Michigan In Position For Huge Finish To 2021 Class
Though Michigan's 2021 class is over half of the way complete, the Wolverines are still in store for a couple big pickups as the cycle pushes forward. With 19 commits, U-M has a prospect or two committed at just about every position save for running back and defensive tackle, so the staff needs to address those spots before calling it a wrap and putting a bow on the current class. The team also could use a true guard prospect with Greg Crippen having center experience, and on the outside at wide receiver both Cristian Dixon and Markus Allen are tall, strong kids, so a dynamic speedster out of the slot would provide an excellent complement to that group.
Who might these prospects be and will any of them announce their college decision soon? It's time to take a look:
Fresno (Calif.) Central East four-star wide receiver Xavier Worthy
After extending an offer to Xavier Worthy back in February, Michigan felt it had gotten in on one of the premier slot talents in the country fairly early. Back then, Worthy was modestly rated across various recruiting sites, and he didn't sport the powerhouse, star-studded offer sheet that he does now.
Fast forward to present times and Worthy has a final six of Michigan, Auburn, Alabama, Oregon, LSU and Georgia. Towards the end of June, Worthy had announced a commitment date, which led many to believe the four-star was trending to Oregon. However, Worthy quickly backed off that schedule and changed his announcement date to July 10, so by the end of the week Michigan may have its third wide receiver in the fold.
One interesting note is that since Worthy's recruitment blew up during the recruiting dead period, he has not had an opportunity to visit any school that is part of his final six. Not having that on-campus experience could make it difficult for any school to feel they have a good shot with Worthy, but the Michigan coaching staff, current players and committed recruits have all put in time there and most feel that Worthy is set to pick the Wolverines on Friday.
West Bloomfield (Mich.) High four-star running back Donovan Edwards
From an on-field perspective, Donovan Edwards is the top high school football player in the state of Michigan right now, and the nation's No. 2 running back is the type of player that can change the direction of a program. Now, Michigan is not in need of a reboot here, but Edwards has the talent to produce at a high level as the focal point for a collegiate offense.
Prior to transitioning to running back, Edwards was a skilled receiver that pushed the secondary to stay honest when he was on the field. Edwards has parlayed that talent into being a strong receiver from running back, and his overall agility, speed, athleticism, footwork and hands have benefited him at that role as well.
From a recruiting standpoint, the longer Edwards remains on the market, the better for Michigan. All throughout the coronavirus situation, West Bloomfield head coach Ron Bellamy told Wolverine Digest that Edwards is big on taking his five official visits, and he's looking to wait to announce until that time. Ohio State was once considered a threat, but they have filled up at that position. Georgia is another school Bellamy mentioned on his player's list, but Georgia has one running back committed and is in the mix for a couple others. Oklahoma has been thrown around as another school to have his attention, and they have yet to land a ball carrier, so they could stress the playing time role to their favor.
However, Michigan has hosted Edwards numerous times, the entire coaching staff has played an active role in his recruitment, and while the Wolverines may have difficulty recruiting at Belleville High School at the moment, the opposite could be said for West Bloomfield High School. Edwards is a top target for U-M, and the smart money would be on him choosing Michigan shortly after taking a couple officials this fall. There is no timetable for a decision at the moment.
Clarkston (Mich.) High four-star offensive guard Rocco Spindler
At Clarkston, Rocco Spindler is a part of one of the strongest offensive line units in the state with fellow four-star Garrett Dellinger heading to LSU next year. But for Spindler, while the Tigers are listed in his top group, most believe that the energetic, mobile lineman is destined to stay in the Midwest.
In addition to LSU, a group of Penn State, Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame were all included in Spindler's final five from the end of May. He is another kid that is determined to take his official visits before making a decision, so he may not come off the board for quite some time either.
Michigan offensive line coach Ed Warinner has done a quality job of explaining Spindler's future role in college should he choose the Wolverines, and the coveted in-state prospect would be the only true pure guard in the 2021 class. That itself could fast-track Spindler towards some playing time in Ann Arbor.
It appears that the Wolverines have slowed down on their pursuit and recruitment of most offensive line targets, so that would lead one to believe that the team is confident with both the current players committed and those that U-M is in on, such as Spindler. If Michigan felt that Spindler would be leaving the state, it would stand to reason that Drew Kendall would have been pushed to issue a pledge by this point, but that has not happened and the rumbling surronding Spindler largely point to Michigan at this point.
Jersey City (NJ) St. Peter's Prep four-star defensive tackle George Rooks
Hailing from the east coast, George Rooks may build some momentum in a state that the Wolverines did very well in not too many years ago. As a bigger defensive lineman that looks well suited to play tackle in college, George Rooks is a quiet kid that prefers to let his play on the field do the talking.
That on-field talking has produced offers from schools such as Michigan, Miami, Alabama and Georgia, but the majority of recruiting scuttlebutt exists between the four-star D-Lineman and Michigan. In this instance, a tandem of defensive line coach Shaun Nua and tight ends coach Sherrone Moore have worked steadfastly to bring in the 6-5, 260-pound recruit. In the past, Rooks has visited Michigan for a camp, so that certainly helps boost U-M's cause, and he is one of the most likely interior defensive lineman to pick the Wolverines in this cycle.
Oak Park (Mich.) High four-star defensive lineman Rayshaun Benny
Though listed in some places as an offensive tackle, Rayshaun Benny is a two-way player that would actually prefer to play on defense at the next level. With that in mind, the Wolverines have approached his recruitment looking to land him at that very spot.
At the moment, Benny has not released a top group yet, but he is hearing a lot from the likes of Michigan, Michigan State, Arkansas, Kentucky, Ohio State, Tennessee, Penn State and Arizona State, so several schools are embroiled in a battle for the talented lineman. Some of those schools are looking at Benny on offense, so that factor may benefit the Wolverines quite a bit.
For Michigan, closing with both Benny and Rooks on the interior defensive line would cap off a strong class of pass rushers and run stoppers. U-M has a handful of talented defensive ends in the fold right now, so some depth up the middle would serve the program well in the future.
From an offensive perspective, the skilled positions would receive a big boost with Worthy and Edwards in the fold as perhaps the two most dynamic recruits in U-M's entire 2021 class, and Spindler would help shore up what is already a strong offensive line haul by adding some balance to the group. Overall, this type of finish would make Michigan almost a lock to finish in the top five nationally, and it would rank right up there with head coach Jim Harbaugh's best all-time classes in Ann Arbor.
Who do you most want Michigan to close with? How do you think the Wolverines stand with the five highlights players here? Let us know!
