Michigan Football: Wolverines add walk-ons, contend for 2020 targets

Michigan football stayed busy on the recruiting trail this weekend, adding more preferred walk-ons and being named as contenders for two top 2020 recruits.

Obviously, with the Super Bowl being the focus of this weekend, some recruiting things might have slipped by the wayside, but rest assured, Michigan football still had plenty going on.

And all in all, it was a good weekend for the Wolverines, who added a total of five preferred walk-ons this weekend, while also making their way into contention for a pair of top 2020 recruits.

First, in terms of 2019, Michigan football added both a kicker and a long snapper Saturday and those are additions that could pay dividends. Karl Kerska is the kicker and he was the top in-state recruit, while William Wagner also ranked 14th in the nation as a long snapper according to one scouting website.

The next player that announced he would be joining Michigan football as a preferred walk-on was defensive back Zonterio Weekley, a player who was committed to Division II Michigan Tech before flipping to the Wolverines.

That was earlier in the afternoon Saturday, but it wouldn’t be the final commitment of the day for Michigan football, who also got walk-on pledges from Mathew Harrison and Samih Beydoun.

Harrison is a versatile athlete that is a 6-foot-3 and played quarterback, as well as wide receiver and safety. The other addition, Beydoun, is another outside linebacker. Both players had a number of chances to play at smaller schools but instead took a shot at playing for Michigan.

Harrison especially has some position versatility, while Beydoun could also provide some help at multiple linebacker positions. Both are long shots and will likely have to earn their way on special teams before anything, just like Weekley.

While those five additions to 2019 are nice, the most interesting news of the weekend was probably the fact that Michigan football made the top-11 for 2020 four-star athlete Daniyel Ngata.

Ngata is a 5-foot-9 all-purpose athlete that seems to be in the same mold of incoming freshman Giles Jackson. He’s a dynamic athlete and while Washington is in the lead right now, Michigan football is still one of the top contenders and right now, there is a long way to go.

Ngata is close to being a top-100 player and is ranked 109 by the 247 composite rankings. Yet, he wasn’t the only player to put Michigan among his top teams this weekend as a three-star corner from 2020, Jalen Kimbler put the Wolverines in his top 10.

Kimbler is projected by 247 sports to end up with Texas A&M but the Texas recruit gave Michigan a mention. He ranks 31st among corners in 2020 and is a top-500 recruit. Ultimately, UM might be a longshot for both but at least right now, the Wolverines have a chance.