Friday Michigan Recruiting Roundup: Juwan Howard has a top 5 class

Happy Friday, and welcome to another Michigan Recruiting Roundup!

New Year’s Day was quite a day for the University of Michigan. The football team took a loss to Alabama in the Citrus Bowl, but Juwan Howard and the Michigan basketball program picked up another top 100 commitment. In today’s roundup, we’ll talk about that new commitment, as well as a couple football updates.

U-M hoops 2020 class ranked No. 4 after latest commitment

Last weekend, Juwan Howard and company welcomed in 2020 four-star forward Terrance Williams. The 6-foot-6, 215-pounder from Washington D.C. had never visited Ann Arbor before last weekend. It won’t be his last time in Ann Arbor either, as he locked in his commitment with the Wolverines Wednesday evening.

Williams spoke with 247Sports’ Brian Snow ($) about his decision.

“I just really like the way coach Howard is doing things at Michigan. I feel like I fit in well with his style of play, and that I will fit their system perfectly,” he said.

He added: “Coach Howard tells me that he will use me as a hybrid forward that plays the three and the four,” said Williams. “In his offense there aren’t really positions, it is position-less, so they run things for guys in certain sports on the court, and I think I fit in really well with that. He also likes how I compete both on offense and defense and with my rebounding ability, so it is just a very good fit for me.”

After his commitment, it moved the Wolverines’ class ranking to No. 4 in the country for the 2020 class, according to 247Sports’ composite. Only Kentucky, Duke and North Carolina have higher ranked classes.

Michigan now has four players committed in 2020 — the other three players being five-star forward Isaiah Todd, four-star guard Zeb Jackson and four-star center Hunter Dickinson.

Two updates on 2020 OL situation

Michigan has to replace its starting left tackle, left guard, right guard, and possible center next season. With all that in mind, it shouldn’t come as a surprise the Wolverines are eyeing the transfer portal for a possible addition.

Michigan is keeping a close watch on former Stanford offensive lineman Devery Hamilton, according to The Michigan Insider’s Brice Marich ($). Hamilton was a starter for the first four games of the season, but was injured and did not start another game. He has played left tackle, left guard and right guard during his time at Stanford, so he brings versatility.

Marich also reports a few younger guys already on the team are stepping up to the plate, most notably redshirt freshman tackle Jack Stewart and redshirt freshman guard Zach Carpenter. Redshirt freshman left tackle Karsen Barnhart, who played in a few games this past season, is also one to watch, Marich says.

Ed Warinner and company are going to need these guys to step up if they want consistency along the offensive line. It has been a position of strength since Warinner took over in 2018, and it wouldn’t shock me to see sustained success with whoever the three new starters are next season. The competition should be fierce this spring and summer.

2021 four-star TE looking to visit soon

It’s starting to become clear who the Wolverines’ top targets are for the 2021 class, and one of them appears to be four-star tight end Thomas Fidone. The 6-foot-5, 215-pounder from Council Bluffs, Iowa received his offer from Michigan back in November, and is now looking to visit Ann Arbor for the first time soon, according to 247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong ($), who caught up with him at the All-American Combine.

“I like (Michigan’s tight ends) coach a lot. The tight ends coach is cool. I get along with him well. He hits me up a lot which is cool and makes you feel wanted,” Fidone told 247.

The other three schools standing out to him at the moment are Iowa, Nebraska, and Penn State, despite not holding an offer from the Nittany Lions just yet.

He is planning to visit Nebraska the weekend of Jan. 18. That would be his second trip to Lincoln. He is “trying” to get to Michigan the following weekend, Wiltfong writes, but it is unclear if he will be able to at this point.

That’s all for this week! With 2020 pretty much wrapped up, keep an eye out for more updates on players in the 2021 class very soon.