The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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52 THE WOLVERINE ❱ FEBRUARY 2025 ❱ MICHIGAN RECRUITING NOTEBOOK passer as a senior. While he's capable of playing the edge, Patterson best projects as a hand-in-the-dirt defensive lineman at the next level. In fact, Patterson reminds Power of former star Michigan defensive lineman Kris Jenkins, who was also an EDGE/DL tweener before adding weight and be- coming a second-round draft pick. "He looks like a 4i type," Power said. "You can consider him an edge prospect or a defensive line prospect depending on the scheme. There is a little position ambiguity there. But I really feel like he fits what Michigan likes along the defen- sive front. "He reminds me a little bit of a Kris Jenkins-type for Michigan. I could see him playing that type of role. He's going to continue to get bigger. Once he gets into Michigan's strength program, he'll continue developing physically." Patterson flipped his commitment from Cincinnati to Michigan just a month before the National Signing Day in early December. Overall, Power believes Pat- terson was a massive steal for the Wol- verines. "The pure ability he showed as a senior is really exciting," Power said. "There is a reason he moved up the rankings and be- came a priority for top programs. The at- tention he received is merited. He brings the type of skills that Michigan really cov- ets. He looks like a classic Michigan player along the front when you consider the grittiness, athleticism, effort and the up- side. I really like the pickup for Michigan. It was a big flip and one that was hotly contested." The Indiana Football Coaches Associa- tion selected Patterson to its 2024 Top 50 all-classification all-state team. ELITE 2026 RUNNING BACKS COULD TEAM UP AT U-M Detroit Lions running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery took the NFL by storm this season, and the duo earned the moniker of "Sonic and Knuck- les," from the old Sega video game. Just down the road in Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan is looking to land its own dynamic running back tandem in elite 2026 ball carriers Javian Osborne and Savion Hiter. Osborne, the No. 6 running back and No. 74 overall prospect nationally, has a magnetic personality and flashy running style that embodies his Dallas roots. He plays just 20 miles away from the bright lights of the "Triple D" skyline and makes highlight plays every Friday night. At 5-foot-9, 175 pounds, Osborne is similar to Gibbs and could definitely op- erate under the same Sonic nickname. He runs the 100 meters in sub-11 seconds and brings plenty of speed to go along with elite vision and underrated power between the tackles. "He's a complete back," said Osborne's private running back trainer, Brandon Williams. "He's physical. He can block. He blocked with one hand in a cast. He can catch out of the backfield. He can run between the tackles. He's very explosive and makes smart decisions on the field. He can read the defense as well. He has major upside." More than 1,000 miles away, you'll find Hiter, the No. 1-ranked running back and No. 21 overall prospect nationally, in the small town of Mineral, Va. The popula- tion is just 512 and is about as country as you can get. Hiter, who said he hangs out at gas sta- tions for fun, shies away from interviews and is all about hard work. At 5-foot-11, 200 pounds, Hiter is built like a tank and ran over defenders all season long at Lou- isa County High. Like Montgomery, you can call him Knuckles. But the scary thing is, Hiter also brings explosiveness and the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. "Savion Hiter has a chance to be a true, every-down all-purpose back," said On3 rankings assistant Cody Bellaire. "You can use him in every facet of the game. He does a great job inside the tackles and in the passing game. He can be a big factor on all three downs for Michigan." On3 ranks Benny Patterson, a late-rising defensive lineman out of Newburgh (Ind.) Castle High, as the No. 7 defensive lineman and No. 77 overall recruit in the country. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND Forney (Texas) High's Javian Osborne is rated the No. 6 running back and No. 74 overall prospect nationally in the On3 Industry Ranking. Michigan is targeting Osborne and Savion Hiter, the No. 1 player at the position, as a dynamic duo at run- ning back. PHOTO BY CHAD SIMMONS/ON3