colin smith

Michigan has filled the 2022 class with the PG of the future in Dug McDaniel along with another top-tier big in Tarris Reed. With Jett Howard likely to hop aboard relatively soon, the Wolverines are honing in on a select few prospects to round out the class.

With football season in full swing, visit season is upon us and this is where we weed out serious mutual interest from lip-service. All the latest below.

Getting Serious

5-star Yohan Traore will make his way to Ann Arbor for an official visit this weekend. Michigan made a final ten last month, but this is confirmation of serious interest considering official visits are at a premium for both parties involved. 

Yohan took an OV to Texas Tech last weekend, but little else is known about this recruitment beyond that and legit information has been hard to come by. What I do know is that Traore simultaneously fits the criteria for best available talent, depth in the frontcourt and just enough skill + mobility to be a big wing/PF type. 

The staff will undoubtedly roll out the red carpet and make the pitch for him to be a power-forward and it will be an honest pitch with Tarris Reed already in the mix. While getting Yohan in for an OV is a significant development, I get the vibe this recruitment is a long ways from being over and I'd be a bit surprised if he signs during the early period.

Circling Back Around

I was first to report that 4-star Colin Smith will be on campus for an OV starting this Friday. After being a secondary option for much of the last six months, Smith has to be considered a priority now with Michigan using valuable resources by allocating a precious OV. 

This is an interesting recruitment, with Colin and the Wolverines being hot and cold with one another over the last two years. Accepted wisdom had Smith as a Stanford lean with his sister a volleyball player in Palo Alto and former HS/AAU teammate Harrison Ingram a freshman on the basketball team. A source on the Stanford side indicates that they have cooled a bit on Colin and he may not be a take depending on how things shake out with their priority prospects. 

Smith took an official visit to Vanderbilt over the weekend and Jerry Stackhouse has been a constant in this recruitment. He also hit Arizona State for an OV for Labor Day weekend. Those two are obviously legit options as well. That said, I think Michigan wins this recruitment if they want to. The question becomes whether he's a take at this point in tandem with the staff's feel on other options. 

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Michigan solidified the frontcourt by adding a big piece (literally) last month with the verbal commitment of top-40 center Tarris Reed. And while Tarris figures to be the starting center for the Wolverines at some point in the not-so-distant future,  Juwan Howard still needs another big with Hunter Dickinson a lock to leave and Moussa Diabate having one-and-done potential. Let's take a look at the 2022 frontcourt options in addition to news elsewhere.

Making The Cut

5-star Yohan Traore released a top ten last week that included Michigan. Narrowing things to ten options indicates that Traore is still in the early stages of his recruitment as opposed to coming down the stretch. Yohan's comments to 247 last week support that sentiment:

"I am really going to think long-term with my decision. It will probably be made around April. I want to take my time, be patient, and take all the information to the drawing board."

As it relates to the Wolverines specifically, Assistant coach Saddi Washington has made the versatile big an absolute priority since July and that diligence in tandem with Juwan Howard's NBA experience has Michigan in the mix.

"Juwan Howard has so much of a basketball legacy over there, even with him playing and coaching in the NBA. He can give insight on what they are looking for and what it takes to play on that level. The coaching staff has been amazing. Saddi Washington has been an amazing recruiter in how he keeps things transparent and trying to help out as much as possible."

In speaking with Yohan, he did inform me that he tentatively plans to visit Ann Arbor, but has yet to lock in any visits and doesn't appear to be in any rush to make a decision. As a newcomer to the United States, Traore has a few people in his inner-circle that will aid in the process and that may complicate things here. What I can say is that Yohan has been receptive to the staff since contact was initially made and the interest so far has been mutual. 

I'll reiterate that his preference is to play the power-forward spot rather than center. Michigan is making that pitch to Yohan and it is a legitimate one with Tarris Reed now in the mix. Getting him on campus is key. Until that happens, nothing can be considered serious here, particularly with professional options being considered. 

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During the last two recruiting cycles, Juwan Howard's affinity for wing type prospects is becoming increasingly clear. He covets a certain type of player that generally goes 6'6+, has plus athleticism and a physically developed frame. That profile has bore out in terms of 2022 offers, with the Wolverines offering six prospects that fit the aforementioned criteria. 

I hit the over the weekend, making stops in Augusta and Indianapolis for the Nike EYBL and Under Armour shoe-circuit events. I now have a firm grip on pecking order with the wings after gathering the latest intel and will cover each option in order of staff preference (as opposed to most likely).

In-State Option

4-star Ty Rodgers is a high-motor athlete and versatile defender capable of checking three positions at the next level. Offensively, he's a bit limited in that he's a non-shooter at this stage of development, but figures to be productive in transition while providing putbacks on the offensive glass. He finished up EYBL play averaging 8.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists and received praise for his motor and passing at Peach Jam.

In early June it felt as if a Michigan/Rodgers marriage was inevitable, as he took an OV to Ann Arbor on the earliest possible date. Fast-forward a nearly two months and things don't look so certain here.

The coaching staff is still making a push here, taking in his games at Peach Jam over the weekend when time/resources are limited. But I get the feeling that time is running thin for Ty to make a commitment or give Coach Howard assurances regarding the same.

And Then There Were Five

Top-100 wing Gregg Glenn is out injured, so there isn't much to say in terms of his on-court progress. On the recruiting front, he released a final 5 last Wednesday that consists of Michigan, Georgia, Virginia Tech, Iona and USF.

I checked in on things last weekend and was told this is a recruitment Michigan has in its "back pocket". It appears the staff isn't making a real effort to land him right now, but moreso keeping the option open so if that he becomes a take down the road there isn't much work to be done. If Juwan Howard really wants Glenn, he will end up in Ann Arbor.

[Hit THE JUMP for the full rundown]