We made it! It is now officially August, which means college football will be played this month.
The football team will be going into their camp submarine soon, but thankfully there is still news on the recruiting trail. So let’s get to it and see who Jim Harbaugh and his staff have been working on.
Latest BBQ at the Big House Reactions
Some final updates on how visitors to the BBQ enjoyed their experience have trickled out, including Maize n Brew’s own interviews with Trente Jones and Cornell Wheeler.
Isaiah Foskey
One of the biggest 2019 recruits on campus was 4-star tight end Isaiah Foskey, who made the trip from California. Steven Lorenz of The Michigan Insider confirmed that Foskey is a take ($), even though there is already a tight end in the class and Michigan has limited spots remaining.
Foskey said the visit went “really well” and it “met my expectations, but my expectations for Michigan were high.”
He’ll still be a tough pull from the West Coast, but Michigan has as good of a shot as any school. He only has one “cloudy” crystal ball, so he is keeping his cards close to his chest.
Cole Brevard
A 2020 recruit from Indiana, 4-star Cole Brevard may be Michigan’s top target at the position after nabbing Denver Warren a couple weeks ago.
This was Brevard’s first trip to Michigan, and the staff used the opportunity to show him more about how they run their defense ($).
“I spent most of my time with the defensive line coach, coach Mattison,” Brevard said. “I spent 90 minutes in defense line meetings and learned that they play a 4-line and a 3-line front.”
Michigan impressed Brevard with what it has to offer. “When this process started, I created a private list of things I’m looking for in a school. Michigan hits several things on that list,” said Brevard.
Brevard is ranked 112th nationally and the No. 7 defensive tackle. He doesn’t have any crystal ball selections yet.
Tirek Murphy
Chris Partridge looks to be working his magic again ($), this time on New York City 4-star running back Tirek Murphy. Give Partridge’s proximity to NYC as a long-time coach in New Jersey, it makes sense he has been able to build a connection so quickly with the 2020 recruit.
“I knew it would be a great day. It was nothing less then what I expected,” Murphy said about this visit. “I love the facilities and the great atmosphere around campus. Everybody treats you like family and they take pride in wearing that big blue.”
After calling his visit “a great experience,” Murphy said he looks to make more visits to Michigan in the future.
Murphy must have given off a strong positive vibe, as 247Sports Director of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong put in a crystal ball for the maize and blue following his visit.
Bryce Mostella
In-state defensive end Bryce Mostella is looking for a place to feel like home when taking visits, and it looks like he found that on his trip to Ann Arbor ($).
”I really feel like I can be myself around the Michigan coaching staff,” he said. “I’ve been uneasy on college visits and it surprised me how comfortable I felt around the staff and the program on this visit.”
Mostella said he wants to decide by “next summer if possible,” but he could “end it at anytime” if he gets the right feeling somewhere.
From his comments, it certainly seems like Michigan is that place. In my last recruiting roundup, I picked Mostella as a possibility to commit during the weekend. While that didn’t end up happening, I think he’ll eventually choose the Wolverines.
Recruiting insiders look to agree, with 100 percent of his crystal balls on Michigan.
Jaheem Joseph
One of the most rapturous reactions from the BBQ came from 2020 cornerback Jaheem Joseph, who had plenty of positive things to say about his trip ($).
“It was amazing,” said Joseph. “I liked the atmosphere in Ann Arbor. You could really feel that it’s a college town.”
Michigan also gained an important ally in Joseph’s recruitment, his dad.
“He loved it. He loved that they push academics first,” Joseph said. “My dad just wants me to go somewhere that I could grow not as only an athlete, but also as a young man.”
Despite being unranked so far, Joseph has picked up multiple Power 5 offers, including Louisville and Syracuse, along with Michigan. Getting in this recruitment early has helped the staff.
“(Michigan is) one of my top schools because this was my first visit of any of the schools that offered me,” he said.
Joseph added he wants to return for a game in the fall, but has no other visits planned.
2020 4-star running back has Michigan in his top 3
Finally for this week, a prospect who didn’t make it up for the BBQ last weekend, but has Michigan heavily in the mix regardless.
Ohio running back Michael Drennen recently stated Michigan in is the top three schools he is considering ($).
About Michigan, he reiterated how Harbaugh has been pitching him.
“Michigan said if I can play running back that’s great, but if I could play slot that would be even better,” he said.
This lines up with the staff’s recent pursuit of hybrid offensive weapons like Wandale Robinson and Giles Jackson.
Drennen added going out of state would not be an issue, as his mom is “moving with me if I decide to go out of state.”
Besides Michigan, the other two schools at the top for him right now are Ohio State and Georgia. Michigan has 33 percent of the crystal balls, while the Buckeyes have the other 66 percent. However, Michigan has received the most recent two, and only the ones in the past five months.
Drennen is ranked 151st in the nation for 2020, and is the No. 16 running back.
That does it for this edition of the Wednesday Recruiting Roundup. Be sure to check back in a couple of days, as we’re going thrice weekly with the updates as the season approaches!