Recruiting Roundup: Top 2020 target might be making surprise visit this weekend

Welcome in to the final Michigan Recruiting Roundup of the week.

My good friend and recruiting podcast co-host Jon Simmons will have our visitors list out later this morning, but I do want to have this roundup focus on a couple of the visitors planned for this weekend, including one that wasn’t supposed to be on campus until later this month.

2020 four-star TE planning U-M visit this weekend

According to Steve Wiltfong at 247Sports ($), 2020 four-star tight end Theo Johnson “may” visit Michigan this weekend for the Iowa game.

“A source with knowledge of the recruitment says the blue-chipper is expected in Ann Arbor,” Wiltfong wrote.

There are a few reasons this is somewhat significant. Johnson was not supposed to be in Ann Arbor until Oct. 26-27 for the Notre Dame game, so potentially getting him on campus earlier than expected, while keeping his visit planned for the ND game, is good news.

The only downside to this is Iowa is among his top four schools, along with Michigan, Penn State and Georgia. So if Iowa comes out on Saturday and lays a whooping on the Wolverines...I’ll just leave it at that.

Johnson is the No. 3 tight end and the No. 96 overall recruit in the 2020 class, per 247Sports’ composite. He is the top overall player in Ontario.

2021 three-star DE taking in U-M game with J.J. McCarthy

If you are a Michigan recruiting fan, odds are you already know who J.J. McCarthy is. The 2021 five-star quarterback from Nazareth Academy in Illinois has been a huge ambassador for Michigan’s 2021 class, and he even got his friend from high school interested in U-M.

McCarthy will be visiting this weekend, along with 2021 three-star defensive end Ryan Keeler, who tweeted out the news earlier this week.

The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder was offered by Michigan back in May. Since then, he has picked up offers from Boston College, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Oregon State.

Keeler has made his way around the Big Ten early this season, with visits already to Nebraska, Purdue and Wisconsin. This is his first visit for a Michigan game.

“I am definitely looking forward to just being at the game, they pack the stadium with 100,000 people,” Keeler told 247Sports’ Wiltfong ($). “Everyone says a game at Michigan is the best game to go to.”

If McCarthy has any influence in this recruitment, it’s clear which school Keeler would pick.

Harbaugh’s prioritizing 2021 four-star RB

A guy in the 2021 class you may not have heard of much is four-star running back Cam’Ron Valdez. The 5-foot-9, 180-pounder from Rockdale, Texas got his Michigan offer back in March, and since then both Jim and Jay Harbaugh have quietly done work getting him interested in the program, as he recently told The Michigan Insider’s Brice Marich ($).

“Yeah, I’ve talked to coach Jim Harbaugh a couple times,” Valdez said. “I’m talking to coach Jim Harbaugh. He’s been saying he’s glad he can finally talk to me and he wants to meet me.

“My relationship with coach Jay is good. I was supposed to come to a camp he was at this summer, but I couldn’t make it.”

Unfortunately, Valdez likely will not be able to visit for a game this season, but is looking to make it out to Ann Arbor next year at some point.

“I’m taking an official visit there most definitely,” he said.

Valdez is the No. 21 running back and No. 318 overall player in his class.

That’s all for this week! Come on back Monday for more recruiting news.