Michigan Football: Wolverines trending with key defensive targets in 2021

Michigan football picks up crystal ball projections on some key 2021 defenders. Here’s some of the latest recruiting buzz.

Michigan football has been on a strong recruiting run this spring and with the Wolverines trending with some of their top defensive targets, it looks like that run will continue.

The next commitment could come Sunday as Tennessee linebacker and four-star Junior Colson will be making his decision. Brian Jean-Mary has been a key piece of this recruitment and the Wolverines appear poised to land him.

Colson is ranked as the No. 118 player overall in the 247 sports composite rankings for the 2021 class and he’s rated as the eighth-best outside linebacker and the second-best player in his home state.

In the last week, Colson has been projected to Michigan by five 247 sports recruiting analysts ($) and what’s more significant is that each has logged their selection with a confidence level of six or higher (on a scale of 1-10). The 6-foot-2 linebacker used to be a wide receiver and he had 14 sacks last season. He’s also tremendous in coverage and would be a significant get.

Michigan football looking strong with another 4-star LB

A few years ago, Michigan got a really good linebacker out of Florida by the name of Devin Bush Jr. He turned out to be quite the player and a guy who’s getting lost of comparisons to Bush, four-star Jaydon Hood, is also looking like a solid Michigan lean.

Hood is ranked 298th overall according to the 247 sports composite rankings and he’s listed as the No. 11 inside linebacker. But that’s not to far form where Bush was rated and when you watch Hood play, he’s like a missile out there.

Last season, the kid had 115 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, seven sacks and one interception. He would be an ideal fit at Michigan’s inside linebacker spot and Jean-Mary again appears to have really connected with Hood who got a crystal ball from Steve Lorenz Thursday ($), a key Michigan expert. The Wolverines own all four of his projections ($), each with a rating of six or higher.

Wolverines trending with a four-star pass rusher

Michigan football also looks to be in very solid position for four-star defensive end Kechaun Bennett, a 6-foot-3 defensive end out of Connecticut. With Don Brown’s connections, the Wolverines continue to do well in the East and now appears in the lead.

Lorenz put in a crystal ball for the Wolverines Thursday ($), and this morning, Michigan got another. Bennett is listed at 220 pounds and 329th nationally, as well as the No. 21 strongside end.

Bennett looks somewhat similar to Quintin Somerville, another key target. He would need to add some weight, but he shows potential as a pass rusher. He doesn’t seem to stand up much, so he would likely be used in a similar fashion to Kwity Paye, yet that will depend on his size.