Michigan Football: Top recruiting targets visiting this week

Breaking down key recruits visiting Michigan football this week and what that means for the Wolverines. 

With the dead period coming to an end on June 1st, several top recruits will be making their way to Ann Arbor this week.

Michigan football will begin the period with a recruiting event called “Detroit Day” on June 2nd. The event will allow prospects in Southeast Michigan to get to know Michigan’s new coaching staff.

According to The Michigan Insider, notable prospects expected to attend include Michigan commits CB Will Johnson, Tay’shawn Trent, and DL Davonte Miles as well as four-star targets ATH Dillon Tatum, WR Antonio Gates Jr., and DL Deone Walker. Gates Jr. being in attendance is of particular interest to me.

Thus far, he has received tepid interest (no offer yet) from the Michigan coaching staff and I think that should change.

Obviously, he has notable bloodlines with his father being future Hall-of-fame Antonio Gates, but Gates Jr. deserves an offer of his own merits. He has good size for a perimeter receiver at 6’1 and 185 pounds, speed to get behind the secondary, impressive body control, and tracking ability to find the ball in the air and make contested catches.

Additionally, Gates Jr. has Michigan State in his top three so if the Wolverines got involved and eventually landed his commitment, keeping a talented player out of East Lansing would be an added bonus.

Michigan football was able to do this in 2021 swiping wide receiver Andrel Anthony out of East Lansing and flipping Rayshaun Benny from his pledge to the Spartans.

Official visitors and possible commitments for Michigan football

This weekend, Michigan will host four official visitors from Jun. 4th -6th with three-star LB Micah Pollard, three-star DL Hayden Schwartz, three-star LB Kevonte Henry, and three-star ATH Jaren Kanak making their way to Ann Arbor.

Michigan football leads the crystal ball for Pollard and Schwartz, so those two, in particular, could be on commit watch.

On June 6th, the Wolverines will also host 2023 five-star DB Sonny Styles for an unofficial visit. If the last name Styles sounds familiar, it’s because Michigan recruited his brother, Lorenzo, the four-star WR who ultimately signed with Notre Dame.

Their father also played at Ohio State. While the family connections to two rival programs might make Styles seem like a long shot, Michigan is not backing down.

In fact, the hiring of new defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale may give Michigan a chance in this race thanks to his connections in Ohio and ability to develop defensive backs. Getting Styles on campus this early in his recruitment is a positive sign as well.