Michigan Football: 5-star is set to visit, could it lead to a flip?

Five-star cornerback Domani Jackson has long been on the wishlist of Michigan football fans and his recruitment is not over yet.

The thought of landing five-star cornerback Domani Jackson was once a very real possibility for the Michigan football program.

That was before the 2020 season went south and the staff went through a bunch of turnover. During that time, Jackson ended up pledging to USC, even though he always mentioned Michigan as his dream school. His father is from Ohio and grew up a U-M fan.

There was even some talk about Will Johnson, a five-star corner currently committed and Jackson teaming up. The two are tight and that’s led some to worry about Johnson flipping to USC, where he took a visit over the summer.

But now, according to some new reporting from EJ Holland of Rivals, it’s the Trojans that might have to worry and not just about Alabama, another team in the mix.

Holland is reporting that Jackson will be taking an official visit to Ann Arbor on Sept. 11 for the Washington game. You can read the full scoop here (subscription required).

What this development means for Michigan football

It’s a step in the right direction for sure. The Wolverines have never stopped recruiting Jackson and who knows, the addition of Steve Clinkscale could even be helping in these efforts.

Johnson has been recruiting Jackson and others. He has been the J.J. McCarthy of this class in terms of being a leader and a guy others want to play with.

But a lot of guys seem hesitant to commit until seeing the product on the field. I think recruits want to see that Michigan football is actually going to be Michigan football.

Not last season’s 2-4 imposter. That was a disaster and if I was a recruit, I wouldn’t want to sign up for that either.

But if Jim Harbaugh and company can show they are on the right track, they are going to have a chance with Jackson and some others such as five-star Josh Conerly Jr.

Kenneth Grant, who is deciding between Michigan and Ohio State, is another that comes to mind. I expect the Wolverines to have a bounce-back season but winning that game against Washington is essential.

It’s not going to be the difference between making the College Football Playoff or anything like that. But in terms of long-term recruiting, it’s a must-win, especially with Jackson now slated to be on campus. That’s an opportunity the Wolverines can’t afford to waste.

Flips are hard to predict and obviously, a lot needs to happen. But it shows that Michigan is still very much in the race and that’s at least a positive sign.