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Michigan’s last starting quarterback was under center at the prestigious Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy — how long will it be before yet another Ascenders QB wears the winged helmet?
Well, by the looks of it, next year.
The boarding school in Western Florida continually produces many of the top college football players in the country. It’s a bona fide all-star team, with lower ranked players going there with hopes to get eyes on them, while those who are already five-stars get to play against elite competition.
One such five-star, now, is a Michigan commitment, as longtime pledge J.J. McCarthy announced he’ll be finishing out his high school career in Bradenton.
Onto the next chapterđź’™ pic.twitter.com/vpaQ7pQo2X
— J.J. McCarthy (@jjmccarthy09) May 18, 2020
This could have excellent implications for the Wolverines, given McCarthy’s penchant for recruiting. He’ll be joining forces with fellow Michigan commit Greg Crippen, a guard/center for the Ascenders. But recent decommit Myles Rowser — the 2022 former pledge and brother of Michigan CB Andre Seldon — recently transferred to IMG Academy as well.
Of course there’s other big time players on campus there as well. Michigan has seemingly cooled in its pursuit of five-star offensive lineman JC Latham, a Wisconsin native who seems to be favoring Ohio State, Alabama and LSU. Could a tandem of McCarthy and Crippen help convince him otherwise?
Regardless, it’ll be a good situation, having Michigan’s most prominent commitment in the 2021 class playing for the most visible high school football program in the country.
McCarthy joins IMG Academy after having spent his first three years at Nazareth Academy in Illinois.