There was a time in the recent past when it appeared that 2025 Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith four-star cornerback Jahmari DeLoatch was a lock to end up in Michigan football’s class. But now, that potential is a little murky.
As official visits heat up for the 2025 class, DeLoatch was idle this past weekend but doesn’t have Ann Arbor among his future destinations at the moment. He intends to visit Virginia Tech next week, Cincinnati the following week, and then Vanderbilt after. Those schools, and Wake Forest, comprise those who are currently recruiting him the hardest.
But with the coaching changes on the defense, DeLoatch isn’t as clear about where he stands with Michigan and vice versa at the moment — though he is hearing a lot from the recruiting department in the interim.
WolverinesWire caught up with DeLoatch on Friday evening and he divulged where he stands at the moment as it pertains to the maize and blue.
“Michigan, they’re still one of my top schools, but as of staying high, being completely honest, they’re not as high as they used to be,” DeLoatch told WolverinesWire. “Since the coaching staff switched, the new coaches haven’t been as in contact with me as the old ones were.”
Check out our 2025 Michigan football best-guess list here.
At the moment, Michigan still has the edge for DeLoatch in terms of the 247Sports Crystal Ball, where all three predictions have him becoming a Wolverine.
Though communication has slowed down between the maize and blue and the nation’s No. 28 cornerback (per 247Sports), he does hope that Michigan intensifies its pursuit of him in the near future — especially considering that he’s planning on making a commitment on July 2.
“Yeah, I definitely do wish it will but I’m not stressing,” DeLoatch said. “Everything happens for a reason and it’s getting pretty close to my commitment. I’m not – even after I commit I’m not closing my recruitment, of course. But it is getting about that time.”
DeLoatch likes what Michigan has to offer in terms of study programs. Looking to major in either psychology, business (and-or) finance, he also was impressed the times he’s gotten to tour the university, as well as the perennial excellence of the football program.
“Everything about the school is nice. It’s a beautiful campus,” DeLoatch said. “Obviously a great football team with a great school program. I’m looking at degrees and what I want to go to college for and seeing how high they are with certain degrees, it kind of helps me out a lot. Michigan overall is a great school.”
Beyond that, DeLoatch finds the defensive scheme Michigan runs to be appealing. He paid special attention to Mike Sainristil last year and noted how he was deployed. More comfortable playing nickel than boundary, DeLoatch could see himself thriving in Wink Martindale’s defensive scheme.
And when it comes to factors he’s looking for, scheme is at or near the top.
He broke down what factors he’s looking for at his school of choice once he makes that decision.
“The defense scheme they like to run. The coaching, of course. A lot of people will say don’t commit to a school because of the coaching, but I do feel coaching plays an important role in the school. And if I’m comfortable where I’m at. Just outside of football – if my football career ended, would I be comfortable living where I’m at.”
Michigan appears to check all of the boxes for DeLoatch, but it has to be a mutual fit. We’ll see if the Wolverines pick up the pursuit or if he ends up heading elsewhere come July 2.
