Thursday Recruiting Roundup: Zordich resonating with 2022 five-star CB

Welcome to this week’s Thursday edition of the Michigan Recruiting Roundup!

Since the last roundup, we’ve seen one player (2022 three-star tight end Marlin Klein) commit to the Wolverines. Today, we are going to stick with the 2022 class and provide some updates on some of Michigan’s top targets. We’ll even talk a bit more about Klein, so let’s get to it!

Father of five-star CB impressed with Zordich

One of the elite prospects in the 2022 class Michigan has a legitimate shot with early on is five-star cornerback Domani Jackson. Hailing from Santa Ana, California and playing at powerhouse Mater Dei, Jackson is the No. 3 overall player in his class on the 247Sports composite. He’s being recruited by the best programs college football has to offer, so it won’t be easy to land his services.

But Michigan cornerbacks coach Michael Zordich is going to give this recruitment all he’s got. And so far, his style of recruiting and coaching has resonated with Jackson’s father, according to The Michigan Insider’s Sam Webb ($).

“I really like his philosophy,” Mr. Jackson said. “I mean, he came from the same background that I did (in Youngstown, Ohio). You work hard, you go out there, it’s blue collar worker. No matter what, your hard work is what’s going to pay off. Not all the talk, but the hard work.”

“(Domani) is actually going to respond to the coach that holds him accountable. And Michael Zordich, I know coach is going to hold him accountable.”

One of Zordich’s most recent success stories is current Los Angeles Rams cornerback David Long. Luckily for Michigan’s sake, the Jackson’s know the Long family, so they picked Long’s brain a bit on going to U-M.

Mr. Jackson was also “thoroughly impressed” Zordich talked about both football and life after football, including how far the alumni base stretches for U-M graduates.

Like I said above, this recruitment won’t be an easy one for the Wolverines to win, but Zordich has set them up nicely to be in the running. Of the top 10 schools he released back in July, I’d venture to say Michigan is, at the very least, among the top five.

2022 four-star CB also enjoying talks with Zordich

Another defensive back Zordich and the Wolverines are recruiting in 2022 is four-star Fabian Ross. The 6-foot, 185-pounder plays at Bishop Gorman, a national powerhouse program in Las Vegas.

He already holds offers from Michigan, Oregon, Notre Dame, Penn State, USC, Utah Washington and more, so it will be another tough task for Zordich and company, but so far so good, Ross told TMI’s Brice Marich ($).

“Yes, I’ve been keeping in touch with coach Zordich at least once a week, so it’s been going well,” Ross said. “He’s just been checking in with me and informing me about their season is going, and we’ve created a great relationship. He’s a great guy and it’s great keeping in touch with him.

“(Michigan is) one of my top interests.”

Ross hasn’t been able to visit Ann Arbor yet, but still names Michigan as one of his early favorites, along with Arizona State, Colorado, Nebraska, Oregon, Notre Dame, USC and Washington.

Ross is just one of the many four-star or higher cornerbacks Zordich is recruiting in the 2022 class. The Wolverines only have one guy committed still in 2021, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see several taken in 2022.

Former NFL TE has high praise for Marlin Klein

Michigan picked up its newest commit of the 2022 class on Tuesday from three-star tight end Marlin Klein. The interesting 6-foot-6, 215-pound prospect from Germany, who now lives and plays high school football in Georgia, is relatively new to the sport.

TMI’s Steve Lorenz has been all over this recruitment and recently spoke with former NFL tight end Bjorn Werner, who now works with Gridiron Imports, a nonprofit “that supports the international growth of football and changes lives by helping football players from around the world attain opportunities to play football and pursue their education at the high school and college level in the United States,” according to its website.

One of the players Werner helped out with Gridiron Imports is Klein, so he’s had the chance to see him up close on a handful of occasions.

“Natural runner, natural catching the ball,” Werner said. “Put him in the weight program in college and he is a 6-5, 245 Travis Kelce-style tight end that will cause a lot of mismatches.”

Werner also admitted he knew “right away” from seeing Klein that he would have a shot at playing college football at a major program.

“Marlin didn’t even scratch the surface yet,” Werner said. “It’s all pure natural ability and once he gets in the right scheme, he will explode.”

It’s good to see a former NFL tight end say this about a high school junior who hasn’t played much football in his life. It sounds like if Klein can work on the small things to refine his game, he has a pretty high ceiling.

That’s all for now! Come back Tuesday for another Recruiting Roundup.