The Wolverine

March 2020 Issue

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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2020 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE Jeffrey Persi on the U-M offensive line coach "When I talked to Coach [Ed] Warinner the first time I went up there, he told me he sees me as a prototypi- cal left tackle." 46 THE WOLVERINE MARCH 2020 2020 Projection M i c h i g a n h a s a cc u m u l a te d depth along the offensive line, af- ter having six come in as a part of the 2019 recruiting class, in addition to the upperclassmen that return. That means Persi will very likely not see the field as a freshman, giving him time to de- velop in the weight room and of- fensive system. After his redshirt year, there will be no limit to how good a player Persi can become, with his prototypical size and out- standing athleticism. JEFFREY PERSI OFFENSIVE LINEMAN 6-7 • 275 JSERRA CATHOLIC H.S. MISSION VIEJO, CALIF. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ — 35* 28 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 290 26* 27 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ — 36* 30 * Ranked as an offensive tackle HONORS • Played for the U.S. National Team in the 2020 International Bowl. • Named first-team All-State by Max- Preps in 2019. RECRUITMENT • Committed to Michigan on June 25, 2019. • Also had offers from Arizona, Ari- zona State, Auburn, Nebraska and USC, among others. • Recruited by offensive line coach Ed Warinner. BY EJ HOLLAND Jeffrey Persi closed the chapter on his high school football career by tak- ing part in the International Bowl in January. The four-star offensive tackle from San Juan Capistrano (Ca- lif.) JSerra helped Team USA notch a blowout victory over Team Panama. For Persi, it was a unique oppor- tunity to play for his country on the big stage and become familiar with future U-M teammate Matt Hibner. "It's an honor to represent my coun- try," Persi said. "It's really cool. Matt and I had a chance to bond over this week. We're just getting to know each other. He's a great guy. He's kind of reserved, but he's a great athlete." Persi committed to Michigan over offers from Oklahoma, USC, Utah, Washington and others dur- ing the summer and remained solid throughout the process despite pro- grams closer to home remaining in contact. He signed with the Wolverines in December and was excited to put pen to paper. "I just felt confident," Persi said. "I liked everything about the school, the coaches and the environment. I just knew it was the place for me when I went on the official visit and committed. I never wavered." Michigan also did a terrific job with Persi's family. Jeffery Persi Sr. was quick to credit head coach Jim Harbaugh for his personal involvement as well as the entire staff for their relentless work during the recruiting process. "Credit to Harbaugh and his team," Persi Sr. said. "I have yet to walk into a facility and have the ca- maraderie and love that those guys show — not as position groups, but as a whole team. I was blown away. When we came home and we con- versed with Jeff on locations, Okla- homa was one. Washington was re- ally big on him. "It was really surprising to hear him say how much he enjoyed the town of Ann Arbor, the coach- ing staff and the busi- ness school. We were blown away." A c a d e m i c s a l s o played a big role for the family. Persi is a great student in the classroom and is look- ing forward to receiving a prestigious education during his time at Michi- gan. Persi Sr. said finding the right blend of academics Persi was rated as a consensus four-star prospect by the three major recruiting services. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND Towering Tackle Jeffrey Persi Has A Super High Ceiling

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