247Sports Hits Detroit

DETROIT, Mich. – Thursday night the Sound Mind Sound Body Maximum Exposure program hosted its annual media day.

Top247 2013 OG David Dawson released his new top four on Thursday.

At the event, Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech Top247 offensive guard David Dawson announced a top four of Alabama, Florida, LSU and Ohio State. You can read about what the former Michigan commit had to say here.

Also, Dawson’s teammate Kenton Gibbs said he’d like to take official visits to Cincinnati, Illinois, Pittsburgh and Wisconsin, and the former Illini pledge added that Michigan State could be close to extending a scholarship. For more, click here.

Cass Tech Crew Headed To Michigan

Several top Cass Tech prospects were on hand and said they’ll be inside the Big House on Saturday for Michigan’s showdown with in-state Big Ten rival Michigan State.

-Touted junior cornerback Damon Webb will be back in Ann Arbor and has the Wolverines in his top four along with LSU, Michigan State and Ohio State. He previously visited Michigan for games against Air Force and Massachusetts. Webb was hoping to get back down to LSU, where he camped this summer, for a game in November but doesn’t think he’ll make it. If his schedule allows, he plans on attending Ohio State’s home game against Michigan over Thanksgiving weekend. He added he has no timetable for a college decision.

-Sophomore signal-caller Jayru Campbell will be making his second visit to Michigan this fall, previously attending the Air Force game. He’s also attended two games at Michigan State where he watched the Spartans take on Boise State and Ohio State. Alabama, Notre Dame and Eastern Michigan have already offered the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Campbell, and he said he keeps in regular touch with both the Crimson Tide and Irish coaching staffs. Other schools showing personal interest includes Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State and Nebraska.

-Sophomore defensive lineman Joshua Alabi will also be making his second game visit to Michigan this fall. He also attended the Air Force game. Alabi was on hand for the Michigan State-Boise State game as well. He has four sacks this fall for the defending state champs and figures to be one of the state’s more sought after recruits in 2015.

-Sophomore running back Michael Weber has six rushing scores for the Technicians and says he’s already on the radar of Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State and Notre Dame.

Blue-chip junior DL Malik McDowell has been to games at Michigan and Michigan State this fall.

-Junior linebacker Gary Hosey is excited to return to Michigan on Saturday.

-Michigan State Top247 junior linebacker commit Deon Drake said he could visit Ann Arbor with all of his teammates on Saturday but quickly added he’ll be rooting for the Spartans and has no intentions of changing his commitment if the Wolverines were to offer down the road.

McDowell Ponders Future Visits

The top junior in the state in Detroit Loyola defensive lineman Malik McDowell says every school is still even for his services and that he isn’t sure what visits he’ll take the rest of the fall with the playoffs set to begin next week.

Ranked by 247Sports as the nation’s No.2 strong-side defensive end, and tabbed by the 247Composite as the country’s No. 16 prospect overall, the 6-foot-7, 285-pound McDowell has had a chance to see games at Michigan and Michigan State this fall. If his schedule allows, he said he’d like to visit Notre Dame and Ohio State before the season ends, as well as getting back to both Ann Arbor and East Lansing.

Every program mentioned has offered McDowell along with Florida, Oregon, Stanford, Syracuse and Wisconsin. 247Sports will be on hand to watch McDowell and his teammates play for the Catholic League Championship on Saturday inside Ford Field.

Iowa’s Turn To Impress Michigan RB

Chelsea (Mich.) High’s Berkley Edwards has already taken official visits to Minnesota and California with his trip to Iowa coming this weekend.

Senior RB Berkley Edwards has already taken officials to Cal and Minnesota and heads to Iowa this weekend.

The 5-foot-9 ½, 185-pound Edwards said he feels that California and Minnesota have a lot of similarities, but that the Bears have better academics, “almost the best academics in the country.” His visit to Iowa City this weekend will be about the people.

“”I’m looking forward to seeing how the people are around the football program,” Edwards said. “I already know about the football team and the coaches. I want to see what the people are like that surround the football program, the students and everything.”

Edwards also said that he will stick to his plan and not commit until after his own senior season. He remains in contact with the coaching staffs at Alabama, LSU and Tennessee.

Also, keep an eye on 2016 receiver Bailey Edwards. The Northville High freshman is the youngest Edwards brother. Oldest brother Braylon was a standout receiver at Michigan before moving on to a long career in the NFL. Father Stan Edwards also played for the Wolverines and in the NFL.

Another Sophomore To Watch

It’s going to be a talented year in Michigan in the class-of-2015, and at media day, there was a buzz surrounding Oak Park (Mich.) High’s defensive tackle Shahid Bellamy.

The 6-foot-2, 248-pound Bellamy has 42 tackles and three sacks this far and has been very disruptive for the 7-1 Knights. Bellamy says he has yet to hear from schools but that he likes “Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Alabama.”

Bellamy’s classmate and teammate John Kelly also figures to be highly recruited and has the attention of the coaching staffs at Michigan, Michigan State and Minnesota. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Kelly could play defensive back or running back on the next level.

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Pipeline Continues

Several great players have come out of Orchard Lake (Mich.) St. Mary’s, most recently Penn State’s leading receiver Allen Robinson and Michigan freshman linebacker James Ross.

Next up in the pipeline is junior cornerback Jalen Watts-Jackson, sophomore cornerback Tyson Smith and freshman running back/linebacker Daelin Hayes. Also getting Division-I interest is defensive lineman Julian Jones.

The 6-foot, 172-pound Watts-Jackson had seven interceptions as a sophomore and has three this fall. He’s hearing from Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue, and will visit the Spartans campus on Nov. 3 for the Nebraska game.

“I really like head coach Mark Dantonio and how he’s a former DBs coach and really involved with the DBs,” Watts-Jackson said. “That’s a plus.”

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Smith’s film has already attracted the attention of coaches at UCLA, Ohio State and Bowling Green. He has two interceptions this fall and three touchdowns receiving.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Hayes was called up to the varsity last week, something that doesn’t happen often at St. Mary’s.

The 6-foot, 235-pound Jones is hearing from Northwestern, Syracuse, Bowling Green, Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan after registering six sacks as a sophomore and seven so far as a junior.

247Sports will be on hand for St. Mary’s Catholic League Championship game on Saturday.

South Lake Standouts

Saint Clair Shores (Mich.) South Lake first-year head coach Chan Brock and the Cavaliers are sitting at 6-2 heading into Friday night’s season finale.

Brock is particularly excited about sophomore defensive end/offensive tackle Kyonta Stallworth, a 6-foot-4, 265-pounder already hearing from Michigan State and Indiana.

Senior running back DeShun Brown and defensive end Jordan Culver remain on Division-I radars.

In the class-of-2014, the players to watch are outside linebacker Jalen Dingle who is hearing from Toledo and linebacker Raylan Hill. Joining Stallworth as an up-and-comer in the class of 2015 is tight end/defensive end Caldin Rogers.

A potential big-timer in 2016 is running back Martell Pettaway, a good-looking 5-foot-9, 185-pound running back that has dominated the local Detroit youth leagues.

News and Notes

-Yale (Mich.) Senior junior offensive lineman Derek Brown had a good spring and summer on the camp circuit and is drawing interest from Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Ohio State and Wisconsin among others. He’s attended all three Spartans home games thus far.

“I went to camp there and loved the coaches,” Brown said. “The stadium is crazy, it’s a great atmosphere and the student section goes wild.”

The 6-foot-4, 280-pound Brown visited Michigan last Saturday for the Illinois game.

“I like the huge fan base and the school is awesome and the team is always good,” Brown said.

-Clarkston (Mich.) High receiver/cornerback Timothy Cason II visited Michigan State last Saturday for the Iowa game and will see Toledo, Missouri and Illinois over the next four weekends. The Rockets and Bowling Green have extended early scholarships. If one came in from the Spartans, they could be tough to beat.

“The coaches were awesome and made me feel at home,” Cason said. “They caught my eye. The atmosphere was great and Michigan State has a lot of great things to build off of with their recent success in the Big Ten.”

-Farmington Hills (Mich.) Harrison junior running back Lorenzo Collins has played with a pulled hamstring all fall and still has racked up 15 touchdowns. He’s hearing from Iowa, Michigan State, Purdue and Wisconsin and said he’d like to visit the Spartans and Badgers for games before the end of the fall.

-Detroit (Mich.) Western International sophomore running back Romello Ross will visit Michigan on Saturday for the Michigan State game. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound Ross attended the Wolverines victory over Massachusetts, and is one of the top skill players in the state in his class.

-Detroit (Mich.) University Prep tight end prospect Antonio Ragland Jr. (6-7, 195) visited Michigan for the Illinois game and he’s also hearing from Illinois and Eastern Michigan according to his father and coach. This fall the red-zone threat has over 200 yards receiving and six touchdowns per his Dad.

-Southfield (Mich.) High outside linebacker Jordan Cry is having a solid junior season, registering 60 tackles and six sacks. He’s on the radar of schools including Michigan, Michigan State, Cincinnati, Syracuse and Bowling Green. He visited East Lansing for the Ohio State game.

“A real family atmosphere,” Cry said. “I loved it there. All the coaches are really nice.”

Southfield sophomore receiver Ray Buford is another in-state 2015 to watch. He’s caught over 30 passes for over 400 yards and four touchdowns.

-Birmingham (Mich.) Brother Rice junior safety Chris Carter is hearing from Akron and junior receiver Damaris Woods says he’ll visit Ball State on Nov. 14.

-Melvindale (Mich.) High senior cornerback/receiver Daizoun Oliver says he continues to talk with Cincinnati, Minnesota and Central Michigan. He has over 700 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns this fall to go along with 46 tackles.

-University of Detroit Jesuit cornerback Dillon Dixon says interest has come in from Bowling Green, Indiana, Missouri, Toledo and Wisconsin.