Here are tonight's Blue Chips...
*** Michigan linebacker recruiting is at a bit of a stand still as the Wolverines await new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. However, position coach Brian Jean-Mary is still keeping in contact with some of Michigan's top targets at the position. I'm told Jean-Mary is still very high on Rivals250 Evanston (Ill.) Township linebacker Sebastian Cheeks, who just earned an invitation to the All-American Bowl today. I know Cheeks extremely well since he's a Chicago guy, and Michigan has been slipping in this race. Others have been recruiting him harder, which is expected with the staff changes, and Notre Dame has been surging. The good news is Cheeks was a little disappointed with the Irish defensive coordinator Clark Lea leaving, and Michigan still has plenty of time to move back up his list. Expect Jean-Mary and area recruiter Sherrone Moore to really turn up the heat once Macdonald joins the staff. Jean-Mary and Moore are two of the best recruiters on staff and should move the needle with Cheeks, who also happens to be a good friend of 2021 signee Tyler McLaurin.
*** There have been some questions about Rivals250 Traverse City (Mich.) Central linebacker Joshua Burnham. I actually exchanged a few messages with his father today, but they were about Central's upcoming semifinal game, which Clayton will be at. The bottom line is that Burnham has pretty much put recruiting on the back burner with his team making a deep playoff run. Burnham is already quiet by nature and doesn't care for the hype of the process, so nothing groundbreaking here. Expect things to pick up a lot after his season ends. Burnham will likely make a few visits and make an early decision. I still feel like Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin are some of his top schools.
*** As I mentioned last week, Jean-Mary is expected to recruit more in New Jersey and will make a concerted effort in Dallas moving forward. Jean-Mary has a lot of ties to Dallas from his time recruiting at the University of Texas, so it wouldn't be surprising to see the Wolverines look at more guys in the area this offseason. Jean-Mary recently offered three-star 2022 inside linebacker Jordan Crook from Duncanville (Texas) High, and I'm told this is a guy that BJM really likes. The two are keeping in contact, and Crook is very open to making a trip up to Ann Arbor. Crook has more than 20 offers, but none of the major regional programs except Baylor (if you even consider them major) have really gotten involved, so the door is open with him.
*** Two names I want to mention that I'm told Jean-Mary is also high on are Rivals100 Hilton Head (S.C.) High linebacker Jaylen Sneed and Rivals250 Omaha (Neb.) Burke linebacker Devon Jackson. Sneed will be a tough pull from the south as he has a ton of major offers from schools in SEC country. However, Jean-Mary knows Sneed's high school coach really well from his previous stops, and I'm told that the likelihood of Sneed taking a visit to Ann Arbor after the dead period is high. Jackson is a big target for schools like Nebraska and Notre Dame, but he seems pretty open early on. I wouldn't be surprised if he visits as well.
*** Michigan linebacker recruiting is at a bit of a stand still as the Wolverines await new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. However, position coach Brian Jean-Mary is still keeping in contact with some of Michigan's top targets at the position. I'm told Jean-Mary is still very high on Rivals250 Evanston (Ill.) Township linebacker Sebastian Cheeks, who just earned an invitation to the All-American Bowl today. I know Cheeks extremely well since he's a Chicago guy, and Michigan has been slipping in this race. Others have been recruiting him harder, which is expected with the staff changes, and Notre Dame has been surging. The good news is Cheeks was a little disappointed with the Irish defensive coordinator Clark Lea leaving, and Michigan still has plenty of time to move back up his list. Expect Jean-Mary and area recruiter Sherrone Moore to really turn up the heat once Macdonald joins the staff. Jean-Mary and Moore are two of the best recruiters on staff and should move the needle with Cheeks, who also happens to be a good friend of 2021 signee Tyler McLaurin.
*** There have been some questions about Rivals250 Traverse City (Mich.) Central linebacker Joshua Burnham. I actually exchanged a few messages with his father today, but they were about Central's upcoming semifinal game, which Clayton will be at. The bottom line is that Burnham has pretty much put recruiting on the back burner with his team making a deep playoff run. Burnham is already quiet by nature and doesn't care for the hype of the process, so nothing groundbreaking here. Expect things to pick up a lot after his season ends. Burnham will likely make a few visits and make an early decision. I still feel like Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin are some of his top schools.
*** As I mentioned last week, Jean-Mary is expected to recruit more in New Jersey and will make a concerted effort in Dallas moving forward. Jean-Mary has a lot of ties to Dallas from his time recruiting at the University of Texas, so it wouldn't be surprising to see the Wolverines look at more guys in the area this offseason. Jean-Mary recently offered three-star 2022 inside linebacker Jordan Crook from Duncanville (Texas) High, and I'm told this is a guy that BJM really likes. The two are keeping in contact, and Crook is very open to making a trip up to Ann Arbor. Crook has more than 20 offers, but none of the major regional programs except Baylor (if you even consider them major) have really gotten involved, so the door is open with him.
*** Two names I want to mention that I'm told Jean-Mary is also high on are Rivals100 Hilton Head (S.C.) High linebacker Jaylen Sneed and Rivals250 Omaha (Neb.) Burke linebacker Devon Jackson. Sneed will be a tough pull from the south as he has a ton of major offers from schools in SEC country. However, Jean-Mary knows Sneed's high school coach really well from his previous stops, and I'm told that the likelihood of Sneed taking a visit to Ann Arbor after the dead period is high. Jackson is a big target for schools like Nebraska and Notre Dame, but he seems pretty open early on. I wouldn't be surprised if he visits as well.
