The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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APRIL 2025 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 39 ❱ FOOTBALL RECRUITING much of a priority he is. I really like Michi- gan. I was at Eastern, and I saw how fast and physical they play. That's their style of football. I think it would be a great fit." On300 Chesapeake Oscar Smith wide receiver Travis Johnson has emerged as Michigan's top target in Hillman's old stomping grounds. At 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, On3's No. 140 player and No. 16 wide receiver nationally is a tall, athletic pass catcher who would bolster a U-M wide receiver room in need of some help. Oscar Smith is arguably the most iconic public school in Virginia and is coming off a Class 6 state title — thanks in large part to a fantastic season from Johnson. Like with Hiter and Hart, Michigan rolled in deep to see Johnson. "Michigan has been a great program for years," said Oscar Smith assistant head coach Jahvoni Simmons. "It's great to see them back on top, and it's a true testa- ment to their coaches and their culture. It's great seeing them recruit here. Travis is big-time. He averages 20 points and 10 rebounds on the basketball court. He plays the ball better in the air than any- body. He's big, but he's faster than people think. He can run right by you." Michigan fans may feel a bit nostalgic hearing names like running back Brandon Minor and Derrick Green, and wide re- ceiver David Terrell. The Wolverines had a bit of a drought in Richmond but recently landed a big fish from the area in Top 100 cornerback Shamari Earls in 2025. Like with Hillman, Earls is well-re- spected around his home area. He's al- ready been proactive in recruiting 2026 targets from Richmond, including On300 Hermitage defensive back Andre Clarke, who attends the same high school that Green did. The On3 Industry Ranking lists him as the country's No. 172 player and No. 14 safety. Earls and Clarke trained together in the past and are still close. It's no surprise Michigan secondary coach LaMar Mor- gan, who played a big role in flipping Earls to U-M from Georgia, made an in-home visit with Clarke last month and is doing his best to win him over. "I really like Michigan," said Hermitage head coach Timothy Jean-Pierre. "It's a really strong option for Andre. It's smart for them to come to Richmond. There is a lot of talent in the Richmond area. A lot of colleges are starting to understand that. "Some great athletes came out of Rich- mond and played at Michigan like David Terrell. He was Tom Brady's No. 1 target. We're trending up here in Richmond." Terrell graduated from nearby Hugue- not High, which is now home to three- star linebacker Markel Dabney, Michi- gan's newest offer in Virginia. While Dabney isn't highly ranked, he has a ton of upside and is quickly becoming a top target for the Wolverines. U-M lineback- ers coach Brian Jean-Mary swung by to see Dabney and impressed him and his head coach, Charles Scott. "This was our first interaction with Michigan," Scott said. "We have over 50 players in Division I schools right now, but we hadn't seen Michigan recently. You can tell they are trying to establish a footprint now and get in on some of the better players like Markel. That's great for us. We want to build a relationship with them, and I look forward to seeing how things grow. We have a lot of other good guys in the building that may be an option for them in the future." Richmond is also home to two powerful private school programs in St. Christo- pher's and Trinity Episcopal. Both com- pete in the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association. This league is made up of schools with high character and high academic kids — perfect for a program like Michigan. St. Christopher's Darius Gray, the na- tion's No. 2 interior offensive lineman and No. 31 overall prospect, has Michigan among his top 12 schools, while Trinity Episcopal's Davion Brown, the No. 200 player and No. 33 wide receiver in the class per the On3 Industry Ranking, has U-M in his top-five list. Hart and North Cross are in the same league, while Hiter was also part of the league before trans- ferring back to his local public school. St. Christopher's head coach Lance Clelland regularly played against Michi- gan during his time at Northwestern. While he was on the opposite sideline in The Big House, he has a ton of respect for what U-M can offer on and off the field. "I think Darius would fit in beautifully at Michigan," Clelland said. "He's looking for the best combination of academics and football. With Michigan's academ- ics and what they've been able to do the last couple of years, they are one of the top programs in the country. You go to Michigan and everyone knows that's a great degree." Michigan offensive line coach Grant Newsome grew up in Northern Virginia before attending a prep school in New Jer- sey. Newsome has been very active in his home state over the last year, visiting Gray and Leesburg Loudoun County's Carter Scruggs, the No. 160 talent and No. 12 interior offensive lineman in the country, per the On3 Industry Ranking. A top pri- ority this cycle, Scruggs has Michigan in his top group and has already locked in his June official visit. But Newsome isn't the only U-M as- sistant active in Northern Virginia. Jean- Mary scored big with Northern Virginia native Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng last cycle and recently offered Nokesville (Va.) Patriot linebacker Mathieu Kanu, On3's No. 277 prospect and No. 20 player at his position. A native of Columbus, Ohio, Kanu relocated a couple of years ago and is one of Virginia's biggest rankings-risers in the 2026 class. Kanu's head coach, Sean Finnerty, is also from Ohio. While rival Ohio State has had its own success in Virginia, it's Michigan that seems primed for success in this cycle. "Michigan is great," Finnerty said. "They came in and offered a couple of weeks ago. Michigan is a prestigious pro- gram. They won the national champion- ship two years ago. It's a great place to play ball." ❏ Virginia Beach (Va.) Green Run offensive tackle Thomas Wilder is rated as the No. 311 prospect and No. 25 player at his position nationally in the 2026 class. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND