Michigan currently holds seven commitments and has the No. 19 ranked 2022 class in the national Rivals team recruiting rankings.
With summer upon us, Michigan has an opportunity to close with several of its top targets. Here is a look at the five most important regardless of position.
[embedded content]
DL Walter Nolen, Cordova (Tenn.) St. Benedict
A five-star prospect and the No. 3 ranked overall player in the 2022 recruiting class, Nolen is perhaps the most important overall target left on the board. Nolen would fill a position of need and have an opportunity to make an immediate impact in Ann Arbor. While he is from SEC country, Nolen’s grandparents live in the Detroit-area, and he has a few alums in his family. Nolen is slated to officially visit both Florida and Michigan this month and will also see Georgia and LSU on unofficial visits. Alabama remains a huge threat in this recruitment as well. Overall, Michigan is dark horse and will continue to make its push.
DL Deone Walker, Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech
Michigan is making a concerted effort to make sure the best players in Michigan actually do play at Michigan. A mammoth 300-pound defensive tackle, Walker is another prospect that would fill a need in the trenches. While rawer than Nolen, Walker has improved a ton over the last year and has been dominant at camps throughout the offseason. Schools down south like Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and LSU have his attention, but Walker, the No. 18 ranked defensive tackle nationally, has plenty of ties to the Michigan program and great relationships with assistants Ron Bellamy and Steve Clinkscale.
DL Mario Eugenio, Tampa (Fla.) Gaither
Michigan found some success in the Sunshine State last year and is looking to replicate that with Eugenio this cycle. The four-star prospect is a versatile prospect that can play multiple spots along the defensive line or come off the edge as a standup rusher. Michigan offered Eugenio relatively early and has made him one of its top overall targets over the last few months. Michigan is set to host him for an official visit on June 18 and is in a great spot with him as summer continues to heat up. Eugenio, the No. 17 ranked weak-side defensive end nationally, is also officially visiting Iowa State and camping with some major programs in the Southeast.
LB Sebastian Cheeks, Evanston (Ill.) Township
Cheeks is Michigan’s No. 1 target on the 2022 linebacker board. The Wolverines appeared to be the top contender in his recruitment heading into summer. However, Cheeks has still not set an official visit with U-M. New Michigan defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald and linebackers coach George Helow are working vigorously to make sure that happens soon. Both have been on several Zoom calls with Cheeks, the No. 109 ranked overall prospect nationally, over the last several weeks. Cheeks also happens to be good friends with Rivals100 Michigan wide receiver commit Tyler Morris. As it stands right now, Texas may have the slight edge with North Carolina also squarely in the mix.
DB Myles Pollard, Brentwood (Tenn.) Ravenwood
Michigan already holds a commitment from five-star cornerback Will Johnson, but the Wolverines want to pair him up with another tall, long prospect on the outside. At 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, Pollard fits that description. The four-star prospect can play on an island and is the top overall target on Michigan’s corner board this cycle. Pollard, the No. 31 ranked cornerback in the country, will officially visit Michigan on June 11 and is very high on the Wolverines. He also happens to have a preexisting relationship with new cornerbacks coach Steve Clinkscale, who recruited him at Kentucky, and was a teammate of 2021 signee Junior Colson. Michigan will have to fend off Auburn and Oklahoma, but the opportunity is there for the Wolverines to close.
—
• Talk about this article inside The Fort
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @EJHolland_TW, @JB_ Wolverine, @AustinFox42, @Balas_Wolverine and @DrewCHallett
• Like us on Facebook