Thursday Recruiting Roundup: More reassured commitments leading up to NSD

We are closing in on the early signing period — which really has turned into the new National Signing Day — and Jim Harbaugh still does not have a new contract with the University of Michigan. It has been an issue over the last month or so not only with the uncommitted players the Wolverines are still recruiting, but also the committed players.

On today’s Recruiting Roundup, we will talk about some players who have come out recently and said they are locked in with Michigan, despite the ongoing contract situation.

In-state OL commit all in on U-M

An important recruit in Michigan’s 2021 class is four-star offensive lineman Raheem Anderson. A four-year starter at in-state powerhouse Cass Tech, Anderson has been committed to U-M since April and has not wavered from that pledge since. And according to The Michigan Insider’s Brice Marich ($), he is staying true to that commitment.

“He remains completely still solid to the Maize and Blue and doesn’t have any concern with the direction of the program or coaches leaving,” Marich wrote.

There was never really any doubt about Anderson. He has been a longtime commit and hasn’t been looking around at all since committing back in April. He’s an in-state kid who, like in-state four-star offensive lineman Giovanni El-Hadi, seems to be more of a program commit than a Harbaugh/Warinner commit.

Anderson will be signing next week and enrolling early.

In-state WR signing, enrolling early to U-M

Another in-state commit who is all in with Michigan is three-star wide receiver Andrel Anthony. The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder from East Lansing committed to Michigan back in July and, unlike with Anderson, there were some rumors swirling around that Anthony may take a second look at Michigan State after the upset at the Big House earlier this year.

But that speculation is gone after Anthony told Maize n Brew earlier this week he will be signing on Dec. 16 and enrolling early.

This is obviously big news, especially considering the Wolverines already lost a wide receiver earlier this cycle in three-star Markus Allen, and they still could lose Xavier Worthy’s commitment to Alabama next Wednesday. This guarantees they will be able to get signatures from Anthony and four-star Cristian Dixon, which by itself would be a decent haul at the position.

CB commit ‘feeling good’ about four-star LB

There were also some doubts from the two kids from St. Thomas Aquinas who are committed to Michigan — three-star cornerback Ja’Den McBurrows and four-star linebacker Jaydon Hood. While McBurrows was able to visit Ann Arbor last month and reassure his commitment to the Wolverines, Hood was unable to make that same trip, leaving some questions about how strong his commitment is.

Despite that, McBurrows recently told TMI’s Marich ($) he is still confident Hood will end up in Michigan’s 2021 class.

“Feeling good, man,” McBurrows said. “(He’s) going be a real good player for Michigan.”

Programs like Maryland, Minnesota and Miami continue to pursue Hood, who is on record ($) saying he isn’t sure if he will sign early or wait until February. Still, it is good to hear McBurrows has confidence that Hood will end up in Ann Arbor. They are pretty good friends, and obviously play at the same high school, so McBurrows should have a solid feel on which way Hood is leaning.

That is all for today! Be sure to check back with Maize n Brew next Wednesday for the beginning of the early signing period.