Butler Visits, Doesn't Commit

#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/kUUWFRAayp

— TONY BUTLER (@TonyKnows2) July 15, 2015

Three-star Lakewood (OH) St. Edward CB Tony Butler, who finally decommitted from Pitt a couple weeks ago, visited campus for a few hours yesterday. While Jim Harbaugh was still in France, Butler spent time with Mike Zordich and his former high school coach, Rick Finotti, and he told Scout's Bill Greene the visit helped Michigan's chances:

"It was helpful spending the time with the person that could be be my position coach some day, rather than talking to a lot of different coaches," he continued. "The visit moved them up with me, and I could see myself in that environment. I feel comfortable there, and think I could fit in well."

While a commitment was in the realm of possibility, that didn't go down, and Butler mentioned that he wants to take all five of his official visits—including one to Michigan. The Wolverines are considered the favorite, so long as they have room and want Butler in the class, but there's a new entry into his recruitment: Clemson, which offered on Tuesday, per 247's Steve Wiltfong. They should receive an official, as well.

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

Official Visits That May Or May Not Amount To Anything

Top-100 DT Jordan Elliott, a Houston commit who's long stated his intention to see other schools, tweeted his list of official visits Tuesday, and Michigan made the cut along with USC, Alabama, Texas, and LSU. As that list indicates, Elliott won't be an easy pull, but there's been mutual interest between him and Michigan for a while now.

Top-100 CA WR Dylan Crawford is also eyeing an official, per Rivals' Blair Angulo ($):

"I still don't have any dates or anything like that, so I'm still trying to get all the information and get in contact with the coaches to find out what the best time is to get out there," Crawford said. "I'm trying to set visits with Miami and Michigan, for sure. I haven't visited the new Michigan staff, so I'd like to do that.

"I have a great relationship with those guys. Coach (Jim) Harbaugh and coach (Tim) Drevno have been by our school and we have a great relationship."

Crawford is expected to remain in Pac-12 country, though the presumed early favorite, USC, may not have room for him at wide receiver by the time he makes a decision. 

Top-100 GA ATH Mecole Hardman told TMI's Josh Newkirk he plans to take an official to Ann Arbor, but first the coaches have to show more interest ($):

‘“I plan on taking an official (to Michigan),” he said. “But I really don’t talk to the coaches like I want to. I am going to try to get in contact with them. I want to try to build a relationship with them and see how everything goes.”

However, he says U-M must start showing some more interest soon to make up ground in his recruitment.

“I just want to hear interest,” he said. “I want to hear that they want me in their program. Everybody wants to feel wanted. Just the need of feeling wanted.”

Hardman's top group is four SEC powers and Miami (YTM), and he plans to make a silent commitment—which could come at any time—before actually announcing it on Signing Day. I'd be surprised if this visit actually materialized.

In other visit plans that should be met with low expectations, five-star CA OLB and USC commit Mique Juarez told 247's Ryan Bartow that Michigan is on his list of official visits, then didn't mention M among the schools currently talking to him ($).

Four-star TX OT Jean Delance isn't sure if he'll take officials before making a decision, but if he does, Michigan will be one of the destinations, per Bartow ($). I'm not sure Michigan would even have room for him right now, though that might not be of much concern; the Wolverines appear to have only an outside shot at landing him anyway.

That's "THE Julian Jordan" To You

Ambry Thomas (left) at Sound Mind Sound Body. [Bill Rapai]

247's Steve Lorenz reports that Michigan will host a contingent of Detroit King prospects for the BBQ at the Big House on August 2nd ($):

Wolverine247 has confirmed that 2017 Top150 CB Ambry Thomas, 2016 Top100 CB Lavert Hill, 2018 QB El Julian Jordan and 2019 linebacker Tyrece Woods are currently expected to attend the event, a holdover that has stuck with Michigan's off-season recruiting plans since the Rich Rodriguez era.

Notably absent from that list: four-star WR Donnie Corley. Lorenz also mentions that despite the Dennis Norfleet situation, the new coaching staff has made a "great, great impression" on King's coaches. Repairing that relationship would be huge for Michigan's in-state recruiting.

Etc.

Michigan offered 2018 Jersey City (NJ) St. Peter's Prep twin brothers Jayson and Justin Ademilola last week, and they look to be in very good shape; according to Tim Sullivan, the two were planning a trip to Ann Arbor even before receiving their offers ($):

"I called Coach up," [Jayson] Ademilola explained. "I'm visiting August 2, so I just wanted to touch base. I sent them my transcripts a couple weeks ago, because they wanted to see what my grades were like. First he said was they were waiting for me to call, he said, 'we're going to offer both of you guys a full scholarship offer to the University of Michigan before you come up to visit.'

"I was pretty just happy. Me and my brother both like Michigan a lot. How Coach Partridge - a recruiting coordinator at Michigan - used to be a coach in New Jersey is cool. We were just really happy and excited to hear it."

There's obviously a long way to go here, but M looks good early.

ESPN's Jason Crabtree spoke to several coaches, under the veil of anonymity, to get their thoughts on prospects at The Opening. Rashan Gary got the highest praise—"our staff believes he's the highest impact recruit to come out in the last five years," said one Big Ten assistant—and Michael Onwenu also earned several mentions:

Michigan offensive guard commitment Michael Onwenu and Kentucky center pledge Drake Jackson were also mentioned by several coaches. A Pac 12 coach said "both of those guys are really, really good."

This stuff is relatively informative since anonymous college coaches are under absolutely no obligation to praise prospects who won't attend their school.

In an article on the top uncommitted Midwest prospects, Rivals' Josh Helmholdt said two schools seem to be standing out for four-star KS DE Xavier Kelly ($):

This race is really wide open and a lot can happen in the six months between now and when Kelly plans to decide. However, Alabama and Michigan definitely look like the strongest contenders here and he has visited each in the last month.

It had to be Alabama, didn't it?

We can probably bid happy trails to four-star CA CB David Long, who wants to decide—likely between Stanford and Washington—in the next month, which he told 247's Lars Hanson will probably prevent him from taking an official to Ann Arbor ($):

"I really like Notre Dame and Michigan but I don't see myself being able to get out to those two programs," he said. "I wouldn't exclude UCLA or Notre Dame out of that bunch, although I haven't visited Notre Dame."

He gone.