Recruiting Roundup: RB commit fully healthy heading into senior year following ACL tear

The 2024 season is right around the corner, but there are still plenty of recruiting updates even though teams are on fall camp right now.

In today’s Recruiting Roundup, we discuss a running back commit recovering from a torn ACL, plus an Iowa kicker commit and a Georgia Tech wide receiver still with interest in the Michigan Wolverines.

Four-star RB commit talks ACL recovery, prep for high school

An ACL tear is one of the toughest injuries to recover from in sports, but after sitting out for his entire junior season, 2025 four-star running back Donovan Johnson is ready to hit the ground running.

Johnson, who committed back in June, told 247Sports’ Brian Dohn ($) he is “100 percent” as the high school season gets underway at IMG Academy.

“It’s been a blessing,” Johnson said. “I had a lot of great support here from the coaching staff, the trainers, my family so it’s been going really good.”

One of the toughest aspects of injury recovery is the toll it takes on you mentally, with former Michigan hoopster Jaelin Llewellyn touching on his ACL tear recovery in a recent video. Johnson dealt with similar challenges.

“Just finding who you are again,” he said. “There is a lot of mental stuff that goes with it. I feel like the biggest thing in working through an injury like that is just mental. You have some mental challenges that you go through personally but other than that I feel like the physical is going to come.”

After sitting out all of last year, Johnson is beyond ready to get back on the field.

“I have something to prove,” Johnson said. “Play my part and do what I do and do the best I can do. Just leading by example. I am not a big rah-rah dude, but just leading by example overall.”

Michigan trying to flip Iowa K commit

One of the few position groups the Wolverines haven’t landed a commitment from in the 2025 class is kicker. However, the Wolverines are giving it their best with Iowa commit, Scott Starzyk.

Starzyk, considered one of the best kickers in the country, announced his scholarship from the Wolverines a few weeks ago and committed to Iowa a little under a month ago. However, he still has legitimate interest in Michigan.

“It’s a really cool opportunity to be offered a scholarship by the defending national champions,” Starzyk told The Wolverine’s EJ Holland ($). “Obviously, anyone who wakes up and sees that would be pretty ecstatic about it, unless, of course, you’re rooting for Ohio State (laughs). It was really cool. It’s cool to know people that win national championships believe in you.”

Starzyk also mentioned he chats a bit with Michigan’s new special teams coordinator and his lead recruiter J.B. Brown.

“He likes me as a combo guy,” Starzyk said. “I’m going in ready for kicking, but I’ll also be ready to do both when needed. I’ll be ready to kick and punt. I’ll be ready to just go in and compete.”

We’ll keep you up to date on Michigan’s push for the Iowa commit when more updates roll in.

Michigan trying to flip Georgia Tech WR commit

Speaking of recruits Michigan is trying to flip, the Wolverines are also trying to flip Jamauri Brice, a 2025 three-star wide receiver who committed to Georgia Tech in June.

Brice showed interest in Michigan earlier this spring, taking his first visit back in March. In an interview with The Wolverine’s Zach Libby ($), he appears open to a flip.

“I love to hear what everyone has to say. I take in the coaching tips, learn more about the game, how everyone views me,” Brice said. “I want to go where I have a chance to play and the best relationships. I take in everything that they say.”

Brice mentioned his family enjoyed the Michigan visit quite a bit.

“I liked it a lot, personally,” Brice said. “Me and my parents liked it a lot. It was nice getting around the coaches for the first time. Love the school and the program. It was a good experience.”

At the end of the day, it sounds like Brice is at least open to the idea of possibly flipping to Michigan.

“Michigan is still on my radar,” Brice said. “I like Michigan. They play good football. I want to go somewhere I can compete, so I feel pretty good about Michigan. They’re on the back of my mind. I think I fit in well. Their pro-style offense is pretty similar to what we do at my school.”

Quick hitters

-On The Wolverine’s recruiting board ($), Holland mentioned 2025 four-star cornerback Shamari Earls, who committed to Georgia last month and has been linked to Michigan all summer, is still talking to defensive backs coach LaMar Morgan. Holland reported that Michigan is going to push to get him back on campus this fall.

-Shifting gears to basketball real quick, top-100 guard Mazi Mosley is visiting Michigan on Aug. 31, as reported by 247Sports’ Dushawn London ($). He is also set to visit Iowa and LSU, and Georgia Tech and Kansas are also under consideration.