Who is Michigan Football Targeting on the Recruiting Trail?
Over the past few weeks, Michigan has landed commitments from a handful of prospects. This list includes edge rusher Elias Randolph, edge rusher Jacob Smith and running back Micah Ka’apana. The Wolverines are up to 26 total commitments in their top-five ranked 2024 class, but there is still more work to be done. Despite their success, the Michigan staff suffered some disappointments on the recruiting trail. High-profile targets, such as cornerback Bryce West, cornerback Terhyon Nichols, edge rusher Darien Mayo, athlete Boo Carter, and five-star defensive tackle Justin Scott picked different schools. Both West and Scott chose Ohio State with Nichols, Mayo, and Carter choosing Kentucky, Clemson, and Tennessee, respectively. The Michigan staff still has several top targets they are vying for. Here are several key targets worth monitoring for the final spots in Michigan’s 2024 recruiting class.
Four-star CB Aaron Scott
Height/Weight: 6-0, 170
High School: Springfield (OH)
Key Offers: Ohio State, Oregon
Scott is the second overall player in Ohio and has been a primary Michigan target for some time. He is rated the fifth cornerback and 52nd overall player in the class of 2024. Scott is a natural athlete who competes in both basketball and track. He has good height and length for the position and can use his athleticism to mirror receivers in coverage. Scott does a good job of using his length to crowd opposing receivers and attack the catch point. Scott shows good route recognition, which he used to help jump passes and generate good ball production. He has a playmaking element to his game and returned two of his five interceptions for touchdowns.
Scott narrowed his list to five on June 1st, but many believe that this is a three-horse race between Ohio State, Michigan, and Oregon. He is set to make his commitment on July 30th. Ohio State remains the heavy favorite, but Michigan is believed to still have a shot. Michigan and defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale has done a good job of recruiting Ohio this cycle. They have landed five players from the state with the most recent commitment coming from Cincinnati native Elias Rudolph. After missing out on a four-star corner and fellow Ohio native Bryce West, Michigan needs a big win at the position. The Wolverines currently are without a cornerback commit this cycle and Scott remains the top priority on a thinning list.
Four-star WR Gatlin Bair
Height/Weight: 6-2, 180
High School: Burley (ID)
Key Offers: Boise State, Oregon, TCU, Nebraska
Bair is the top-ranked player in Idaho and has racked up nearly 30 offers. The small-town prospect lit up radar guns on the track this past spring, which led to a rise in the 247Sports Composite rankings. He is now rated the tenth wide receiver and 40th overall player in the country. Bair is a top-tier athlete with a basketball and track background. He won the state title in the 100 and 200-meter events with times of 10.15 and 20.56. His speed is lethal on the football field as he can quickly get by defenders and create separation. Bair is also elusive after the catch and shows strong hands. He tracks the ball well downfield and can climb the ladder to win at the catch point. Bair plans to complete a two-year mission after high school, which will delay his arrival until 2026.
Michigan has been one of the favorites to land Bair for a while, but he took official visits to both Oregon and TCU in June. Bair visited Ann Arbor near the end of June and Michigan seems to be in a good spot with his recruitment. The Wolverines were able to land the top recruit in Idaho last cycle in tight end Colston Loveland who is from the same part of the state as Bair. Landing Bair would be a big boost to an already top-five-rated class. His speed and playmaking ability would bring a unique vertical element to Michigan’s offense. With four-star Jordan Shipp committing to North Carolina, Bair remains the top receiver target barring any momentum with five-star Ryan Wingo. Michigan has two receivers committed so far and will likely sign two more.
Four-star SAF Zaquan Patterson
Height/Weight: 6-0, 185
High School: Chaminade-Madonna Prep (FL)
Key Offers: Auburn, Florida State, Miami (FL), Ohio State
Patterson ranks as the fourth safety and 74th player in the country. The 12th-rated player in Florida, Patterson is one of the more highly coveted players left on Michigan’s board. He grew up playing both basketball and baseball, but he also runs track. He has earned varsity snaps since his freshman year and helped Chaminade-Madonna win back-to-back state championships. Patterson is a hybrid, do-it-all type of player. He is a physical tackler in the box, but he has the athleticism and range to drop in coverage. He makes impact plays on special teams due to his play speed and toughness.
Patterson took an unofficial visit to Michigan in late June but will make his official visits in the fall. He went on the visit with his high school teammate Chris Ewald who is currently committed to Michigan in the 2025 class. Ewald has been a big voice in getting Patterson to Ann Arbor, but Miami appears to be the favorite right now. Jacob Oden is the sole safety commit in Michigan’s 2024 class and the Wolverines are expected to add one more. Patterson’s versatile skillset would pair very well with Oden and give Michigan a good future duo on the backend.
Four-star EDGE Brian Robinson
Height/Weight: 6-5, 255
High School: Youngstown Fitch (OH)
Key Offers: Kentucky, Penn State
Robinson is another highly coveted recruit on this list and has nearly 40 offers. He ranks as the eighth edge and 103rd player in the nation. Robinson has the prototypical size and length to play on the edge in the Big Ten but has more room to grow into his frame. He can play from multiple alignments while either playing standing up or with his hand in the dirt while on the edge. He is a good athlete who can get off the snap quickly and bend around the edge. Robinson shows good pass-rush skills with a good understanding of hand usage and timing on stunts.
Crystal balls began to point Michigan’s way in June, but things have since cooled off. He took official visits to his three finalists in June, which indicates he could set a decision date soon. Kentucky has emerged as a serious contender, but Michigan is not out of it yet. The Wolverines have collected commitments from several Ohio prospects in the past two cycles. They signed two players from the Youngstown area in the 2023 cycle cornerback D.J. Waller and athlete Jason Hewlett. Robinson is also close with a few current Michigan commits, including offensive lineman Luke Hamilton and Ben Roebuck. Michigan has four edge prospects committed to its 2024 class so far but could add one more. Jacob Smith just filled the seemingly final spot, but a commitment from Robinson may cause some reshuffling in Michigan’s recruiting plans.
Four-star OT Bennett Warren
Height/Weight: 6-7, 330
High School: Fort Bend Christian Academy (TX)
Key Offers: Texas A&M, Tennessee, Oklahoma
Warren ranks as the eighth offensive tackle and 142nd overall player in the 2024 class. He has a basketball background, which translates to the football field. Warren is a massive human being, but he moves well for a player his size. He has some technical things to clean up, but he can use his length to engulf defenders at the point of attack. He is smooth into his pass sets and can generate movement up front. Overall, Warren is a high-upside prospect with Power Five starting ability due to his combination of size, length, and big-man athleticism.
Michigan appears to be the favorite to land Warren, but Tennessee and Texas A&M remain the biggest threats. He took his official visits throughout June and could have a decision date set by the start of the season. The offensive line has been a point of emphasis for Michigan this cycle. The Wolverines currently have five total offensive linemen committed, which includes top prospects, Andrew Sprague and Blake Frazier. Warren would be the highest-rated of the bunch and the cherry on top of one of the better offensive line classes for Michigan in recent years. He is a natural fit at right tackle in Michigan’s offense.
