Five final Michigan recruiting takeaways from the road

Five thoughts on Michigan recruiting from the road…

1. Walker’s status up in the air

Michigan landed a commitment from rising 2025 Buford (Ga.) High linebacker Mantrez Walker in February. It’s no secret Michigan has been trying to build momentum at Buford, which has quickly ascended into a national powerhouse. U-M defensive coordinator Jesse Minter made several stops in the offseason, and head coach Jim Harbaugh also swung by last fall. The Wolverines welcomed Walker with open arms when he made his decision, but there is no guarantee he ends up in the class. Walker wasn’t a Chris Partridge recruit, and Michigan’s new linebackers coach has not been in contact. On top of that, Walker is open to visiting other schools, including Miami, which really has his attention. I’m not sure he’s even in the class by this time next year. We’ll see how it all plays out.

2. Baker is what Hart wants

Michigan running backs coach Mike Hart has his type of back — a shorter, thicker between the tackles runner much like he was. That’s why Hart brought in CJ Stokes and Ben Hall over the last couple of cycles. On300 2025 Buford (Ga.) High ball carrier Justin Baker fits that same mold. In fact, I called him a mix between Hall and Stokes in my evaluation piece. At 5-foot-9, 200 pounds, Baker was at his best when pounding the opposition, often gaining three, four or five yards. Baker only had a couple of runs that were 10-plus and none more than 20 yards. But that’s okay. Hart loves Baker’s style, build and skillset. Regardless of what happens with Walker, Michigan is in a really strong position with Baker. Hart is making him a top priority next cycle.

3. Michigan still trending well with Graham

Michigan is considered the heavy leader for Top 100 Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy athlete Alex Graham, who transferred to the national powerhouse from Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech this offseason. Graham has visited Michigan on multiple occasions, grew up around the program and just feels comfortable in Ann Arbor. He’s also very open to returning home for college an has a strong bond with lead recruiter Steve Clinkscale, who is making him a top priority at corner. The move to the Southeast hasn’t affected his recruitment at all — at least for now. NIL schools like Miami, Oregon and Tennessee are showing increasing interest. Will NIL become more of a factor next year? Only time will tell.

4. Michigan may lead for MSU legacy

Four-star Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy offensive lineman Kaden Strayhorn is the son of former Michigan State captain and current analyst Jayson Strayhorn. The Spartans also have a heavy lead for Kaden on the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine. However, I get the feeling that Michigan actually has the early lead in this recruitment. Michigan offensive line coach Sherrone Moore has been making Strayhorn a priority as an interior offensive lineman and talks to him on a weekly basis. Strayhorn has also visited multiple times, is a cousin of Donovan Edwards and loves U-M’s offensive line play. Michigan makes more sense than Michigan State overall, but the Wolverines still need to overcome the family tie to MSU.

5. A lot of LB options

I saw seven 2025 linebacker recruits with Michigan offers last weekend alone. There are a lot of options out there for Michigan and Partridge next cycle. Obviously, the Wolverines have a commitment from Walker, but they’ve also played host to On300 Philadelphia (Pa.) St. Joseph’s Prep prospect Anthony Sacca and rising Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy prospect Parker Meese. On the flip side of the coin, Top 100 Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy prospect Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, On300 Philadelphia (Pa.) St. Joseph’s Prep prospect Cam Smith and rising Buford (Ga.) High prospect Kenyon Rivera are all looking to visit this fall. And there are many other names on the board.

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