Michigan bringing top targets to campus for The Game

So much is on the line Saturday when Ohio State travels to Michigan for The Game. 

The winner clinches the Big Ten East title and stays on track for the College Football Playoff. Also, on the line is recruiting momentum.

Ohio State has the No. 4 class in the On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Ranking. Michigan has the 16^th-best class. With all the pageantry and cross-over recruiting battles, it’s no surprise Michigan is using the weekend to host some key official and unofficial visitors on campus.

Can Michigan shift momentum with Kiyaunta Goodwin?

Five-star offensive tackle Kiyaunta Goodwin of Charlestown (Ind.) High heads to Ann Arbor on his official visit with Kentucky and Alabama still on the top of his list.

Goodwin, a longtime Kentucky commitment, continues to say all the right things about his pledge with the Wildcats. But he’s also giving other schools a fair shot to sway his decision.

Intel indicates Alabama is the school that has the best chance to flip him. But the Wolverines hope to make a big impression this weekend on the visit.

EJ Holland of On3’s The Wolverine, reports Goodwin has a solid relationship with Michigan assistant Steve Clinkscale, who left Kentucky to join the U-M staff this offseason.

Five-Star Plus+ CB Domani Jackson returns to Ann Arbor

Five-Star Plus+ cornerback Domani Jackson of Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei is set to return to Ann Arbor for an unofficial visit this weekend.

Jackson, who recently made a much-publicized decommitment from USC, visited Michigan before he decommitted from the Trojans. He loved what he saw on the visit and said Michigan “blew me away.”

The Wolverines have always been heavily involved in his recruitment. But intel indicates Alabama has taken a commanding lead in his recruitment after an early November official visit.

Now it’ll be Michigan’s chance to get some momentum in their corner. You can bet close friend and longtime Michigan five-star cornerback commit Will Johnson will be attached to Jackson’s hip throughout the visit.

Other key visits for Michigan

Also on the official visit list for Michigan is four-star safety Zeke Berry of Concord (Calif.) De La Salle and four-star EDGE Ethan Burke of Austin (Texas) Westlake.

Berry is the No. 59 player in the country, according to On3. Berry is a top priority target for Oregon, but Michigan is right up there, too. USC and UCLA are also courting him hard.

Burke is a fast-rising prospect that was previously committed to play lacrosse but is now a top football target. He visited Kansas State this past weekend. But it looks like the Wolverines are in a great spot if they push for the commitment.

Michigan is also working hard to get Seattle Rainer Beach five-star offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. on campus for a visit, according to Holland.  

“Conerly lost his playoff game last week, so the Michigan staff has been hard at work trying to get him to Ann Arbor for the game,” Holland wrote.

Another top target expected on campus for a visit is in-state four-star defensive lineman Deone Walker of Detroit Cass Tech. Michigan has been working hard throughout the process to keep him at home. Georgia, Kentucky and Michigan have are the teams to beat.

More than a dozen of Michigan’s 2022 recruiting class are also slated to be at The Game. It’ll be a perfect opportunity for committed players like Johnson, four-star WR Tyler Morris, four-star LB Jimmy Rolder and four-star safety Kody Jones to put on their recruiter’s hats.

Blue-chip underclassmen visiting for The Game

It should come as no shock that Michigan is hosting a large group of 2023 and 2024 targets, including some of the most well-known names for recruitniks.

Household names in the junior class visiting are IOL Jven Williams, IOL Luke Montgomery,  OT Amir Herring, EDGE Anthony James, EDGE AJ Hoffler, DL Joel Starlings, DL Hunter Osborne and S Ta’Mere Robinson.

The Wolverine has an in-depth look at other top visitors in the 2023 and 2024 classes that will be at The Game.