Michigan Football: 2021 DT Jay Toia is exactly what Wolverines need

Michigan football has been looking for run-stuffing defensive tackles in the 2021 class and a USC commit, Jay Toia could be the ideal fit.

As far as the 2021 recruiting class for Michigan football is concerned, the Wolverines have a lot of work to do. The good news is that while there hasn’t been a ton of commitments yet, U-M is in a solid position with a number of targets so those numbers should increase soon.

The dead period now isn’t going to help Michigan football, but just because players can’t visit and coaches can’t go out and make trips doesn’t mean that there isn’t recruiting going on. In fact, it’s as busy as ever and one defensive tackle, Jay Toia, put the Wolverines among his top eight, even though he is committed to USC.

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It’s sort of strange to release a top-8 list and be committed to a school at the same time, but hey, Michigan football made the list so who is really going to complain.

It seems like this is a direct result of Michigan coaches continuing to push for the defensive tackle that would be a nice addition to the middle of the defense. Toia is listed at 6-foot-1 and 300 rounds and ranks as the No. 12 defensive tackle according to the 247 sports composite rankings. He’s ranked 192nd overall and 18th in his home state of California.

According to The Michigan Insider ($), head coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive line coach Shaun Nua used Facetime to connect with Toia this week and it sounds like the California prospect and Nua have a solid relationship, which is a good sign for Michigan football going forward.

“I think our relationship is great,” Toia said to The Michigan Insider about Nua. “He’s a great coach. We don’t talk a lot, but we stay in contact. I like that he’s not trying to sell me something, but the real thing. I’ve known him for a couple of months.”

On Toia’s 247 sports recruiting profile he is compared to former Boston College standout and first-round draft pick of the Packers, B.J. Raji.

Raji was unique because he was a run-stuffer and could dominate the line of scrimmage, while also being able to provide an interior pass rush. So that comparison is high praise and if Toia comes anywhere close to that during his college career, he would be a huge addition.

When Michigan football is at its best, it has the ability to win in the trenches and adding more big guys like Toia is exactly what the doctor ordered to cure the Wolverines defensive woes.