*** I made the short drive over the Merrillville (Ind.) High to see three-star defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, who is seeing his stock take off on the recruiting trail. Grant looked good moving around at 340 pounds today. I was very high on him even before the stock rise, and he only looks better. Grant is starting to hone in on his recruiting process and has a short list of Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Illinois and Nebraska. Grant made his first official visit to Wisconsin earlier this month and is set to make an official visit to Ohio State this weekend — he notched an offer from the Buckeyes at a recent on-campus camp. Grant does not want to make a decision until early fall and is looking at a September official visit with the Wolverines.
*** Ohio State seems to be the favorite here and will make a big push this weekend. Still, Grant was adamant that he wants to get a full view of Michigan before pulling the trigger. Michigan was in on him early, and he has a really good relationship with defensive line coach Shaun Nua, who has been leading the charge in his recruitment. Grant also liked what he saw on his recent unofficial visit to Michigan. Grant connected well with Nua and the staff as well as five-star Michigan commit Will Johnson. Grant told me that he loves what new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald is doing with the defense and sees himself as a great fit at nose. Again, OSU has momentum, but Michigan has been a constant, and Grant values the relationships he's built with U-M.
*** I also made a stop at nearby Merrillville (Ind.) Andrean to see 2023 Rivals100 linebacker Drayk Bowen. I really like Bowen as a prospect. When evaluating recruits, I give extra attention to those that excel at baseball. It's a tough sport and one that I personally always sucked at, so I respect those that can do it. Baseball skills often transition over well to the football field. And Bowen is a beast in both sports. He has an excellent build and moves really well in space. I see him as a versatile inside backer that can also come off the edge. Bowen likes the fact that Michigan has a top baseball program to go along with its tradition on the football side. Bowen also happens to be a 4.0 student, so Michigan's academics are a plus.
*** Bowen recently made unofficial visits to both Michigan and Notre Dame. The Irish are considered the early leaders, but Michigan really impressed him on the visit. He bonded well with new linebackers coach Geroge Helow and also spent some quality time with Macdonald and head coach Jim Harbaugh. They made it clear that he is a priority for next cycle. I think the safe bet is on Bowen staying in the Midwest. However, he does have some interest in schools down south. He visited Clemson and Ole Miss earlier this summer is slated to see Alabama, Auburn and LSU in the next week.
*** Ohio State seems to be the favorite here and will make a big push this weekend. Still, Grant was adamant that he wants to get a full view of Michigan before pulling the trigger. Michigan was in on him early, and he has a really good relationship with defensive line coach Shaun Nua, who has been leading the charge in his recruitment. Grant also liked what he saw on his recent unofficial visit to Michigan. Grant connected well with Nua and the staff as well as five-star Michigan commit Will Johnson. Grant told me that he loves what new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald is doing with the defense and sees himself as a great fit at nose. Again, OSU has momentum, but Michigan has been a constant, and Grant values the relationships he's built with U-M.
*** I also made a stop at nearby Merrillville (Ind.) Andrean to see 2023 Rivals100 linebacker Drayk Bowen. I really like Bowen as a prospect. When evaluating recruits, I give extra attention to those that excel at baseball. It's a tough sport and one that I personally always sucked at, so I respect those that can do it. Baseball skills often transition over well to the football field. And Bowen is a beast in both sports. He has an excellent build and moves really well in space. I see him as a versatile inside backer that can also come off the edge. Bowen likes the fact that Michigan has a top baseball program to go along with its tradition on the football side. Bowen also happens to be a 4.0 student, so Michigan's academics are a plus.
*** Bowen recently made unofficial visits to both Michigan and Notre Dame. The Irish are considered the early leaders, but Michigan really impressed him on the visit. He bonded well with new linebackers coach Geroge Helow and also spent some quality time with Macdonald and head coach Jim Harbaugh. They made it clear that he is a priority for next cycle. I think the safe bet is on Bowen staying in the Midwest. However, he does have some interest in schools down south. He visited Clemson and Ole Miss earlier this summer is slated to see Alabama, Auburn and LSU in the next week.
