The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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56 THE WOLVERINE JANUARY 2018 BY BRANDON BROWN F ive future Wolverines will be playing in All-American contests during the first week of January, and they could not be more excited to achieve their childhood dreams and represent their families and the Uni- versity of Michigan in the process. A handful of U-M targets will also be playing in the games, giving the commits a chance to recruit some more talent with them to Ann Arbor. Under Armour All-America Game Jan. 4 • Orlando, Fla. 6 p.m. ET • ESPN2 Two future Wolverines will play in the Under Armour All-America Game. Missouri City (Texas) Ridge Point four-star tight end Mustapha Muhammad and Atlanta Westlake four-star cornerback Myles Sims will both be in Orlando for the contest. Muhammad is the No. 30 prospect in the Lone Star State and the No. 16 tight end in the country according to Rivals.com. The 6-5, 240-pounder al- most can't believe that he'll be play- ing in the Under Armour game. "It's an amazing accomplishment that I've been dreaming about ever since I was in middle school," Mu- hammad said. "To see that coming true is a blessing." Sims, who Rivals.com ranks as the No. 79 overall prospect nationally, measures in at 6-3, 173 pounds and will have a chance to put that impres- sive frame on display against some of the best wide receivers in the coun- try. Both Sims and Muhammad will be surrounded by several prospects that have legitimate interest in the Wolverines. "I'm excited to put in some work with top-notch talent from all over the country," Muhammad said. Baltimore St. Frances four-star de- fensive end Eyabi Anoma is one of Michigan's top overall remaining tar- gets and has U-M near the top of his list with Alabama. Rivals.com's No. 4 weakside defensive end and No. 24 overall prospect nationally officially visited Michigan for the Ohio State game Nov. 25. Metairie (La.) Rummel four-star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase also of- ficially visited Ann Arbor for the Ohio State game and has legitimate inter- est in the U-M. He's considered the No. 11 wide receiver and No. 62 over- all prospect nationally by Rivals.com. Mission Viejo (Calif.) High four- star cornerback Olaijah Griffin is committed to UCLA but has genuine interest in visiting Michigan. It was supposed to happen the weekend of Dec. 16, but plans fell through. If the Michigan commits can get in the ear of Rivals.com's No. 5 cornerback and No. 38 overall prospect nationally, he could set up a visit just a few weeks ahead of National Signing Day. Blairstown (N.J.) Blair Academy four-star strongside defensive end Jayson Oweh also visited Ann Arbor in an official capacity for the Ohio State game and has U-M in his un- official top three with the Buckeyes and Penn State. As Rivals.com's No. 7 strongside defensive end and No. 124 overall prospect nationally, Oweh would be a nice pull for the Wolver- ines after just offering in October. Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep four- star offensive tackle Nick Petit-Frere, perhaps Michigan's biggest overall target on its board, will also take part in the game. The 6-5, 265-pounder is considered the No. 7 offensive tackle and No. 67 overall prospect nation- ally by Rivals.com, and was also in Ann Arbor for the Ohio State. U.S. Army All-American Bowl Jan. 6 • San Antonio 1 p.m. ET • NBC The Army game will serve as the stage for three future Wolverines. Dearborn (Mich.) Divine Child four- star strongside defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, Indianapolis Lawrence Central four-star outside linebacker Cameron McGrone and Grand Rap- ids (Mich.) Catholic Central three- star offensive tackle Jalen Mayfield will all suit up for the West squad. Hutchinson is Rivals.com's No. 17 strongside defensive end in the coun- try and checks in at 6-6, 248 pounds. He grew up as a kid always want- ing to go to U-M, following in the footsteps of his All-American father, Chris, and suiting up in the national all-star game — although he never made it a top priority — represents another check mark on the bucket list. The 6-6, 275-pound Mayfield, an- other Michigander who is ranked No. 8 in the state by Rivals.com, is also excited about representing his future team and home state in the iconic tilt. "It's truly unbelievable seeing how my community and school sup- ported me at the jersey ceremony," he noted. "I can't thank them enough for all the support." Coming off of a severe knee injury as a junior, McGrone — listed as the No. 19 outside linebacker and No. 238 overall prospect nationally by Rivals — has already achieved so much by getting on the field as a senior and being named the Defensive Player of the Year in Indianapolis by The In- dianapolis Star, but now he's ready to achieve even more in San Antonio. "It meant a lot to be selected. I never thought I'd like football this MICHIGAN RECRUITING Wolverine Commits And Targets Are Gearing Up For All-American Games Myles Sims, Rivals.com's No. 11 cornerback and No. 79 overall player in the 2018 class, will play in the Under Armour All-American Game Jan. 4 in Orlando, Fla. He plans to enroll at Michigan in January. PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN