Tag: michigan recruiting

4-star guard Justin Pippen, son of Scottie, commits to Michigan

Justin Pippen, the son of NBA legend Scottie Pippen, has committed to the Michigan Wolverine’s men’s basketball team.

Justin Pippen, the star guard of prestigious Sierra Canyon High School (Chatsworth, Calif.) and son of NBA legend Scottie Pippen, announced on Friday that he has committed to the University of Michigan.

The four-star guard chose the Wolverines over the other six universities that offered him, including Stanford, Cal, Georgia Tech, and Texas A&M. He was named to the Los Angeles Daily News All-CIF Open Division team this year after helping the Trailblazers go 26-4.

Ranked as the No. 62 player on the 247Sports list and No. 101 on the composite ranking, Pippen had a good assist-to-turnover ratio and a bundle of steals this season, according to On3. The outlet’s reporter Collin Ginnan wrote:

“The eye test will show you a guard with good size, who is comfortable with the ball in his hands and has no trouble touching the paint. He plays aggressively, and without question deserves to be in the 2024 On3 150. Currently, he is a 6-foot-3 combo guard who needs to continue developing his scoring efficiency. That put him as a high three-star, at No. 115 in this update.”

Pippen is a very late commitment for the class of 2024, but it was much-needed for Michigan, which only had received the commitment of three-star point guard Durral Brooks prior to Pippen’s announcement.

(Sierra Canyon guard Justin Pippen (1) against Desert Mountain during the Hoophall West High School Invitational at Chaparral High School. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

Since appearing in the Elite Eight in 2021 and the Sweet Sixteen in 2022, the Wolverines have been unable to return to the NCAA tournament over the last two seasons. This past year, they posted a record of 8-24.

The program is hoping Pippen can help prop them up in the coming years.

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Nation’s top running back in 2026 to visit Michigan football this week

This is a huge opportunity. #GoBlue

Ohio State fans proclaim that Tony Alford can’t recruit, but Michigan football is already seeing big returns after adding the former Buckeyes running backs coach.

While former RB coach Mike Hart was beyond stellar at developing his players, he lacked gusto on the recruiting trail. Alford is at least bringing that to Ann Arbor with multiple top prospects at the position now turning their face toward Michigan despite not appearing to have the Wolverines in the mix previously.

One such recruit is 2026 Woodbury Forest (Va.) five-star running back Savion Hiter, the top tailback in the country according to the 247Sports Composite. Hiter quickly received an offer from the maize and blue once Alford made it to campus and now he, himself, will make it to campus just days before the spring game. Hiter announced on X (formerly Twitter) that he’ll be in Ann Arbor on Thursday, April 18.

Given Michigan’s penchant for running the ball, it should be an attractive destination for any running back, yet, the Wolverines haven’t received the type of publicity for prospective recruits as one might think. There are few programs that emphasize the run as much as Michigan, and now Alford and Sherrone Moore will have an opportunity to present their cases.

Michigan offered Hiter on just March 28 and appear to be generating significant interest for the incoming junior in high school.

Recruiting network predicts four-star receiver to Michigan

Need these guys. #GoBlue

Michigan recruiting has been quiet of late, especially for a team that just won the national title game.

Of course, having to replace your head coach and half of the position coaches doesn’t help, but it has been about three months since the last commitment. In addition, Michigan lost its top-ranked commit in the days following the national title game.

However, the Wolverines seem to have gained some momentum on the trail in recent days with a pair of targets trending their way. First, On3’s director of recruiting Chad Simmons put in a prediction for Michigan to land four-star receiver Taz Williams Jr. on Monday morning. Then 247Sports national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu put in a 247Sports crystal ball in favor of the Wolverines for four-star cornerback Dawayne Galloway later that day. Whew.

This article will focus on Taz Williams Jr., but you can read more about Galloway here.

Williams plays at Red Oak High School in Red Oak, Texas, and is listed at 6 feet and 181 pounds on the On3 website. He holds an industry ranking grade of 89.92, which makes him the 283rd highest-rated player in the country and the 39th highest receiver. Williams is reporting offers from powerhouses Ohio State, Texas,  LSU, Alabama and Georgia.

Michigan already has a highly sought quarterback committed in the 2025 class: Carter Smith. However, the Wolverines need to surround him with weapons. Michigan’s only other offensive commit is Eli Owens, but he projects more as a blocking tight end or fullback. A commitment from Williams Jr. would be huge. Dipping into the state of Texas for a highly recruited pass catcher is no easy task, and it would mark the first big win of the cycle for Ron Bellamy.

Michigan is expected to take three or four receivers in the 2024 class given the depth chart and recent transfer of Karmello English.

Tony Alford target puts Michigan football in top 12 after UM appeared eliminated

Ohio State fans are gonna hate this! #GoBlue

Just when it seemed Michigan football was out, it got pulled back in.

The Wolverines didn’t appear to be in a very good position for 2025 Cleveland (Ohio) Villa Angela-St. Joseph four-star running back Bo Jackson; there were all-but eliminated from contention. Then the maize and blue did something unexpected: They poached the running backs coach from Jackson’s perceived leader, Ohio State.

After Tony Alford landed in Ann Arbor, multiple top-tier backs who had essentially given up on Michigan gave the Wolverines a second look. Such appears to be the case with Jackson.

On Tuesday, Jackson released his top 12, and Michigan football made the cut.

Of course, in-state Ohio State still looms, and Kentucky also appears to be a top contender for his services. Jackson also is considering Rutgers, Oregon, Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Penn State, West Virginia and Ole Miss.

Ranked the No. 66 player in the country according to 247Sports, Jackson does have a 247Sports crystal ball prediction indicating he’ll end up in Columbus. It was made by Bucknuts recruiting writer Bill Kurelic. However, that was made in January, long before his primary recruiter defected from the program to its chief rival.

Could Michigan football land an elite DB from Columbus, Ohio?

All signs point to yes! #GoBlue

Every now and again, Michigan football dips into Ohio and nabs someone Ohio State wants. Other times, OSU neglects its homegrown talent in order to secure someone more on the national radar.

Of the latter, players such as tight end Jake Butt, defensive end Taco Charlton, or current safety Rod Moore have made the best of the Buckeyes spurning them for one reason or another. And the Wolverines are hoping to add another Columbus, Ohio product that’s highly rated yet doesn’t have an offer from Ohio State.

2025 Columbus (Ohio) Marion-Franklin four-star cornerback Dawayne Galloway is among the nation’s elite, ranked at No. 96 overall according to the 247Sports Composite. The 11th-best cornerback and fifth-best player in the state of Ohio, Galloway received a 247Sports Crystal Ball from Allen Trieu indicating that the maize and blue will be his school of choice.

Of course, Ohio State could swoop in late, but given that other top-tier schools are pursuing Galloway (such as Penn State, Georgia, Auburn, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Wisconsin) it makes the Buckeyes’ job that much harder when others indicate they want in on his talents.

Trieu also wrote the scouting report and indicates that his game is similar to former Wolverines standout Ambry Thomas:

Brings excellent track speed to the football field. Speed shows up in his closing ability and also after he gets his hands on the ball both as a defensive back and a wide receiver or return man. Will be physical at the line and junior tape shows experience in off-man as well as press-man. Needs to add more weight and strength but has the frame to do so. Needs more reps against receivers who can match his speed and athleticism and challenge him. Has some rawness to his game, but pure speed and playmaking ability are at a high level and upside because of that is high. That gives him the opportunity to be a starter, not just at cornerback, but as a return man, at a high major program.

The last time OSU passed on a defensive back in its backyard it turned out that said DB (Rod Moore) made the game-deciding play to seal The Game for Michigan. Certainly, the Wolverines would love a repeat of all steps involved.

Former Michigan basketball commit predicted to end up in SEC

Really need some good news on the basketball front here soon. #GoBlue

When Michigan basketball fired five-year head coach Juwan Howard, despite the 8-24 record (the worst in program history), it was sure there would be some negative repercussions.

Howard, despite the struggles of the past two seasons, was a popular figure in the locker room and on the recruiting trail, thus some defections with his departure were sure. Since his firing, Michigan has lost multiple players from the current roster to the transfer portal, including point guard Dug McDaniel and center Tarris Reed Jr. Longtime signee Christian Anderson decommitted this past week, and Khani Rooths, the IMG Academy forward who had committed but not yet signed, had backed off his pledge, though he plans to still consider Michigan.

Whether new coach Dusty May might be working to get Rooths back into the fold or not remains to be seen, but the four-star — who already had a prediction he’d end up at Georgia before committing to Michigan — has just gotten another 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction that he’ll end up in Athens once all is said and done.

May, obviously, has a lot of work to do to find players who will fit his vision and his system. There are multiple transfers he’s targeting at the moment, and given that Michigan only has, at best, three scholarship players currently on the roster, there are a lot of bodies needed to fill out May’s first team.

Could Rooths end up back in the class? It’s possible. But the chances could be getting slimmer as other teams compete for his services.

In-state Michigan football target surprisingly eliminates Wolverines

Not ideal.

Recruiting for the 2025 cycle is heating up. The Wolverines hold just three commits in the class and are moving on other top-priority targets across the country.

Unfortunately, Michigan has surprisingly been eliminated from contention for in-state athlete Xavier Newsom out of Martin Luther King High School. Newsom can play either tight end or edge at the next level, and he was projected by many experts to end up signing with the Wolverines. In fact, prior to his top-five list, On3 Sports gave Michigan an 87.8% chance to land Newsom. The On3 industry ranking has Newsom as the 415th-ranked player in the country.

Newsom included Louisville, Penn State, Tennessee, Rutgers and Kansas in his top five, notably leaving off the in-state Wolverines. Michigan State did not make the cut either, but 247Sports reports they had not yet offered Newsom.

This could be a sign the Wolverines were recruiting Newsom as an edge defender instead of a tight end. Of course, Michigan lost its 2023 defensive line coach Mike Elston to the NFL and recently had the replacement Greg Scruggs resign. That amount of turnover at a recruit’s position coach makes it difficult to build a bond.

Michigan has one defensive lineman committed: four-star Bobby Kanka. Kanka is more of an interior player, though, so the Wolverines need to get back on the trail to recruit. The first step will be finding a new coach for the defensive line. Right now, the rest of the staff are splitting duties at the position, but it’s tough to gain any traction without an actual coach at the position.

In general, Moore and his staff have done a great job on the recruiting trail so far. Though it is a small sample size, they have been pushing for top targets nationally and are doing a great job of getting players on campus. Expect Michigan to have a good finish to the 2025 cycle and a dominant 2026 class.

Michigan football offers 5-star, top 2026 running back

Finally swinging for the fences! #GoBlue

While Mike Hart was a fan favorite, favored son, and incredible developer of talent, his recruiting prowess wasn’t exactly renowned during his time in Ann Arbor. Hart did reel in Jordan Marshall, an Ohio native who spurned the hometown Buckeyes in favor of Michigan football, but when it comes to top prospects outside of Marshall, Hart wasn’t really getting much in terms of highly-rated recruits.

Enter Tony Alford, the former Ohio State running backs coach who defected to Ann Arbor after starting spring ball in Columbus. Known for developing players such as J.K. Dobbins and recruiting TreVeyon Henderson (who committed to OSU sight unseen), he’s already been much more aggressive when it’s come to attacking the recruiting trail.

More evidence of such surfaced on Thursday with the latest offer: 2026 Woodberry Forest (Va.) five-star running back Savion Hiter.

Hiter is listed by the 247Sports Composite as the top running back in the 2026 class as well as the No. 10 overall player in the country, regardless of position.

He has 21 reported offers, including one issued from Alford during his tenure at Ohio State.

Listed at 5-foot-11, 182 pounds, Hiter will have his pick of suitors across the country, including from other elite schools such as Alabama and Georgia. But with Alford leading the charge, in conjunction with Michigan’s offensive philosophy, it would stand to reason that the Wolverines could find themselves in the mix for his services.

Elite 2025 linebacker puts Michigan football in top group

Would be a big pull from SEC country. #GoBlue

Michigan football recruiting has been somewhat slow as the Wolverines adjust to the new-look staff under head coach Sherrone Moore. But it’s starting to heat up as Moore starts to host prospects on campus while reaching out to those who have interest in the maize and blue.

Among those who have interest is 2025 Jesup (Ga.) Wayne County four-star linebacker Tavion Wallace, who is rated by 247Sports’ proprietary rankings as the No. 26 player in the country — regardless of position — which would make him a five-star once those are doled out.

Wallace released his top 12 schools on Thursday, and Michigan football made the cut.

The Wolverines are the only northern team to make his list, with the rest coming in via either the SEC or the ACC. Georgia, Florida, Missouri, Arkansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, LSU, Auburn, Louisville, and Florida State, and Kentucky round out his top 12.

At the moment, Wallace has just one 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction indicating his potential school of choice and that’s to Florida State. His brother is on the roster at one of his top schools, and that happens to be Kentucky.

The fact that Michigan is mentioned bodes well for the Wolverines’ chances, not just because they’re listed, but because of all the listed schools, U-M is the most recent offer, having extended the invitation to come to Ann Arbor on March 7, 2024.

Michigan basketball makes top group for in-state 2025 4-star athlete

Gotta get these in-state guys. #GoBlue

Michigan football needs some good news on the recruiting trail. Despite winning the national championship and having the excitement of a new head coach in Sherrone Moore, all has been quiet on the Western front.

But good news may be on the horizon.

Hailing from Belleville (Mich.), Elijah Dotson is a four-star athlete with some big-time offers. AT 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, Dotson is capable of playing either on offense or defense, having played receiver, wildcat quarterback, and defensive back at the high school level.

On Wednesday, he announced that he’s starting to whittle down his list of contenders and Michigan football made the cut. But so, too, did Tennessee, Purdue, Illinois, Pitt, Kansas, Michigan State, and Penn State.

The scouting report via 247Sports’ Allen Trieu:

Has played safety, corner, receiver, return man and some wildcat quarterback in high school. Has above average size and plays physically. Will put his face in the action in run support and will get his hands on receivers if playing man to man. Receiver background helps in his ball skills. Versatile and can play deep in the secondary or come into the box as well as match-up one on one with slots and tight ends. Most likely projection is safety, but it is not out of the question a school could try him as a big corner. Track background speaks to his athleticism and has enough straight line speed to recover and run down plays.

Dotson is rated highest via the On3 industry ranking where he’s a four-star at No. 360 overall. He’s rated a three-star by all of the other recruiting services.

Michigan currently has the 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction with three analysts indicating he’ll eventually become a Wolverine.