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Michigan has assistant coaches again, which means they get to recruit again. It’s been a minute since an update so we’ll go over the shape of the end of 2021 recruiting, then give an overview of 2022 recruiting and, if there’s anything available, transfer recruiting.

The Xavier Worthy Question

It appears Michigan has dodged a self-inflicted bullet here. Admissions decided not to let him enroll early for some reason nobody—including Worthy—seems to understand. Both Rivals and 247 have noted Worthy was the first of Michigan’s class to graduate his high school, and did so with a 3.5 GPA. Via Worthy himself he is in Ann Arbor, and is being patient with whatever’s going on over in tweedville.

2021: The Great DT Search

Michigan retained defensive line coach Shawn Nua, and that seems to have helped with Michigan’s biggest remaining need for this class, with top 3T target George Rooks committing earlier today.  Rooks appeared to be trending to BC during the Nua drift, and then PSU was in a strong position a week ago, with Rivals East Coast analyst Adam Friedman predicting Rooks to Happy Valley just this morning.

When last we spoke Michigan’s other top target was MI 4* Rayshaun Benny. Benny committed to Michigan State after their fluke victory, but did not sign with them in the early period, which everybody took for a sign that his Spartandom wasn’t cast in bronze. If you’d asked me then which Michigan’s more likely to get I’d say Benny, but that seems to have flipped in January. Benny has publicly maintained he intends to sign with MSU, Rivals Adam Gorney said it “would actually be a surprise if he flips to the Wolverines” on January 6, and Josh Helmholdt predicted Benny sticks with the Spartans a day ago. However the guy on the ground, EJ Holland, says Michigan still has a chance, and adding Bellamy helps($). Texas is also getting involved late.

Michigan has also added a pure nose target in TX 3* Ikechukwu Iwunnah. Non-fans of Don Brown’s DT recruiting will be happy to hear that Ike, who committed to Colorado a week ago, is 6’4”/290. Sam Webb more or less admitted on our roundtable last week that Brown’s demands for the position held Nua back from pursuing the space-eater types he likes, like Ike. Iwunnah is a weird late-riser since he played in Dallas and was DPOY for his district as a sophomore, but his HS coach says Ike is listening to Michigan($) despite the recent Buffs commitment. Brice Marich notes Michigan’s pitch is serious($), with Macdonald, Harbaugh, and Nua all in contact. Marich also notes the 290 is more accurate than the 275 still up on his own site. Lorenz thinks Michigan’s got a good shot at a flip.($)

The 247 guys think Nua’s hands were tied under Brown, that Michigan’s DL coach going to be more aggressive from here in after some of the better scouted, higher-ranked southern and western dudes, and that they’re all going to have size.

[After THE JUMP: transfers, casting about for cornerback names, The Bellamy Effect]

Weekend Visitors: The Other Sport

I don't envy recruiting writers on a post quota this month, as the start of both college and high school football has led to a very quiet stretch with recruiting. That's particularly the case with Michigan, which didn't host any major football visitors over the weekend; they're loading up the Michigan State and Ohio State weekends with visitors instead.

The basketball team, on the other hand, hosted a couple top targets over the weekend. The top 2018 target on the board, Canadian wing Ignas Brazdeikis, took his first official visit to Ann Arbor, and per Chris Balas he came away impressed:

"The trip was amazing," Brazdeikis reported (with two exclamation points). "I enjoyed everything so much. I just need a little time to soak it all in."

What that means is anyone's guess, but come might construe it that he's contemplating a commitment. He is slated to visit Florida and Vanderbilt, but U-M has long been one of his leaders.

Michigan is on a run of Crystal Ball picks for Brazdeikis, including one from 247's director of hoops recruiting, Jerry Meyer. If that holds, Brazdeikis will be the centerpiece of the class.

Three-star OH wing Justin Ahrens told TMI's Josh Henschke he had an "awesome" visit, and he hit it off with Brazdeikis and two current 2018 commits:

With multiple Wolverine commits in tow, Ahrens says the entire group, including Brazdeikis, connected and discussed the possibility of playing together in the near future.

"David DeJulius, Brandon Johns, Iggy and I all got along really well," Ahrens said. "We did discuss how sweet it would be if we all went there. That would be a major recruiting class."

Ahrens has an obvious fit in John Beilein's system as a sharpshooter who hopefully can work the high screen game as well. Henschke CB'd Ahrens to Michigan; we could see this class wrap up in the relatively near future.

[Hit THE JUMP for the rest of the roundup.]