Michigan Football: Top in-state recruit chooses Bama, more on 2022

The top in-state recruit chose Alabama over Michigan football Sunday, plus details on a pair of emerging 2022 defensive tackles.

Michigan football has done a fairly good job of recruiting its home state in recent years, but for the third year in a row, the top in-state recruit has decided to go elsewhere.

That player is defensive tackle Damon Payne, who is out of Belleville. He’s 6-foot-3, as well as 295 pounds and in addition to being the top defensive tackle and prospect in Michigan, he’s rated 14th overall in the 247 composite and pledged to the Crimson Tide Sunday.

It’s not like it was a huge shock. Michigan football never really gained traction with Payne, who’s recruitment was very similar to Justin Rogers, the top Michigan recruit in the class of 2020.

Rogers, from Oak Park, ended up going to Kentucky. That was another recruiting battle Michigan never really gained traction. Obviously, some will point to issues between Jim Harbaugh’s staff and Belleville, which reared its ugly head again with Jamari Buddin’s recruitment.

The Wolverines also missed on the state’s top prospect in 2019. In fact, Aidan Hutchinson was the top player from the state of Michigan to sign with the Wolverines.

But before we hit Harbaugh and company too hard on in-state recruiting, remember that Michigan is in the mix for the No. 2 prospect (Donovan Edwards), No. 3 (Rocco Spindler), has a commitment from No. 4 (Giovanni El-Hadi) and are the crystal ball leader for No. 6 (Rayshaun Benny).

With the commitment of Raheem Anderson, the No. 7 player in the state of Michigan, the Wolverines have a solid chance of getting five of the top 7. That’s a job well-done in my book.

Michigan football early leader with 2022 in-state DT

Anderson is from Detroit Cass Tech, a program that has sent a number of recruits to Ann Arbor over the years and in 2022, another potential signee is defensive tackle Deone Walker.

It’s no secret that Michigan is hoping to add more size at defensive tackle and the position is expected to be a priority in the 2022 cycle.

Well, Walker is already 6-foot-6, 300 pounds and when Michigan offered him on July 10, it was a big deal and as he told Sam Webb of The Michigan Insider, the excitement hasn’t worn off.

“I felt like the joy (and) energy just came to me as soon (Don Brown) said he wanted to offer me,” Walker said. “I just felt the ecstatic. My family always loved Michigan, and I do too.”

While Michigan is making an early move for Walker, he told Rivals that his coaches have also heard from Alabama, LSU and Michigan State. The Spartans will likely be offering soon and they could offer some competition, yet U-M feels like the early favorite according to Webb.

Another defensive tackle to watch in 2022 is Derrick Shepherd out of Ohio. Walker isn’t rated yet in 2022, but Shepherd is the No. 28 defensive tackle according to 247. Since January, the 6-foot-3, 315-pounder from Dayton has picked up 13 offers, but Ohio State hasn’t offered yet.

Shepherd told Webb ($) that current Michigan commitments, Markus Allen and Rod Moore have been working on him since he was offered by the Wolverines back in April. He also said he plans on visiting sometime down the road.