Trio of North Carolina teammates make group visit to Michigan
Michigan hosted three coveted 20204 teammates of Providence Day in Charlotte, North Carolina, last week for an unofficial visit.
Five-star quarterback Jadyn Davis, three-star wide receiver and Michigan legacy Channing Goodwin, and Rivals250 four-star wide receiver Jordan Shipp all arrived to Ann Arbor together for the first time as recruits. Among them were Super Bowl champion and former Michigan offensive lineman Jonathan Goodwin as well as highly respected recruiting consultant Tori Gurley.
Maize & Blue Review spoke with Gurley about the group trip, who also broke down each of the players and their individual experiences:
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On role as recruiting consultant:
"It's the overseeing and helping families and players make the best decision for themselves. Obviously, we go out and get the players' names out to different schools, but it helps when high schools do their due diligence as well. We're all working together in order to highlight these kids and give them the most exposure we can. We all keep pushing until something happens."
On using pro experience to help with consulting:
"It's the credibility. Those kids obviously have access to google and social media so they can see that I've earned my keep at South Carolina and the pros. I've seen it all, really. Being a five-star doesn't mean that you'll have a successful career and being a walk-on doesn't mean you're a walk-on. I've seen both ends of the spectrum so being able to guide and help everyone through this process lets me know that this is my calling."
On how relationships with the three players got started:
"I work with Jadyn and Channing but I've also known Jordan for years. I'm really good friends with Jadyn's and Channing's family. I've known Jonathan for a really long time. He's a Super Bowl champion but didn't really know anything about recruiting. A lot of parents just don't want to overstep when it comes to getting their child exposure. Some parents just take a different approach and have someone assist them just so they can sit back and be a parent. It's been the best thing that's happened because now it shows that we all need help. I'm not saying that I'm an expert but I do my best in getting all of the information and being transparent with all of my clients.
On how the visit got planned:
"It was inevitable that we were all going to come up at some point. With all of those guys being on the same team, we picked a date that worked, booked our flights, and flew up there. It wasn't anything crazy but it was the perfect day. It was unbelievable."
On how the visit went overall:
"Jonathan played at Michigan with Tom Brady and won all of those conference championships and Rose Bowls. We went to his alma mater so he was our tour guide (laughs). So it was great to experience that with all of those guys and for Jonathan to experience it as a dad and coach. With me being there was something where I wanted to take it all in because it was my first time that I've ever been on campus. Meeting coach Harbaugh, Bellamy, and the entire staff was really a red carpet treatment. It was first class and we were blown away by the facilities and everything. Michigan is up there in the top three. I've been around so many places but they have all of the tools and resources to be a national championship type of team. I'm pulling for them to eventually get to that point one day."
On Jim Harbaugh:
"Coach Harbaugh really took his time with us. We sat down and met with him for about two hours. Out of 24 hours in a day, he took a huge chunk of that and talked football and the things that make Michigan the great college that it is. We just took it all in. It was more about him teaching us and showing us the plans that he has for each players. That's why we felt comfortable because he wasn't trying to get them to commit on the spot. It was just about football and his love for coaching."
On Ron Bellamy:
"It was great to watch old teammates crack jokes and reminisce about running through the tunnel and hitting the banner. It was one of those things where I was so happy and fortunate to be there and experience it. For coach Bellamy to have such a huge rapport with high school football and now being on the staff at Michigan, I know it's only going to be beneficial to the program. He's extremely passionate about Michigan football. Something that I support is having former players on the staff."
On Jonathan coming back to his alma mater:
"Jonathan is so humble that he had the biggest smile on his face throughout the visit. He was able to experience that with the kids. He felt so good that when we went on the field at the stadium, he busted out a kick slide. He said he had a few plays left in him (laughs). If he had any eligibility left, he was going to take care of business. That right there was the icing on the cake. To watch him get into a stance, do a kick slide, and him getting goosebumps when walking through the tunnel, lets you know that he really cares about Michigan and bleeds blue."
On what the players got out of the trip:
"All three were blown away. These guys are teenagers so whenever you have the Jordan brand, that goes such a long way with high school kids. Michigan has the swag and for them see the apparel, jerseys, cleats, and gloves. They knew that all of that would look good on TV. And for them to be at the stadium and seeing the 100,000-plus seats, they know that if they go out there and make plays, they'll definitely go down in history as one of the guys who helped that program get to where it needs to be. I feel like Michigan is in a good spot to recruit all three players. They're in a spot to be in striking distance of winning a national championship."
On Channing Goodwin:
"He's been around football his entire life. It helps when your dad was in an NFL locker room because he was able to retain information and execute at a high level. It lets you know that he doesn't watch the game like a normal kid. He really dives into what makes a wide receiver great and how to eat up defenses. That right there is going to give him a leg up because it'll give him a mental advantage of playing high level ball."
On Jordan Shipp:
"It's his catch radius. He has a lot of upside and is extremely smart as well. I was able to sit in on a meeting where those guys were going over X's and O's. Jordan is going to be a player where whenever you're in doubt, he's going to make a play. That's what you need for any team that you play for. I feel like he can be a guy who'll cash in in the red zone. He'll make a name for himself because there isn't a bad ball when he's on the field. He'll find a way to come down with it."
On Jadyn Davis:
"The kid is so mature. It's scary to be around a young man who sounds like an adult when you talk to him over the phone. The way he presents himself and the habits that he has falls back on the structure that he has at home. His mom and dad so a great job of training up their six kids. He's a product of a military home with morals and values. He's been blessed with the ability to spin the ball just like any other quarterback who's a five-star. So, when you put that together with the ability to play and leadership, every college coach is going to knock down the door and want to bring him in. He can be a kid who can literally get you to the playoffs and the opportunity to bring home a national championship."
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