Michigan currently has 26 commits in the 2024 high school recruiting class, and seems to be pretty much wrapped up except one or two targets still on the board.
With the youngsters essentially done early, Michigan has turned its full recruiting efforts to portal targets. Last year, the Wolverines landed nine transfers and used seven as starters or heavy rotational pieces. This year, Michigan will be once again looking to pick and choose in order to replace some key players likely departing for the draft after the 2023 campaign wraps up.
Michigan has stayed relatively quiet about its recruiting efforts, but sources have confirmed that two of the top players in the portal are currently on campus and one has even received a prediction to the Wolverines on another site.
The first player on campus in Western Kentucky defensive back Upton Stout. Stout is likely looking to replace Mike Sainristil as the team nickel back and should slide in as a starter on the inside. He recently posted to Instagram that he was in Ann Arbor, so it’s clear the staff has a chance to land him. Stout played in seven games this year and recorded 29 tackles, one interception, and eight passes defensed. He has played four years of college football for two teams (North Texas, Western Kentucky) and has 114 tackles, five interceptions, and 14 passes defensed in his career. Stout is currently the third-ranked cornerback in the portal according to the 247Sports portal rankings.
The second transfer target is Maryland linebacker Jaishawn Barham, who is on campus as well according to Josh Henschke of The Maize & Blue Review.
Can also confirm that Michigan is currently hosting Maryland LB transfer Jaishawn Barhamhttps://t.co/QJGox4aTFb
— Josh Henschke (@JoshHenschke) December 11, 2023
Barham just finished his true sophomore season for the Terps, but is somehow ranked in the mid-eighties on 247Sports. Barham was the 119th player nationally in the class of 2021 and played alongside Michigan defensive end Derrick Moore at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland. Barham recorded 37 tackles, three sacks, and one interception (on J.J. McCarthy) in 10 games this season. Barham has 96 tackles, seven sacks, and one interception in his career. The 6-foot-four, 233-pound linebacker will likely be called on to start next to Ernest Hausmann next season with Junior Colson possibly declaring for the draft. As a true sophomore, Barham has just two years of eligibility remaining and is a likely candidate to remain at Michigan for two seasons as opposed to being a one-year portal rental.
Landing either Barham or Stout would be a massive win, and fix a likely need on the defense next season. There are no timelines for either player to make a decision, but Barham was predicted to Michigan by Steve Lorenz of The Michigan Insider. Keep a lookout as transfer decisions tend to happen quickly.