Michigan Football: Can Wolverines close with 4-star George Rooks?

Crystal balls haven’t been too kind to the Wolverines lately, can Michigan football actually close with 4-star George Rooks?

It would be hard to blame Michigan football fans if they were a little skittish on the predictions of recruiting experts right now after missing out on Rocco Spindler and Drew Kendall.

While the Spindler recruitment was always up in the air between Michigan football and Notre Dame, the Wolverines were thought to be the solid leader for Kendall for some time.

Between Rivals and 247 sports, at one time, 19 experts had a pick in for Kendall to Michigan and we all know how that played out as Kendall kept delaying his decision.

Even Daymon David, the three-star safety got an expert pick from EJ Holland of Rivals to Michigan, only to see that prediction, turn wrong as crystal balls flood to Oregon.

Kamonte Grimes is another recruit Michigan football had a positive feeling about, only to see him go in another direction. So that’s why it’s hard not to be gunshy about George Rooks.

Rooks is a four-star defensive lineman out of New Jersey. According to Holland ($), he’s now 6-foot-5, 275 pounds and plans to make a decision before Oct. 2.

While Rooks told Holland he had a final four of Michigan, Penn State, Syracuse and Boston College, here’s what EJ thinks ($) about where things stand:

"“From what I have been able to gather, both the Michigan Penn State staffs are feeling cautiously optimistic about Rooks. It seems that they are having a tough time reading him because he is so quiet. I am as well. I didn’t get a vibe either way from him. Though, I think the safer pick is Michigan because they’ve been pushing for him the longest, and he’s more familiar with the school.”"

Rooks did take a self-guided visit to Ann Arbor over the summer but did the same at Penn State. At 247 sports, only two crystal ball picks are in for Rooks and the confidence level isn’t high at 4.

Wherever he ends up, Rooks will be a nice get. He’s got a chance to be a five-technique or play inside at defensive tackle, but he’d be a great fit in Ann Arbor either way.

And in this situation, unlike Spindler and Kendall, Michigan doesn’t have multiple players already committed at Rooks’ position. So this is a must-land for U-M along with Rayshaun Benny.

Earlier this summer, things looked much more promising, now it seems more 50/50, and hopefully, this is one case where the crystal balls prove to be right.