The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/213966
football recruiting Back To The Drawing Board With Hand's decision in the rearview mirror, Michigan coaches acted quickly in heading to the next player on the list. Berrien Springs (Mich.) High defensive end Jhonathon Williams picked up a Wolverine offer within an hour of Hand spurning the Wolverines. The 6-6, 230-pound Williams is an interesting case in his own right. Playing in the far southwest corner of Michigan, he managed to escape big-time attention through much of the process. A three-star prospect, he held offers from only mid-major conferences and Missouri by the time he committed to the Tigers Sept. 29. It seemed like a middling recruit had found himself an SEC offer and pounced. Since his Missouri pledge, the interest level in Williams has picked up significantly. Both Michigan and Michigan State sent out feelers, and Notre Dame offered him Nov. 11 — just a couple days before Hand's decision. The Irish offer was a vote of confidence in Williams from a top BCS program. At that time, U-M was still looking to land the best player in the country at the same position. Williams played both defensive end and wide receiver for his team — a testament to his athleticism. One of the home state's best sleepers was a solid choice when it came to searching for a defensive end in this class. Although U-M already had outstanding offers to several uncom- mitted defensive ends, their chances with each had dwindled with the focus on Hand. Five-star Georgia native Lorenzo Carter never seriously considered the Maize and Blue. Fellow Peach State standout Andrew Williams had been high on the Wolverines early in the process, but mutual interest faded over time. Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic four-star Garrett Dickerson — a 6-3, 235-pounder whose twoway skills at defensive end and tight end made him the No. 238 player in the country — had held Michigan in his final three, but fading interest out of Ann Arbor led him to reduce to finalists Northwestern and Stanford. With other options seemingly exhausted, U-M moved on Williams, hoping he will fill their need at defensive end. It's a step down in terms of talent, but still takes care of a need if U-M can land him. Other Spots Michigan is no lock to land Williams. He has stated his desire to keep a low profile in the recruiting process, while he sorts his new offers vis-à-vis his commitment to Missouri. While Williams is evaluating his situation, he clearly isn't the only remaining player on the board. In fact, the Wolverines are pursuing a handful of highly rated players to join the group. The top-ranked — and most likely to end up at Michigan — is Southfield (Mich.) High four-star defensive lineman Malik McDowell. The No. 40 player in the nation has long held the Maize and Blue in high regard, in no