Michigan football recruiting has been on fire, with a string of elite commitments lately. The Wolverines have landed three top-100 commits in offensive lineman Jakari Lipsey, wide receiver Quentin Burrell, and defensive lineman Xavier Muhammad.
With strong senior seasons, any of those three could have the potential to reach five-star status. But for now, let's look at some guys Michigan is fighting for who are currently ranked as five stars.
Wide Receiver Dakota Guerrant (MI)
Arguably Michigan's #1 overall target regardless of position, the Wolverines are in a battle against Oregon for the in-state five star. Oregon has been seen as the favorite for months, but Michigan has really ramped up its pursuit of Guerrant, and it seems to be working.
Guerrant only has official visits scheduled to Michigan and Oregon, and it seems as though this is almost entirely a two team race. Michigan has surged back into this recruitment to become neck and neck with the Ducks. The biggest question for Guerrant is how much better will Michigan's offense look? In the past, it hasn't been a wide receiver friendly offense at all. But now, with Bryce Underwood in his sophomore year and Kyle Whittingham at the helm, things should look a lot better.
If Guerrant makes a Summer commitment, I'd lean towards Oregon at the moment. That is, however, with the caveat that this one isn't going to be over until signing day. If Michigan showcases a dynamic offense that can productively use its wide receivers, the Wolverines are going to have a great chance. Expect the coaching staff to continue to make a big push for the in-state star.
Cornerback Joshua Dobson (NC)
Michigan wasn't really in the picture for Joshua Dobson until this spring. The Wolverines were able to get him in for a spring visit and put together a huge push for the elite defensive back. It was enough for the Wolverines to make Dobson's top five, along with Auburn, Texas A&M, LSU, and South Carolina.
LSU is currently viewed as the favorite, but Dobson has been giving Michigan a lot of love and seems to be really considering the Wolverines. He's currently planning on a July 3rd decision, and intends on taking official visits to all five of his top schools before then. Michigan's official visit has not yet been scheduled, but the Wolverines are hoping that they've done enough to earn a weekend visit - something that would likely require Dobson to replace one of his currently planned visits.
Michigan, ideally, would want to replace South Carolina and get Dobson on campus the weekend of June 19th for Victors Weekend. That would likely signal that the Wolverines have a real shot at landing his commitment. I would expect Michigan to put together a very competitve package for Dobson.
This is a recruitment that seems like one that Kyle Whittingham and Jay Hill really want to win. It's going to be really interesting to follow this one, as I think we're going to see Michigan go all out for this one.
Will Michigan football Land Either?
Michigan is a real contender for both Guerrant and Dobson. If I had to make a prediction today, I would say that Michigan will land at least one. With it being Kyle Whitingham's first year, I think he really wants to make a splash on the recruiting trail to prove that he can get it done at Michigan.
It's probably more likely that Dakota Guerrant ends up in the class as opposed to Joshua Dobson, but that's not to say that one is more interested in Michigan than the other. I think both have shown incredible interest in the Wolverines, the path is just smoother for Michigan to land Guerrant. Having to only compete against Oregon, which is on the other side of the country for Guerrant, who is in Michigan's backyard, is much more favorable.
I would not be surprised at all, however, if Michigan found a way to land both. These are definitely two recruitments to keep a close eye on.
Add us as a preferred source on Google