The bye week affords the Michigan coaches the opportunity to hit the road and tout its undefeated record to top targets across the country. There have been a few reports so far about who certain coaches have been going to see, with more sure to come out as the weekend goes on.
Wednesday
Brighton (UT) Four-star LB Lander Barton
Barton’s high school team played on Wednesday this week, which made it easy for Jim Harbaugh and Mike Macdonald to maximize their visits and see him in action. Barton is easily the top remaining target at linebacker in 2022, but is also being hotly pursued by Utah, USC and Texas.
#Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh and DC Mike Macdonald in Utah tonight to watch 2022 four-star LB Lander Barton (@BanderLarton).
— Brice Marich (@BriceMarich) October 14, 2021
Fans buzzing with Harbaugh in the house. pic.twitter.com/7JmbK9VO9R
Wayne (OH) Four-star OL Aamil Wagner
Findlay (OH) Four-star OL Luke Montgomery
Wayne (OH) Four-star OL Joshua Padilla
Sherrone Moore took a trip Wednesday to visit a few highly touted offensive linemen in the state of Ohio. He took a trip to Wayne to see four-star teammates Aamil Wagner and Joshua Padilla. Michigan hasn’t been involved with Wagner much, although he doesn’t have much Ohio State interest for whatever reason. I’m guessing Moore was more interested in seeing Padilla, who is in the class of 2023. He, however, does already have a Crystal Ball pick for the Buckeyes.
Out of the three, Michigan probably has the best shot with Montgomery, who has already visited Ann Arbor several times in his recruitment while still only a junior. He’s going to be tough to pull away from Ohio State and Notre Dame, but Michigan is shooting its shot here.
Thursday
Gooding (ID) Three-star TE Colston Loveland
Jay Harbaugh flew out to Idaho to see one of the two commits in his position group play this week. Loveland has had an excellent senior season. Prior to this game, he’s caught 33 passes for 450 yards and eight touchdowns in five games.
Pleasure Ridge Park (KY) Three-star CB Elijah Reed
Steve Clinkscale will be using his connections in Kentucky to visit Reed, an under the radar prospect who has been blowing up lately on the trail, though he doesn’t hold a Michigan offer yet.
Friday
Rainier Beach (WA) Five-star OT Josh Conerly
On Friday, members of Michigan’s coaching staff traveled to the West Coast to see the 2022 five-star tackle, who is looking like a Wolverine lean after his visit for the Washington game earlier this season. With other contenders Washington and USC not looking so hot this season, this one could be Michigan’s to lose.
Detroit King (MI) Five-star QB Dante Moore
Cass Tech (MI) Four-star DL Jalen Thompson
This will be a nice two-for-one as King and Cass Tech face off for the city championship on Friday night. Given that quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss will be in attendance, it looks like the focus will be on Moore as he is probably the top overall target for the staff in 2023. Thompson should also get some love though as a top in-state prospect that they’d like to keep away from Michigan State.
Sometime this week
De La Salle (CA) Three-star CB Zeke Berry
Leuzinger (CA) Three-star EDGE Kevonte Henry
Servite (CA) Three-star DL Mason Graham
Someone, presumably Shaun Nua if not others, is making a swing out to California to check in on some commits and targets. Zeke Berry just decommitted from Arizona. He has said his last remaining official visit will likely be to Michigan, where it’ll have to do better than Oregon, who is the primary competition.
Henry and Graham have both been rising through the ranks during excellent senior seasons. Michigan’s early scouting is turning out to be correct with both of them.
Ponchatoula (LA) Three-star ATH Amorion Walker
It’s not publicly known which day Walker was/will be visited by Michigan, but it makes sense that Ron Bellamy is the one visiting him given they have the same high school football coach. Walker is still committed to Notre Dame, but Michigan is doing all it can to earn a flip. I’d also expect Bellamy to check out the Ausberry brothers, Austin and Jaiden, who visited for the Washington game with Walker.