Wednesday Michigan Recruiting Roundup: Good Times

From Monday to Friday

You know what? James already covered the Quindarious Monday recruitment in yesterday’s Brews. But you know why we get into sports writing? Is it to make a difference? Is it to reach out to thousands of people, or learn about the world? No, it’s to use terrible puns and put them in big, bold letters in a title. Mission? Accomplished.

So, Scout had some great quotes ($) from 2018 four-star safety out of Georgia Quindarious Monday in a piece published on Monday. Quindarious has been taking part in a bus tour to shuttle football players to summer camps (hats off to Derrick Tatum for giving Georgia kids that chance, and here’s a link to an interview he just did with Sam Webb). Monday spoke about the chance to work and get better - and seeing Ann Arbor along the way.

"It was a very good experience because I got to see the place and I'd never seen it,” he said. “Coach Partridge had been trying to get me down here for the longest. It was my big shot to get down here on the bus tour with Coach Tatum. He gave me an incredible opportunity."

"It's beautiful. I love it at Michigan. The facilities are great. They’re building a whole new indoor. Everything just gets bigger and bigger."

Photo credit: Marc-Gregor Campredon, MGoBlog

The coaching staff wasn’t even there - satellite camps, after all - but the young, 6’3” 175-pound safety still had a great time.

"I can say that (Michigan has) a real good shot of being in that group because I know the background. Like I said, they have a lot of dudes go to the league. It stands out because that's one of my ultimate dreams. I really want to make it.

“I’m going to make it back up because my parents still have got to see the place. They couldn’t come. We’re going to come down here to see the place. It could be an official visit or (an unofficial visit) this summer. It just depends on how my schedule sets up.”

Meanwhile, Steve Lorenz provided a very interesting update ($) on 2018 four-star New Jersey defensive tackle Tyler Friday, in a piece published on Tuesday (*smh*).

The Don Bosco Prep Top100 defensive tackle has not been a very vocal recruit since the beginning of his emergence as a national recruit, but right now it's quieter on his front than it is for almost any other top target the Wolverines are pursuing at this point.

The consensus right now is that he is going to take his recruitment all the way until National Signing Day. Again, that rarely comes to fruition these days, but as quiet and under the radar as things have been the last couple months he may really be shutting things down for the most part until official visit season.

Lorenz also said that Penn State is a big challenger for Friday’s services, but Michigan is pursuing him hard, along with Rick Sandidge, Alim McNeill (both North Carolina natives), and Michael Thompson (Missouri) at defensive tackle.

Checking in on the offensive line

As you know, Michigan’s been slowly, steadily building up a formidable group of young offensive linemen. But the 2018 and ‘19 class will also be important for really making a fully fleshed-out two-deep.

Luckily, Michigan already has three (count ‘em) four-star offensive linemen in the 2018 class: 6’2”, 322-pound Emil Ekiyor, 6’7”, 252-pound Ryan Hayes and 6’5”, 273-pound Jalen Mayfield. But Michigan is still looking for one or two more.

One of those could be 6’4”, 325-pound three-star Jerome Carvin, out of Tennessee. Carvin spoke to MnB about his relationship with the coaches, and why he put Michigan in his top 10 despite not having visited there.

“I have a bond with Coach Jay Harbaugh, Coach Drevno, and Coach Frey, but all the coaches are really great people,” he said. “Michigan has a rich tradition, and when Coach Frey and Coach Jay Harbaugh came to my school we had a great conversation. Michigan has a history of putting offensive linemen in the NFL.”

He added that “Coach Frey sees me at OT and Coach Drevno sees me at OT or OG.” Carvin released his top 10 on Monday.

Photo credit: Student Sports

Another possibility for 2018 is Nicholas Petit-Frere, a 6’6”, 260-pound four-star (and borderline five-star) tackle from Florida. Sam Webb reported that Petit-Frere was slated to visit Michigan yesterday, but no word yet on how that went.

Rivals is also saying ($) that Michigan is fighting hard to make the cut for Jamaree Salyer’s top 5 or 6; Salyer is a five-star offensive guard from Atlanta, Georgia. His ‘top four’ are Stanford, Ohio State, Clemson and Georgia, and Michigan is fighting with Alabama and Florida.

Meanwhile, 2019 will be another chance to add a wave of good linemen, and a big name to keep in mind here is Devontae Dobbs - a 6’4”, 270-pound four-star offensive tackle, as well as the #1 player in the state of Michigan according to 247Sports.

“I feel like they got a great team and are loaded up with players,” Dobbs told The Michigan Insider ($). “They got some really good coaches, so I hope they do well this season. I also the competition and the way that they work hard. They got a good academic program and my dad loves Michigan. He is a big Michigan fan. He says to do what I want, but he says it all the time go wherever you want to go, but you know it would be a bonus for me if you were to go to Michigan because you know I love me some Michigan.”

Dobbs also spoke to Rivals, and said he talks with U-M’s coaches ($) a couple of times a month.

“I just want to go to a school where I feel at home. I want to build a relationship with the coaches, so that when I’m on campus I would feel comfortable being there for four to five years.”

Visits coming for top 2019 playmakers

Steve Lorenz is also reporting that top-ranked running back Noah Cain will be spending four days in Ann Arbor ($) later next week. Cain is an IMG student by way of Texas, and he is the son of former Michigan running back David Underwood.

Cain is listed at 5’11”, 207 and is a Saquon Barkley clone. He also wants to major in physical therapy; luckily, Michigan has one of the most highly ranked kinesiology programs in the country.

Lorenz also reported this week that the #1 tight end in the ‘19 class, Grayson Boomer, will be visiting Michigan on Thursday ($). Boomer does not have an offer yet, but could get one soon - the staff has apparently likened him to Jake Butt. Oklahoma is considered the favorite, though.

Other News & Notes

Top VIPER target Shayne Simon has been trending toward Notre Dame ($) lately, depending on who you talk to. He’ll visit Michigan again in July, though.

Georgia safety Trey Dean visited Michigan on Monday ($) with his mom and dad. If his ‘primary’ recruiter is any indication, Michigan likes him a lot.

"I talk to Jim Harbaugh the most probably," Dean said. "I do talk with many of the other coaches. A lot of them interact with me and that’s another thing I like about Michigan.”

Photo credit: Student Sports

In other news, a 6’6”, 242-pound player from Germany (Julius Welschof) is blowing up the camp scene, and with offers from Old Dominion and Towson now in hand he will be headed to Michigan on June 17 ($). He could qualify as either a 2017 or ‘18 commit.

Michigan sent out an offer ($) to a 2018 tight end for the first time in at least nine months, as Arkansas de-commit Luke Ford got the honors. Michigan has been narrowing down its focus on Mustapha Muhammad and Jeremy Ruckert of late.

And Isaac Taylor-Stuart, a borderline five-star cornerback in the 2018 class, said he wants to visit Michigan ($), along with Ohio State, Oklahoma, LSU and South Carolina. He seems interested in programs that put a lot of guys into the League.