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Inside the Fish Bowl: Mid July Recruiting Update

Posted onAuthorGarrett Fishaw

While Michigan’s summer recruiting frenzy has slowed down a bit, there are plenty of fireworks expected over the next six weeks. Along with the Barbecue at the Big House on August 2nd, several top targets will make their decisions and Michigan is in fantastic shape with a couple of them.

Wrapping Up the Summer in Style 

DB Tony Butler

Butler is one of the top defensive backs on the board and will be making his first visit to Michigan on July 15th. This visit is coming just 10 days after decommitting from Pitt, which has most believing a commitment is possible. However, his recruitment may not end that quickly:

Even though he’s planning on waiting, I believe a decision could possibly be made if the visit goes better than expected or the staff pushes a bit thanks to the spots filling up at a ridiculous pace.

LB Devin Bush Jr 

According to 247Sports’ Rusty Mansell, Bush Jr’s recruitment may be coming to a close this summer as he’s thinking of making a decision “sometime in August” ($).

While it’s unknown just yet if he will make it to Ann Arbor for the Barbecue on the 2nd, 2016 safety commit and Flanagan teammate Josh Metellus is planning on being there and I wouldn’t be shocked to see his teammates join him, if possible.

Whether he makes it to campus or not before deciding, I still believe he ends up choosing Michigan and joining his teammates in Ann Arbor.

DE Connor Murphy

Everyone now knows Murphy as the recruit who was once babysat by Jim Harbaugh but he may be a name to start to know even more. According to The Wolverine’s latest Inside the Fort, Murphy has been “openly telling those around him the Wolverines are his favorite” ($).

Murphy also told TheMichiganInsider’s Sam Webb that he’s looking visit Michigan before his season begins, if that’s not possible he’s “definitely” visiting this fall ($). He also said he’ll make his decision after his senior season, though I wouldn’t rule out a snap decision if he gets on campus this summer. Spots are filling up and there isn’t a recruit in the class that Harbaugh has a better relationship with.

CB David Long 

Long is another west coast target that is very high on the recruiting board. He also is planning on making a trip to Ann Arbor before making a late summer decision ($):

I am going to do whatever I can to visit Michigan before my season starts at this point.”

While the Wolverines are still a bit of a long shot here, a great visit right before his decision could make things very interesting. Long was one of the staff’s first targets and has been heavily recruiting for awhile now. If a visit doesn’t happen this summer, I see him choosing Stanford.

East Coast Update

According to Rivals’ Adam Friedman, Michigan will host nearly every top east coast target for the barbecue on August 2nd ($) and it looks like there’s a chance multiple commitments could go down during/soon after the visit.

That group includes commitments WR Brad Hawkins and DE Ron Johnson as well as top targets, DT Rashan Gary, WR Ahmir Mitchell, TE Naseir Upshur and OG JohnCarlo Valentin. And while most of those names are 1000% takes, according to The Wolverine crew, Michigan may have to hold off on Valentin since that spot may be reserved for another top guard ($). They also touched on several other top east coast targets that possibly look destined for the Maize and Blue, including Upshur (who’s expected to decide on August 8th), 2017 RB D’Andre Swift and 2017 LB Drew Singleton.

While Swift said he will not make it in for the barbecue, 2017 C Cesar Ruiz let me know he will be in town with this teammates and New Jersey friends. Though I doubt he pulls the trigger this early, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Michigan walk away with a couple commitments out of the group during the trip/later in August.

Peters is Elite 

Some fans were not too high on QB Brandon Peters when he first committed to the Wolverines but the Avon star has shown Wolverine nation and everyone else that not only is he a big time get, he’s also one of the best quarterbacks in the country:

Davis is Officially Visiting Officially 

OG Terrance Davis is the top offensive line target left on the board is a name everyone knows very well as he has not hidden his love for the Maize and Blue since naming UM his leader after the Spring Game. And while it’s unknown if he’ll finally pull the trigger before November, he has already scheduled his official visit for the biggest game of the year:

https://twitter.com/THEGIF7/status/619896365561348096

With all of the other top offensive line targets left on the board, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the staff push him a bit for a public decision. If that happens, it doesn’t look like his mother would be against the idea of him going to Michigan ($).

Quick Hitters

Twinning (Yes, I hate myself) in 2018 

Michigan recently offered two of the top 2018 recruits on the east coast in St. Peters Prep (NJ) twin brothers DL Jayson Ademilola and LB Justin Ademilola. And according to Wolverine247’s Steve Lorenz, the duo are expected on campus for the Barbecue on the 2nd:

If things go as well as expected, the Wolverines could be the clear cut favorites by a good distance, if they’re not already.

Garrett Fishaw
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