Wednesday Michigan Recruiting Roundup: The recruits recruit themselves

It’s hump day, which means it’s time for another Wednesday Michigan Recruiting Roundup! The staff is gearing up for the first of their big recruiting visit weekends next weekend against Wisconsin, but there’s still some notable action going on now. Here’s the latest happenings:

2020 commit leading the recruiting charge

Four-star cornerback Andre Seldon committed to Michigan back in June, and ever since then he’s been working hard to get his peers to join him.

Seldon has set his focus nearby, targeting players from Michigan and Ohio. He played a role in landing West Bloomfield linebacker Cornell Wheeler, who committed last week.

“When I got the (Michigan) offer we talked,’’ Seldon said about Wheeler. “I told him the day before I committed. I said, ‘You might as well, too.’ He texted me and said that he was going to commit. Since then I knew we had a chance to get him. He’s a great player and I’m glad we got him,” Seldon told Perry Farrell of the Detroit Free Press (FREE).

Now, Seldon has his eyes on three more highly touted players, and discussed how he feels about Michigan’s chances.

The first is Wheeler’s teammate, four-star safety Makari Paige. Paige has been getting love from Ohio State lately, but Seldon is teaming up with Wheeler to bring him home. “Hopefully, we can get him. I feel like we can. We want to make Michigan great with the tradition. That’s my pitch along with Cornell,” said Seldon.

The next is another one of Michigan’s highly rated players in the 2020 class, four-star wide receiver Rashawn Williams. Seldon admits he will be the toughest pull, as Ohio State has also caught his attention.

“That’s going to be tough,’’ Seldon said. “I feel like I can do it. That’s my boy. We’ve been playing together since our Detroit Spartan days. I’m very confident. He likes it down there (OSU).’’

Hopefully the long-standing bond with Seldon helps push this race Michigan’s way.

Finally, aiming south, Seldon is going after one of the players he has known for the longest. Four-star running back Michael Drennen II is arguably the top running back target for the Michigan staff, and Seldon is helping in all the ways he can.

“We met in the eighth-grade at the Sound Mind Sound Body camp,’’ Seldon said. “We were both MVPs. From there our dads met. Since then we’ve been real close like brothers. We saw each other at camps and went to Orlando in January for a camp. That’s my guy.’’

The Crystal Balls are split between Michigan and Ohio State, but this is the recruitment I feel most confident about. Drennen has already visited this season and the 2019 class has shown the increased investment in Ohio.

Safety target sets commitment date

In less promising news, top 100 safety Lewis Cine announced his commitment date Tuesday afternoon via Twitter.

Cine was supposed to visit for the SMU game, but had to cancel last minute because of the cost of the plane ticket. He’s coming off his official visit to Georgia last weekend, who was already the presumed favorite. If he doesn’t pick the Bulldogs at this point, it will be a surprise. Thankfully the Wolverines already locked up the No. 1 safety in the country, but it’s disappointing they missed their shot to land another stud player.

In-state lineman already making a return visit

After visiting for the Western Michigan game, three-star offensive tackle Grant Toutant will already be making another trip to Ann Arbor, this time for the Wisconsin game. This will be part of a busy two months of visits for Toutant, who will also be at several other campuses this fall.

”I’ll be at Michigan State on Oct. 6,” Toutant told Allen Trieu of the Michigan Insider ($). “Michigan invited me back for their Oct. 13 game (against Wisconsin) today. I’m going since it’s a late game after my walk through. I’m going to Penn State Oct. 27. I have a practice day visit Nov. 3 at Toledo and possibly Bowling Green on Nov. 23 if we don’t play in the state finals.”

Given these two quick visits, Michigan has established itself as one of the early favorites for the 6-foot-6, 280-pound junior. He has no Crystal Ball picks yet.

That’s everything this week for the Wednesday Michigan Recruiting Roundup. Check back Friday for more recruiting news!