The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/603303
FOOTBALL RECRUITING RASHAN GARY Paramus (N.J.) Catholic No. 2 overall — 233 team recruiting points The 6-5, 290-pound Gary is the top prospect on Michigan's board, and the second-best player overall in the na- tion, with a chance to end the recruit- ing season No. 1. He has taken an of- ficial visit to campus, and will also see Auburn, USC and likely a couple more schools before his recruitment ends. Michigan's connection to Paramus Catholic — former head coach Chris Partridge is now the Wolverines' direc- tor of player personnel — is a key in Gary's recruitment. Landing the big lineman is likely necessary for U-M if they want to contend for top honors in the nation. MECOLE HARDMAN JR. Bowman (Ga.) Elbert County No. 16 overall — 214 team recruiting points The 5-10, 171-pound Hardman is an electric playmaker — and a strong per- formance at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl could see that playmaking abil- ity bump him up in the rankings a bit. He has long favored Tennessee and Georgia, but plans to take an official visit to Ann Arbor for the Wolverines' regular-season finale against Ohio State Nov. 28. While Hardman isn't as crucial to Michigan's quest to top the nation's re- cruiting classes (in part because he's perhaps the least likely of these five- stars to actually end up in the winged helmet), landing him would keep him away from the SEC schools that look like the primary competition at the top of the board. CALEB KELLY Fresno (Calif.) Clovis West No. 17 overall — 213 team recruiting points The 6-3, 214-pound Kelly is a long, athletic linebacker whose physical abilities have him ranked among the nation's best, even though he's not a finished product. He has taken official visits to Michigan, and Oregon, and will see Notre Dame, Oklahoma and a school yet to be named before making his college decision. Michigan and Oklahoma have been the primary contenders for his signa- ture, though Kelly will take all of his official visits before coming to a final decision. If he sees greater opportu- nity in Ann Arbor than Norman — and the Maize and Blue need linebackers to come in and play immediately in the 2016 class — he could be a Wolverine. ISAAC NAUTA Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy No. 18 overall — 212 team recruiting points Nauta is a 6-3, 234-pound Georgia na- tive plying his trade at the IMG board- ing school in Central Florida for his se- nior year. He has taken official visits to Alabama, Georgia and Michigan, and will see TCU and likely USC before mak- ing his college commitment. He de- committed from Florida State over the summer and is no longer considering the Seminoles. His hometown school, Georgia, is the