Breaking down Michigan recruiting targets from the Pacific Northwest
2023 Seattle (Wash.) Rainier Beach Rivals100 4-Star CB Caleb Presley
Presley, ranked in the top 10 among all rising junior cornerbacks in the country for the 2023 class, is close to surpassing 30 offers. Oregon, Alabama, Texas A&M, LSU, Notre Dame, and USC are all gunning for the No. 2 overall prospect in the state of Washington.
Michigan would offer the summer before Presley's junior year and landed on his top 12 back in April. Look for Steve Clinkscale to make a strong push for Presley with official visits nearing. Presley has yet to see Michigan personally so getting him on campus will be crucial in building more on that relationship between him and Clinkscale.
On film, Presley displays an alpha dog mentality. His swagger and demeanor provides an edge against wide receivers out in coverage. Presley can effectively mirror the player lined up in front of him and read the play well in order to make an impact on the ball.
The Wolverines are very familiar with Rainer Beach as Presley is former teammates with 2022 five-star offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr., who was courted heavily by Michigan before he committed to Oregon. Presley would be a perfect addition to Clinkscale's group room and bring a level of energy that can't be taught.
2023 Lake Stevens (Wash.) High Rivals250 4-Star RB Jayden Limar
Michigan has two verbal commits at the running back position for 2023 but bringing along a dynamic all-around workhorse in Limar will bolster the group for the next four years. Like Cole Cabana, Limar is a three-down running back who presents a threat in both the run game and passing game to complete his all-purpose ability.
Limar is also another FSP prospect who released a top schools list with Michigan included, along with eight others. The 5-foot-11, 185 -pounder has visited Ann Arbor previously during the nightly televised game against Washington this past season.
FSP Director of Development Marcus Griffin said that Limar has had a great relationship with running backs Mike Hart. Limar has also told coaches at FSP that he would love to be coached by the greatest running back in Michigan program history. The Wolverines should be in a solid spot to receive an official visit from Limar.
2024 Bellevue (Wash.) High 3-Star TE Hogan Hansen
When a tight end is more athletic, faster, and has a higher I.Q. on the field than an entire defense, that presents a major problem, for the other team anyway. But for Hansen, his catch radius and sticky hands have helped Bellevue recently clinch the Class 3A state championship in 2021.
At 6-foot-6 and close to 230 pounds, Hansen has an impressive wingspan that gives him an advantage when attempting to grab the 50/50 balls in traffic. Hansen's first step off the line is explosive and can deliver a mean pancake block in the run game.
Hansen picked up the offer from Michigan in early April and has 12 total offers from Arkansas, Michigan State, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Washington, and others.
2023 Tacoma (Wash.) Lincoln Rivals100 5-Star EDGE Jayden Wayne
Wayne is a machine. There aren't too many high caliber athletes similar to the rising junior in the 2023 class. Maybe none at all. When a standup EDGE and five-technique can line up as a dangerous outside receiver, that's something to behold. It's no wonder over 40 schools have offered Wayne since the eighth grade.
As a pass rusher, Wayne uses his raw power and athleticism to barrel over offensive tackles and has closing speed to bring down an escaping quarterback. Wayne owns a variety of pass rush moves to his arsenal to get under and around linemen.
Wayne has yet to reach his ceiling when it comes to overall frame, bodywork, and strenuosity. For Michigan to have a pass rusher like Wayne to continue its defensive line factory, that has produced so many NFL Draft picks in the last few years, would be a major win.
2024 Seattle (Wash.) O'Dea 3-Star CB Kyan McDonald
McDonald is a player who has greatly benefited from the spring evaluation period. With college coaches now able to visit high schools and examine prospects on a more personal level, that attention has sprung onto McDonald, hence the plethora of offers in the last few weeks.
Oregon, Washington, Michigan State, Michigan, Arizona, and Cal have all offered since the evaluation period began on April 18. As a cornerback for O'Dea, McDonald earned first-team All League honors with 36 tackles, six PBU's, four interceptions and two forced fumbles.
At 6-foot-0 and 175 pounds, McDonald still has more time with two more years of high school to continue growing his upper half. He also shows the versatility of lining up as a free safety or inside the box. Like Presley, McDonald carries a strut that makes him a menace on the field.
Defensive back is in McDonald's blood as his father, Keith, was a member of South Carolina's secondary back in the late 80's and early 90's.
2024 Yelm (Wash.) High 3-Star LB Brayden Platt
Platt is another prospect similar to McDonald who has seen a rise in stock regarding his recruitment because of the spring evaluation period. Three of his six total offers have come since last Tuesday with Washington State, Michigan, and Arizona all onboard. Oregon, Utah, and Washington have also offered.
The offer from Michigan will give Platt a more national look from college coaches. According to Griffin, Platt fits the mold of a traditional Big Ten linebacker, and it's evident given his thick frame. At 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, Platt's trajectory will be as a MIKE being that he'll put on more muscle weight over the next two years.
On film, Platt's first step is always forward and proves to be a stalwart on blitzes and maintaining a wall from sideline-to-sideline. Platt plays downhill which is what a star linebacker should do. When crashing into the backfield, his power turns up another gear thanks to a head of speed. Platt also hones a 4.0 GPA so his intelligence is shown on-and-off the field.
2023 Ferndale (Wash.) High 3-Star IOL Landen Hatchett
Hatchett was with Limar and company during that trip to Ann Arbor for the Washington game. Griffin said Sherrone Moore has done an excellent job of keeping in touch with Hatchett and staying close since last year. Moore has not landed an offensive lineman for this class and Hatchett could break that trend.
At 6-foot-3 and 290-plus pounds, Hatchett has a 78-inch wing span and a 3.88 GPA. Hatchett plays center for Ferndale and should continue with that position at the next level. Either guard positions are also viable. The athleticism that Hatchett carries is shown on film when pulling. His body control, first punch, and leverage gives him dominance when driving a defensive lineman up field.
The best part about Hatchett is his sportsmanship. He'll bring a player to the ground then lift them back up and wrap his arm around the other's helmet. Hatchett doesn't need to display a cocky attitude on the field, rather, show it through his work ethic.
Intriguing Underclassmen Talent
Michigan hasn't offered an FSP prospect from the rising freshmen class but there are some intriguing talent that could end up on the Wolverines' radar.
The first is Mukilteo (Wash.) Kamiak wide receiver and tight end T'Andre Waverly, who already yields a massive frame at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds. He's a dual sport athlete and runs a 11.41 100m dash. Waverly picked up his first offer from Washington within this past month.
Another is Spanaway (Wash.) Lake athlete D'Aryhian Clemons, who plays both cornerback and running back. Griffin believes Clemons will be one of the more premier defensive backs in the country when it's all set and done. Clemons shows on film that he's an aggressive tackler and is not afraid to stick a shoulder underneath the pads.
The third is Kent (Wash.) Kentwood running back Antoine Lee, who eclipsed over 1,000 yards rushing in his first season on varsity. At 5-foot-10 and 195 pounds, Lee is a power back and does most of his damage in-between the tackles. Opposing defenders have trouble bringing him down due to his solid lower cut. Lee also hustles on special teams, delivering solid blows onto return specialists.
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