Inside look at Michigan’s push to flip an On300 Texas A&M CB commit

Michigan possesses one cornerback commit in the 2025 recruiting class in On300 Kilgore (Tex.) High’s Jayden Sanders. But the Wolverines aren’t done yet.

Defensive backs coach LaMar Morgan is building communication with a number of projected cornerbacks committed elsewhere this cycle and their loved ones. A Texas A&M pledge, On300 Goodyear (Ariz.) Desert Edge’s Jamar Beal-Goines, is on Morgan’s shortlist, and it makes sense why.

At 6-foot, 175 pounds, Beal-Goines is the No. 1 overall prospect in the state of Arizona, according to On3. Also ranked in the Top 20 nationally amongst all cornerbacks, Beal-Goines’ measureables stand out considerably, holding a 42.5-inch standing vertical, 12-foot broad jump. 4.2 40-yard dash and a 10.43 100-meter dash.

“Athletically, he’s probably as gifted as anybody I’ve been around in my time coaching,” Desert Edge head coach Henri MacArthur told The Wolverine. “He’s as gifted as you could imagine a high school corner would be. He’s elite. He came in as a really good football player, but I think he’s really starting to fine-tune himself as a technician at the corner position rather than just a really good athlete who’s a good football player figuring out the position.

“In youth (league), I think he played some running back, some quarterback, some receiver, some safety. He had been everywhere. He had never really focused his talent on one area, which is what he did when we got him. I actually coached corners, so I’ve been working with Jamar hands-on for a long time. That’s where, I think, he’s taking the biggest step this offseason in becoming a true student and technician of that particular position.”

As good of a player Beal-Goines is on the field, his impact is felt just as much throughout the Desert Edge community.

“He’s been great,” MacArthur said. “His teammates love him, the teachers I love him. The administration at our school loves him. He’s one of those kids that’s just a good kid. He’ll go out of his way to pick up a teammate that needs a ride to practice or to go get some food before practice or whatever. He’s not selfish at all. He’ll go out of his way for his teammates. He’s just a really good kid with a good personality, always smiling, doesn’t really have too many bad days, very coachable. Overall, really, really great kid.”

Michigan offered Beal-Goines two weeks after the four-star chose Texas A&M on April 28, with co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Jordan Peterson leading the way in securing the pledge.

“(Peterson) recruited our school really, really well at Kansas. So, he was one of the first Power 5 coaches on Jamar,” MacArthur said. “Then, when he went to A&M, he stayed on (Beal-Goines). (Peterson) did a really good job recruiting him, and he made a really good connection with Jamar and Jamar’s family. I think they had an interest in that conference and in that part of the country. They had a great relationship (with Peterson) that existed, as well as playing in the SEC, which was, I believe, a goal of his. I just think it checked off a lot of the boxes. Then, when they went down on a visit, they felt like that was the place.”

With National Signing Day over three months away, teams like Michigan are inquiring about On3‘s No. 189 overall prospect in the country to MacArthur, who’s pinpointed a select few that have pushed to make contact this offseason.

In the 2024 recruiting class, Michigan was vying to flip eventual Kansas EDGE signee Deshawn Warner, a Desert Edge graduate.

“I’ve heard from (Michigan) a good amount of times, as well as a few other programs. There’s definitely programs, I would say, in the mix in terms of their effort,” MacArthur said. “(Beal-Goines is) happy with his commitment, and he’s squared away. But I’ve heard from Michigan. I’ve heard from Florida. I’ve heard from Tennessee, from Alabama, a lot of different programs (about) Jamar.”

Since offering Beal-Goines, Morgan has been in regular correspondence with MacArthur.

“He’s been great,” MacArthur said. “I think when we first connected, he was a little late. He felt like he was a little late to get into the party on Jamar, and he wanted to come down here and watch him in person, which he did. He always was communicative with me, so he’s been great.”

Following Beal-Goines’ commitment, he hasn’t visited or isn’t scheduled to travel anywhere outside of College Station, including Michigan. His upcoming senior season, teammates, and physical development are among the current priorities, as opposed to recruiting. Still, Morgan is pressing in order to satisfy a need in U-M’s 2025 class.

“He’s different than some of the other kids I’ve had in a recruiting game in the sense of I don’t think he really looks too deep into it. Jamar and I haven’t even had a conversation regarding recruiting in a while,” MacArthur said. “I’ll let him know when schools reach out because I think that’s the right thing to do. ‘Hey, just so you know, (this program) hit me. They said they’re going to get in contact with you or whatever.’ But our conversations have been 100 percent focused on the goal of him playing as the No. 1 corner in the country. That’s what it needs to look like on film. ‘Every game, when you turn on the film, you need to be able to watch yourself and I need to be able to watch you and say, That’s the best guy. In the country.’”

MacArthur’s expectations for Beal-Goines this fall are through the roof, and the same can be said for Texas A&M and those looking to jump the Aggies like Michigan.

“I’ve coached a lot of corners, a lot of guys that have went Power 5, so I know what it takes, and he knows what it takes,” MacArthur said. “He knows he can be that, and I think he can be that. My expectation is for him to play every single snap like the No. 1 corner in the country. As far as his leadership, I think that’s another big jump that he’s taken. Jamar is a very humble kid. He does his own thing, and he never, I don’t think, had to really feel that all eyes were on him until this spring. He realized, ‘Wait a minute, I’m going to be a senior. Everybody’s looking at me.’ I think he’s embraced that and really stepped it up. He has really turned that part on in his game and making sure that he’s leading the right way, leading by example, doing the drills the right way, trying to be first every time we condition, lifting hard in the weight room.

“I think the sky’s the limit. I think he’s a guy that has every physical tool that anybody would want out of a corner. He’s 6-foot, he can run, he can jump, he’s strong. I think he gets into a program, puts on another 10-15 pounds, gets up in that 187-188 range. At that point, he’s just got to continue to get better and keep the mindset that he has, which is a great mindset, to be the best and compete. If he does that, the sky’s the limit. That’s why I put such high expectations on him when I talk to him because we’re not going to sell ourselves short.”

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