Michigan football recruiting visitor list for the Illinois game

The Michigan Wolverines have had better visitor lists in terms of overall talent this season for the Penn State and Michigan State games. However, this weekend’s list is concentrated more on the 2023 class than the other two.

This list is also very heavy on defensive back prospects, which is needed since they do not have one in their class yet. You’ll also find a couple of prospects committed to another Big Ten school.

2023 Official Visitors

Pebblebrook (GA) three-star S Tyler Scott - No. 630 overall, No. 57 S

Scott is a senior-season riser that has picked up a boatload of Power 5 offers this fall. Michigan offered in late October, and getting one of his official visits does show a high level of interest.

However, Scott’s other official visits have been to Auburn and Texas with Alabama on deck after Michigan’s. He also took an unofficial to Tennessee, which earned the only Crystal Ball prediction for Scott shortly after.

Brother Rice (IL) three-star DL Roderick “Trey” Pierce - No. 736 overall, No. 80 DL

While the Wovlerins have a great group of edge prospects join their class, they’re still looking to add some interior defensive linemen to join them. The 6-foot-3, 290-pound Pierce fits the bill as Mike Elston works hard to flip him from Wisconsin.

This trip from Pierce is a short turnaround from his last visit for the Michigan State game. This time it is an official visit, so Michigan will be able to pay even more attention to him and make a flip a reality.

Princeton (OH) three-star LB Breeon Ishmail - No. 863 overall, No. 72 LB

Ishmail has been a prospect of interest for the staff for a while now but with him making an official visit this weekend it looks to be a clear indicator that he has become a take for Michigan. It will probably take some time to develop Ishmail as he was initially viewed as a wide receiver, but he holds a ton of upside.

Other offers for Ishmail include Cincinnati, Iowa State, Kentucky, Louisville, Pitt, Purdue, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Ishmail is a candidate to commit this weekend since he has no other official visits planned as of now.

2023 Unofficial Visitors

Kankakee (IL) four-star CB Jyaire Hill - No. 203 overall, No. 26 CB

There’s not much else the Wolverines can do to win Hill over after all the visits he’s made to Michigan during his recruitment. Illinois faltering down the stretch should help Michigan’s case, but he just took a trip to Florida last weekend and UCLA is also making a run.

At this point, it feels like Hill is looking for a reason not to choose Michigan, but maybe a dominant win over his in-state school can sway him.

Dunbar (FL) three-star S Shawn Russ - No. 459 overall, No. 43 S

Russ is an interesting prospect because he was originally ranked much higher as a mid-four star before being continually dropped in the rankings. He dropped down Michigan’s board as well, but he still included the Wolverines in his top three earlier this fall. After first saying he would announce his commitment Nov. 4, Russ pushed the date back to the 21st and said he would visit Michigan and Louisville, another one of his finalists.

It’s still not clear if Russ is a take for Michigan, especially with all of the emerging prospects at defensive back the staff is now going after. But if the staff gets their eyes on Russ and like what they see, it would not be a tough battle to win.

Winton Woods (OH) three-star CB Cameron Calhoun - No. 483 overall, No. 48 CB

Calhoun has been committed to both West Virginia and Cincinnati before opening up his recruitment from the Bearcats earlier this week. An official visit to Kentucky is what spurred that development in his recruitment, with even a few Crystal Balls for the Wildcats coming in after the visit.

However, the Wolverines will get their chance to impress Calhoun on an unofficial visit this weekend. They can also get him up for an official visit following the season, which will help since it seems like he is majorly swayed by whatever school he’s visited last.

Marist (IL) three-star DL Jamel Howard - No. 1,229 overall, No. 133 DL

Howard was once in the same Wisconsin class as Pierce, but just reopened his recruitment yesterday. With his visit to Michigan on deck right after the decommitment, it’s shaping up nicely for the Wolverines, and Crystal Balls have even started to come in. Helping Michigan’s case is Jimmy Rolder, who attended the same high school as Howard last year.

Chaney (OH) three-star S D’Juan Waller - No. 1,582 overall, No. 134 S

Waller was a Toledo commit with just a few MAC offers before receiving one from West Virginia. He then opened up his recruitment and Michigan jumped in a couple weeks later. Just a few days ago, Kentucky also offered, giving him three Power 5 offers to consider. Unless he earns more offers, Michigan should be the easy choice if he’s a take.

2024

Fitch (OH) four-star edge Brian Robinson - No. 127 overall, No. 12 edge

This will be the third gameday visit of the season for Robinson, as Michigan clearly sits in the driver’s seat for the four-star prospect. The usual caveats for an Ohio recruit still hold but this is one Steve Clinkscale’s connections in Youngstown should help overcome. Robinson could be the next addition for Michigan’s 2024 class.

KIPP Columbus (OH) unranked WR Jeremiah Watkins

Michigan has been lightly involved this year with prospects from KIPP Columbus, a new charter school in Ohio, but haven’t gone all-in on one yet. Watkins only holds a Bowling Green offer right now but also has interest from Purdue and Kentucky.

2025

Lipscomb Academy (TN) unranked OL Amir Leonard-Jean Charles

Though he is not ranked yet, Charles looks like he’ll be one of the top prospects in his class with offers from Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisville and Ole Miss this early on. It would not be surprising at all to see Michigan throw its hat in the ring this weekend.

West Bloomfield (MI) unranked WR Elisha Durham

With West Bloomfield pumping out Power 5 talent thanks to the infrastructure created by Ron Bellamy, it looks like Durham could be one of the next in the pipeline. He holds an early offer from Central Michigan.

Roseville (MI) unranked WR Eric Slater

Another local underclassman wide receiver, Slater already holds FBS offers from Indiana and Central Michigan.

Pickerington (OH) unranked WR Preston Bowman

Yet another 2025 receiver making a trip to Ann Arbor this weekend, Bowman has two offers to his name so far — Kentucky and Miami (OH). He is being recruited by Steve Clinkscale and Ron Bellamy.