Thursday Recruiting Roundup: Updates on possible top 2022 offensive targets

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

It has been a bit slower this week on the recruiting front in 2021, but we do have a few updates on 2022 prospects who could end up being big-time targets for the Wolverines. Let’s jump right into it!

Top 2022 in-state target feeling the love from U-M

Donovan Edwards is Michigan’s top priority in-state in 2021, but Edwards’ teammate, four-star athlete Dillon Tatum, just may be Michigan’s top in-state guy in 2022.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder already holds an offer from Michigan, along with other schools like Michigan State, Florida, Ohio State, Notre Dame and others. He will be heavily coveted in the 2022 class, so it’s a good thing Michigan is already making him feel like a top priority.

“It’s coach Jay (Harbaugh), the running backs coach,” Tatum told The Michigan Insider’s Sam Webb. “He’s coming at me, and I always talk to him. I talked to him on Father’s Day. He has his two kids. He’s really just talking, not always about football.

“He’s really cool. I feel like he’s one of the cooler guys on the staff. We have a sort of connection. And he even said,’ if somebody needs you slot, I’ll let you go there, and also play running back.’”

The Wolverines would likely look to put him on offense if he were to commit to them, but he is also drawing interest from schools as a defensive back. It’s possible he could play both in college, but odds are Michigan would want him to play strictly on offense.

Tatum also said he will likely make his final decision next summer, when he is heading into his senior season. There is a long way to go in this recruitment, so buckle in, folks.

2022 WR a big fan of Ronnie Bell

Four-star wide receiver Quinton Conley is a very interesting prospect in 2022. He already stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 190 pounds. It will be interesting to see how his body develops over his final two seasons of high school football, but he already looks to be a pretty good prospect regardless.

Conley, a Kansas City, Missouri native, recently told TMI’s Brice Marich ($) his interest in U-M stems a bit from another fellow Kansas City native having found success in Ann Arbor.

“I have received two survey things in the mail from (Michigan) and I had saw a couple of their coaches had followed me on Twitter,” Conley said. “I am for sure interested in Michigan. I know Ronnie Bell up there. He’s a Kansas City guy, so ever since he went up there, I’ve been looking at Michigan. I’m a big fan of Ronnie and people around here know what kind of player they got with him. I want to learn more about Michigan.

“I kind of know Ronnie a little bit as he went to a school I know really well, so that’s cool. His dad also trains a couple of my friends down in Kansas City, so it’s a real close circle.”

Michigan has not yet offered Conley, but he told Marich it would “mean a lot” if he did get that offer because, “Michigan has been one of those schools that’s always up there and always playing in these big-time games. It would really show the dedication and the hard work that I have been putting in and that they recognize that.”

It appears the Wolverines are interested a little bit, at the very least, if they have already sent him surveys in the mail and had coaches follow him on Twitter. I think an offer will come from Michigan at some point.

Four-star RB a big fan of Jay Harbaugh

Michigan is in the thick of things for a ton of good running back prospects in 2022. We’ve already talked about one (Tatum), so let’s talk about a player who recently put Michigan in his top 10 list — four-star Gi’Bran Payne.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder from Cincinnati, Ohio has a top 10 of Michigan, Alabama, Penn State, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, West Virginia and Pittsburgh. Speaking with TMI’s Marich ($), he explained why Michigan made the list.

“Michigan is in my top 10 because of my relationship with coach Jay Harbaugh and coach Jim Harbaugh,” Payne said. “We have a strong relationship and talk frequently. We talk a lot. We get on the phone and we even had a chalk talk on the phone, where they showed me a few things and showed me things they do with their backs that is different from other coaches.

“Our relationship is very strong,” Payne said. “I probably talk to (coach Jay) the most out of any running backs coach recruiting me from any school right now. It means a lot to me and it shows they want me. He has always said I’m a top priority for them and he has shown me ways they would use me in the offense, which I really like. He’s just a great person and coach.”

Payne plans on visiting all the schools in his top 10 at some point once he is allowed to do so. As it pertains to Michigan, Payne said he hopes to learn more about the school itself and get closer with the coaching staff when he is able to visit.

Having offered 22 guys at the position already, Jay Harbaugh has Michigan in the thick of things for several running backs in the 2022 class. Odds are, the Wolverines will look to take a couple guys in this class, as it appears they may only land one in 2021.

That’s all for this week! Come back Tuesday for another roundup.