Michigan Football: A top target won’t be at BBQ, plus a rankings update

Michigan football is hosting the recruiting BBQ on Sunday and one top target set to be in attendance now won’t be, while a recent commitment gets a new ranking.

For months it seems like Michigan football has been on the verge of flipping Florida football commit Aaron Gates.

At least it has been talked about for quite some time. Gates is a four-star cornerback and surprisingly, the Wovlerines don’t have a single defensive back committed in the 2023 class, which is a little worrisome since we are nearly in August.

Gates took an unofficial visit to Michigan football in May and also returned for an official visit. He also took multiple visits, including an official visit to Florida this summer, and has one scheduled for the fall.

However, EJ Holland of The Wolverine has projected Gates to flip, and having Gates on campus for the recruiting BBQ would have been another step in the right direction.

Yet, according to Sam Webb of The Michigan Insider (subscription required), Gates isn’t going to make the trip. That doesn’t necessarily mean that Michigan football is out of it, but it’s a missed opportunity.

It could have been a schedule conflict or something, you never know, but now the focus will shift to getting him on campus this fall. Last cycle, it was a long process of flipping Amorion Walker from Notre Dame so it doesn’t mean it’s over.

One thing it does is adds even more pressure to knock it out of the park with four-star cornerbacks Chris Peal and Jyaire Hill, who are both still expected for the BBQ.

Florida currently has a 54-percent chance to hold onto the commitment, while Michigan has a 46-percent chance to flip Gates according to the On3 prediction machine.

Aymeric Koumba gets a rating from 247 sports

We said when Aymeric Koumba committed to Michigan football earlier this summer that he was going to be a steal for the Wolverines and so far, that take is looking right.

Koumba was recently rated as a three-star recruit by On3 and 247 sports followed by ranking the 6-foot-4, 230-pounder as its 37th-best edge rusher.

All of his measurables mirror David Ojabo and while he won’t get a chance to improve his ranking on the field this fall, he’ll be enrolling early which will be huge for his development.

We don’t believe it’s hyperbole to be excited about his future and he’s one of the 2023 recruits that is likely out out-play his ranking.