Michigan verbal commit Otis Reese slated to visit this weekend

National Signing Day is just a short 19 days away, and Michigan’s coaching staff still has work to do on four-star linebacker Otis Reese.

For those of you who don’t follow recruiting closely, Reese has been verbally committed to Michigan since the summer of 2016. Yes, it’s been a year-and-a-half since he made his pledge to the Wolverines, and he hasn’t changed his mind. Not yet, or at least not yet publicly.

Harbaugh and his coaching staff are still trying to keep Reese from flipping at any given moment to the presumed other favorite: the Georgia Bulldogs, his home-state team, and a team that were just a few plays shy of a National Championship this year.

At the very least, the Leesburg, Georgia native taking an official visit to Ann Arbor this weekend is good news to hear. This news was reported by multiple local outlets, including the Detroit Free Press and 247Sports.com.

Reese is listed at 6-foot-4 and 206 pounds, and is the 77th ranked overall recruit and fifth ranked outside linebacker in the nation, according to 247Sports’ composite.

If Reese’s hometown rings a bell to you, it’s probably because that’s where Michigan freshman Aubrey Solomon grew up. The two were committed to Michigan at the same time at one point, and with Solomon’s successes during his freshman season maybe that will be enough to keep Reese from flipping his commitment.

It is vital to keep Reese happy and make sure he does not flip his commitment. Harbaugh and the boys need to roll out the red carpet to ensure his happiness. Reese, as of now, is the highest ranked player in Michigan’s 2018 recruiting class (according to 247Sports’ composite) and he is a difference-making player. And as pointed out by Nick Baumgardner of the Detroit Free Press, and originally posted by Rivals.com, Reese posted some insane stats his senior year — 131 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 5 forced fumbles and 4 pass breakups, all while playing top-tier talent in the state of Georgia.

Yeah, he’s pretty damn good. So like I said, it is absolutely vital to keep him around and make him sign on the dotted line come Feb. 7.

Reese visited Central Michigan not too long ago, which is where his brother attends school. He also has plans to visit LSU, Clemson and, you guessed it, Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs.

Reese is just one of three verbally committed players who did not sign a letter of intent during the early signing period in December, with the other two being three-star quarterback Kevin Doyle and three-star wide receiver Ronnie Bell.

Michigan is also still in the mix today for four-star defensive tackle Tyler Friday, who will be committing to a school later this afternoon.