Wednesday Michigan Recruiting Roundup: Is another Bama flip likely?

Welcome to another Wednesday Recruiting Roundup. The brief dead period that started just before the early signing period is over tomorrow, which means Michigan can ramp up their efforts to finish off its 2019 class again. We’ve got updates on who the staff if targeting, as well as some news on 2020 prospects.

Michigan targeting Alabama RB commit

Right after signing day, I mentioned the Wolverines would likely be targeting another running back to add to their class, but I didn’t know who would be on their list.

Well, according to The Michigan Insider’s Steve Lorenz, the staff has set their sights on Keilan Robinson, a 4-star Alabama commit ($).

Robinson was one of three Alabama commits to not sign their letter of intent in December. Since he attends St. John’s high school along with Quentin Johnson, he’s waiting to sign in February with his team. Apparently the Crimson Tide staff couldn’t convince him to sign in “secret” like Johnson.

The connection with Johnson, and Alabama already signing the No. 1 running back in the country, Trey Sanders, could all factor in this recruitment. If/when Robinson goes on his official will tell how serious his intentions are.

Could a 4-star defensive end still be in play?

It’s been a while since Michigan appeared to be in the forefront of 4-star defensive end Isaiah Foskey’s mind. But WolverinesWire’s Isaiah Hole says that may not be actually be the case (FREE).

Hole states Foskey does still to plan to take an official to Michigan before he announces his commitment on National Signing Day in February. It’s not a guarantee, but Michigan is still one of his finalists.

His friend Giles Jackson recently said he “believes Foskey is down to Michigan and Notre Dame, with the Irish being the likely destination.”

The Irish were the first school to pitch Foskey as a defensive end, after he was being recruited at tight end initially. They likely still hold a large lead, but like Robinson, if the Michigan staff can get him on an official, all bets are off.

Staff picking up contact with No. 1 wide receiver

Michigan’s talent identification paid off once again, when it was the first school to offer 2020 5-star Julian Fleming. Now he’s the top wide receiver in the country, and the staff is starting to heat things up with him, as Fleming told TMI’s Sam Webb ($).

“I talk to the coaches. We started to contact each other more on a daily basis,” he said. “It was my first offer, so it is a big one. It really opened up the door for me. I’m interested in Michigan. I’d like to go see the campus for myself. One of my teammates went up and said it was beautiful, so I’ve got to get up there.”

Fleming has put Michigan in his top 10 schools, but Penn State has 100 percent of the crystal ball picks. That didn’t stop him from noticing the beat down Michigan put on the Nittany Lions last season, though.

“They knocked off some big teams. I mean, they killed Penn State. They really blew them out of the water,” Fleming admitted.

Hopefully Michigan can get Fleming on campus a few times over the offseason and start to chip away at Penn State’s lead.

Interest in 2020 4-star running back increasing rapidly

I mentioned him in yesterday’s running back recruiting preview, but in the extremely unfathomable event you didn’t read it, Michigan is going hard after 4-star Lawrance Toafili.

According to Lorenz, Michigan has really increased contact with the Florida prospect, and he’s been responding to the message very positively ($).

Toafili is just within the top 150 players in the country, and the No. 14 running back. He’s stated previously Florida State and Ohio State were the two schools recruiting him the hardest, but Michigan is picking up the ground quickly.

That concludes this week’s roundup. Be sure to check out my 2020 recruiting position previews as they continue to roll out every day for the next week and a half and get familiar with a new batch of Michigan targets.