Recruiting Roundup: Michigan improves standing for 2023 five-star ATH

The Michigan Wolverines had another small, yet important list of visitors last weekend during the team’s Big Ten opener against Maryland.

One of those visitors was a certain someone in the 2023 class, and it sounds like the Wolverines knocked the visit out of the park.

Wolverines improve stock with Nyckoles Harbor after visit

The highest rated prospect on campus for the Maryland game was 2023 five-star athlete Nyckoles Harbor. While not a ton was to be learned during his visit, 247Sports recruiting analyst Brian Dohn reported Michigan did improve its standing in his recruitment ($) after catching up with the 6-foot-5, 225-pounder.

“It was great,” Harbor said. “It just helped their stock even more with maybe getting my commitment. A lot of people already know how my mom feels about it, but my dad feels good about it, too. Now we are going to talk about it and go from there.”

Harbor said he was hosted by fellow D.C. prospect Quinten Johnson during his visit to Ann Arbor, but that he was “with everybody,” and that “the whole team was giving me love.”

One of the main reasons for the visit for Harbor, since he is familiar with campus after visiting multiple times, was so his parents could get a better feel for the academics, which is an important element to Harbor and his family.

“What stood out about (the academics) was Michigan is going to give you that degree that other schools can’t because you’re basically getting an Ivy League education with a Power 5 athletic team. It’s the best of both worlds,” Harbor said.

As far as the game against Maryland went, Harbor said taking in the environment with 110,000-plus people is something he won’t soon forget.

Harbor is the No. 9 ranked recruit in the class of 2023, the No. 1 athlete and the top prospect in D.C., according to the composite rankings.

Three-star OL has “amazing” visit to Michigan

Nathan Efobi, a 2023 three-star offensive lineman, also visited Ann Arbor over the weekend.

After the visit, The Michigan Insider’s Brice Marich ($) caught up with the 6-foot-3, 282-pounder, with Efobi telling Marich the visit exceeded expectations and among the highlights was something you probably wouldn’t expect for a football recruit.

“I got to talk to and hang with the basketball coach Juwan Howard,” Efobi said. “He asked me what offers I had and how great Michigan was. Most of the trip, I talked to Sherrone Moore. He said he liked my versatility and length. If I were to go there, I could play anywhere on the offensive line.”

The Wolverines offered Efobi back in late July. He was accompanied by his mother during the trip, which was an unofficial visit. He posted on Twitter after his trip that he can’t wait to get back to Ann Arbor for an official visit.

Since experiencing the Big House and the rest of campus, Efobi admitted Michigan was at the top of his leaderboard as things currently stand.

“Since I’ve visited recently, it’s at the top.”

He plans on making a commitment sometimes in November or December. Marich put in a Crystal Ball for Efobi on Sept. 28 and predicted him to land at Michigan. Efobi has other offers from Georgia, Louisville, Duke, Miami, Penn State, among others.

2024 OL has positive experience during Michigan visit

Blake Frazier, a class of 2024 offensive lineman (Austin, TX.) also took the trip to Ann Arbor over the past weekend. Frazier is the son of former Michigan offensive lineman Steve Frazier, who played for the Wolverines from 1995-99.

He told Marich ($) Michigan made him feel like a priority during his time there.

“It was an amazing experience,” Frazier said. “Part of it could be because everyone knew my dad, but something that really stuck out to me was that everyone made just as much of an effort to make me feel welcome. The coaches especially made it super clear that although my dad did play there that they offered me because they think I’m a great player and that they genuinely want me to come play for them.”

The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder was offered by Michigan back in June and co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Sherrone Moore has led the way in his recruitment, so he spent a lot of time with him over the weekend.

“The main coach was obviously coach Moore (I talked and connected with), but getting to talk with coach Elston and coach Bellamy as well was a lot of fun,” Frazier said. “Their main message to me like I said earlier was that even though my dad played there, they wanted me because of how I play and what I can be, not because of what my dad was.”

He also said he is still in the beginning stages of his recruitment, but admitted the Wolverines made a strong impression and will be a contender moving forward.

“It feels like it’s going to be a top school for me all the way up until I decide where I want to go, but it’s still super early as well,” said Frazier.

Frazier also holds offers from UTSA, Baylor, Colorado, Texas A&M and Houston.