Recruiting Roundup: Major threat eliminated in five-star QB Jadyn Davis’ recruitment

The Michigan Wolverines are in the middle of their two biggest recruiting weekends of the season and spent the bye week making stops across the country to visit their top targets. But the most important news impacting Michigan may have been another school landing a player not on the Wolverines’ board.

Dominoes falling for five-star QB Jadyn Davis

The consensus opinion was Michigan’s biggest competition for 2024 Providence Day five-star (NC) quarterback Jadyn Davis was Georgia. However, the Bulldogs landed a commitment from four-star quarterback Ryan Puglisi last week, effectively eliminating them from the Davis race.

On3’s Jeremy Johnson recapped how that could affect Davis’ recruitment as the biggest threat to Michigan was removed ($).

“We had a talk beforehand, I wished them nothing but the best and that was pretty much it,” is what Davis told the Georgia coaches when they told them Puglisi committed.

Meanwhile, head coach Jim Harbaugh was in town along with quarterback coach/co-offensive coordinator Matt Weiss, with the latter driving four hours to watch Davis’ game that night, which made an impact on the elite signal caller.

“It meant the world, they saw us in school and then they made the four-hour trip to come see us here,” Davis said. “That means a lot. They’ve let me know that I’m the priority. They show a lot of love. I’m friends with a lot of players on the team.”

The other two schools lurking are Clemson and Tennessee. Davis has visited both this season, including for the Volunteers’ huge win over Alabama. That will have an impact on any prospect, but they also have five-star Nico Iamaleava in the 2023 class, which is a deterrent. Clemson is prioritizing five-star DJ Lagway right now, but the Tigers would be a threat if they decide to turn up the heat on Davis.

Penn State has been in the race as well and Davis was scheduled to be at their White Out game against Minnesota last weekend, but he ended up canceling the trip.

Davis plans on returning to Ann Arbor this weekend for the game against MSU.

Rising four-star LB reschedules Michigan official visit

Smyrna (TN) 2024 four-star linebacker Arion Carter has absolutely exploded on the recruiting trail this fall, picking up offers from the biggest schools in the country after committing to Memphis over the summer. Michigan stood out enough for Carter to arrange an official visit to Ann Arbor, but then he canceled the trip.

Now, 247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong reports an official visit to Michigan is back on the schedule for Carter ($).

Carter was originally supposed to take his official visit for the Penn State game. Now, he will be back on Nov. 19 for Michigan’s game against Illinois, which should actually be a competitive game this season.

While rescheduling the visit is a good sign, the Wolverines are still lagging behind other schools in his recruitment, mainly Alabama. Carter will officially visit the Tide the week after Michigan and has already taken two unofficials to games earlier this season. His other two official visits are to Tennessee this upcoming weekend and to Ohio State on Nov. 12.

Michigan is first Power 5 offer for 2024 OT

Another 2024 prospect from Tennessee that Michigan is pursuing is 6-foot-6, 275-pound offensive lineman John Wayne Oliver. Michigan offering was a big moment for Oliver, he told 247Sports’ Allen Trieu ($).

“I have not been to Michigan before, but I plan to go to a game soon,” said Oliver. “I know that they have had an amazing program that has led to a lot of success. I’ve never even been to the state of Michigan before, but I am very excited to visit.”

Before Michigan offered, Oliver only held offers from Arkansas State and Eastern Kentucky. But Oliver has visited Kentucky and Louisville so far this season and also has trips to Wake Forest, Missouri and Cincinnati scheduled, so more offers should be coming.

In fact, Trieu stated he’s “pretty surprised about the lack of offers” for Oliver, so Michigan may have gotten in early on another prospect set to rise as his recruitment develops.