Checking In: Where Will Michigan’s Top Targets Visit on January 15th?

With National Signing Day fast approaching and the various All-American showcases concluded, many of the remaining uncommitted recruits use these final weeks of the cycle to make last minute campus visits, check in with coaches, or even hope for one final offer from their dream school.

Michigan missed out on a big target in #1 TE Isaac Nauta over the weekend when he elected to stay home in Georgia. WR Donnie Corley out of Martin Luther King in Detroit stayed in the state of Michigan but didn’t pick Ann Arbor; he enrolled on Monday at Michigan State. Michigan did, however, pick up WR Dylan Crawford out of California, wide receiver and teammate of one-time Michigan QB target KJ Costello. Crawford’s verbal shoots Michigan’s 2016 recruiting class to the #2 class in the country according to 247 Sports and Rivals, and 3rd in the nation according to Scout.

That doesn’t mean it’s time for the recruits or the coaching staff to rest, however. There are a bevy of Michigan targets taking official visits (Mom: if you’re reading this, an official visit is when the school pays for the recruit’s travel expenses) to a number of schools, some to Michigan, some to other Big Ten schools, and some all the way across the country.

Check out where Michigan’s top targets are traveling this weekend:

LB Dontavious Jackson

Jackson is the 5th ranked inside linebacker in the country according to 247Sports, and would be an excellent complement to early enrollee linebacker Devin Bush, Jr.

Jackson named Michigan into his final seven via Twitter, although that was all the way back on November 1, along with Florida, Florida State, LSU, Texas, UCLA, and Alabama. He officially visited Michigan over the weekend of The Game, and has not mentioned if that put a bad taste in his mouth. In fact, on New Year’s Day after Michigan took Florida to the cleaner’s, Jackson tweeted about Michigan’s victory.

41-7.. Sheesh.

— Dontavious Jackson (@DJACKV_) January 1, 2016

He is visiting the very same Florida Gators this weekend, who already have LB David Reese, a former Michigan linebacker commit, enrolled, and two more outside linebackers, Jeremiah Moon and Vosean Joseph committed. Jackson has been offered by 58 schools and will announce on Signing Day.

CB David Long

We’ve heard a lot about Long, and for good reason. He decommitted from Stanford late in December and immediately named Michigan and Washington as his final two.

The #7 cornerback according from 247, Long is visiting Washington this weekend, who would love to have him as a pillar of their defense. Michigan, whose secondary’s success was well documented this season, is facing a bit of a logjam at the cornerback position with junior Jourdan Lewis returning for his senior season, incoming commits Antwaine Richardson and Sir Patrick Scott, and possibly top target Lavert Hill. Whether that affects to decision remains to be determined, but Long was photographed at the Army All America game this weekend wearing familiar colors:

Photo courtesy of Adidas Football US on Twitter.

This trip to Washington is definitely one to watch closely as the Huskies will have to pull out all of the stops to take a big enough lead on the Wolverines that UM’s in-home visit next week doesn’t sway him back to Ann Arbor.

CB Lavert Hill

Another cornerback whose name comes up frequently on the Michigan radar. A Penn State decommit, Hill is the 11th ranked cornerback according to 247Sports. His game is very similar to Jourdan Lewis in that he is very talented in press coverage and uses quick feet and acceleration to stay in a receiver’s hip pocket where as David Long relies on size to body receivers out of position.

The Detroit King star visits USC this weekend, followed by Clemson, MSU, and Miami within the span of ten days. Hill was a high school teammate of recent MSU commit Donnie Corley, making MSU an appealing offer in Hill’s recruiting process, though all signs are still pointing towards Michigan for his decision on National Signing Day.

ATH Jordan Fuller

Michigan has made a late run at the #8 athlete who takes his official visit to Ohio State this weekend. Though Michigan has athletes Kiante Enis, Chris Evans, and Devin Gil already committed, it is hard to ignore his speed and versatility. Fuller has kept relatively mum about his decision on social media and in general; he has only visited Notre Dame prior to this weekend, and he will visit Michigan, his 3rd total visit, January 22nd, a week after his trip to Columbus.

ATH Khaleke Hudson

Another defensive target, Hudson impressed at the Semper Fi Bowl shortly after New Year’s. According to Sports Illustrated’s review of the game, Hudson, who recently earned 4-Star status, “proved all week he was worth the bump.”

Officially listed as an athlete, Hudson has attended showcases primarily as a safety, though he can also slide to outside linebacker in certain personnel packages as well as running back and kick returner. He is visiting Michigan this weekend (along with another recruit whom we will discuss shortly), then Penn State the following weekend, and Pitt to wrap up the month and lead right into Signing Day.

TE Chase Allen

Since the Isaac Nauta sweepstakes went to Georgia rather than Michigan, the Wolverines are seeking other solutions at the tight end position, even though 3 star tight end Sean McKeon has enrolled early. Allen, a Missouri native, is also visiting Michigan this weekend and is a name to watch closely.

The 6’7” athlete’s recruitment will likely be a two-horse race between Michigan and Missouri, though he has fielded offers from Florida State and Nebraska, among others. Allen is in the middle of his senior season of basketball, making his visits sparse and his name rarely heard in the mix of showcases and camps. His Crystal Ball currently sits at 92% Michigan.

TE/DE Devin Asiasi

Like Allen, Michigan’s attention to Asiasi has increased mightily since Nauta committed elsewhere. Asiasi, already a very large young man weighing in at 270 pounds, is listed as the #4 athlete on 247Sports, though he will likely stick to tight end in college.

He caught a touchdown pass in last weekend’s Army All America game, and is visiting Washington this weekend with a trip to Michigan coming next weekend after cancelling his trip to Alabama. Hopefully it won’t be too cold for the California native.

DT/OL Boss Tagaloa

Rivaling Sir Patrick Scott for the best name of the 2016 class, Tagaloa is a teammate of Asiasi and will be taking identical visits: Washington this weekend, Michigan the following. He is a 4-star defensive tackle that is fielding a number of appealing offers, namely Alabama, UCLA, USC, and Ole Miss.

The UM coaching staff will host a nice group of visitors this weekend and could very well end up seeing some fireworks. If I had a Crystal Ball, I’d say Michigan gets Allen, Hill, and Long out of this group and the other targets will likely stay close to home. Thanks for reading.

Photo Credit: Rebecca Droke/Post-Gazette