There is good news and bad news out there for Michigan football when it comes to 2021 linebackers and here’s a look at the latest.
In the last two months, the Michigan football recruiting class for 2021 has grown from two commits to 11 and the Wolverines rank 11th in the country and fourth in the Big Ten according to 247 sports.
But Michigan still has a lot of work to do and one position where the Wolverines are looking to add more bodies is linebacker. Right now, the Wolverines have one inside linebacker committed in three-star Casey Phinney.
Phinney is an old-school middle linebacker but he’s probably not a guy Michigan football will want covering backs, tight ends or even receivers in space. That’s where some other key targets come in.
One guy Michigan football fans should feel fairly good about is Junior Colson. Michigan owns his only crystal ball right now and as he told Steve Wiltfong of 247 sports, the Wolverines plan to use him like Jabrill Peppers.
"“They want to use me like they used Jabrill Peppers. I looked up to Jabrill since I was real young. I have a Jabrill Peppers jersey. It’s a great fit. I’m close with everyone on their staff. They talk to me every day. I talk to Coach Don Brown the defensive coordinator and a couple other people on the staff.”"
Peppers was the first Viper so you’d assume the staff views Colson as that. Either way, Michigan is solidly in the hunt there, if not the leader. Michigan football also appears to be in the lead with three-star outside linebacker Tyler McLaurin.
McLaurin, who is ranked 404th overall by 247 sports and is the No. 26 outside linebacker, is 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds. He’s athletic and he’s being pursued by Don Brown. Monday, the Wolverines got a crystal ball from Steve Lorenz, so that’s more good news.
Michigan is the crystal ball leader with Colson and McLaurin, which is nice, but it can change in an instant, just look at Jamari Buddin. Not long ago, the Wolverines owned all of his crystal ball picks. Now that percentage is down to 50 percent and Michigan State just picked one up.
https://twitter.com/jamaribuddin/status/1257456962180198401
Penn State was seen as the threat for Buddin but Mel Tucker and the Spartans have made a strong push. Buddin also made a statement that the crystal balls mean nothing, so who knows what it means, but it feels like Michigan is in a tight race with Penn State and Michigan State.
https://twitter.com/jamaribuddin/status/1257458535371362306
Buddin hinted at a decision soon the other day on Twitter and with the way the momentum has gone recently, if he commits, it doesn’t feel like it will be to Michigan. But it seems fluid and more time, would allow Michigan a chance to regain its footing.
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