Intel: Visiting recruiting targets and commits rave about Michigan Football’s upset win
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Michigan Football enters Week 3 with a 2-0 record following an upset thriller over SEC foe Oklahoma. The Wolverines made it a priority to host double-digit recruits for the spectacle, and after reeling from being a part of the atmosphere, the visitors were grateful of their decision to be in Ann Arbor.
Maize n Brew reached out to the visitors and received heightened positivity from both targets and the commits in the 2027 class.
We’re starting off with an 2028 cornerback who Michigan is an early favorite to land in LaMarcus Army out of Detroit Cass Tech. The junior, decked out in Maize and Blue gear, got his first chance to see U-M live under the new coaching staff.
“It was great those guys fought, especially after last week, and the environment was crazy,” Army said. “I had an amazing time.”
Army and multiple other elite in-staters were on-hand inside The Big House, being joined by 2028 legacy athlete target Marquis Ray, who returned after witnessing the Hail Mary win a week prior. Ray was with his entire family, including former U-M legend Marcus Ray.
“I thought the visit was great. I can just feel that Michigan football is back and that the defense is elite and arguably the best in the country,” Ray said. “I think that both atmospheres were very energetic, no matter who they played, the energy was just there. Even week 1 vs. Western, it was straight loyalty for four quarters.”
Secondary targets were abundant on campus Saturday, a major win for cornerbacks coach Jernaro Gilford Jr. and safety coach Tyler Stockton. Alongside Army and Ray was four-star 2028 safety Drake Coellner, On3’s No. 1 overall prospect native to Indiana next cycle. Michigan is battling with the Sooners for the former.
“I loved it. It was awesome,” Coellner said. “I think they played amazing. They did not let up any deep shots down the field and they did their job. Things with coach Stockton are great. I like him a lot.”
The Wolverines also had a trio of Harper Woods (Mich.) High at the game – 2028 safety Jayden Evans, 2027 wide receiver and Oregon commit Dakota Guerrant, and 2028 wide receiver Deandre Bidden. For Evans, Saturday was his third visit since spring practice a few months ago.
“It was great, loved the game,” Evans said. “It’s always great talking with Coach Stock and the secondary played well.”
A pair of recruits each ranked in the Top 10 among all New Jersey players in the 2028 class by On3 were there too. Alongside cornerback Nasir Richardson, the No. 1 cornerback nationally, safety Mekhi McNair told Maize n Brew that his time in Ann Arbor was exceptional.
“It went good,” McNair said. “The weekend went great, excited to watch them for the rest of the season.”
Looking ahead to the 2029 class, Michigan welcomed two in-staters who yield offers. One of whom, four-star cornerback Kameron Lowe from Brother Rice, had his offer handed down while on the visit. The other, Catholic Central running back JJ Chevalier, made his first appearance at U-M with the new staff at the helm.
“It was very good,” Lowe said. “The defense played very well. I can see myself playing for the Wolverines.”
Chevalier echoed that sentiment.
“It was a great win and good to meet the new staff,” Chevalier said.
For how marquee the game was on the schedule, almost all of the 2027 commits made it to campus. Some of them had never been to a game prior to the weekend, like four-star cornerback Darius Johnson from California.
“The visit went great,” Johnson said. “We came out with a big time win and I had a lot of fun with the other commits and players, and the coaches showed a lot of love, of course. There was just something different about the stadium and atmosphere and the people there. Overall it was great.”
It was also the first game for four-star edge Ifeanyi Emedobi.
“It was great,” Emedobi said. “I really enjoyed myself, the atmosphere was great, and it was good to see the recruits coaches and players again.”
Safety commit Charles Woodson Jr., who’s long familiar with the festivities due to having a Heisman trophy winner as a father, returned to continue connection building with the other pledges.
“The visit was really good,” Woodson Jr. said. “Michigan getting that win was huge, so I’m real happy about that.”
There was an emphasis made by the commits to peer recruit those showing interest. That’s what four-star 2027 cornerback Blake Jenkins did and was pleased with the outcome.
“Great, great visit,” Jenkins said. “Recruiting the 28’s was great, it was awesome. Amazing atmosphere.”
For four-star defensive lineman Xavier Muhammed, it was the best visit he’s had so far, having been to committed to U-M since May.
“Being there for the dub and experiencing that atmosphere at The Big House was awesome,” Muhammed said. “It was also great connecting with the 2027 commits and getting to know some of the 2028 recruits as well. The energy, the environment, and the relationships being built made the entire experience really special.”
Finally, a number of recruits on Michigan’s radar were among the 110,000-plus in attendance. Here’s their respective thoughts:
-Four-star 2028 edge Javontae Eldridge, Fort Wayne (Ind.) Wayne: “Game was crazy. They definitely had that dog in them. It was good seeing them get the dub. Got to meet all the coaches in person and some of the other recruits. It was a great visit.”
-2028 cornerback Jordan Moore, Chicago (Ill.) Brother Rice: “The atmosphere was crazy, definitely the loudest environment I’ve ever been in. The fan support was probably what stood out to me the most, along with seeing how close the coaches were with their commits. They did tell me they plan on coming out to see me play in person this season and then moving forward from there, so we’ll see how everything develops.”
-2028 offensive tackle Brock Bildfell, Buffalo (N.Y.) Canisius: “The visit was incredible. The program showed amazing hospitality from the pregame festivities to the actual game. The atmosphere is second to none. The thing that stood out most for me was how inviting and kind the people were while on the visit. It truly felt like I was brought into a family. I can’t wait to get back in Ann Arbor again. Go Blue.”
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