The latest edition of INSIDE THE FORT, including plenty of football and basketball recruiting information, some facilities updates and much more.
Starting with football recruiting …
Is Michigan on commitment watch? Potentially. As reported yesterday, the Alexandria (Va.) Episcopal weakside defensive end Luiji Vilain will be visiting Michigan this weekend with one of his high school coaches. Getting a four-star prospect like him on campus is a big enough deal but insiders are cautiously optimistic that he'll leave Ann Arbor a Wolverine.
The 6-4, 240-pound Vilain could fit Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown's system well, and optimism lingers about where things stand with the No. 5 weakside defensive end and No. 89 overall prospect in the country.
Los Angeles Loyola four-star cornerback David Long committed to Michigan Jan. 21 and signed his letter of intent a couple of weeks later officially becoming a future Wolverine. The 6-0, 170-pounder is the No. 9 cornerback and No. 81 overall player in the country, making him the fourth-highest ranked member of the class behind No. 1 Rashan Gary, No. 46 Devin Asiasi, and No. 60 Ben Bredeson.
Landing Long is a big enough event, but the effect it may have on California recruiting could prove even more fruitful. Calabasas (Calif.) five-star cornerback Darnay Holmes is the No. 15 overall player in the 2017 class, and Long plans to put the full-court press on him.
Long arrives in Ann Arbor June 23, and once he’s settled in Holmes plans to head to U-M to check it all out and Long will be his gracious host. The 5-11, 185-pound Holmes and his father will both be on the trip, and that will give Long a great opportunity to show them the ropes and explain why Michigan was the place for him.
It’s still considered a long shot for Michigan to land Holmes, but if anyone can convince him that U-M is the place for him it might be Long.
Ann Arbor Pioneer outside linebacker Antjuan Simmons committed to Ohio State back in March giving the Buckeyes a pledge from Michigan’s literal backyard. The four-star prospect was one of the hottest recruits in the Midwest during his junior season and surprised some by ending the process early with a verbal commitment to OSU — but it may not be over.
Someone close to the program at Pioneer informed The Wolverine that Jim Harbaugh has said that if he wants Simmons he’ll end up at Michigan. The 6-1, 199-pounder is a bit of a ‘tweener with below-average size for a linebacker and subpar speed for a safety. He’s absolutely a football player and also excels at running back for Pioneer and routinely makes several highlight-reel plays every time he’s on the field.
Harbaugh appears to be content with lying in wait, but if the staff sees Simmons as a fit they may ramp up the pursuit down the stretch. Pioneer is in the shadows of The Big House giving the coaches at U-M plenty of opportunity to get in front of Simmons.
A couple of weekends ago Michigan fans were excited that Pinson (Ala.) Clay four-star wide receiver Nico Collins was on campus. The No. 35 player in the nation spent an entire weekend in Ann Arbor and left extremely impressed. The visit went so well that some believe the Wolverines could be in the lead for the 6-5, 193-pounder, and that he may even be a soft commit.
Last year a similar situation arose with Devin Bush Jr. out of Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines, Fla. The Florida State legacy waited until the end of the cycle to avoid scrutiny and potential harassment for spurning the Seminoles. Collins has long been considered Alabama’s to lose and may be avoiding some of the same negative attention by postponing a commitment to the Wolverines.
Sources close to the Alabama program as well as the Georgia program also believe that they lead for Collins, which may be an indicator of just how open he is to all three programs. There's plenty of optimism about where things stand with Collins and Michigan commit Dylan McCaffrey is also putting the full-court press on one of his potential future targets. If Michigan can pluck a talent like Collins out of Alabama, it would be an unprecedented win for Harbaugh and his staff.
Michigan received a commitment from Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage tight end Nick Eubanks in the 2016 class, has offered four more Patriots in the 2017 class, and even two in the 2018 class. That kind of talent has Jim Harbaugh working hard to build relationships and pipelines into the school.
It appears to be paying off and could ultimately end up in more commitments later on down the road. At least one of Heritage’s coaches will be in Ann Arbor to help instruct during one of U-M’s technique camps June 17, and he will be bringing four-star offensive tackles Tedarrell Slaton and Kai-Leon Herbert with him.
Slaton is the No. 47 overall prospect in the nation while Herbert comes in at No. 222. Both young men are high on the Wolverines and will get a unique view of everything while their position coach runs drills at a U-M camp.
To say this is an exciting development would be an understatement.
****
To football now …
We take all offseason, 7-on-7 reports, etc. with a grade of slaw (that’s an Inside (the Fort) joke – if you got it, you’re a preferred customer here), but we’re encouraged by what we’re hearing about quarterback John O’Korn. It sure seems as though he and the rest of the quarterbacks are still putting in the work, and – again – we’d bet on him being the starter for the opener against Hawaii.
O’Korn is still the quarterback on the roster that has the highest ceiling in terms of being able to make all the throws and consistency, even if he wasn’t lights out in the spring.
Behind the scenes, head coach Jim Harbaugh continues to do everything he can to give Michigan an advantage on the recruiting trail, as evidenced by his Satellite Camp tour (now 30-plus stops and counting). A bigger, better Signing of the Stars is in the works, and we’ve heard Michael Jordan might have been in attendance last year if the Wolverines weren’t still under contract with adidas.
There aren’t many ways to trump Tom Brady and Derek Jeter, but that might be one.
As for Brady and his TB12 Academy – unfortunately, his deal with Under Armour will probably prevent that from happening in Ann Arbor, though he will still be involved with the program. Harbaugh had mentioned the possibility to Brady at last year’s SOS event.
More on the new weight room – the plans have been drawn up, and it appears a two-story addition will be added to Schembechler Hall on the south side of Oosterbaan Fieldhouse … and it will be fantastic (envision John Hammond in Jurassic Park sitting at the table eating his ice cream saying, ‘spared no expense’).
They’re even talking about a potential roof deck so people (recruits) could watch practice from the top of it. Really cool stuff. There’s also been talk of a nutrition area sponsored, perhaps, by Gatorade or something similar.
All in all, really cool stuff.
****
Finishing with basketball and recruiting …
There’s a lot going on in all classes, with Michigan in good shape for a number of kids. Unranked Harold Baruti (6-6 SG, Grundy, Va., Mission School) will take his TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam this weekend – if he passes and gets his transcripts to U-M (and if they’re in good order), he will very likely get a Michigan offer.
U-M is also looking at Canada native Tyrell Gumbs-Frater, but the Cleveland Spire Institute shooting guard (also unranked) would be second in the pecking order. He just passed the clearinghouse, too, so that might be a longer shot. As we noted his coaches told us he’d need some extra help to get through a school like Michigan.
There are currently no grad transfers/other transfers Michigan is working on that we’re aware of, so it could be Baruti or bust. At the same time – never say never.
On the 2017 front, Massillon, Ohio, Jackson small forward Kyle Young (6-7, Rivals.com’s No. 139 junior nationally and rising) is one of the faster rising commodities in his class after a weekend in which he scored 24 or more points three times. The King James AAU standout said at Nike EYBL (Elite Youth Basketball League), Hampton, Va. he might visit Michigan State Wednesday … at the same time, U-M was also planning to host him again, potentially on the same day.
It turned out to be a moot point. Young informed us that he couldn’t make it to the state because he had exams. Whether he’d have made it to both schools or just one remains a mystery, but it’s clear he likes both. In-state Ohio State, too, has given him something else to think about with an offer following a Wednesday unofficial visit last week.
U-M is right there and will get him back on campus again when Massillon Jackson comes to the team camp June 25-26. There are some close to him who are firmly in Michigan’s corner … keep in mind, Jackson is an annual team camp attendee.
Also coming to the camp, we hear (or at least considering it): Lincolnshire, Ill., Stevenson with 6-6, 200-pound small forward Justin Smith (6-6, 200, No. 123). Smith, a teammate of Milwaukee King’s (and Michigan pledge) Jordan Poole (6-4, No. 95) on the AAU circuit with Mac Irvin Fire, is on the radar. Poole is working him, but while there have been some reports that U-M could surpass Wisconsin and Indiana, among others who have gotten an earlier start in his recruitment, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Smith has continued his ascent this spring and is a great student, so we believe the Wolverines could have a legitimate shot if they keep working him. That he could be on campus in June is a good sign.
“He’s a crazy high major player,” Poole told us. “He’s underrated and I’m pushing him hard … he likes Michigan, but you know how these players get.”
They certainly get pulled in many different directions, but Smith is recruitable and Michigan is taking a shot.
Another to watch closely – New Hampton, N.H., wing Anthony Gaines. He is another one of Rivals’ stock risers, and coaches at New Hampton tell us he’s a great kid. He’s not the best shooter, but U-M seems to be looking at more kids that can develop into shooters, as well (like Indianapolis three-star point guard Justin Roberts).
There are two prospects in the ’17 and ’18 classes we would call Michigan the unequivocal leader for – junior Jamal Cain (6-7, Rivals.com’s No. 70 junior) out of Pontiac, Mich., Cornerstone and Indianapolis Lawrence North 2018 three-star Kevin Easley, Jr.
Easley will very likely be offered June 15, the first day Michigan extends them to rising juniors, and it would not stun at all if he accepted on the spot or shortly thereafter. As we’ve written, his father loves U-M and the visit to Ann Arbor last month could not have gone better.
We believe he’ll be a top 75 player, at least, when it’s all said and done.
We’d also expect Mars, Pa., three-star guard Robby Carmody to get an offer. Louisville and others have offered, but the family loves Michigan and will visit in June. U-M should be right there until the end. And East Lansing’s Brandon Johns (6-7, No. 21) will also get an offer, most likely, and is very much in play.
Michigan continues to look for point guards (we’ll have an article on that soon), and another prospect has emerged – Miami Beach three-star Zack Dawson (6-3).
“Dawson is explosive in the pick and roll and went for a team high 19 points and five assists,” Rivals.com’s Eric Bossi wrote over the weekend in saying Dawson was in line for top 150 status.
Dawson nearly committed to Louisville recently, and the Cardinals would be the frontrunner if they continue to pursue him. He’s also been offered by Arizona, Central Florida, Florida Gulf Coast, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech and Florida International – KSU is also high on his list, so Michigan is playing from behind.
As always, thanks for visiting TheWolverine.com!
Starting with football recruiting …
Is Michigan on commitment watch? Potentially. As reported yesterday, the Alexandria (Va.) Episcopal weakside defensive end Luiji Vilain will be visiting Michigan this weekend with one of his high school coaches. Getting a four-star prospect like him on campus is a big enough deal but insiders are cautiously optimistic that he'll leave Ann Arbor a Wolverine.
The 6-4, 240-pound Vilain could fit Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown's system well, and optimism lingers about where things stand with the No. 5 weakside defensive end and No. 89 overall prospect in the country.
Los Angeles Loyola four-star cornerback David Long committed to Michigan Jan. 21 and signed his letter of intent a couple of weeks later officially becoming a future Wolverine. The 6-0, 170-pounder is the No. 9 cornerback and No. 81 overall player in the country, making him the fourth-highest ranked member of the class behind No. 1 Rashan Gary, No. 46 Devin Asiasi, and No. 60 Ben Bredeson.
Landing Long is a big enough event, but the effect it may have on California recruiting could prove even more fruitful. Calabasas (Calif.) five-star cornerback Darnay Holmes is the No. 15 overall player in the 2017 class, and Long plans to put the full-court press on him.
Long arrives in Ann Arbor June 23, and once he’s settled in Holmes plans to head to U-M to check it all out and Long will be his gracious host. The 5-11, 185-pound Holmes and his father will both be on the trip, and that will give Long a great opportunity to show them the ropes and explain why Michigan was the place for him.
It’s still considered a long shot for Michigan to land Holmes, but if anyone can convince him that U-M is the place for him it might be Long.
Ann Arbor Pioneer outside linebacker Antjuan Simmons committed to Ohio State back in March giving the Buckeyes a pledge from Michigan’s literal backyard. The four-star prospect was one of the hottest recruits in the Midwest during his junior season and surprised some by ending the process early with a verbal commitment to OSU — but it may not be over.
Someone close to the program at Pioneer informed The Wolverine that Jim Harbaugh has said that if he wants Simmons he’ll end up at Michigan. The 6-1, 199-pounder is a bit of a ‘tweener with below-average size for a linebacker and subpar speed for a safety. He’s absolutely a football player and also excels at running back for Pioneer and routinely makes several highlight-reel plays every time he’s on the field.
Harbaugh appears to be content with lying in wait, but if the staff sees Simmons as a fit they may ramp up the pursuit down the stretch. Pioneer is in the shadows of The Big House giving the coaches at U-M plenty of opportunity to get in front of Simmons.
A couple of weekends ago Michigan fans were excited that Pinson (Ala.) Clay four-star wide receiver Nico Collins was on campus. The No. 35 player in the nation spent an entire weekend in Ann Arbor and left extremely impressed. The visit went so well that some believe the Wolverines could be in the lead for the 6-5, 193-pounder, and that he may even be a soft commit.
Last year a similar situation arose with Devin Bush Jr. out of Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines, Fla. The Florida State legacy waited until the end of the cycle to avoid scrutiny and potential harassment for spurning the Seminoles. Collins has long been considered Alabama’s to lose and may be avoiding some of the same negative attention by postponing a commitment to the Wolverines.
Sources close to the Alabama program as well as the Georgia program also believe that they lead for Collins, which may be an indicator of just how open he is to all three programs. There's plenty of optimism about where things stand with Collins and Michigan commit Dylan McCaffrey is also putting the full-court press on one of his potential future targets. If Michigan can pluck a talent like Collins out of Alabama, it would be an unprecedented win for Harbaugh and his staff.
Michigan received a commitment from Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage tight end Nick Eubanks in the 2016 class, has offered four more Patriots in the 2017 class, and even two in the 2018 class. That kind of talent has Jim Harbaugh working hard to build relationships and pipelines into the school.
It appears to be paying off and could ultimately end up in more commitments later on down the road. At least one of Heritage’s coaches will be in Ann Arbor to help instruct during one of U-M’s technique camps June 17, and he will be bringing four-star offensive tackles Tedarrell Slaton and Kai-Leon Herbert with him.
Slaton is the No. 47 overall prospect in the nation while Herbert comes in at No. 222. Both young men are high on the Wolverines and will get a unique view of everything while their position coach runs drills at a U-M camp.
To say this is an exciting development would be an understatement.
****
To football now …
We take all offseason, 7-on-7 reports, etc. with a grade of slaw (that’s an Inside (the Fort) joke – if you got it, you’re a preferred customer here), but we’re encouraged by what we’re hearing about quarterback John O’Korn. It sure seems as though he and the rest of the quarterbacks are still putting in the work, and – again – we’d bet on him being the starter for the opener against Hawaii.
O’Korn is still the quarterback on the roster that has the highest ceiling in terms of being able to make all the throws and consistency, even if he wasn’t lights out in the spring.
Behind the scenes, head coach Jim Harbaugh continues to do everything he can to give Michigan an advantage on the recruiting trail, as evidenced by his Satellite Camp tour (now 30-plus stops and counting). A bigger, better Signing of the Stars is in the works, and we’ve heard Michael Jordan might have been in attendance last year if the Wolverines weren’t still under contract with adidas.
There aren’t many ways to trump Tom Brady and Derek Jeter, but that might be one.
As for Brady and his TB12 Academy – unfortunately, his deal with Under Armour will probably prevent that from happening in Ann Arbor, though he will still be involved with the program. Harbaugh had mentioned the possibility to Brady at last year’s SOS event.
More on the new weight room – the plans have been drawn up, and it appears a two-story addition will be added to Schembechler Hall on the south side of Oosterbaan Fieldhouse … and it will be fantastic (envision John Hammond in Jurassic Park sitting at the table eating his ice cream saying, ‘spared no expense’).
They’re even talking about a potential roof deck so people (recruits) could watch practice from the top of it. Really cool stuff. There’s also been talk of a nutrition area sponsored, perhaps, by Gatorade or something similar.
All in all, really cool stuff.
****
Finishing with basketball and recruiting …
There’s a lot going on in all classes, with Michigan in good shape for a number of kids. Unranked Harold Baruti (6-6 SG, Grundy, Va., Mission School) will take his TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam this weekend – if he passes and gets his transcripts to U-M (and if they’re in good order), he will very likely get a Michigan offer.
U-M is also looking at Canada native Tyrell Gumbs-Frater, but the Cleveland Spire Institute shooting guard (also unranked) would be second in the pecking order. He just passed the clearinghouse, too, so that might be a longer shot. As we noted his coaches told us he’d need some extra help to get through a school like Michigan.
There are currently no grad transfers/other transfers Michigan is working on that we’re aware of, so it could be Baruti or bust. At the same time – never say never.
On the 2017 front, Massillon, Ohio, Jackson small forward Kyle Young (6-7, Rivals.com’s No. 139 junior nationally and rising) is one of the faster rising commodities in his class after a weekend in which he scored 24 or more points three times. The King James AAU standout said at Nike EYBL (Elite Youth Basketball League), Hampton, Va. he might visit Michigan State Wednesday … at the same time, U-M was also planning to host him again, potentially on the same day.
It turned out to be a moot point. Young informed us that he couldn’t make it to the state because he had exams. Whether he’d have made it to both schools or just one remains a mystery, but it’s clear he likes both. In-state Ohio State, too, has given him something else to think about with an offer following a Wednesday unofficial visit last week.
U-M is right there and will get him back on campus again when Massillon Jackson comes to the team camp June 25-26. There are some close to him who are firmly in Michigan’s corner … keep in mind, Jackson is an annual team camp attendee.
Also coming to the camp, we hear (or at least considering it): Lincolnshire, Ill., Stevenson with 6-6, 200-pound small forward Justin Smith (6-6, 200, No. 123). Smith, a teammate of Milwaukee King’s (and Michigan pledge) Jordan Poole (6-4, No. 95) on the AAU circuit with Mac Irvin Fire, is on the radar. Poole is working him, but while there have been some reports that U-M could surpass Wisconsin and Indiana, among others who have gotten an earlier start in his recruitment, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Smith has continued his ascent this spring and is a great student, so we believe the Wolverines could have a legitimate shot if they keep working him. That he could be on campus in June is a good sign.
“He’s a crazy high major player,” Poole told us. “He’s underrated and I’m pushing him hard … he likes Michigan, but you know how these players get.”
They certainly get pulled in many different directions, but Smith is recruitable and Michigan is taking a shot.
Another to watch closely – New Hampton, N.H., wing Anthony Gaines. He is another one of Rivals’ stock risers, and coaches at New Hampton tell us he’s a great kid. He’s not the best shooter, but U-M seems to be looking at more kids that can develop into shooters, as well (like Indianapolis three-star point guard Justin Roberts).
There are two prospects in the ’17 and ’18 classes we would call Michigan the unequivocal leader for – junior Jamal Cain (6-7, Rivals.com’s No. 70 junior) out of Pontiac, Mich., Cornerstone and Indianapolis Lawrence North 2018 three-star Kevin Easley, Jr.
Easley will very likely be offered June 15, the first day Michigan extends them to rising juniors, and it would not stun at all if he accepted on the spot or shortly thereafter. As we’ve written, his father loves U-M and the visit to Ann Arbor last month could not have gone better.
We believe he’ll be a top 75 player, at least, when it’s all said and done.
We’d also expect Mars, Pa., three-star guard Robby Carmody to get an offer. Louisville and others have offered, but the family loves Michigan and will visit in June. U-M should be right there until the end. And East Lansing’s Brandon Johns (6-7, No. 21) will also get an offer, most likely, and is very much in play.
Michigan continues to look for point guards (we’ll have an article on that soon), and another prospect has emerged – Miami Beach three-star Zack Dawson (6-3).
“Dawson is explosive in the pick and roll and went for a team high 19 points and five assists,” Rivals.com’s Eric Bossi wrote over the weekend in saying Dawson was in line for top 150 status.
Dawson nearly committed to Louisville recently, and the Cardinals would be the frontrunner if they continue to pursue him. He’s also been offered by Arizona, Central Florida, Florida Gulf Coast, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech and Florida International – KSU is also high on his list, so Michigan is playing from behind.
As always, thanks for visiting TheWolverine.com!
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