Michigan football's list of recruiting coups is growing by the day, and new head coach Jim Harbaugh has plenty of aces up his sleeve as he continues to round out his banner 2016 class. For more, check out our Michigan Football Recruiting Roundup For July 11th.
No room for Johncarlo Valentin or EJ Price?
The Michigan Wolverines have cooled off on 2016 offensive lineman Johncarlo Valentin, mainly because of the wealth of talent the team already has lined up for the class.
UM is considered the prohibitive favorite for Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha four-star guard Terrance Davis and appear to have solid beats on both Hudson (NC) South Caldwell four-star tackle Landon Dickerson (who's set up an official visit for the Oregon State game) and Mesquite (TX) North Mesquite four-star tackle Jean Delance.
That leaves Valentin and intriguing Lawrenceville (GA) Archer four-star EJ Price off the "take" list for now. Michigan is reportedly curious about why Price decided to decommit from Georgia but they're not willing to place a lot of stock into him until they get a clear, full picture of what the kid is going through.
Regardless, Price is slated for a visit to Ann Arbor either in the late summer or the fall -- the perfect time for Jim Harbaugh's staff to evaluate whether or not he's a fit or a last-resort safety net if other options don't pan out.
Tony Butler a guaranteed take?
Lakewood (OH) St. Edward three-star cornerback Tony Butler will visit Ann Arbor next weekend, and while Michigan's 2016 sheet is already filling up with commits, we'd be shocked if he leave campus without pledging to the Wolverines.
Butler's star is at the highest point it's been in quite some time, and his athleticism/speed combo is a perfect match for the overhaul Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator DJ Durkin are undertaking in regards to the secondary.
Connor Murphy says UM is his favorite
Michigan's 2016 recruiting haul is jam-packed with defensive ends, but that isn't deterring Phoenix (AZ) Brophy Prep defensive end Connor Murphy from telling everyone around him that the Wolverines are his favorite.
The four-star talent is being heavily recruited right now by Pac-12 powers such as Oregon and Arizona State, but it appears he's Michigan's for the taking if they decide to hold true to the offer they've extended him.
News & Notes
** Michigan is still unsure about their 2016 linebacking situation, with Dele' Harding's status up in the air after the entire staff he committed to no longer with the program. There's also the matter of David Reese, who could be slotted to fullback from linebacker when all is said and done.
Four-star Devin Bush Jr. out of Florida (teammate of Pembroke Pines Flanagan commits Devin Gil and Josh Mettelus) would be a heck of a replacement strategy, and we've got a good feeling that he'll want to join his buddies in Ann Arbor. There's also the matter of Fresno (CA) Clovis West five-star Caleb Kelly who currently has Michigan neck-and-neck on his favorites list with Oklahoma. You can add four-star Dontavious Jackson to the list as well as a wavering maybe, considering that he doesn't appear to be as high on Michigan as he is for the likes of Texas, Alabama and Oklahoma.
** Orlando (FL) Oak Ridge three-star cornerback Jonathan Jones may lose out on a Michigan offer if he decides to choose the Wolverines, seeing that he's decided to delay his commitment decision until after the fall. The Wolverines staff remains high on him, but it's possible the program's cornerback quota could be filled with higher-rated options before Jones is ready to offer up his pick.
** And here's perhaps the biggest of our quick hit notes -- 2017 Detroit (MI) Cass Tech five-star wide receiver (and The Opening Sparq winner) Donovan Peoples-Jones may be leaning towards in-state Michigan, according to one expert cited by 247Sports.
"He's one of those Cass Tech kids who love the program," the source said.
Keep an eye on Florida as the biggest challenger for Peoples-Jones as the days go on.
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