List of official visitors for Michigan football: June 9 weekend

After easing into the official visit season with a friendly slate of visitors last week, things turn up to 11 for the Michigan Wolverines this weekend.

Whereas most of last weekend’s visitors were either Michigan commits or heavy leans, the below list features a handful of long shots for the Wolverines. But such an arraignment presents an opportunity to change the course of multiple high-impact recruitments in one fell swoop. Can Michigan rise to the occasion?

Long Shots

St. Ignatius (IL) five-star DL Justin Scott - No. 12 overall, No. 3 DL

St. Louis University (MO) five-star WR Ryan Wingo - No. 21 overall, No. 5 WR

IMG Academy (FL) four-star S Jordon Johnson-Rubell - No. 118 overall, No. 9 S

Scott’s recruitment will likely come down to Notre Dame and Miami, and Texas is the heavy favorite for Johnson-Rubell. However, as unlikely as a commitment is for these fine prospects, there is room for positivity to be gleaned.

In particular, Wingo’s continued interest — even despite Michigan’s run-first identity — should instill some confidence the Wolverines can still attract elite receiver talent. Winning them over is another matter altogether, but if Michigan’s passing offense can hit another gear, the Wolverines could turn official visits into commitments in the near future.

In the Mix

Glenville (OH) four-star CB Bryce West - No. 43 overall, No. 4 CB

Fort Bend Christian (TX) four-star OT Bennett Warren - No. 175 overall, No. 13 OT

Brainerd (TN) four-star ATH Boo Carter - No. 240 overall, No. 20 ATH

Earlier in the cycle, Michigan looked poised to jump into the lead for one of the nation’s best cornerbacks in the 2024 class, Bryce West. With Jordan Marshall’s commitment coupled with a slew of other phenomenal Buckeye State prospects, the Wolverines were gaining ground on their rival’s home turf. Unfortunately, it appears Ohio State has regained its footing and is in a position to resist a wholesale exodus to the Wolverine State. Ohio State has received multiple recent predictions for West, and one gets the feeling this will be Michigan’s last real chance to make its case for the four-star pass defender.

Is Michigan still in the mix? Yes, but perhaps not for long.

A similar situation might be unfolding with talented Tennessee athlete, four-star Boo Carter. A friend of four-star safety commit Jacob Oden, Carter has been a priority for the Wolverines, but the tide could be turning against the Maize and Blue. His native state school Tennessee holds a pair Crystal Balls to land him, and the deadline to reverse this course, his commitment date of June 17, is a little over a week away. It’s now or never.

Michigan, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas A&M are the top-four for Bennett Warren’s recruitment. The Wolverines picked up a Crystal Ball from The Michigan Insider’s Steve Lorenz to land the Lone Star lineman, albeit a tepid one. Offensive line coach and coordinator Sherrone Moore has the chance to vault the Wolverines into the lead spot, and given the momentum Michigan has had with offensive line recruiting, this is within the realm of possibility.

Commits or Strong Leans

Deerfield Beach (FL) four-star EDGE Elias Rudolph - No. 248 overall, No. 20 EDGE

Kenwood Academy (IL) four-star ATH I’Marion Stewart - No. 318 overall, No. 26 ATH

Hun School (NJ) four-star DL Owen Wafle - No. 406 overall, No. 41 DL

Oakdale (MD) four-star EDGE Dominic Nichols - No. 429 overall, No. 29 EDGE

Choate Rosemary Hall (CT) three-star DL Manuel Beigel - No. 709 overall, No. 69 DL (commit)

Bishop Gorman (NV) three-star RB Micah Ka’apana - No. 721 overall, No. 56 RB

Hempfield (PA) three-star DL Deyvid Palepale - No. 750 overall, No. 76 DL

The Wolverines have no shortage of impactful 2024 pass rushers interested in calling Ann Arbor home. Dominic Nichols and Elias Rudolph are the third and fourth edges to visit Ann Arbor this June, and it is a strong possibility Michigan lands three, if not all four of them.

Just by looking at their recruiting rankings, interior defensive linemen Deyvid Palepale and Owen Wafle might not stand out, but don’t let that fool you. These two are prototypical defensive tackles with plenty of upsides. Michigan could be on commitment watch for these two in the next few weeks.

Michigan has been the frontrunner for Illinois wideout I’Marion Stewart for months at this point, and it’s frankly surprising he hasn’t committed to the Maize and Blue by now. The Wisconsin Badgers have been making a push lately, but this visit could stifle Bucky’s chances with the four-star once and for all.

Micah Ka’apana is another intriguing prospect. While certainly not as highly regarded as another top-rated Michigan tailback target — Taylor Tatum — Mike Hart isn’t shying away from the underrated Silver State speedster. With several key targets, including Ka’apana, highly interested in the Wolverines, it would be wise to keep an eye on how running back recruiting unfolds as we enter the dog days of summer.

What do you think of this spate of official visitors? Who are you most excited about? Leave a comment down below!