The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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66 THE WOLVERINE NOVEMBER 2017 Tampa (Fla.) Plant four-star offen- sive guard Will Putnam was born in Michigan, has lived in Hawai'i and Virginia, and has played varsity football in Illinois and now Florida. The 6-4, 280-pounder is the son of a military man, giving him an interest- ing view on life and also an unique approach to being a top-flight recruit. "I think if anything it just means I don't really have a region I'm stuck to," Putnam explained. "Some kids could grow up in Georgia and feel like they're stuck in the South because all of their family is there and they have roots there, but I have family all over. "I don't have a certain place I need to be, it really is about finding wher- ever I feel the best fit." Putnam is technically a Michigan native, but he only lived in the Great Lakes State for a couple of years. Be- cause of his short stay, he's not neces- sarily drawn to the state of Michigan or U-M — but he does have a high level of interest in the Wolverines. "I keep in touch with them through a group chat Coach Harbaugh set up between some of the Michigan coaches and my family — we talk in it about once a week," he said. "They're the only coaching staff that has ever done that with me, and I think it's great." Putnam visited Ann Arbor early over the summer and was impressed with everything he saw. He likes the team's upside, enjoyed spending time with offensive line coaches Tim Drevno and Greg Frey, and also felt like he bonded well with Harbaugh. "Michigan checks the box for sus- tainability," Putnam said. "Coach Harbaugh and his coaching staff have done a great job ever since he's been there. They develop a ton of guys every year and send a lot of people to the NFL. I really liked the strength coach [Kevin Tolbert]; he seemed like a great guy who could develop me. "I think Michigan is a place that can develop guys to put them where they need to be." Putnam also shines as a wrestler. He won an Illinois state championship at 275 pounds as an eighth grader and made the state tournament as a fresh- man. His season was cut short due to a knee injury last year, but he said he does plan to continue wrestling at Plant. — Brandon Brown Wolverines Are In The Mix For Four-Star Guard Four-Star Offensive Tackle 'Humbled' By U-M Interest One of Michigan's top remaining targets in the 2018 class — regardless of position — is Tampa (Fla.) Berke- ley Prep four-star offensive tackle Nick Petit-Frere. The 6-5, 265-pound lineman, an As- sociated Press first-team 3A All-State selection as a sophomore and junior, said he has been keeping in frequent contact with the Michigan coaches, and is humbled to be doing so. "They often call or text and just tell me they're still interested in me," he said. "It's very humbling to have a school like Michigan want me." Petit-Frere admitted he didn't know much about the Wolverines before his recruiting process began, or much about colleges in general. "I actually didn't know a whole lot about any programs when I first started this whole thing," he re- vealed. "It's been a new experience for me and my mom, and we've been learning so much about all these dif- ferent universities." The four-star lineman said a visit to Ann Arbor this past June helped him learn more about the Maize and Blue. "It was a good visit," he recalled. "I got to meet with some of the coaches and see the facilities and campus — they have such a great campus up there in Ann Arbor. "The coaches were so excited I came to visit. I was grateful they thought of me that way." Visits to other schools have slowed down lately for the Florida native, though. "Whether or not I take any visits this fall depends on how our team does," he explained. "My main focus right now is making sure we get wins under our belt and get back to the playoffs, and hopefully to the state championship." Although he still has a few months before he has to make a final deci- sion, Petit-Frere revealed what it will take for a school to stand above the rest. "I'm going to have to feel like it's the place for me," he explained. "I need to be comfortable there, and have to be able to grow at whichever place I choose." — Austin Fox ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Berkeley Prep Tampa, Fla. Class: 2018 Position: Offensive Tackle Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 265 Rivals.com Rankings: No. 37 prospect in Florida, and No. 13 offensive tackle and No. 175 overall player nationally Nick Petit-Frere ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Plant H.S. Tampa, Fla. Class: 2019 Position: Offensive Guard Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 280 Rivals.com Rankings: No. 13 player in Florida, and No. 3 offensive guard and No. 64 overall player nationally Will Putnam Putnam "Michigan checks the box for sustainability. Coach Harbaugh and his coaching staff have done a great job ever since he's been there. They develop a ton of guys every year and send a lot of people to the NFL." PREP PROFILES Petit-Frere on his U-M visit in June "I got to meet with some of the coaches and see the facilities and campus — they have such a great campus up there in Ann Arbor. The coaches were so excited I came to visit. I was grateful they thought of me that way."