Will Costello Visit? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Michigan's top target at quarterback, California four-star KJ Costello, has repeatedly stated his intention to take a trip to Ann Arbor in the near future; he's also hinted at a forthcoming decision.

Several reporters caught up with Costello at the Pylon National 7-on-7 Championship last weekend in Las Vegas, and it's unclear whether or not he'll make it to campus before a decision. The lack of clarity comes from quotes that directly contradict each other. Here's Costello talking to Scout's Greg Biggins ($):

Rancho Santa Margarita (Calif.) Santa Margarita quarterback K.J. Costello could be closing in on a decision.

"I think it will happen sometime in March," Costello said. "I don't think I'm going to take any more visits, I have a good idea what I want to do. With Stanford and USC, I was always going back and forth every other day but I'm pretty set now and it's just a matter of doing it.

Same Costello, same weekend, different reporter—247's Steve Wiltfong ($):

“I’m pretty close [to a decision]. Day in and day out I’m trying to think If I feel like I’m feeling the same way. If I’m feeling the same way four, five, seven days in a row, I’ll make my decision.”

Ranked by the 247Sports Composite as the nation’s No. 4 pro-style quarterback and No. 42 prospect overall, Costello may take one more visit.

“I’ve been talking to (Jim) Harbaugh quite a bit,” he said. “He wants to get me out there as soon as possible. I think I might head out there during the week next week, if I can find a flight. Or in two weeks.”

Costello also told GBW's Kyle Bogenschutz that he's trying to set up a visit, but his next couple weekend are booked with Elite 11 camps and he's unsure if he can miss school for a trip ($).

It doesn't look great for Costello getting to Ann Arbor before a decision. While he's been on campus before, that wouldn't be good for the chances that he'll choose Michigan over either of the in-state finalists.

If Costello drops to Stanford or USC, the quarterback picture could still gain a lot of clarity soon. Five-star WA QB Jacob Eason told Wiltfong that while Michigan is making a bigger push than any other school for him to reconsider his commitment, "something would have to go wrong with Georgia" for him to make a change ($). He's leaving the door ajar, but only just.

That leaves four-star IN QB Brandon Peters, who's slated to visit for the Spring Game. Michigan pushed to the forefront of Peters' recruitment when they offered shortly after NSD, and there's been a lot of optimism that he'll commit so long as no other quarterback takes the spot before he gets to campus. At the time, Costello seemed like a more legitimate possibility; at this point, I'd say Peters is the safer bet to end up in the class.

[Hit THE JUMP for a five-star visitor, new offers, and more.]

Five-Star Sets Visit

Five-star CA OLB Caleb Kelly has yet to narrow the scope of his recruitment. Michigan will get the chance to make a move when he visits in a couple weeks, per Wiltfong ($):

Still very open to any school, Michigan will get a chance to make an impression on the U.S. Army All-American in two weeks when he visits Ann Arbor for the first time March 13 weekend.

“Coach (Jim) Harbaugh,” Kelly started in on what he looks forward to seeing on his visit to Michigan. “And I want to see the Big House and the tradition going on over there. I just know it’s going to be a cool school and a lot of my friends love that school.

Kelly visited Oklahoma last spring and is scheduled to see Alabama in July, and he's also visited in-state USC a couple times. He plans to extend his recruitment all the way to NSD and take all five of his officials; this should be Michigan's best chance to secure one of those.

Michigan is also one of the schools hottest on the heels of four-star CA CB David Long, per Wiltfong ($):

“As far as schools I have a good relationship with Michigan, Washington and UCLA,” Long said Saturday afternoon at the Pylon 7-on-7 National Championships. “Those are the ones that come around the most.”

Long still doesn't have any visits planned because of his track season, but he's maintained that he'd like to get out to Ann Arbor.

New Offers

Michigan became the first program to offer MN three-star ATH JD Spielman a football scholarship. Spielman, however, is already committed to Ohio State—for lacrosse. He told The Wolverine's Tim Sullivan that while he's still a Buckeye commit, he'll take a closer look at his football options ($):

"Hopefully, I can choose whether football or lacrosse by this fall," he said. "Let's see how the summer plays out, see if I pick up any other schools and which schools they are. Then if I like my options, hopefully I can decide that in the fall. In choosing a school, I'd like to do that on a Signing Day, sometime in the Winter or Spring [for football or lacrosse].

Convincing Spielman to flip could prove difficult. The adopted son of Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman, JD is the nephew of Buckeye great Chris Spielman, and his older brother is a freshman on OSU's lacrosse team.

Recently offered four-star CA CB Lamar Jackson told Scout's Greg Biggins that he's considering Michigan for an official visit ($). Jackson also added an offer from UCLA last week.

According to The Wolverine, Michigan offered 2017 DE AJ Epenesa, who's ranked as the #2 overall player in the class on 247. Iowa's thought to have the early edge since Epenesa's father is an alum, but his recruitment is already drawing in many of the top programs in the country, so we'll see if that stays the case for long.

The Wolverines offered four-star 2017 OH CB Marcus Williamson last week, and he plans to see the school this spring, per The Wolverine's Brandon Brown ($).

Etc.

Now this is a Harbaugh offer. Tim Sullivan caught up with three-star 2016 AL LB Erroll Thompson, who added an offer last week, and Thompson discussed where Michigan plans to play him ($):

Many of the 6-2, 240-pound Thompson's offers come on the defensive side of the ball (at either linebacker or defensive end), and given that his offer from the Wolverines came through defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin, the Maize and Blue are no exception. However, there's also a twist.

"They told me they'd maybe use me on both sides of the ball: as a fullback and a linebacker," he explained.

Thompson sounds quite interesting in Michigan, but it's usually tough getting a prospect from Alabama to visit, let alone commit.

Four-star Southfield RB Matt Falcon, another recent offer recipient, told Sullivan that he's still getting to know the new coaching staff ($):

"I still have to build up a relationship with Coach Wheatley; I haven't really spoken to him yet," Falcon explained of Michigan. "It's not a favorite right now, but it could be in the future."

Falcon mentioned that the old staff "didn't really seem interested" in him, so while Michigan is working from behind—Tennessee is his stated leader—they've got the chance to make a big move up his list if the new coaches continue making a push. He visited Ann Arbor again last week, his second unofficial in the span of a couple weeks.