The Best Players In Michigan Visit Michigan

While much of the early recruiting focus from the new staff has been on elite prospects in California, Texas, and SEC country, Jim Harbaugh has also made a concerted effort to lock down his home territory. This week, that continues with some of the top in-state prospects making their way through Ann Arbor.

Four-star Plymouth OT Michael Jordan stopped by for Tuesday's practice, and his father told 247's Steve Wiltfong that he's developing a rapport with the new staff ($):

The Wolverines are strongly in the mix for the No. 3 prospect in the state according to the 247Sports Composite, as are schools like Michigan State, Notre Dame and Ohio State.

“It’s getting more and more comfortable with them,” the elder Jordan said. “He’s still trying to get to know everyone at this point. They’re definitely one of his top choices of schools to go to.”

Four-star Detroit King WR Donnie Corley also visited practice Tuesday and connected with recent staff addition Soup Campbell, per Wiltfong ($):

"Great visit today," Corley's father told 247Sports. "Learned a lot from the staff and the legend (Erik) Campbell."

Asked if the visit helped Michigan in his son's eyes, Corley's father responded, "Yes."

Steve Lorenz reports that four-star Cass Tech OG/DT Michael Onwenu will visit on Saturday ($). Onwenu's been a consistent presence on campus of late to the extent that Michigan has passed Ohio State as the favorite on his Crystal Ball; Onwenu has also mentioned that the Mike Weber situation affected his view of OSU. Three-star Canton OLB Jalen Cochran, who holds an Iowa offer, is also expected to be on campus Saturday.

Three-star Saline dual-threat QB Josh Jackson, son of Fred, was among last weekend's visitors. He told Scout's Allen Trieu that the coaches informed him he's "in the mix" for a potential offer, and they're planning to watch him throw this spring ($). With Harbaugh's preference for taking two quarterbacks per class, Jackson could be one to watch.

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

The Best Players In New Jersey Also Visit Michigan

Steve Wiltfong reports that Michigan will host three of New Jersey's finest this weekend ($):

Egg Harbor City (N.J.) Cedar Creek Top100 athlete Ahmir Mitchell told 247Sports Tuesday evening that he plans to visit Michigan on Sunday with Camden (N.J.) High Top247 teammates receiver Brad Hawkins and defensive end Ron Johnson.

All three will be at Notre Dame on Saturday.

Mitchell and Hawkins both have offers and are high on Michigan's board; Johnson is likely to join them with an offer once he makes the trip.

Michigan Gets Leg Up With Kelly

Five-star CA LB Caleb Kelly went on the record with a few outlets about his Michigan visit experience last weekend, and it's clear the trip went very well. Kelly told TomVH about yet another Jim Harbaugh Is Not Normal moment ($):

“Coach Harbaugh was telling me he was coaching for the Oakland A’s at a baseball game and he had to run to get something. As he was coming back, he turned sideways down the stairs with his spikes on and rolled his ankle so bad he thought it might be broken,” Kelly said. “He swears that he broke his foot, so in his office he takes his football cleat and sock off and puts his foot on his desk and there’s this big, purple bruise on his foot. He left his one cleat off and left his foot out the rest of the time we were there with him, it was hilarious.”

Kelly had glowing praise for Jabrill Peppers both on and off the field, though—perhaps not surprisingly given the above—he told Sam Webb that the coaching staff made the biggest impression on him ($):

“I think (what stuck out the most was) how laid back Coach Harbaugh was and how all the coaches cared for me like I’m a player over there.  I know they’re supposed to because they really want me to go there, but you could tell that they genuinely cared about me.  They were all just coaches that you could hang out with and be yourself with.  They let you be yourself and they were happy with it.  They were always looking for a laugh and being positive.  I just think the coaches were the biggest thing.”

Longtime Fresno high school coach Tony Perry accompanied Kelly on the visit and also participated in the coaches clinic; he told Webb that Michigan, Oklahoma, and UCLA are standing out for Kelly right now ($). As always, proceed with caution when considering Michigan's chances with any five-star Californian, but if Michigan can secure an official visit—which Kelly said is very much a possibility—then they've got a solid shot here.

"No, I Insist, I'll Be His Primary Recruiter. It's Really Not A Problem."

Michigan doesn't have much history recruiting the state of Hawaii—in fact, just two Wolverines in the history of the program hail from that state—but they just extended an offer to three-star RB Vavae Malepeai, per Scout's Doug Kimmel. Malepeai's recruitment is quickly picking up steam, with offers from a handful of Pac-12 schools, Hawaii, Nevada, and Vanderbilt.

The Wolverines also made their first foray into the 2018 class, offering TN OT Will Lawrence, who started at left tackle for his varsity program as an eighth grader, per Allen Trieu ($). Lawrence already boasts offers from over 20 programs, including the likes of Alabama and Ohio State. He told Trieu he's planning to camp at Michigan this summer.

Etc.

Four-star NC RB Robert Washington added Michigan to his final group of six after a phone call with Jim Harbaugh. Alabama, North Carolina, Syracuse, TCU, and a program to be named later comprise the rest of his finalists.

Three-star NC ILB Jonathan Smith told InsideCarolina's Don Callahan that Duke, Georgia Tech, Michigan, and North Carolina make up his current top four ($). Smith has been to the two in-state schools several times; he'll see GT and M for the first time when he takes trips this spring.