Happy Friday, folks, and welcome to another Michigan Recruiting Roundup.
Today, we’ve got updates on a highly-ranked wide receiver, an in-state athlete and an Ohio recruit the Michigan coaching staff is fighting over with a former assistant coach.
Let’s not waste another moment and dive right in.
Update on in-state 2020 ATH target
Let’s begin with a Maize n Brew exclusive.
I caught up with 3-star in-state athlete Cameron Martinez on Wednesday, just one day after coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Josh Gattis watched him play a game of basketball for his high school in Muskegon.
He was not able to speak with the coaches due to NCAA rules, but he told me the gesture “really meant a lot to me” and it “just shows how interested they are in me, which is a good feeling.”
Martinez said he plans to visit Michigan soon for a basketball game. However, he also plans to visit a ton of other schools — Northwestern, Michigan State, Penn State, Ohio State, LSU, Syracuse, Boston College, Kentucky, Bowling Green, Minnesota and Purdue.
He plans to narrow down his top list to five schools during the summer.
This will be an interesting recruitment to monitor. He is listed as an athlete, but plays quarterback in high school. Martinez admitted to me he does not care what position he plays in college and “wherever they feel I’ll be best at to help the team will be fine by me.”
The Michigan High School Football Player of the Year for the 2018 season is well sought after at this point, so keep your eyes peeled for more information on this young man.
2020 4-star WR to visit U-M at some point
One of the top-rated wide receivers in the country in the 2020 cycle is Michael Redding III. The Bradenton, Florida native, who plays for IMG Academy, has offers from all over, and Michigan is one of the schools he intends to pay a visit to, according to The Michigan Insider’s Sam Webb ($).
When that visit happens is still to be determined, but building relationships with Roy Roundtree and offensive coordinator Josh Gattis are at the top of his priority list.
One thing Redding III likes about Michigan is the trio of receivers it has in Donovan Peoples-Jones, Tarik Black and Nico Collins.
“I’ve been paying attention to those guys,” Redding III said. “Very good guys. And I’ve noticed how good their receiver corps is. And they actually they have a good recruiting class too. They have five receivers coming in, so that tells me that those receivers there are liking it as a good fit.”
He was said having Gattis on staff helps Michigan’s chances because “he is a great coach.”
“I’m glad they have him on their staff,” he said.
Update on one of the top RB targets in 2020
4-star Dublin, Ohio native Michael Drennen is one of Michigan’s top running back targets in the 2020 class, and he had glowing things to say about the Wolverines in an interview with 247Sports’ Bill Greene ($), including this:
“Coach (Jim) Harbaugh was at my school (Wednesday) night from Michigan and I need to get back up there soon as well,” Drennen said. “I really like Michigan a lot, and they are definitely one of my top schools.”
Unfortunately for Michigan, Ohio State is also one of Drennen’s top schools, and an old friend is recruiting him for the Buckeyes.
“Ohio State is still showing me a lot of love as well, and I am being now being recruited by Al Washington now that he came to Ohio State from Michigan. He wants me to get back on campus soon,” he said.
It seems like Drennen is always bringing up Michigan in some way or another any chance he gets. He is clearly interested in the Maize and Blue, and will surely be back on campus soon.
That’s all for this week! Come on back Monday for more recruiting updates.