Michigan's lone uncommitted official visitors over the weekend, Euless (Texas) Trinity defensive tackle Chris Daniels, has been tough to catch up with - we've rescheduled (again) a full interview for tonight, so be on the lookout for it - but we did manage to get in touch with a family member to get some details... and they're exciting for U-M fans.
We've been given the impression that this will boil down to a Michigan-Ohio State battle, even though the 6-3, 301-pounder has offers coast-to-coast and also counts a few schools closer to home - Alabama, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M - on his list of finalists. Daniels took his official to Columbus in October and obviously Michigan this past weekend, with Oklahoma up in just over a week. The other two are not planned.
"Mom really likes Michigan because it gives him the education and the football," our source said. "It's also good for him because it would allow him to be close to family, even if it's not where he lives now."
The No. 20 player in Texas actually played his first couple years of high school ball in Michigan (where he'd be the No. 5 player if he was still around, based on the Rivals rankings) at Muskegon's Mona Shores High School, sandwiched by stops in San Antonio and his current residence in the Dallas area. That's a boost to Michigan, albeit potentially a small one.
However, he's clearly looking toward the Midwest for his top two right now, so maybe that bump is larger than anyone expected for the No. 17 defensive tackle and No. 176 overall prospect in the nation.
His recruitment isn't over yet, but after the Oklahoma visit, Daniels will wrap things up pretty quickly (which should leave Alabama and A&M on the outside looking in). At this point, U-M has done about as much as possible to make that choice a Maize and Blue one.
We've been given the impression that this will boil down to a Michigan-Ohio State battle, even though the 6-3, 301-pounder has offers coast-to-coast and also counts a few schools closer to home - Alabama, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M - on his list of finalists. Daniels took his official to Columbus in October and obviously Michigan this past weekend, with Oklahoma up in just over a week. The other two are not planned.
"Mom really likes Michigan because it gives him the education and the football," our source said. "It's also good for him because it would allow him to be close to family, even if it's not where he lives now."
The No. 20 player in Texas actually played his first couple years of high school ball in Michigan (where he'd be the No. 5 player if he was still around, based on the Rivals rankings) at Muskegon's Mona Shores High School, sandwiched by stops in San Antonio and his current residence in the Dallas area. That's a boost to Michigan, albeit potentially a small one.
However, he's clearly looking toward the Midwest for his top two right now, so maybe that bump is larger than anyone expected for the No. 17 defensive tackle and No. 176 overall prospect in the nation.
His recruitment isn't over yet, but after the Oklahoma visit, Daniels will wrap things up pretty quickly (which should leave Alabama and A&M on the outside looking in). At this point, U-M has done about as much as possible to make that choice a Maize and Blue one.
