What’s next? A closer look at Michigan EDGE recruiting

Two down, two to go.

Michigan landed its second four-star EDGE of the cycle when Ijamsville (Md.) Oakdale’s Dominic Nichols jumped in the class over the weekend. Nichols joined Brandywine (Md.) Gwynn Park’s Devon Baxter, who picked the Wolverines earlier this month.

In Nichols, U-M is getting a high floor prospect that has the frame to be a bigger EDGE in the same mold as Mike Morris or grow into a 4i. Nichols still has some ceiling as well and should excel under Ben Herbert in Michigan’s strength and conditioning program.

Comparing Michigan EDGE recruits to David Ojabo is growing tiresome. However, Baxter definitely fits the description. An extremely raw talent, Baxter still has a lot of work to do from a technical standpoint, but he has the skillset to be an elite pass rusher in Ann Arbor in a few years. His upside is very Ojabo-like.

Now, Michigan is looking to add two more EDGE prospects to the fold.

The list could grow by one early next week as four-star Deerfield (Fla.) Beach prospect Elias Rudolph is set to announce his decision on July 3. Rudolph recently canceled his official visit to Ohio State and is now down to Michigan, Miami and Pitt. I have a prediction in for Michigan, which has a 93.8 percent chance of landing him.

At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, Rudolph is listed as a linebacker, but the Wolverines are recruiting him as a pure pass rusher. Rudolph is in a similar mold as Baxter in the sense that he’s still raw technically but has a tremendous athletic ceiling. Those around the Michigan program have described him as a ‘freak.’ Remember, On3 once had him ranked as a Top 30 recruit nationally before dropping him to a low four-star.

Michigan is also working hard to close with fellow four-star EDGE Jacob Smith, the twin brother of four-star U-M defensive line commit Jerod Smith. Jacob was back in Ann Arbor for an unofficial visit over the weekend after making his official visit to kick off the month of June. Jacob is down to Michigan and Nebraska and isn’t afraid to create his own path. However, Michigan’s recent EDGE production and the opportunity to play with his sibling will likely be too much to pass up.

Michigan has a 94.0 percent chance of landing Jacob, per the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, ahead of his expected July decision. If the Wolverines do land Jacob, they’ll be getting a Mike Elston and Jesse Minter favorite, so there should be no need to worry about his evaluation. Jacob brings a strong mix of ceiling and floor and has been a consistent top performer at camps this offseason.

If Michigan misses on Rudolph or Smith, the Wolverines could circle back to Austintown (Ohio) Fitch EDGE Brian Robinson, who remains on the open market. Robinson was considered a Michigan lean for the majority of the cycle before things slowed down earlier this month. If Michigan pushes, the Wolverines could still win the recruitment.

Right now, however, the focus is closing with Rudolph and Smith.

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