The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/970722
MAY 2018 THE WOLVERINE 59 FOOTBALL RECRUITING perience led me to Ann Arbor. I tried to talk with all the recruits." McNamara, the No. 9 pro-style quarterback in the 2019 class, is trying his hardest to bring talented players with him to Ann Arbor and it certainly could pay off with Deal, a potential fu- ture target on the field for McNamara. One of the visiting targets turned into a commit over the weekend when Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade Madonna four-star safety Te'Cory Couch flipped from Tennessee to Michigan during his official visit. The 5-10, 165-pounder had been saying great things about Michigan leading up to his visit, and once he was on campus, it was a wrap. "I chose Michigan because it felt like home," Couch said. "Just being there and the relationships I've built with Coach [Don] Brown and Coach Z [Mike Zordich] — that's what I was looking for. Add in the top edu- cational program they have, and I decided to commit." Couch is Rivals' No. 20 safety in the country and gives U-M a great win on the recruiting trail for a Flor- ida kid with offers from schools like LSU, Miami, Nebraska, Tennessee, Wisconsin and more. FUTURE COMMITS? Deal certainly seemed to be a target for McNamara. The 6-5, 235-pounder is considered the No. 24 tight end in the country, and the coaches made sure that he felt like a top priority while in Ann Arbor. "Our expectations coming in were high, but everything was better than expected," Deal said. "We toured ev- erything and got a lot of chances to meet new people. Overall it was an awesome trip." Being from the South and hav- ing options like Clemson, Auburn and Georgia, as well as Notre Dame, makes Deal a tough target for U-M — but the staff and McNamara really gave him a lot to think about. The coaching staff decided to offer Carpenter while he was in town, and the Wolverines are likely the team to beat for the junior guard. Rumler worked on him during the visit and the pitch likely hit home with a fel- low guard and Ohio native. Carpenter checks in at 6-4, 290 pounds and is the No. 15 guard in the country according to Rivals. He holds offers from Arkansas, Duke, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Minnesota, Northwestern, Oregon, UCLA and West Virginia, among oth- ers, but U-M seems to be pacing the group. Finally, out of all of the visitors, Michigan might be in the best shape with in-state tackle Karsen Barn- hart. The 6-5, 280-pounder is Rivals' No. 44 offensive tackle in the country, but possesses rare athleticism for the position, and even plays fullback and tight end in high school. He seemed like a Michigan State lean for a long time, but after sev- eral visits to Ann Arbor once being offered by U-M, Barnhart sure feels like a Wolverine lean as he nears a commitment. ❏ The Wolverines let Greenwood (S.C.) Emerald's Luke Deal — the nation's No. 24 tight end according to Rivals — know he was a top priority for them when while he was in town April 14. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM Other Studs To Keep An Eye On It's clear that the Wolverines created a great environment for 2018 signees, 2019 commits and potential Michigan leans in Ann Arbor the weekend of April 13‑15. The U‑M staff also did a great job with very coveted prospects that are not as close to a decision. Penn State might be leading the pack for Warwick (R.I.) Bishop Hendricken four‑star offensive tackle Xavier Truss, but the 6‑7, 325‑pounder got a chance to watch his former teammate and current Wolverine Kwity Paye during practice. As the No. 139 overall prospect nationally according to Rivals, Truss is being pursued by all of college football's big boys — but U‑M is going to be in the mix for a while. In a situation that rarely occurs, the Wolverines may actually be leading for a five‑star prospect from Ohio who is being recruited by Ohio State. Lewis Center (Ohio) Olen‑ tangy Orange defensive end Zach Harrison has now been to Ann Arbor several times and is genuinely interested in the Wolverines because of his bond with Al Washington. The 6‑5, 245‑pounder doesn't talk to the media much and rarely expresses himself on Twitter, but confidence is high around Schembechler Hall when it comes to the pursuit of Rivals' No. 2 defensive end and No. 15 overall prospect nationally. The commitment of Couch may help with teammate and four‑star wide receiver John Dunmore. The 6‑3, 170‑pound standout from Chaminade Madonna was once committed to Florida when Jim McElwain was still the head coach and is now very intrigued by U‑M with McElwain coaching the wide receivers in Ann Arbor. As Rivals' No. 7 wide receiver and No. 41 overall prospect nationally, Dunmore is a wanted man with offers from schools like Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Florida State, Ne‑ braska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M and West Virginia, among many others, and U‑M is definitely in the lead group for his services. The Wolverine staff also hosted Hagerstown (Md.) Saint James School's John Metchie, another four‑star wide receiver. The 6‑0, 188‑pounder is considered the No. 28 wide receiver and No. 170 overall prospect nationally, and holds offers from Alabama, Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Penn State and many others. Finally, as an in‑state 2020 prospect, Oak Park four‑star offensive guard Justin Rogers continues to pop up in Ann Arbor and is definitely high on the Wolverines. The 6‑2, 289‑pounder also likes Ohio State a lot and holds offers from Alabama, Iowa, Michigan State, Nebraska, Oregon and Tennessee, among others. Michigan will continue to be there for the talented sophomore, but Ohio State did offer first and continues to push for the Michigander. — Brandon Brown