Belleville (MI) Belleville linebacker Jeremiah Beasley committed to Michigan on Wednesday night. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Florida, Michigan State, Missouri, and Tennessee, among others.
Beasley is listed anywhere from 6'1" to 6'2" and 208-220 lbs. As a junior in 2022, Beasley ran for 1,250 yards and scored 27 touchdowns, along with making 108 tackles.
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Name: Cristian Dixon Height: 6’2″ Weight: 195 lbs. High school: Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei Position: Wide receiver Class: Redshirt sophomore Jersey number: #85 Last year: I ranked Dixon #68 and said he would be a backup wide receiver (LINK). He played in one game. TTB Rating: 75
Dixon has been ranked in the sixties for the past couple years, and he has turned his opportunities into three games played and 1 catch for 7 yards. Despite opportunities opening up for wide receivers with an injury to Ronnie Bell in 2021 and Mike Sainristil moving to defense in 2022, Dixon has been biding his time on the bench. Last season he only played against Colorado State. There are plenty of walk-ons who got more playing time.
So now I'm dropping Dixon to #92. Every time a younger receivers hits campus, it seems like they earn more hype than Dixon: Darrius Clemons, Tyler Morris, Fredrick Moore, Semaj Morgan, etc. Walk-ons Peyton O'Leary and Jake Thaw have shown more than Dixon. This season there will be some snaps open where Ronnie Bell used to play, but I don't think Dixon will benefit much.
Name: Brandyn Hillman Height: 6’1″ Weight: 191 lbs. High school: Portsmouth (VA) Churchland Position: Safety Class: Freshman Jersey number: N/A Last year: Hillman was a senior in high school (LINK). He passed for 1,312 yards and 11 touchdowns, and he ran for an additional 1,236 yards and 22 touchdowns. TTB Rating: 83
Hillman was a late flip from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. After signing with the Golden Domers, there was an issue with his transcript that wouldn't allow him to enroll. At that point he was released from his National Letter of Intent. Michigan, which hadn't even offered him during the cycle, saw he was available, threw him an offer, got him to visit, and then got him to sign. It was quite a stroke of luck for the Wolverines.
Hillman is an excellent athlete with quarterback experience, and quarterbacks often translate well to the college game. We've seen it with various players in recent years, including Desmond Morgan (QB to LB), Courtney Avery (QB to CB), Zach Gentry (QB to TE), Michael Barrett (QB to LB), and Luke Schoonmaker (QB to TE). All those players did well, but there is usually a period of transition to the college game; even Desmond Morgan, who played defense in high school, needed time to get ready. Furthermore, Michigan is in pretty good shape at safety with Makari Paige and Rod Moore as the starters, plus a few quality second-year players like Keon Sabb and Zeke Berry. Hillman has a chance to be a good player down the road, and I think he might start getting some experience as a backup and/or on special teams this season.
The following depth chart has removed these listed players from the depth chart due to various reasons, even though some could return with a fifth year or COVID year exception:
QB Jack Tuttle (graduation)
RB Blake Corum (graduation)
WR A.J. Henning (graduation)
WR Cornelius Johnson (graduation)
WR Roman Wilson (graduation)
OL Karsen Barnhart (graduation)
OL LaDarius Henderson (graduation)
OL Myles Hinton (graduation)
OL Trente Jones (graduation)
OL Trevor Keegan (graduation)
OL Drake Nugent (graduation)
DT Cam Goode (graduation)
LB Michael Barrett (graduation)
LB Nikhai Hill-Green (transfer to Charlotte)
LB/RB Kalel Mullings (graduation)
LB Joey Velazquez (graduation)
CB Mike Sainristil (graduation)
S Damani Dent (transfer)
S Quinten Johnson (graduation)
S R.J. Moten (transfer to Florida)
It also assumes that every currently rostered player and every currently committed prospect will be here in 2024, which is obviously not true.
Name: Cameron Brandt Height: 6’4″ Weight: 260 lbs. High school: Chatsworth (CA) Sierra Canyon Position: Defensive end Class: Freshman Jersey number: N/A Last year: Brandt was a senior in high school (LINK). TTB Rating: 82
Ranked as a 3-star and the #456 overall player in the country, Brandt was close to having Michigan fans' undivided attention during the late signing period in February. Michigan wrapped up almost every spot in December, but Brandt - who was committed to Stanford for a while - was someone the Wolverines were working on for a long time. It seemed like a foregone conclusion that he would end up in Ann Arbor rather than in Palo Alto, where longtime coach David Shaw resigned, but he kept fans wondering until the last minute.
Brandt has the body to potentially contribute early at 6'4" and 260 lbs., but the situation on the defensive line doesn't really require much from young guys. Eyabi Okie (Charlotte), Taylor Upshaw (Arizona), and Mike Morris (Seattle Seahawks) all departed from the defensive front, but they should be replaced by Josaiah Stewart (Coastal Carolina) and an up-and-coming crew that includes Braiden McGregor and Derrick Moore, among others. Brandt could play some backup snaps, and he could watch the entire season from the sideline. Regardless, he's a solid prospect who should have some solid seasons in the maize and blue if he waits his turn.
Brandywine (MD) Gwynn Park defensive end Devon Baxter committed to Michigan (LINK).
Ijamsville (MD) Oakdale defensive end Dominic Nichols committed to Michigan (LINK).
OFF THE BOARD
Frisco (TX) Reedy offensive tackle Max Anderson (4-star, #18 OT, #201 overall) committed to Tennessee. At one time he was pegged for Michigan, but once the offensive line class started to fill up, Anderson seemed reticent to join such a large OL class.
Ijamsville (MD) Oakdale defensive end Dominic Nichols
Ijamsville (MD) Oakdale defensive end Dominic Nichols committed to Michigan on Sunday afternoon. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Penn State, and Wisconsin, among others.
Nichols is listed on 247 Sports at 6'5" and 252 lbs.
Name: Jake Thaw Height: 6’1″ Weight: 190 lbs. High school: Westport (CT) Staples Position: Wide receiver Class: Redshirt junior Jersey number: #26 Last year: I ranked Thaw #107 and said he would be a backup wide receiver (LINK). He played in two games and make 1 punt return for 10 yards. TTB Rating: N/A
Thaw finally broke into some playing time in 2022, his third year in the program. He played in a couple blowout games, and he was actually called upon to return a punt against Colorado State. There was a little bit of excitement on his 20-yard return, but it was taken back 10 yards due to a penalty. He also caught a touchdown on a whip route in the 2023 spring game.
My opinion of Thaw is bolstered most by the fact that the coaches trusted him to catch a punt, even though it was late in a blowout win. Obviously, the staff trusts him not to go out there and look like a dolt and turn over the ball. Alas, Michigan has some good receivers returning (Cornelius Johnson, Roman Wilson) and some talented youngsters vying for playing time (Darrius Clemons, Fredrick Moore, etc.), not to mention walk-on Peyton O'Leary, who was the star of the spring game overall. I expect to see Thaw on the field a little bit this fall, but probably not in crunch time.
Prediction: Backup wide receiver and special teamer
Name: Jason Hewlett Height: 6’3″ Weight: 215 lbs. High school: Youngstown (OH) Chaney Position: Linebacker Class: Freshman Jersey number: N/A Last year: Hewlett was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 59 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 3 interceptions, and 3 forced fumbles on defense. He also recorded 14 catches for 317 yards and 3 touchdowns on offense, adding 2 defensive scores and 1 kickoff return touchdown. TTB Rating: 81
Hewlett is a wild card from the 2023 class. As a 6'3", 215 lb. wide receiver, kick returner, linebacker, and edge rusher in high school, he could play a variety of roles in college. While offense is probably not in the cards, Jim Harbaugh could probably turn him into a pretty decent H-back. With that speed and a decent frame, he could be a tough cover for defenders, but he might struggle with the blocking aspect.
But I digress.
Hewlett is more of a defensive athlete who could be an inside linebacker, turn into an outside linebacker, or even eventually put his hand down to play defensive end. I think his best spot is outside linebacker where he could potentially be a more explosive Jaylen Harrell. He's not going to be that this season, though, and Harrell wasn't a contributor as a freshman, either. Hewlett needs a year of bodily development and probably needs to focus on one position for a bit. He might get some garbage time snaps in a few games this year, but I expect it to be four or fewer so he can redshirt this season.
Burley (ID) Burley wide receiver Gatlin Bair (image via Hudl)
2024
Gatlin Bair - WR - Burley (ID) Burley: Bair is a 6'2", 180-pounder with offers from Michigan, Oregon, and TCU, among others. He's a 4-star, the #10 wide receiver, and #44 overall. As a junior in 2022, he caught 73 passes for 1,073 yards and 18 touchdowns. Because he plans to go on a mission after high school, he will not plan to enroll until 2026, so this is a recruitment for the long-term. In other words, by the time he would enroll at Michigan, Jadyn Davis would be a junior. This is an official visit for Bair, whose coach was Colston Loveland's high school coach.
Jameer Grimsley - WR - Tampa (FL) Catholic: Grimsley is a 6'3", 185-pounder with offers from Alabama, Florida State, Michigan, North Carolina, Penn State, and others. He's a 4-star, the #18 cornerback, and #231 overall. This is an official visit, and he has officials scheduled to all the aforementioned schools.
Name: Jerome Nichols Height: 6’0″ Weight: 216 lbs. High school: Detroit (MI) Renaissance Position: Linebacker Class: Redshirt junior Jersey number: #50 Last year: I ranked Nichols #100 and said he would be a backup linebacker (LINK). He played in two games. TTB Rating: N/A
Michigan has a lot of backups but not a lot of proven players at inside linebacker. Last year there was an opportunity for a backup linebacker to work his way into the rotation, but that turned out to be true freshman Jimmy Rolder. Nichols did start to work his way onto the field on special teams in a couple of blowout games against Hawaii and UConn, but after mid-September, he was back to watching from the sideline on Saturdays.
I expect more of the same in 2023. While Nikhai Hill-Green's departure for Charlotte opens up some room on the depth chart, Hill-Green didn't play at all last year due to injury. Meanwhile, Junior Colson and Michael Barrett both return, not to mention Rolder and Nebraska transfer Ernest Hausmann. I don't see a path to defensive snaps for Nichols, but he could once again earn some special teams opportunities.
Roderick Pierce III (image via Dean Reid for Shaw Media)
Name: Roderick Pierce Height: 6’3" Weight: 290 lbs. High school: Oak Lawn (IL) Brother Rice Position: Defensive tackle Class: Freshman Jersey number: N/A Last year: Pierce was a senior in high school (LINK). TTB Rating: 79
Pierce is a good prospect who happens to play a position that is very difficult to play as a true freshman. There are occasionally players like Mason Graham who fit in just fine as true freshmen, but more often, even upper tier prospects end up like Kenneth Grant. Grant was a 6'4", 335 lb. monster coming out of high school and he played very little in 2022.
Pierce is starting off smaller - which should help with adjusting to the conditioning aspect of college football - but he will probably need to add weight and strength in order to get on the field. Michigan also has a solid group of returning players, including Graham, Grant, Kris Jenkins, and Rayshaun Benny, not to mention some unproven young guys Pierce will have to battle in order to even be third- or fourth-string.
Brandywine (MD) Gwynn Park defensive end Devon Baxter committed to Michigan on Monday evening. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Maryland, Penn State, Tennessee, and Virginia Tech, among others.
Baxter is a 6'6", 235 lb. prospect. As a junior in 2022, he made 48 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks. He also caught 12 passes for 181 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Name: Hayden Moore Height: 6’3" Weight: 205 lbs. High school: Parker (CO) Regis Jesuit Position: Linebacker Class: Freshman Jersey number: N/A Last year: Moore was a senior in high school. He made 197 tackles, 7 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 forced fumble. TTB Rating: N/A
Moore was committed to Nebraska for several months in the 2023 cycle, pledging in June of 2022 and then staying committed until mid-December. However, an offer came from Michigan and an official visit in December sealed the deal, resulting in a pledge to the Wolverines and signing in December. It was a bit of a head-scratcher for Michigan, coming off of a Big Ten championship and "reaching" for the #1164 overall player in the country, according to the 247 Composite.
That being said, Moore is a good athlete who seems undervalued at that ranking. While I do not see him as a high-level athlete, I wouldn't bat an eyelash if he was ranked in the 500s or 600s. He has good size, decent speed, and a reputation as a tackling machine - his 197 tackles led the state of Colorado in 2022. I'm not quite sure where he fits at Michigan. I don't think he has the bend - he plays a little high - to be an edge rusher, and I don't see the athleticism to run sideline-to-sideline as an inside linebacker. In other words, I don't see him being a major factor on a team with the ability to recruit elite athletes, but he could be a guy who goes somewhere like Boston College or, ahem, Nebraska, and finds a good amount of success. He can play in the Big Ten. Can he play at Michigan? Time will tell.
As for the 2023 season, Moore is a little light and needs some development, coming from playing the SAM linebacker spot in a 3-3 stack defense. I think he's likely to redshirt, but special teams play could be in consideration, and even some late-season developmental time might be in order.
You all thought Aaron Chiles was going to commit to Michigan, didn't you?
So did I.
COMMITMENTS
Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman running back Micah Ka'apana committed to Michigan (LINK).
Charlotte (NC) West linebacker Jaden Smith committed to Michigan (LINK).
Chicago (IL) Kenwood wide receiver I'Marion Stewart committed to Michigan (LINK).
ADDED TO THE BOARD
LaGrange (GA) Troup County linebacker Qua Birdsong (4-star, #27 LB, #310 overall) decommitted from Cincinnati after about two months. He took an official visit to North Carolina State over the weekend.
Philadelphia (PA) Roman Catholic wide receiver Tyseer Denmark (4-star, #33 WR, #227 overall) decommitted from Oregon, and crystal balls started flying in for him to commit to the Penn State Nittany Lions.
OFF THE BOARD
Chattanooga (TN) Bradley Central athlete Boo Carter (4-star, #17 ATH, #207 overall) committed to Tennessee. He had officially visited Michigan and is a 7-on-7 teammate of Michigan safety commit Jacob Oden, so there was an opportunity for the Wolverines to land his commitment, but ultimately, he decided to stay home.
Olney (MD) Good Counsel linebacker Aaron Chiles (4-star, #6 LB, #80 overall) committed to Florida. Chiles was considered to be a strong Michigan lean and almost committed on his unofficial visit this spring. He was scheduled to take an official visit to Ann Arbor next week, but he pulled the trigger in Gainesville this past weekend, which was a big weekend for the Gators as they landed four 4-star commitments on Saturday.
Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman running back Micah Ka'apana (image via Twitter)
Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman running back Micah Ka'apana committed to Michigan on Saturday. He picked the Wolverines over offers from BYU, Hawaii, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, and Utah, among others.
Ka'apana is listed at 5'11" and 195 lbs. As a junior in 2022, he rushed 70 times for 1,001 yards and 15 touchdowns. He has been selected for the 2024 Polynesian Bowl.
Chicago (IL) Kenwood wide receiver I'Marion Stewart (image via On3)
Chicago (IL) Kenwood wideout I'Marion Stewart committed to Michigan on Friday evening. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Georgia, Miami, Oregon, Penn State, Ole Miss, and Tennessee, among others.
Springfield (OH) Springfield cornerback Aaron Scott, Jr. (image via SI)
2024
Devon Baxter - DE - Brandywine (MD) Gwynn Park: Baxter is a 6'6", 225-pounder with offers from Maryland, Michigan, Penn State, Rutgers, and Virginia Tech, among others. He's a 4-star, the #27 edge, and #387 overall.
Jeremiah Beasley - LB - Belleville (MI) Belleville: Beasley is a 6'1", 210 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Tennessee, and others. He's a 4-star, the #28 linebacker, and #321 overall. Right now there are four crystal balls for Michigan and four for MSU. He's the younger brother of Maliq Carr, a tight end for Michigan State.
Darrion Dupree - RB - Chicago (IL) Mount Carmel: Dupree is a 5'10", 190 lb. back with offers from Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin, among others. He's a 4-star, the #32 running back, and #367 overall. With Jordan Marshall already in the fold and top-50 prospect Taylor Tatum coming in for an official visit next week - not to mention Micah Kaapana visiting last week - it's unclear how Michigan is going to handle taking a second back in the class, or perhaps even a third. This is an official visit for Dupree.
Charlotte (NC) West linebacker Jaden Smith (image via Twitter)
Charlotte (NC) West linebacker Jaden Smith committed to Michigan on Monday. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Kentucky, Miami, USC, and Virginia Tech, among others.
Princeton (NJ) The Hun School defensive tackle Owen Wafle committed to Michigan on Sunday. The former Notre Dame commitment picked the Wolverines over offers from Boston College, Iowa, Minnesota, Rutgers, and West Virginia, among others.
Wafle is listed at 6'2" and 290 lbs. As a junior in 2022, he made 64 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks.
Chillicothe (OH) Chillicothe tight end Tayvion Galloway (4-star, #11 TE, #247 overall) decommitted from LSU. With Michigan already having two tight end commitments, I doubt the Wolverines will get back involved here.
OFF THE BOARD
Olney (MD) Good Counsel center Kyle Altuner (3-star, #61 IOL, #867 overall) committed to West Virginia. I thought he was perhaps leaning toward Michigan before the Wolverines got a commitment from fellow center prospect Jake Guarnera.
Name: Joshua Nichols Height: 5’10” Weight: 190 lbs. High school: Detroit (MI) Loyola Position: Safety Class: Redshirt freshman Jersey number: #29 Last year: I ranked Nichols #121 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He redshirted. TTB Rating: N/A
Nichols is one of those walk-ons who seems like he's going to make an impact by the time his career is over, whether just on special teams or maybe a little bit on defense. He filled up the stat sheet as a high school senior two years ago - 82 tackles, 11 forced fumbles, 7 pass breakups, and 1 interception - and now seems to have put on about 20 pounds of muscle.
Nichols could have a Hunter Reynolds type of career. Reynolds played as a backup before transferring to start at Utah State. Now that Nichols has put on some good weight, perhaps this is the season for him to run down on kickoff and/or punt coverage and start to make a name for himself. With the talent and depth at safety right now, that's probably the best chance for him to get on the field.
Name: Noah Stewart Height: 6’7" Weight: 283 lbs. High school: Muskegon (MI) North Muskegon Position: Tight end Class: Redshirt junior Jersey number: #61 Last year: I didn't rank Stewart. He played in one game. TTB Rating: N/A
Denegal wins the annual Tom Strobel Random Lineman Turned Into a Tight End Award, previously awarded to the likes of Tom Strobel, Trente Jones, and Joel Honigford. Coming out of high school, Stewart was ranked as a 3-star offensive lineman by 247 Sports, but the offensive line is stacked. The official roster lists a position change from offensive line to tight end, but the #61 jersey lags a little behind the position switch.
Considering how much his predecessors actually played as extra (blocking) tight ends, perhaps I'm ranking Stewart way too low. At 6'7" and 283 lbs. he could potentially be a very tough tight end to deal with for 5-tech defensive ends - or even smaller players - so perhaps Michigan has some secrets plans to help Stewart outstrip this low-ish ranking. But until I see otherwise, I'll assume Stewart will be mostly on the bench.
UMass transfer target Josh Wallace has committed to Michigan. He picked Michigan over offers from Iowa, Oklahoma, and Virginia Tech.
Wallace was listed at 6'0" and 190 lbs. last season for the Minutemen. He's a two-time captain and started 34 games over parts of four seasons. Last year he made 41 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, and 8 pass breakups.
St. Louis (MO) University wide receiver Ryan Wingo (image via 247 Sports)
2024
Manuel Beigel - DT - Wallingford (CT) Choate Rosemary Hall: Beigel is an international prospect from Germany who has been committed to Michigan since July of 2022. He has since picked up offers from some other big-time programs like Georgia, Penn State, and Texas A&M, among others. This is his official visit.
Boo Carter - ATH - Cleveland (TN) Bradley Central: Carter is a 5'10", 184-pounder with offers from Michigan, Tennessee, and a bunch of others . . . but it seems to be a two-horse race between the Wolverines and the Volunteers. He's a 4-star, the #20 athlete, and #240 overall. This is his official visit.
Ondre Evans - CB - Nasvhille (TN) CPA: Evans is a 6'0", 190 lb. prospect with offers from Arkansas, Michigan, North Carolina State, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and others. He's a 4-star, the #30 cornerback, and #340 overall. This is his official visit.
Name: Jayden Denegal Height: 6’4″ Weight: 238 lbs. High school: Apple Valley (CA) Apple Valley Position: Quarterback Class: Redshirt freshman Jersey number: #14 Last year: I ranked Denegal #97 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He played in one game. TTB Rating: 61
Denegal may have been regarded as a better passing quarterback than classmate Alex Orji last season, but it turned out that Michigan didn't really need a passer. They didn't really need Orji as a runner, either. They mostly just needed J.J. McCarthy and a few backups to take garbage time snaps (though Cade McNamara did start one unimpressive game before getting injured). Denegal got into the UConn game to hand off the ball, and that was it.
While McNamara is off to Iowa, McCarthy returns and will be backed up by some combination of Jack Tuttle and/or Davis Warren. Orji has earned some off-season hype because he's 6'3" and 235 lbs., looks really strong, and can run and jump and do fun things to watch. Some people have been clamoring for Orji to get the Dan Villari treatment and come in for some occasional running plays.
No one is clamoring for Denegal at this point. Buzz out of practice has been next to nil, but that's what tends to happen for the quarterback who is roughly fifth on the depth chart. With McCarthy possibly gone in 2024, maybe he will get a chance to vie for the starting job next season, but for now it seems like he will be buried on the depth chart for at least one season. I would expect to see him on the field a little here and there in mop-up duty.
