One big thing that changed over the past few seasons for Michigan football is that it had exemplary linebacker play — whether it was Josh Ross or Junior Colson or Michael Barrett, the players roaming the middle of the defense have been astounding.
And the Wolverines hope to keep that going with the next recruiting class.
The maize and blue still have a cadre of excellent linebackers with Ernest Hausmann, Jaishawn Barham, Jaydon Hood, and Jimmy Rolder, but they need to refill the coffers for when those players depart sooner than later. One player who the Wolverines are in the thick of it with is 2025 Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy four-star Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng.
Owusu-Boateng just took an official visit to USC and will see Notre Dame and Ohio State in the following weeks before making his way to Ann Arbor for ‘Victors Weekend’ on June 21. When it comes to that official visit, Owusu-Boateng is less looking to learn about the program as much as he is ensuring that what he knows of it is true.
“Just confirm it all. That’s the thing with my visit, just to confirm the feeling of it all,” Owusu-Boateng told WolverinesWire. “Really just to talk to Coach Moore, talk to Coach Wink, those guys, see how they see me fit. It’s a program – of course I want to go to a program where I’m needed and I’m wanted, where I can go and I can (play) early.”
In recent months, even with the staff turnover, Owusu-Boateng has developed a solid footing in terms of his relationship with the coaching staff.
Starting with prodigal linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary, who he has known for some time, and trickling down to defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, Owusu-Boateng hopes to continually bolster his relationship with the coaches so that he can build comfortability. What’s more, he’s excited about potentially playing for a coach in Martindale who has coached some of the best linebackers of all time during his tenure in the NFL.
“I wouldn’t have Michigan in my top schools for no reason,” Owusu-Boateng said. “I would say early attraction to them, not only did they just come off of a national championship, me and the linebackers coach, we’ve been staying in touch. Me and Coach B.J. have been staying in touch ever since he’s been at Tennessee. So whenever he came over to Michigan, (having a) bigger platform was (important) to me, just to be able to continue that relationship. Knowing that Coach Wink came over and knowing he coached great linebackers like Ray Lewis and things of that sort.”
Notre Dame is certainly a factor as his brother, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, played for the Irish. He’s making his pitch for South Bend, but Michigan will have its chance on June 21 to make a pitch of its own.
Owusu-Boateng doesn’t intend on making a decision until sometime in the fall, whether it be near the start of his senior season or potentially as late as early signing day in December.
But when it comes to finding his next destination, he wants a place that’s more than football, somewhere where he can play but it will also prepare him for life.
“Somewhere I know I can go and I can come in and make (an impact). Somewhere I can (play) knowing it’s based on my performance,” Owusu-Boateng said. “I know all these stars, all these things don’t matter. Going somewhere where I know I can attack the program – not only that but academics, not only academics, but relationships as well. Because that’s a big thing to me. Just building on to the – if you feel lost, relationships as well. Life beyond football, as well. Because you can only play for so long so you just know you can go to a program where you can (get more than football).”
247Sports lists Owusu-Boateng as the No. 70 player in the country, regardless of position. He’s the No. 7 linebacker and No. 9 player in the state of Florida.