New Jersey became the Michigan of the East on the 2016 recruiting trail after former recruiting director and current LB coach Chris Partridge joined the staff and helped UM sign 4 of the top 6 players in the state, including the #1 overall player.
In 2017, the staff may not heavily target the Garden State as much as 2016 but there are still plenty of names to remember. And from the look of things, the main name to watch is Bridgeton (NJ) ATH Markquese Bell.
The multi-positional standout is one of the top players on the board for Michigan, according to Wolverine247’s Steve Lorenz.
I was able to catch up with Bell recently to talk about the latest in his recruitment and factors for his final decision.
“(Recruiting has been) Great. Been getting a lot of interest from lots of schools”, Bell said. As for some early favorites, “(I) don’t have any favorites right now but the schools that been showing the most interest (are) Georgia, Florida, Rutgers, UNC”.
Though he didn’t mention Michigan in teams showing him the most interest, he let me know that he stays in contact with Coach Partridge and started speaking with Coach Harbaugh, who are recruiting him as a pure athlete.
As for what he’s looking for in his future program, he’s not only worried about the on the field product.
“Somewhere that if football doesn’t work they will (prepare) me to succeed in the profession that I choose and that has the best program for my major and a place where my family feels comfortable.”
Bell is one of the most versatile athletes in the country and could be an impact player at either wide receiver or defensive back. With Michigan looking for elite athletes on both sides of the ball and guys who value more than just the on the field success, you can see why he’s a top target for the staff in this class.
Photo Credit: freep.com/TheMichigaInsider
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