Decision Primer: Rivals100 LB Branden Jennings Ready To Make Call
Branden Jennings is ready to make his decision.
The Rivals100 linebacker out of Jacksonville (Fla.) Sandalwood will announce his commitment on Friday via social media.
Jennings was previously committed to Florida State but recently backed out of his verbal pledge to the Seminoles. Jennings initially wanted to explore his options after reopening his recruitment but now feels like the time is right.
Jennings has a final three of Clemson, Miami and Michigan.
Here is a closer look at where things stand heading into the decision.
Why It Will Be Michigan
Michigan has been trending in the right direction for Jennings over the last 24 hours. The Wolverines have done an excellent job of recruiting Jennings since he backed out of his verbal pledge and even while he was still committed to the Seminoles. While the swing in momentum was sudden, it's clear Jennings is not afraid to go further away from home and create his own legacy. Jennings visited Michigan last fall, feels comfortable with the program and has a great relationship with linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary, who has strong Florida ties. Michigan is definitely the favorite on decision day.
Why It Won't Be Michigan
Yes, all signs point to Michigan being the pick for Jennings. But he is capable of breaking the FutureCast. After all, Jennings is the younger brother of Bradley Jennings, who plays at Miami. The Hurricanes have been coming at him hard and are doing whatever it takes to get him to join his sibling. On top of that, Jennings has been to a couple of Miami games this season, and obviously, it's much closer to home than Ann Arbor. On the flip side of the coin, Clemson is a big name program, and the allure of the No. 1 ranked team in college football will be tough to pass up.
EJ's Prediction
I logged my FutureCast pick in favor of Michigan yesterday and have no reason to change it on decision day. Those around the Michigan program still feel very optimistic about their chances of closing with Jennings today. Landing him would be a huge win for the Wolverines late, and I expect that to happen.
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