Friday Michigan Recruiting Roundup: Big developments in Hunter Dickinson recruitment

Happy Friday, folks, and welcome to another Michigan Recruiting Roundup!

Today we will be focusing in on a hoops development for one of Juwan Howard’s biggest targets in the 2020 class. We’ll also touch on a few football updates.

As always, be sure to be on the lookout for Jon Simmons’ visitors list for this weekend!

Let’s get into it!

Update on 2020 four-star big man

Ever since Walker Kessler committed to North Carolina, Howard and his coaching staff have been focusing on two other centers for the 2020 class — four-stars Mark Williams and Hunter Dickinson.

According to The Michigan Insider’s Sam Webb ($), Dickinson’s girlfriend is a “major recruiting target” for Michigan’s track team, and is taking her official visit this weekend. Webb includes there “is a good chance” Dickinson visits Ann Arbor with her.

Along with that, Webb reports a commitment could be coming “any time now,” especially with Williams committing to a program Nov. 1. All nine crystal balls for Williams are in favor of Duke, so it’s likely Michigan will be out for him.

To top it all off, TMI’s Josh Henschke ($) had a source tell him he should put a crystal ball pick in for Michigan to land Dickinson.

Good news may be on the horizon for Howard and company, but I probably wouldn’t expect anything to happen until after Williams commits.

Sixty-seven percent of the crystal balls for Dickinson are in Michigan’s favor, with the other 33 percent being undecided. He is the No. 6 center and No. 34 overall player in his class, per 247Sports’ composite.

Four-star TE visiting this weekend, may visit for MSU game

This will be a huge football recruiting visitors weekend, as pointed out in this week’s Future Brew podcast, but no recruit may be bigger for Michigan’s 2020 class than four-star tight end Theo Johnson. The 6-foot-6, 242-pounder from Windsor has been heavily recruited by Michigan for a while now, and made his final four along with Penn State, Iowa and Georgia.

This weekend is his final official visit, but 247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong says just because it’s his final official doesn’t mean it’s his last visit of any kind.

“But this may not be his last college visit. That is also slated for Michigan for the Michigan State game,” Wiltfong wrote ($).

If Michigan is able to get Johnson in on an unofficial visit for another rivalry game, that would be a major step forward. Johnson visited Penn State for the White Out game last weekend, and he admitted it was one of the best environments he has seen, so it is a must for Jim Harbaugh and company to roll out the red carpet on both visits.

In-state OL visiting for The Game

The crop of in-state talent in the 2021 class is incredibly strong, and one of those guys is eyeing a visit during Thanksgiving weekend.

Four-star offensive lineman Rayshaun Benny told TMI’s Brice Marich ($) he plans on visiting Michigan for The Game against Ohio State.

Benny was on campus during Michigan’s season opener against Middle Tennessee State, so getting him in for one more game this year is a step in the right direction. He also visited over the summer for the BBQ at the Big House, so he has seen plenty of what Michigan has to offer.

The Oak Park native is the No. 8 player in Michigan, the No. 30 offensive tackle and No. 258 overall player in the 2021 class, per 247Sports’ composite. He has other offers from schools like Auburn, Georgia, Florida State, Michigan State, Ohio State, LSU and more.

That’s all for this week! Check back on Monday for another Michigan Recruiting Roundup!