Recruiting Roundup: Jayden Thomas To Announce Top 5 Friday, Prophet Brown Nearing Decision

With 20 commitments in Michigan's 2021 class, available scholarships are difficult to come by as the Wolverines zero in on a select group of recruits that they are pushing for. Among that group, Michigan has been courting Atlanta (Ga.) Pace Academy wide receiver Jayden Thomas and Elk Grove (Calif.) Monterey Trail athlete Prophet Brown for quite some time.

Both Thomas and Brown were named SI All-American candidates earlier today, and the pair also updated their recruitment timelines, so Wednesday was a notable day for the highly coveted prospects. On Instagram, Brown said that his commitment would be coming soon, so it will be important to monitor in the coming weeks, though many feel that Oklahoma may be the school to beat. Previously, Brown has announced a top six of Oklahoma, Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oregon and USC, so U-M has quite a few quality suitors to beat out.

For Brown, who stands at 5-11 and 180 pounds, his future could fall on either offense or defense as an accomplished running back and a stingy nickelback. Michigan hasn't picked up a running back commit yet and only has two defensive backs in the fold, so Brown would be a welcomed addition that could slot in at multiple positions if he were to pick U-M.

Here is how the freshly minted SI All-American breaks down:

Frame: Sturdy frame with ideal frame for nickel corner or spread offense running back. Room for additional weight throughout.

Athleticism: Balanced running style with a strong upright running motion. Easily manipulates his core and shoulders to get skinny around edges and through holes. With his plus straight-line speed, he genuinely makes returning kicks/punts look like a piece of cake.

Instincts: Exceptional vision as a ball carrier. A very dynamic player with a non-stop motor. Very efficient runner. Valuable experience running through traffic in the box, and he’s got experience using his speed to stretch open cutback lanes.

Polish: One-cut-and-go type of running back: His favorite “move” is the jump cut. My favorite part was when he beat the entire team to the boundary and into the endzone again and again. And again. He’s tough to just get a hand on.

Bottom Line: Two things come to mind after watching Prophet Brown’s tape. The first is; He might be a good collegiate cornerback. The second is this; He will be a good running back or slot in space. He’s got serious wheels and is hard enough to touch, let alone tackle.

As for Thomas, Michigan recently landed its third wide receiver commitment when Fresno (Calif.) Central East four-star Xavier Worthy chose the Wolverines, but the current belief is that U-M will take a fourth player at the position if that prospect is Jayden Thomas.

Thomas mentioned that he would be dropping his top five schools this Friday, and Michigan is expected to make the cut. Previously, Thomas had released a top group of: Virginia Tech, Michigan, LSU, Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Ohio State, but the strong senior receiver is looking to cut that list in half later this week.

While Georgia is pursuing the in-state prospect, Michigan and Notre Dame are the two leading contenders to land Thomas' services at the moment. Recruiting is fluid and can always change, but that is the current read on the uncommitted prospect.

Here is why Thomas was a simple selection to include for the SI All-American team:

Frame: Mature body, with quick first step. Physical football player that doubles as a free safety in high school.

Athleticism: Extremely powerful athlete with the ball in his hands. Built like a running back playing wide receiver and runs like it. Just a football player. Played wideout, safety, corner, running back, even threw a couple of passes.

Instincts: Has a high football IQ and plays with tremendous body control. Seems to always know where he is on the field, especially near the pylons and sidelines. Attacks the ball in the air and takes pressure off his quarterback. Translates to great range and ball skills in the secondary.

Polish: Young man tracks the ball exceptionally well and is coached by one of the best wide-receiver coaches in the southeast in former Georgia star, Terrence Edwards. Route running is fluid and efficient. Also blocks physically in space.

Bottom Line: There’s tape of Thomas when he was 10 years old, snagging balls that high school wideouts struggle to catch. He’s been one of the best players in Georgia for over a decade already and he’s continued to develop his game. Just an all-around good player in every facet of the game with legit two-way potential.

If Michigan could land these two prospects, the Wolverines would then have 22 pledges in the '21 cycle and would likely finish out the year with a top five class overall.

Would you like to see Michigan go after a fourth wide receiver or a second tight end in this class? As for Prophet Brown, which position do you see him making an easier transition to, running back or cornerback? Let us know!