Commit Impact: What landing On300 LB Jeremiah Beasley means for Michigan

Michigan scored an important recruiting win when On300 Belleville (Mich.) High linebacker Jeremiah Beasley gave the Wolverines a verbal pledge on Wednesday night.

The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder picked U-M over fellow finalists Michigan State and Missouri.

Beasley is the 24th member of Michigan’s 2024 recruiting class.

Here are some quick takes on what Beasley’s commitment means for the Wolverines.

1 Beasley marks the seventh commitment for Michigan this month. And the Wolverines should see more verbal pledges before the end of summer. After all, Michigan is the leader on the On3 Recruiting Machine for targets like four-star EDGE recruits Elias Rudolph and Jacob Smith, four-star wide receiver Jordan Shipp and On300 offensive lineman Michael Uini. The Wolverines are also still in play with top defensive back targets Aaron Scott, Jordon Johnson-Rubell and Jameer Grimsley ahead of their expected July decisions.

2. So how did this one happen? Michigan State was considered the early lead for Beasley. His half-brother Maliq Carr plays for the Spartans, and many expected Beasley to follow him to East Lansing. Beasley was slated to make a decision in March but pushed things back. That allowed Michigan to take full control of this recruitment in the spring. The Wolverines impressed on multiple unofficial visits and got him back on campus for an official visit during Victors Weekend. The Wolverines completely sealed the deal there.

3. Michigan co-defensive coordinator and area recruiter Steve Clinkscale deserves a lot of credit for winning this recruitment. Clinkscale made Beasley a top priority as an underclassman and built a genuine relationship with Beasley and his family for multiple years. On top of that, Clinkscale has been a big reason Michigan has been able to mend fences in its own backyard. Clinkscale’s ties to the Sound Mind Sound Body program and high school coaches in the Detroit-metro are making things much easier for in-state recruiting.

4. Michigan has obviously had a bit of a bumpy road recruiting at Belleville over the last few years. It’s no secret that former Belleville head coach Jermain Crowell despised Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh. Even when Harbaugh tried to shake his hand at a satellite camp a couple of years ago, Crowell refused. Crowell is no longer at Belleville due to recruiting violations, which means Michigan shouldn’t have much of an issue recruiting the local powerhouse moving forward.

5. And that’s extremely important as Belleville is the home of five-star 2025 quarterback Bryce Underwood, Michigan’s top overall target for next cycle. Having Beasley as part of the program will only help Michigan in this recruitment. Beasley has been a multi-year starter at Belleville and is someone that has been a constant figure in Underwood’s life — the two are also part of the Sound Mind Sound Body program. Belleville players have underwhelmed at the next level as of late, but both Beasley and Underwood should be studs.

6. Beasley is the perfect scheme fit for Michigan. While he’s a little on the shorter side, Beasley is fast for his size and can get sideline-to-sideline in a hurry. Remember, Beasley started his career as a running back and still plays the position for Belleville. He has a compact frame in both his upper and lower halves and will easily play at 230 in Ann Arbor. Beasley is also physical and aggressive. He’s the heart and soul of a Belleville team coming off another state title. Michigan sees him as their future WILL.

7. Where Beasley has really impressed over the last two offseasons is in pass coverage. I’ve had a chance to see Bealey at multiple club 7v7 tournaments, and he’s consistently a top performer. Linebackers are often a weak point for 7v7 teams. However, Beasley is terrific in the middle of the field and has no issue covering bigger tight ends or quicker running backs. I even saw him play some corner last year and look comfortable doing so. He can flip his hips and just has a knack for making plays on the ball. He reminds me of Patrick Queen, who I covered during my time on the Texas beat. Queen is now a starter for the Baltimore Ravens.

8. So what’s next at the linebacker position? Michigan landed Beasley but did miss out on fellow On300 prospect Aaron Chiles, who was projected to play MIKE. As things stand right now, Michigan is just going to take the L when it comes to Chiles. The Wolverines are very happy with Beasley as well as flex takes like Cole Sullivan and Jaden Smith. Both can play more traditional linebacker roles or move around the field if needed. Michigan could add another name or two later in the cycle, but right now, the board is basically empty.

9. Here are the commits by position

1 – Quarterback

2 – Running Back

2 – Wide Receiver

2 – Tight End

5 – Offensive Line

4 – Defensive Line

2 – EDGE

2 – Linebacker

1 – Defensive Back

3 – Athlete

10. Here are the commits by state

2 – Connecticut

1 – Florida

1 – Illinois

2 – Maryland

3 – Michigan

1 – Missouri

1 – Nevada

1 – New Jersey

3 – North Carolina

4 – Ohio

2 – Pennsylvania

1 – Tennessee

1 – Texas

1 – Washington

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