Recruiting Roundup: Michigan makes move with four-star in-state prospect

We have now hit the dog days of summer, ladies and gentlemen. As we continue to be patient for the 2023 college football season to get underway, we just can’t help ourselves but hit F5 on our favorite websites, waiting for more information to trickle out on the Michigan Wolverines’ highly anticipated upcoming season. The same goes for recruiting content, as it gets a bit tougher for major updates to happen in the month of August thanks to the recruiting dead period.

As we wait for September to roll around, we still have a few recruiting updates for you in today’s Recruiting Roundup, so let’s get right to it.

Michigan makes move on in-state target at BBQ

More stories continue to trickle out regarding Michigan standing out to prospects following their visit to Ann Arbor for this summer’s BBQ at the Big House. On3’s Zach Libby ($) interviewed 2025 in-state four-star edge Xavier Newsom following his trip for the summer event, and he explicitly said the Wolverines are among his top schools.

“I have a lot of interest in Michigan. I’d say they’re in my top five,” he said.

Newsom is among the top-ranked players in the 2025 class, coming in at No. 225 overall, No. 3 in the state of Michigan and No. 22 among edge prospects on 247Sports’ composite. Because he’s a high priority in-state kid, multiple members of the coaching staff are recruiting him, including Steve Clinkscale and Grant Newsome. He’s primarily being recruited as an edge, but Newsome would enjoy having him on offense.

“Coach Clink is a good person and a really good coach,” Newsom said. “He knows how to develop kids and knows how to recruit. I’ll always wish the best for him. I think he’s shown that I’m wanted at Michigan. (The entire staff) has welcomed me as a whole. It’s been good.

“(Newsome) was showing me how he teaches the tights ends to block and how tight ends are developed at Michigan. Showing me how one of their rookie tight ends (Colston Loveland) came in and started towards the middle of the season.”

There is no set timetable for Newsom to shut his recruitment down, but Michigan appears to be among the schools trending in the right direction. He also holds early offers from Minnesota, Pitt, West Virginia and more.

Michigan in top three for four-star WR

The Wolverines continue to work on getting another receiver onboard in the 2024 class, but they are off to a remarkable start in 2025. They have gotten multiple elite talents on campus already, including last month for the BBQ, and now another four-star talent has come out and said they are in his top group of schools.

In an interview with The Michigan Insider’s Brice Marich ($), 2025 four-star wide receiver Quanell Farrakhan Jr. recapped his visit to Ann Arbor earlier this summer, saying he “loved” it, and had glowing things to say about Jim Harbaugh and Ron Bellamy.

“The receiver coach was a real good guy. Coach Harbaugh — I love the way he was genuine and took time to personally speak to me. I remember him saying to me you are as good as advertised (laughter). He was real cool,” Farrakhan said.

The 6-foot 170-pounder hails from the state of Texas, but certainly isn’t afraid to leave SEC country. In fact, he’s already got a pair of Crystal Balls to Penn State. He also has Michigan among his top schools at the moment.

“Absolutely (they are in my top list),” Farrakhan said. “They’re in my top three. I love Michigan.”

Farrakhan is ranked No, 206 overall on the 247Sports composite, as well as the No. 25 wide receiver and No. 33 player from Texas in his class. Other than Michigan and Penn State, he also holds offers from Georgia, Florida State, Tennessee, Michigan State, TCU and more.

Michigan ‘up there’ with four-star DL

Over the last several recruiting cycles, Michigan has been able to dip into the state of Illinois and get some really good players; Trevor Keegan, A.J. Henning and Tyler Morris are just a few that immediately come to mind. It looks like the Wolverines are set up quite nicely to do that once again in the 2025 cycle, as Illinois is loaded with talent in that class, especially on the defensive line.

One of Mike Elston’s targets early on is four-star Jaylen Williams. At 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds, Williams already has the size and frame to play in college right now — which is scary considering he’s just entering his junior year at Palatine High School.

TMI’s Marich (FREE) recently caught up with Williams to get the latest following his trip to Ann Arbor for the BBQ at the Big House.

“The visit was great,” Williams said. “It was great the moment we walked in. I came down there with my good friend, Nate Marshall, who attends Fenwick and we both had minor little tweaks to our bodies that allowed us to not participate in camp. The coaches understood that instantly and welcomed us with open arms. It was one of the best visits.”

Among the highlights was being able to meet with Elston, Dylan Roney and Ben Herbert, the latter being deemed as a “scary guy” by Williams.

“He was showing us some of the ankle support stuff they do, so you don’t hurt your ankles,” Williams said of Herbert. “We then did some balancing and you have to balance on these boards they have. It was the first time I’ve ever seen them and Michigan has them. You balance on them and you have to try and not touch the ground or the board, but then you have to pick up a popcorn kernel and bring it up to your chest without touching the ground like twice. It was so crazy, but it was probably the one of the best things I did. It was so fun.”

Williams admitted to being “close” to having a top list, but not having it locked in just yet. However, he did mention Michigan would be on his top list whenever he finalizes it.

“I love Michigan. It was great. Like I said, it was my first time being up there at Michigan, but I used to watch a decent amount of Michigan football with Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo. Those two guys were just insane to watch at the position I play. I did a lot of watching them and slowly became a fan.”