What’s next? A closer look at Michigan wide receiver recruiting

Michigan landed its first wide receiver commit of the 2024 recruiting class when Channing Goodwin jumped onboard over the weekend.

The three-star prospect out of Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day won’t wow you with testing numbers, but he’s one of the more reliable and consistent pass catchers nationally. Goodwin projects as more of a slot but does have the flexibility to move outside.

Michigan is looking to add three more wide outs to the fold. The most likely candidate to follow Goodwin is I’Marion Stewart. The four-star prospect from Chicago (Ill.) Kenwood Academy has visited U-M on multiple occasions, and the Wolverines are still trending in the right direction ahead of his June 16 official visit.

Like Goodwin, Stewart projects as a slot but can also play on the outside. Stewart doesn’t have verified times, but he’s looked plenty explosive throughout the offseason and is also one of the more consistent pass catchers on the board.

Michigan is also making four-star Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood Day prospect Bredell Richardson a top priority and is in line for a June official visit. Richardson offers slot/outside versatility as well but will be a tougher pull than Stewart.

Of course, Michigan would love to add Goodwin’s teammate, four-star Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day prospect Jordan Shipp. In-state schools North Carolina and NC State are pushing hard to keep Shipp closer to home. However, having both Goodwin and Top 100 quarterback commit Jadyn Davis in his ear will only help.

Shipp, who is a true outside receiver, will take official visits to the three schools mentioned above before making a final decision. Georgia is also monitoring Shipp closely, and an offer from the Bulldogs could cause a shakeup in this recruitment. With that said, Michigan is still in a very strong position here.

A class of Goodwin, Stewart and Shipp seems realistic, but that still leaves room for one more.

Michigan does want to add more size to the wide receiver room. Even if the Wolverines land Shipp, they still want another big-bodied pass catcher.

The Wolverines are shooting their shot for five-star St. Louis (Mo.) University wide out Ryan Wingo and will host him for an official visit next month. However, there is plenty of work to do in this recruitment. At this point, landing Wingo seems more like a dream than a reality.

A more likely candidate is four-star Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas product James Madison II, whose father is a Michigan law school grad. Madison visited Michigan this offseason and is set to return for a summer official visit. This one seems like a Michigan-Florida State battle with Oregon also involved.

Michigan is also working hard on three-star Olney (Md.) Good Counsel prospect Elijah Moore, one of the more underrated receivers nationally. Moore is every bit of 6-foot-4, 180 pounds and has a ton of upside. Moore is looking to make an unofficial visit this month before returning for an official visit this summer. Florida and Ohio State are also around the top.

Michigan is continuing to evaluate guys like three-star New Orleans (La.) St. Augustine prospect Joshua Jackson and three-star King George (Va.) High prospect Mekhai White, but both are currently lower on the board.

Lastly, Michigan is in the Top 5 for Top 100 Burley (Idaho) High wide receiver Gatlin Bair and will host him for an official visit next month. However, Bair, who runs a blazing 10.18 100-meter, is still slated to take a two-year mission upon graduation, which would technically make him a 2026 recruit. Bair would not count towards this cycle’s numbers.

Nebraska is considered the leader here, but Michigan is very capable of turning the tide with a strong OV. Michigan, of course, pulled Colston Loveland out of Idaho last two cycles. Loveland’s former head coach also happens to be Bair’s current head coach.

The post What’s next? A closer look at Michigan wide receiver recruiting appeared first on On3.