Wednesday Michigan Recruiting Roundup: Spring game visitors and five-star drama

Welcome to this week’s Michigan recruiting roundup! After a brief one week hiatus, I’m back to tell you all about a busy week in football recruiting. Let’s jump right in.

Spring game visit list starting to take shape

Michigan’s spring game is this Saturday, and the staff is taking this as an opportunity to showcase the school to prospects. As the date nears, a handful of recruits have stated their intention to make a trip to Ann Arbor to check out what the Wolverines have to offer.

Four-star wide receiver John Metchie will be making his first visit to Michigan this weekend, according to 247Sports ($). The Maryland native is ranked as the nation’s 39th best receiver and 234th prospect overall according to the 247Sports’ Composite. Penn State is the current favorite to land Metchie, holding all of his Crystal Ball selections.

Another confirmed visitor is Zach Carpenter, an offensive guard from Cincinnati, Ohio, per 247Sports ($). The three-star has offers from all over the country, including UCLA, Oregon, Arkansas and Louisville.

Michigan hasn’t offered Carpenter yet, but that could change this weekend. Receiving an offer could put them right in the mix, as no school seems to have jumped out in the lead for him. Helping Michigan’s case is Al Washington, who is the lead recruiter for Carpenter and has a sterling reputation for recruiting Ohio.

Michigan fighting for five-star to visit for the spring game

According to The Michigan Insider’s Steve Lorenz ($), Michigan is pushing hard to get five-star defensive end Zach Harrison to visit for the spring game. This would be a huge development in his recruitment, as Harrison is the third overall prospect in the country, and it would mark his second visit to Michigan in a month.

But what makes this really interesting is the fact that Ohio State’s spring game is set for the same day. Long considered a heavy lean to the Buckeyes, getting Harrison to snub them for Ann Arbor could signify a huge shift in this race.

There is a possibility to make both games in the same day if Harrison so chooses, as Ohio State’s kicks off at 1:45 p.m. while Michigan’s starts at 5:45 p.m. However, the most meaningful sign would be if he spent the whole day in Ann Arbor. Keep an eye on this race going forward as Michigan tries their hardest to pry this five-star from Ohio.

In-state four-star defensive end recaps latest visit

Flint native Michael Fletcher spoke with TMI’s Brice Marich about his latest visit and his relationship with defensive line coach Greg Mattison.

“It was great. I got a chance to talk to all the coaches and see the way they practice and how the coaches coach,” Fletcher said. “They talked to me about the school, how they play and approach things like weight lifting, nutrition and technique.”

About Mattison, Fletcher said it’s the Michigan coach he talks with the most, adding that “It’s a great relationship and I think very highly of him as a coach and person.”

Michigan continues to add defensive ends to its class, despite having commitments from three already. Fletcher is a high upside prospect with a long, 6-foot-6 frame. Michigan and Michigan State are neck and neck in the Crystal Balls, with the Spartans holding 57 percent and the Wolverines with 43 percent.

Top wide receiver target makes visit during the week

Tuesday, one of the wide receivers at the top of Michigan’s board made a visit to campus. Three-star Cornelius Johnson from Greenwich, Connecticut stopped by to meet new receivers coach Jim McElwain for the first time.

There haven’t been updates from his visit yet, but Johnson spoke with TMI’s Josh Newkirk ($) before his trip and told him what he was looking for when deciding where to play at the next level.

“I’m really just looking for the best fit for me. That sounds cliche, but if you like the players and sometime you can’t see it necessary, it’s just your feeling,” Johnson said. “If you like your coaching staff and the people, because that’s who you’re going to be around the most, that’s important too.”

Johnson said he plans to take all five of his official visits and that Michigan has a good chance of securing one of them. Notre Dame leads on the Crystal Ball right now, but he also has interest in Penn State, Northwestern and Cal.

Michigan offer holds weight for three-star offensive tackle

A scholarship offer from Jim Harbaugh and company may have changed the game for Connecticut tackle Jack Stewart, who received the news on his recent visit.

“I was excited. We spoke about many different topics such as family, faith, and football. I think he is a great coach,” Stewart told TMI’s Brice Marich ($) about Michigan’s head man.

After the visit and offer, Michigan has vaulted into the race for Stewart. “It’s definitely one of my top choices,” the 6-foot-5, 280-pounder stated.

Other schools pursuing Stewart include Arizona, Arizona State, Texas A&M and Boston College. There are no Crystal Ball predictions in for him as of now.

That’s it for the latest football recruiting news! Check back next week for another recap of all the happenings on the Michigan football recruiting trail.