Michigan Football: Why timing of A.J. Henning decision is good for UM

One of Michigan football’s top targets in the 2020 class, A.J. Henning, announced he would make his decision soon and here’s why that’s good for UM.

When it comes to 2020 recruiting targets for Michigan football, no one is more of a priority than four-star wide receiver A.J. Henning, the top player out of Illinois.

Henning, a 5-foot-10 prospect from Frankfurt is the top player in the state of Illinois and he would be a huge addition for the Wolverines as they look to add pieces that will fit in Josh Gattis offense.

When you talk about speed in space, Henning is an ideal prospect. He’s a dynamic player with the ball in his hands and he’s someone that would fit perfectly with Gattis. He can play in the slot, he can return and he can excel on the outside.

His recruitment has been up and down. Michigan football has had momentum and seemingly lost it. Notre Dame has been a constant threat for the Wolverines and that is the school that Henning visited most recently.

Notre Dame currently has 43 percent of Henning’s crystal ball predictions while Michigan football is sitting at 29 percent. 29 percent are undecided and Steve Wiltfong, a key recruiting expert is picking the Wolverines.

In addition to the two midwest rivals, Georgia has fought its way into the mix recently and after Henning made the trip to the Peach state earlier this month, the Bulldogs are a real threat.

The high point for Michigan came when Henning visited Ann Arbor along with J.J. McCarthy, the top player from Illinois in 2021. The four-star quarterback that ranks second at his position and 19th nationally, is friends with Henning and he committed that same weekend.

That relationship seemed like a good thing for Michigan football, but since then, it felt like Notre Dame and Georgia made gains. However, it’s always hard to know what’s going on in the mind of a recruit.

One thing we know for sure on Henning is that he’s making his decision soon. He announced Thursday he would make his choice before his senior season and with another visit to UM upcoming, that could mean really good things for the Wolverines.

In fact, Steve Lorenz of the Michigan Insider speculated ($) that it was a good sign for the Wolverines. The timing certainly suggests it might be. Henning is supposed to visit Penn State too but the Nittany Lions don’t really seem like a contender.

That would essentially leave Jim Harbaugh, Gattis and Michigan with the chance to make the final sales pitch. Of course, nothing is guaranteed and there is a lot that can change. But the timing of Henning’s decision seems like an indication of good things for UM.