The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MAY 2024 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 41 ❱ MICHIGAN RECRUITING NOTEBOOK Orleans and also lined up at cornerback, where he shut down multiple Power Five wide receiver recruits. Michigan has hosted the On300 prospect on sev- eral occasions and has the early lead on the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine. — EJ Holland TOP RECRUITS SET TO VISIT MICHIGAN IN APRIL Michigan had a busy month of March, with several highly touted 2025 recruits making their way to Ann Arbor. While U-M did not notch a commit- ment, it did position itself well for key targets this cycle and guaranteed itself return trips for summer official visits. Michigan will look to keep building on that momentum this month. The weekend of April 6-7 was a mas- sive one for wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy with Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic top-100 prospect Quincy Por- ter and Red Oak (Texas) High four-star prospect Taz Williams Jr. both in town. The Wolverines are in desperate need of a big-bodied wide receiver, and Por- ter definitely fits the description at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds. Michigan has the slight lead on the On3 Recruiting Pre- diction Machine, but Big Ten rivals Ohio State and Penn State are at the top of his list as well. The same April weekend presented an opportunity for Bellamy and company to cement U-M's status as the team to beat going into summer official visits. Michigan was thought to be the fa- vorite for the Lone Star State product, but no decision was forthcoming after his trip to Ann Arbor. Michigan also played host to three- star New Orleans Archbishop Shaw wide receiver Jacob Washington in early April. Washington is another big- bodied wide receiver at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds. While Porter is at the very top of the board, Washington could be in play as well. He attends the same high school that Bellamy graduated from and is willing to leave the South. Las Vegas Bishop Gorman top-100 wide receiver Derek Meadows is yet an- other highly touted pass catcher set to be on campus. Meadows, who has ties to Chicagoland, is considered a heavy Notre Dame lean. However, he will give Michi- gan a fair shot to change the tide during his trip for the spring game April 20. The aforementioned Williams may not be the only recruit on commit watch. Birmingham (Mich.) Groves four-star offensive lineman Avery Gach is making his second visit of the spring, and it's clear Michigan has the lead in this recruitment. Gach has been ada- mant about taking his recruitment into the summer, but Michigan would love to close with him sooner than expected. New Michigan running backs coach Tony Alford is off to a hot start. Alford was able to get three top-100 running backs on campus in March and is now set to host the nation's No. 1 ball carrier in the 2026 class in Woodberry Forest (Va.) School's Savion Hiter April 18. With Al- ford on staff, Michigan is going after the best of the best at the position. That does, however, mean that Al- ford is completely resetting the board. Gaithersburg (Md.) Quince Orchard On300 running back Iverson Howard is set to come in for the spring and was former U-M running backs coach Mike Hart's top target this cycle. However, Alford has prioritized other backs, and Howard's status remains unclear. Speaking of unclear statuses, Michi- gan has a brand new defensive staff that is also resetting its board. The Wolver- ines are currently trending for Colum- bus (Ohio) Franklin On300 cornerback Dawayne Galloway, but new secondary coach LaMar Morgan has appeared to prioritize others so far. Galloway is set to make a visit to Michigan April 18, and there is buzz he wants to pull the trigger soon after. Will Michigan let him hop on board or con- tinue to craft the board? That's a huge storyline to watch later this month. Indianapolis Ben Davis top-100 cor- nerback Mark Zackery is a take all the way and is set to be on campus for the spring game. Notre Dame is the heavy favorite, but Morgan has been making a strong impression so far. If any team can beat out Notre Dame in this race, it's the Wolverines. Michigan hosted Stockbridge (Ga.) High three-star linebacker Chase Taylor this week. He is an early priority for new linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary, who has recruited well in the Peach State in the past. Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei top-100 prospect Nasir Wyatt is another highly touted linebacker set to be on campus this month. Wyatt, who can also play edge, will be a tough pull from the West Coast, but this visit shows his interest is legitimate. Overall, there will be plenty of oppor- tunity for Michigan to create some buzz on the recruiting trail. The commitments should come — whether that's now or closer to official visits, only time will tell. — EJ Holland RECRUITING DEPARTMENT EXPANDS Michigan has hired former player Jack Dunaway as an assistant director of recruiting. The Wolverines are also expected to add Georgia's John Collins in the same role. Dunaway is already in Michigan is set to host Woodberry Forest (Va.) School standout Savion Hiter, the nation's No. 1 running back in the 2026 class, on April 18. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND