Friday Michigan Recruiting Roundup: Ed Warinner putting in work

Hey, gang! Welcome in to another Friday Michigan Recruiting Roundup.

The staff took in its first 2020 commit in nearly two months yesterday, as 4-star offensive lineman Zak Zinter joined the Maize and Blue family. Everyone knows Ed Warinner has done a hell of a recruiting job for Michigan since he arrived last year, and he continues to do just that. Today, we are talking about a ton of guys he visited on the road this past week alone.

But first, let’s start with the lone player who is NOT an offensive lineman.

2020 3-star RB Jabari Small

Running backs coach Jay Harbaugh went to Small’s school in Memphis on Thursday, according to The Michigan Insider’s Steve Lorenz ($).

“He’s a great guy and a great coach,” Small told Lorenz.

Small was offered by the Wolverines in March and visited Ann Arbor just one month later.

The 5-foot-10, 195-pounder is probably due for a rankings bump just based on his offer sheet alone — Texas A&M, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Arkansas, North Carolina, Louisville and more.

There are currently zero crystal ball predictions for the all-purpose back.

2021 4-star OL Blake Fisher

The 6-foot-6, 300-pounder from Avon, Indiana is expected to take a visit from U-M offensive line coach Ed Warinner today, according to TMI’s Brice Marich ($).

Fisher is already a national prospect, garnering offers from Michigan, Alabama, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Auburn, Florida State, LSU, Nebraska, Penn State, Oklahoma and more.

The Wolverines offered the talented junior back in December and got him on campus in April for an unofficial visit. Marich also reported he is expected back in Ann Arbor in June. He has not reportedly taken any visits since his Ann Arbor trip last month.

All three early crystal ball predictions are in for Notre Dame.

2021 4-star OL Donovan Jackson, 2021 3-star OL Cullen Montgomery

According to TMI’s Marich ($), Warinner also visited Jackson and Montgomery yesterday in their hometown of Bellaire, Texas.

Jackson is another future household name, with offers from Michigan, Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Florida, Texas A&M, LSU, Oklahoma and more.

Three crystal balls have the 6-foot-4, 308-pound lineman heading to Texas A&M, while a fourth crystal ball is undecided.

Montgomery, meanwhile, is a lower-ranked prospect at this point. Still, he holds offers from Michigan, Oklahoma, Michigan State, Ohio State, Nebraska, Tennessee, Ole Miss and more. There are zero crystal ball predictions at this time for the 6-foot-5, 290-pounder.

Michigan offered both Montgomery and Jackson back on March 14. Neither have visited yet.

2021 4-star OL Hayden Conner, 2021 4-star OL Bryce Foster

Finally, Warinner went through Katy, Texas to visit Conner and Foster, according to TMI’s Marich ($).

Both are solidly ranked 4-stars, but only Conner has an offer from Michigan right now. With Foster’s growing list of tenders — Florida State, Georgia, Auburn, Oklahoma and more — I’m sure it won’t be much longer.

Conner was offered by Warinner back in November and visited during Michigan’s throttling of Penn State at the Big House.

Warinner has certainly earned his money as a Michigan assistant coach over the last year or so since joining the Maize and Blue. If I were Warde Manuel, I would throw as much money as possible at Warinner to keep him around.

That’s all for this week! Come back next week for more recruiting updates.