Wednesday Michigan Recruiting Roundup: Hold steady

Well, after a brief gasp of air, the recruiting calendar has dove right back into a dead period. Both coaches and recruits are gearing up for their seasons, as camp has started already for colleges and many high schools.

There are still some stories trickling out though, so let’s get right to it.

First, there are still some BBQ reactions to check out that Maize n Brew has garnered from Bryce Mostella and Mookie Cooper, if you haven’t already. Michigan is in a good spot with both 2020 prospects, especially Mostella.

Michigan holding steady with 5-star OT

Arguably the most important target for Michigan in the 2020 class is 5-star tackle Myles Hinton, brother of current commit Chris. Michigan has been in the lead for the elite youngster for a while, and thankfully, nothing seems to have changed ($).

The No. 1 recruit in Georgia holds 11 crystal balls, all of which are on Michigan.

That doesn’t mean he isn’t considering other schools. Apparently, he has a loose top five consisting of Michigan, Clemson, Georgia, Northwestern and Stanford. This list suggests Hinton wants a mix of academics and football, which Michigan can definitely provide.

As long as 5-star 2019 defensive end Chris Hinton sticks with Michigan, and there are no signs of wavering there, Michigan should be considered the heavy favorite here. This isn’t groundbreaking news, but it’s still a welcome update for fans who have been scarred with weak tackle play in recent seasons.

3-star wide receiver waiting things out

When 2019 3-star wide receiver Quintel Kent committed a couple days ago, many fans wish Michigan had taken a flyer on fellow 3-star Ohio receiver, Trevon Raphael.

Well, in a recent interview with 247Sports’ Bill Greene, Raphael let it be known he isn’t making a decision anytime soon (FREE).

”Right now, my plan is to wait until after my season is over and see where things are at,” said Raphael.

Michigan is still a leader for him, though. The Wolverines are one of two schools at which Raphael is planning to attend a game this season, along with West Virginia.

Raphael added, “I still like Michigan a lot, and we are still close for sure. I was there a few weeks ago for their BBQ, and that was nice but I would have liked to have gotten more time on the field and less of the meeting with everyone. They are still very high on my list, and all my family really likes Michigan a lot. They will be there for me right to the end.”

Raphael mentioned he is also looking at Kentucky and Missouri.

Given this information, it looks like Raphael will still be available for Michigan to grab if they miss on their other wide receiver targets. Michigan still has the only crystal ball.

Michigan makes top six for 4-star DT

Monday night, 2019 4-star Ohio defensive tackle Rodas Johnson announced his group of six schools that he’ll continue considering. Michigan made the cut.

The other schools joining Michigan are Wisconsin, Penn State, Texas, Oklahoma and Duke.

Johnson is the teammate of current 2019 Viper commit Joey Velazquez at St. Frances De Sales in Columbus.

The 4-star has had some interesting crystal ball runs, first to Penn State, then to Michigan and lastly to Wisconsin. He visited for Michigan’s camp in mid-June, where Velazquez committed. It was believed Johnson would have committed too, if he was a take for the staff.

Michigan must still be in contact for him to include them in his list, but it may be as a contingency plan. Nevertheless, being able to keep a 4-star on hold shows how well the defensive line recruiting has gone recently.

5-star guard eyeing Michigan visit

Now, in a bit of basketball news, John Beilein is aiming high again for the 2020 class. The No. 4 player in the nation, combo guard R.J. Hampton, said he is looking to visit Michigan this month ($).

“I might get out to Michigan some time in August. (Texas), I’ll be out there for sure for a football game. Kansas. Might go to a Duke game and might go to Kentucky’s Big Blue Madness,” Hampton said.

Usually, Michigan is never in this kind of recruitment, with blue bloods like Duke and Kansas also chasing after the Texas product. However, Hampton is best friends with 2019 4-star forward commit Jalen Wilson. The two are apparently inseparable, but we’ll see if the friendship can bring Hampton to Ann Arbor.

Michigan landing a recruit of this caliber would be unprecedented under Beilein, but they have a unique proposal to offer, so we’ll see how this recruitment plays out.

That’s all for this edition of the Wednesday Recruiting Roundup, check back to Maize n Brew soon for more news!