Mich- igan State in late October was Top 100 safety commit Ivan Taylor. The Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange product also visited for the game against Texas in September and enjoyed his re- turn to Ann Arbor for U-M's win over the Spartans Oct. 26. "The atmosphere was absolutely elec- tric," Taylor said. "I think there were 110,000 people there. It's always going to get rowdy at The Big House. The fans and student section go crazy. You can tell how in-depth the culture is and how they come with things. You can tell the fans have a certain pride in themselves. Even after the game, talking to fans, they really do love that team." This visit gave Michigan secondary coach LaMar Morgan a chance to spend more time around Taylor and his mother and make a final impression while Ala- bama continues to push for a flip. "We talked football," Taylor said. "He's a super intelligent coach. He's one of the best coaches in college football when it comes to DBs. If you don't have a good day tackling or in the game, he's going to personalize it for you. That's outstanding. He's going to go far. "It was more, 'How have you been?' where he sees me and how my life is. It was like another day of talking to him. He means a whole bunch to me. Without him, I don't know … I think he's one of the best DB coaches around. "My mom absolutely loves Coach Mor- gan. She loves Coach Wink [Martindale], too. He's a great coach. He makes sure he sends pressure. That's good for DBs. We had four defensive linemen on offi- cial visits, and that's good. Getting good defensive linemen makes the ball come out fast." Unfortunately, Taylor didn't get to con- nect with Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore. However, the two chat weekly, and Taylor is definitely a believer in the future of the program. "He was more dialed in on the game, so you have to respect that," Taylor said. "I didn't really get to talk to him, but I do talk to him every Wednesday. He's a great guy." Taylor paid close attention to the Michi- gan defense throughout the contest and came away impressed with their perfor- mance. "The defense played well," Taylor said. "It's hard when the defense is mostly on the field and the offense is off the field. But they did a great job of stopping Michi- gan State. Kudos to the defense. A lot of the defense is making sure you know your assignment and do your job." Overall, Michigan took a step toward keeping Taylor in the class. "They always make me feel like a pri- ority," he said. "It's good to feel like that. They did help themselves." Still, Alabama remains a threat. Taylor, On3's No. 15 safety and No. 137 overall recruit nationally, will continue to weigh both options over the next few weeks. "They are both great programs," Tay- lor said. "They are both going in a great direction. I can't say what's good and bad about a program. Both have their highs and lows. It depends on what you are looking for and what you like. It's never going to be a perfect decision. … I defi- nitely want to shut it down sooner rather than later. It's about communicating with God and trusting his process." FIVE BEST FROM THE ROAD The Wolverine's recruiting reporter EJ Holland traveled around the country in October and saw several Michigan com- mits and targets in game action. Here are the five best players based on their in- game evaluations. 5. OL Thomas Wilder (2026) Virginia Beach (Va.) Green Run Michigan needs a true tackle in the next cycle, and Wilder certainly fits that description. At 6-foot-6, 285 pounds, he has the length, feet and athleticism that make you go "Wow." It's no surprise that Michigan offensive line coach Grant Newsome visited Wilder, the No. 39 of- fensive tackle nationally, in the spring and put an offer on the table right away. Wilder can continue to improve as a run blocker, but he has all the tools to be a ter- rific left tackle at the next level. Michigan is working to get him to campus in the offseason. 4. DB Jaziel Hart (2026) Roanoke (Va.) North Cross Hart was one of the biggest risers in the latest On3 update for the 2026 recruiting class, going from unranked to the No. 291 overall prospect nationally. Michigan sec- ondary coach LaMar Morgan made a great evaluation here. He offered Hart when he had no stars. Hart's stock is likely to continue to in- crease. He's a lengthy corner with plus athleticism and natural ball skills. Hart is also further along technically than ini- Holland describes Savion Hiter, the top running back in the 2026 class, as "powerful, explosive and dynamic." PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND