After 2023 four-star cornerback target Chris Peal committed to Georgia on Sunday, the Michigan Wolverines are still looking for answers in the defensive backfield in the 2023 class. But one target, who has kept his recruitment fairly quiet wants to visit Ann Arbor again before making a decision by the early signing period in December.
Four-star class of 2023 CB looking to visit Michigan again before decision
Javien Toviano, a 2023 four-star cornerback (Arlington, Tex.) has kept his recruitment fairly under the radar, but revealed some information recently to On3’s Bill Embody ($).
Toviano said he wants to make sure he takes all of his official visits before making his final decision during the early signing period. He took one to Michigan in June and then one to LSU in September. He still has to take official visits to Ohio State and Oregon, while Texas and Texas A&M will battle it out for his final official. The dates for those upcoming visits have yet to be announced.
However, when speaking of Michigan, Toviano said he is planning on making a return visit over the next month. He has similar plans with LSU, as he will get to Baton Rouge again on Nov. 5 when LSU hosts Alabama.
“We’re actually trying to get (to Michigan) over the next month as well. I love coach Clinkscale,” Toviano said. “Coach Harbaugh is a people person guy and I think I like that about him. A lot of head coaches are football first, football first, but he really cares about you off the field. With any head coach that I want to play for, I think that’ll be a priority being able to know what your players are thinking. Being in their same shoes. I think he does that pretty well.”
Toviano is currently ranked as the No. 43 overall recruit, the No. 7 cornerback and is the ninth-ranked prospect in his class from Texas, according to the 247Sports composite.
Wolverines hosting three-star DB for Illinois game
2023 three-star defensive back Shawn Russ (Fort Myers, Fla.) will be in Ann Arbor for Michigan’s game against Illinois on Nov. 19, he posted on Twitter earlier this week.
According to On3’s EJ Holland ($), Russ has been a lower end prospect on Michigan’s board but with the Wolverines having no commits in the secondary, it appears the Wolverines are circling back around to him after Clinkscale evaluated him in the spring.
Florida State was expected to be the pick for Russ as he announced a commitment date soon after visiting the Seminoles last month, but FSU has apparently fallen completely out of the race. This leaves Michigan and Louisville as the only two schools actively recruiting the 6-foot-2, 185-pounder.
Russ will visit Louisville on Nov. 5, meaning Michigan will have his last visit. He has a commitment date of Nov. 21. Louisville has made a strong push, but this feels like a battle the Wolverines can win if they decide to go all in.
Russ is the No. 457 recruit in the class, the 42nd-ranked safety and the No. 89 prospect in the state of Florida, according to the composite.
New Michigan football commit doing some recruiting of his own
The latest Michigan football commit, 2023 three-star athlete Kendrick Bell, has already started to recruiting other prospects to join him in Ann Arbor, according to The Michigan Insider’s Brice Marich ($).
Bell, who committed after officially visiting for Michigan’s game against Penn State, said he is working on recruiting fellow Kansas City native Andrew Sprague, a 2024 four-star offensive lineman who also attended the game against Penn State.
“Yeah, me and Andrew are tight,” Bell said. “We played on the same AAU program and got close ever since that began.
“I’ve tried some convincing (laughter). I’m trying to convince him to come win a Big Ten title and national championship with me.”
Bell also commented on how he thought Sprague enjoyed his trip tp Ann Arbor.
“I thought he loved it, especially with the offensive line putting such a dominant performance on Penn State,” Bell said. “I believe he sees himself there doing the same thing in a couple years.”
There are currently no Crystal Ball projections for Sprague, who ranks as the No. 195 prospect in his class, the No. 9 offensive tackle and the fifth-ranked recruit in the state of Missouri, according to the composite.
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