Recruiting Roundup: Four-star top CB target discusses in-home visit with Michigan

The Michigan Wolverines’ coaching staff has been busy seeing their 2023 targets for in-home visits this week while also monitoring the transfer portal and getting in contact with players from other schools. There are a lot of moving parts this time of year as the program solidifies the roster for next season.

Today, we’ll detail a couple of those in-home visits and more on today’s Recruiting Roundup.

Four-star CB discusses in-home visit experience

Michigan hasn’t been recruiting any remaining 2023 target longer than Kankakee (IL) four-star cornerback Jyaire Hill. Earlier this week, Michigan sent Steve Clinkscale to his home for a visit, but Hill told On3’s EJ Holland he won’t be the last representative to see him before signing day ($).

“It went great,” Hill said about his visit with Clinkscale. “We ate some nachos (laughs). He just wants me to get down there. We talked about school, what position I would be playing, what my playing time would look like and stuff like that. It was good to talk to him again.”

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema stopped by on Wednesday, but Jim Harbaugh will be heading down on Monday to get the last word.

“I’m happy he’s coming down,” Hill said. “I feel like I know everything with Michigan, but I want to talk a little more about NIL. They’ve talked to me about starting my own brand and things like that. That’s really what I want to talk about.”

Hill revealed he will make his announcement before the early signing period opens, but doesn’t know the exact date yet.

Michigan and Illinois are still the main contenders here with schools like Missouri, Florida, Kentucky and Auburn trying to make late runs.

Three-star DT scheduling in-home visit with Michigan

Another 2023 prospect from Illinois that Michigan is targeting is Marist three-star defensive tackle Jamel Howard. After decommitting from Wisconsin last month, Michigan quickly became a leader but The Michigan Insider’s Brice Marich reports that Howard is looking to extend his decision timeline ($).

According to Marich, Howard has already had in-home visits with Wisconsin and Illinois but has yet to schedule with Michigan, although it is in “the process of making that happen.”

Howard will also take an official visit to Wisconsin this upcoming weekend, which he is allowed to do again because they hired a new head coach. Michigan got him on campus for multiple unofficials during the fall but has yet to get him on an official visit.

The Wolverines have some extra time to set up that visit, as Howard will not sign in December and instead wait until the February signing day to make his decision.

Michigan leads the Crystal Ball for Howard but Illinois, Wisconsin and Texas are all also standing out.

Michigan going after another Idaho standout

It looks like Michigan has a potential superstar on its hands with freshman tight end Colston Loveland. The Wolverines are trying to do that again with another talented player from Idaho in 2024 four-star wide receiver Gatlin Bair. TMI’s Marich has more on Michigan’s pursuit of Bair ($).

Bair has taken notice of Loveland’s early success at Michigan. It can be tough to transition to playing under the bright lights of the Big House, but Loveland doing well shows it’s possible.

Marich also said that the Michigan staff is impressed with Bair’s athleticism and could be even freakier than Loveland. At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, Bair runs a 10.46 100-meter dash.

Both Ron Bellamy and Jay Harbaugh are recruiting Bair, which is just about as good of a duo as you can have from Michigan’s staff. Marich says Michigan wants to get out to Idaho to see Bair in person when they are able.

There are no Crystal Balls for Bair but Michigan is the only school listed as “warm” on his 247Sports profile. His offer list is West Coast-heavy with Boise State, BYU, Colorado, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Stanford, Utah, Washington and Washington State all offering.