Michigan gets bad news on top overall target in 2025

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Sherrone Moore and his mostly revamped defensive coaching staff are hard at work on the recruiting trail trying to get Michigan back into consideration as an elite recruiter. Unfortunately, the staff received some unfortunate news regarding the recruitment of the top remaining player on the board with defensive back DJ Pickett announcing he would be focusing on six particular schools moving forward.

Pickett holds a grade of .9973 according to the 247Sports Composite and is the seventh highest-rated player nationally. The Wolverines were fighting for the lead in Pickett’s recruitment for the past couple of months until the departures of Jim Harbaugh and Steve Clinkscale made him reconsider. It is unclear if the new staff reached out, but one would certainly hope that recent DB coach hire LaMar Morgan made a move.

5-star CB DJ Pickett is focused on 6⃣ schools and is now eyeing an October commitment, he tells @ChadSimmons_👀

Read: https://t.co/ga4MLX7cqS pic.twitter.com/RydDAN4h5M

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) March 1, 2024

The battle for Pickett’s talent is far from over. Michigan may have been snubbed from his most recent update, but recruiting is an ever-shifting field and there will be plenty of chances to get back into his recruitment. Coach Morgan will need to be heavily involved here, as will defensive coordinator Wink Martindale and Sherrone Moore himself. Pickett is a rare five-star talent who is not focused on NIL, and Michigan needs to capitalize on that. To make a Michigan commitment even more natural, Pickett’s mother is an alumnus and loves the idea of her son attending the same school.

Today was not all negative, however. Michigan did secure a spot in Mark Zackery’s (top 150 prospect) top four schools so the cornerback board is far from drying up. Expect Michigan to push hard for Zackery, Dawayne Galloway, and Jahmari DeLoatch to fill out what could be a large cornerback class. Michigan could also get back into the recruitment of former commit Chris Ewald, who re-opened his process shortly after the national championship game.

This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan gets bad news on top overall target in 2025