The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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FEBRUARY 2025 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 51 ❱ MICHIGAN RECRUITING NOTEBOOK Mathis is looking to make his official visit to Michigan on Jan. 25 but is still ironing out the details. He is also planning trips to Florida State and UCLA. Visits will be key with Mathis, who plans to make his final decision in Febru- ary. "I want to see a good bond between the players," Mathis said. "I want to see how I can be evaluated with those players and break it down to make sure I'm getting playing time and make sure I'm doing the right things to get on the field." Overall, Mathis said his recruitment will come down to opportunity and rela- tionships. "It's definitely about playing time," Mathis said. "Just getting on the field. I would say NIL plays a part, but that's not really my main go-to. It's all about the love and connection and coaches." At 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, Mathis is ranked as the No. 16 edge and No. 119 overall prospect nationally, per the On3 Industry Ranking. He is also ranked as the No. 3 overall recruit in Pennsylvania this cycle. KAYDEN STRAYHORN TAKES PART IN BOWL PRACTICES Michigan freshman offensive lineman Kaden Strayhorn enrolled early and has already gone through practices with the Wolverines. A former three-star recruit from Bra- denton (Fla.) IMG Academy, Strayhorn said he is adapting well to the college game early on and enjoyed taking part in the preparation for U-M's game against Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl. "They were really good," Strayhorn said. "I was used to the pace. I would say IMG did prepare me. I'm already catch- ing up on the playbook. Altogether, it's going really well. I did drills with [fellow early enrollees] Avery [Gach] and Andrew [Babalola]. Coach [Grant] Newsome did some individual drills with us. In Tampa, we got to go full pads and scrimmage. It was great. "I've learned a lot from Coach New- some and Coach [Sherrone] Moore. They add a little bit to everything I know and put their own flavor on it. It's working out really well." Strayhorn is already getting to know some of Michigan's upperclassman offensive linemen, who are taking him under their wing. " I ' ve b e e n g e t t i n g close with Josh Priebe and [Giovanni] El-Hadi," Strayhorn said. "[Andrew] Sprague, [Evan] Link and [Greg] Crippen have been great as well. Blake [Frazier] and guys like that, too. I've been getting along with all of them. It's been really good. They just tell me to stay ready." Strayhorn's first few practices with the Wol- verines allowed him to get some work in with several members of U-M's talented defensive line group. Three, in particular, stood out. "I've been impressed with Rayshaun Benny and Trey Pierce," Strayhorn said. "They've been really good. I know Enow Etta, and he's been doing good. It's been great to practice with some of those guys." Strayhorn was part of a 2025 Michigan recruiting class that finished ranked No. 9 nationally during the early period and was highlighted by five-star Belleville (Mich.) High quarterback Bryce Underwood, who also enrolled early. Underwood turned heads at bowl prac- tice with his size and his elite arm talent. "I love Bryce," Strayhorn said. "I think he's great. He was slinging the rock at practice. We were running scout team to- gether, and we scored a couple of times. He's going to be great for sure." Strayhorn, who projects as a center at U-M, is excited to get back to work with the team and has high hopes for his fresh- man campaign. "I want to get on the field early," Stray- horn said. "I want to become a leader and earn my way to the top." BENNY PATTERSON IS AN ON3 RANKINGS ANOMALY Benny Patterson is one of the most fas- cinating signees in Michigan's 2025 re- cruiting class. The late-rising defensive lineman out of Newburgh (Ind.) Castle is ranked as a three-star prospect on three major ser- vices (247, ESPN and Rivals). However, On3 is much higher on the future Wol- verine, ranking him as the No. 7 defensive lineman and No. 77 overall recruit in the country. So, why such a big difference? On3 di- rector or scouting and rankings Charles Power said Patterson simply pops out on tape and shows an elite-level skill set. "Benny Patterson is a twitched up, physical prospect along the defensive line," Power said. "He was one of the big- gest risers, especially in the Midwest, this fall. We moved him into the On300 in September, and his recruitment blew up shortly thereafter. It was on the heels of a really strong start to his senior season. "You can see Benny Patterson makes some super impressive plays with his ability to run down ball carriers. He can really move at his size, and he plays with a high effort level. He's a physical, vio- lent player. He can really run. You can tell he really spends time in the weight room with his style of play." Patterson is listed at 6-foot-2, 240 pounds and spent a lot of time rushing the Philadelphia Imhotep's Zahir Mathis, a decommit from Ohio State, is ranked as the No. 16 edge and No. 119 overall prospect nationally, per the On3 Industry Ranking. Michigan is strongly pursuing him and expects him to make an official visit in late January. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND