The early signing day has come and gone. Outside of their long-term commitments, the Michigan Wolverines added four-star cornerback Jyaire Hill and four-star wide receiver Karmello English to the fold. These additions escalated the Wolverines to 17th ranked class according to 247Sports’ composite.
With 23 total signees at this point, there are a few high school prospects head coach Jim Harbaugh and company are still courting.
Five-star ATH Nyckoles Harbor
A Washington DC native, Harbor would be Michigan’s top ranked recruit if he decides to sign with the Wolverines. Harbor is expected to announce his decision on Feb. 1 with Michigan, South Carolina and Maryland among the top schools of choice.
Harbor is an athletic specimen at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds. Despite the size, Harbor has been clocked at 10.28 in the 100-meter dash. He hopes to use this track speed at the Olympic level. On top of that, Harbor has medical school on his list of goals. With a great track program and medical school, Michigan fits the two extracurricular he is looking for.
While he could play on either side of the football, Harbor has aspirations of playing on offense at the next level. The top ranked athlete by 247Sports, he officially visited Michigan on Sept. 23 and was seen by wide receiver coach Ron Bellamy this month.
His recruitment is far from over and I expect Michigan to go all in on getting Harbor back to Ann Arbor for another visit. 247Sports’ Sam Webb likes Michigan chances, but also said Harbor’s family ties to Maryland will be it a battle. Furthermore, Webb explained on The Michigan Insider Podcast that Harbor is very close to South Carolina’s recruiting class.
There’s a long way until February, but Harbor’s recruitment is a must watch.
Three-star DT Jamel Howard
A longtime Wisconsin commit, Howard opened things up in November due to the Badgers’ coaching uncertainty. The three-star defensive tackle has since officially visited Wisconsin and Michigan. He has also gained offers from LSU and Ole Miss. The hometown Illinois Fighting Illini will also be a factor here.
Howard has 247Sports’ Crystal Balls to Michigan from Allen Trieu and Steve Wiltfong. These two experts’ opinions go a long way, as they typically don’t miss on predictions. Howard, a 6-foot-3, 320-pounder, would fill a critical need at the interior defensive line.
It will be interesting to see if Howard takes any more official visits before the February signing day. He has a relationship with current Michigan commits Jyaire Hill and Trey Pierce. I would expect recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach Mike Elston to see Howard again before he makes a final decision.
Three-star DL Cameron Brandt
Like Howard, Brandt plays on the defensive line at 6-foot-4, 260 pounds. He has been committed to Stanford since July but opted not to sign during the early signing period. Instead, he will announce a decision in February.
This bodes well for the Wolverines, as they have yet to get him on campus. Brandt told 247Sports’ Greg Biggins he wants to visit Michigan, but he doesn’t have a date set in stone. He expects to have this date set in the near future.
He continues to be recruited by Cal, UCLA, Washington and Texas, but most experts in the recruiting world view this as a Michigan/Stanford battle. The nation’s 40th-best defensive lineman has already visited Stanford following their hire of head coach Troy Taylor. However, that was not enough to solidify his stance with the Cardinals.
If Michigan is able to get him on campus and continues recruiting him hard, I would expect the Wolverines to seal the deal sometime in the New Year.
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