Michigan Football: Key targets go elsewhere, latest on top 2021 DT

Two top targets for Michigan football came off the board over the weekend after committing, plus an update on a top defensive tackle target.

A couple of players Michigan football had been targeting and will likely continue to target, have committed elsewhere in the 2021 recruiting class.

One of those players is four-star running back A.J Green, who verbally committed to Arkansas Friday. He is ranked 188th overall in the class via the 247 composite rankings, although in their own rankings, 247 sports have him 115th overall.

Some teams like Green at corner and his 247 sports profile lists him as that, but Michigan football has always wanted him as a running back and with Donovan Edwards locked in as the top target, it wouldn’t be surprising to see U-M keep pushing for Green as that second back.

While the Wolverines have been in on Green for a while, a player they offered not long ago, three-star cornerback Dyson McCutcheon pulled the trigger on a Washington commitment Saturday, taking another target off the board at corner, where Michigan is already thin on options.

Again, I don’t think the Wolverines will just give up here after getting involved not long ago but unless they happen to get a visit down the road, it’s hard to see things changing.

Speaking of corners, another potential recruit to watch at the position for 2021, according to EJ Holland of Rivals ($), is three-star Bryce Stephens.

Stephens is out of Oklahoma and is listed by 247 sports as the 500th player overall in 2021 according to the composite rankings and 83rd among wideouts. He’s 6-foot and 165 pounds. Michigan football offered on March 31 and have been interested in him as a receiver.

But as Holland noted, other teams have been recruiting him as a cornerback and with the board shrinking down more, it’s possible U-M could look at him there, especially because it’s hard to see him being a take at wide receiver, unless things go haywire with Christian Dixon.

Michigan football in solid spot with top in-state DT

For a kid ranked 86th in the 2021 class by Rivals and 194th overall in the 247 composite rankings, four-star offensive/defensive lineman Rayshaun Benny doesn’t get talked about a ton. Not as much as he probably should but for Michigan football, he’s an essential target on the D-line.

George Rooks recruitment has been going well for the Wolverines, but adding him and Benny, a 6-foot-5, 275-pounder would be huge. Benny is being recruited as an offensive lineman by some teams, including Ohio State which is still very much in it. Michigan State is too.

Here’s what Benny told 247 sports ($) in a recent update about his recruitment:

"“The schools I feel strong about is probably Michigan, Michigan State, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Penn State, Ohio State, schools like those. I’m not making a decision till I get some officials down and might just have to wait it out all the way till Signing Day.”"

Benny obviously is in no rush to make a decision right now and visits, if they end up happening this fall, will play a huge part in that. The good thing is that he’s familiar with Michigan, being from Oak Park. Obviously, there hasn’t been great success with that high school, but the Wolverines are pushing as hard as anyone according to what Benny told 247 sports ($):

"“I talk to Coach (Shaun) Nua, their whole staff from offense to defense. The receivers coach, Coach Nua the d-line coach, Coach (Jim) Harbaugh, I talked to everybody.”"

Nua has proven to be an exceptional recruiter and it will be interesting to see if he can help bring things home with Benny who would be another quality addition to the defensive side of the ball in the 2021 class.

On another note, three-star linebacker Tyler McLaurin, out of Illinois, who is currently part of Michigan’s 2021 class, received an offer from Stanford this week. Like Michigan, Stanford obviously offers a lot academically and in this class, more than others, teams will have to guard against teams trying to flip recruits.

But heck, the Wolverines are trying to do the same thing or will be with some key guys. It’s just the way it goes. I don’t see any reason to be worried about McLaurin at this point, but it’s something to monitor.