Trieu: Here are Michigan’s DT targets with Solomon out
Michigan suffered a significant decommitment on Monday when Leesburg (Ga.) defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon re-opened his recruitment. The loss is important in two ways – first because Solomon is a talented player ranked as one of the 60 best prospects in the country on Scout. But also because defensive line is a position the Wolverines are likely to take six to seven players at in an effort to bring talent and depth to that spot.
With Solomon now out of the 2017 class, here are some names to consider at defensive tackle.
Aubrey Solomon: Solomon says he will still consider Michigan. When he visited in the summer and committed, he was not accompanied by his mother. Getting her to Ann Arbor is important for him and the Wolverines’ chances to woo him back. He is targeting the Wisconsin game on Oct. 1 as a possible official visit date. In-state Georgia currently appears to be the Wolverines’ biggest threat in re-adding him to their class.
Jay Tufele: The Bingham (Utah) South Jordan four-star has been a priority for Michigan since before Solomon’s decommitment, and the recent development only strengthens the Wolverines’ need for Tufele in the class. Described as “relentless” by Scout, the 6-foot-3, 297-pound Tufele has a good relationship with director of player personnel Tony Tuioti and is expected to visit at some point in the next few months. USC, Utah and Ohio State are among the other programs Michigan is battling.
Popo Aumavae: Another prospect who has a good relationship with Tuioti. From Stockton (Calif.) St. Mary’s, Aumavae (6-3, 300 pounds) attended a Michigan satellite camp this summer and said then that he would visit Michigan in the fall and reiterated that point to Scout’s Greg Biggins recently. USC, Oregon and Ole Miss are also in the running.
Report: Thank-you note error costs UM Solomon's pledge
Martin Andrus: A 6-foot-1.5, 280-pound four-star from Los Angeles (Calif.) Senior, Andrus reported recently that he is close to locking in an official visit date to see Michigan on Oct. 22 (homecoming against Illinois). Nebraska and Oregon are the other two official visits he is going to take and there are a host of other programs vying for the final two spots. He claims no leaders or a timetable for his decision.
Deron Irving-Bey: An in-state prospect from Flint Southwestern, many considered Irving-Bey to be learning toward Michigan State. But he recently said he was not leaning toward any program and his experience at Michigan’s BBQ at the Big House has the Wolverines as a top contender. A high school defensive end, Irving-Bey is athletic enough to continue playing outside in college, but at 6-foot-5, 270 pounds, he has the size to potentially move inside if need be.
In addition to the players listed above, LSU commit Neil Farrell and Washington commit Marlon Tuipolotu remain as options, albeit likely more distant options.
The Wolverines have two players committed in the class, Phil Paea and James Hudson, who can play on the interior of the defensive line.
Wolverines in top four for Georgia athlete
Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove’s Dennis Bell, who was a teammate of Wolverine freshman Elysse Mbem-Bosse last year, is down to four schools – Tennessee and Louisville, who are his top two, and then Michigan and Maryland.
Bell, 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, is listed as an athlete on Scout but could play linebacker, safety or potentially other positions.
He plans to commit within the next month.
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Allen Trieu began covering the state of Michigan for Scout.com in 2005 and began managing the entire Midwest in 2009. He has been featured on the Big Ten Network on its annual Signing Day Show. His Michigan and Michigan State recruiting columns appear weekly at detroitnews.com.