Michigan Football: Early buzz from massive recruiting weekend

It was a huge weekend for Michigan football recruiting and the Wolverines delivered a big win over Washington at just the right time. Here’s the early buzz. 

Michigan football hosted one of its biggest recruiting weekends ever as it hosted Washington for a home night game. Michigan picked a good week to deliver a dominant 31-10 win.

Five-star recruits were aplenty as Michigan welcomed 2022 group Walter Nolen, Domani Jackson, Josh Conerly Jr., and Will Johnson as well as 2023’s Dante Moore and Jaiden Ausberry. While we will have recruiting updates throughout the week, here is the early buzz from the weekend.

Walter Nolen returns with family

Defensive lineman Walter Nolen is the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2022 class and he has been no stranger to Michigan’s campus. Nolen has taken unofficial and official visits to Michigan already, but he took another unofficial visit to Michigan with his mother and three brothers. Nolen’s mother, Yolunda, was impressed by the atmosphere in the Big House and is impressed by Michigan’s academic reputation according to the Michigan Insider (subscription required).

There have been many twists and turns in Nolen’s recruitment and changes to his top group. His current top three is Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Georgia.

The Wolverines may currently sit outside the top group, having his mother and her side of the family on Michigan’s side will keep Michigan in contention provided it keeps winning.

Michigan angling for flips in the secondary?

Michigan has recruited five-star cornerback Domani Jackson as hard as any prospect on its board for the better part of two years.

Jackson remains committed to USC but he is keeping his childhood favorite under consideration. Michigan’s path to flipping Jackson may start with winning over mom. Jackson’s father, Randy, is a huge Michigan fan but Jackson’s mother is an Ohio State fan.

According to Sam Webb of the Michigan Insider ($), Mom was enjoying herself as well and giving Michigan a fair shot.

Perhaps Michigan’s job will be made easier by USC. While Michigan was beating Washington, USC suffered an embarrassing 42-28 loss to Stanford as 17 point favorites.

It seems like USC head coach Clay Helton is annually on the hot seat and if the season starts going downhill, this may be the year that the Trojans finally make a change.

A coaching change could help Michigan’s chances along with his close relationship with fellow five-star cornerback Will Johnson. Michigan has been selling Jackson on being a part of an all-time secondary class that includes Johnson, Myles Pollard, and Kody Jones. Another member of that secondary class could be three-star athlete Amorion Walker.

Walker is currently committed to Notre Dame but that may not be the case much longer. According to Sam Webb, Walker came to Ann Arbor early with his father, mother, and two younger sisters and received undivided attention from the Michigan coaching staff.

Walker has intriguing potential as a 6-foot-4 wide receiver or a rangy free safety. Michigan wants him on defense but either way he would be a valuable addition to the class.