Monday Michigan Recruiting Roundup: Top Targets Begin Their Football Seasons

Darian Roseboro has monster game in season opener

Four-star defensive end Darian Roseboro (Lincolnton, NC) had a huge showing in his first game of his senior season on Friday night, albeit in a 26-13 loss to North Lincoln HS.

Per Roseboro to 247 Sports, he collected 17 tackles with four tackles for loss and a sack, as well. Not bad for a defensive lineman.

Roseboro is set to make his college decision on Aug. 29, where it appears that the Wolverines are in the driver's seat for his services. North Carolina State is right behind them, though.

Michigan is still looking for their first 2015 defensive line commit and with Roseboro potentially in the mix, it will even further solidify what has been a very solid class for the Wolverines on the defensive side of the ball. He is a versatile player that can be used in a variety of ways.

The 247 Crystal Ball reads 72 percent in favor of Michigan for him.

Darrin Kirkland Jr. opens season with good showing

Four-star 2015 linebacker commit Darrin Kirkland Jr. (Indianapolis, IN) has had a fantastic off-season after pledging to the Wolverines earlier this year. He opened his season up Friday night and had a very good outing.

Kirkland told 247's Steve Lorenz that he finished 13 tackles, two tackles for loss, a pass deflection and a quarterback hurry.

From watching film on him, stat lines like this will be plentiful at the next level for this guy. He has a nose for the football and is a very sound linebacker with his technique. He is going to enroll early, so even with the depth that Michigan has at the position, Kirkland could position himself for early playing time with a strong showing in 2015's spring practices.

Highlights from Austin Mack's first game

Moving onto a 2016 prospect, four-star wide receiver Austin Mack (Fort Wayne, IN) opened his year this weekend, too. He is one of Michigan's top targets at the position in the class.

The star receiver hauled in one receiving touchdown and ran another one in, as well, albeit in a 31-27 loss to Snider HS. His highlights can be found below.

The 247 Crystal Ball currently has Notre Dame, Ohio State and Michigan in the lead for Mack, respectively. The Fighting Irish lead with 50 percent of the predictions.

Brian Cole named top player in Michigan by the Free Press

Many were surprised when four-star 2015 athlete Brian Cole (Saginaw, MI) pulled the trigger earlier this summer and committed to the Michigan Wolverines. There are no shortage of accolades being thrown his way, and the Detroit Free Press added to that, naming him the top player in the state of Michigan. (FREE)

Cole is a versatile talent that looks like a sure bet to be a great offensive weapon. Mick McCabe gave a brief outlook on why he is the top talent in the state:

His versatility makes him the top player in the state. A running back last year, he gained almost 1,200 yards and averaged 8.6 yards per carry in eight games. This season he is expected to be a wide receiver where he is a matchup problem for every defensive back. He made the Dream Team last season on defense as a hard-hitting safety who had 47 tackles and intercepted five passes.

McCabe also wrote a nice feature story on Cole, where he asked his high school coach where his best fit would be on offense:

The toughest question for Heritage coach Don Maloney is: Which is Cole’s best position?

“He’s been best at all of them,” Maloney said. “Truthfully, he’s just such an explosive playmaking kid it doesn’t matter where I put him. I could put him at right guard and he would still make plays because he’s a strong, talented kid. I moved him to running back last year to get the ball in his hands more on a consistent basis, and there’s some highlight-reel plays he made in large part by himself.”

Michigan is getting a special talent in Cole. He is very raw offensively, but his ceiling is as high as any player they have brought in to this point. We will have to see how his senior season plays out.

That's it for Monday. Check back in with us on Wednesday for the latest in Michigan football recruiting.

You can follow Maize n Brew's Anthony Broome on Twitter, @anthonytbroome.