Trieu: UM hopes to lure another Wisconsin star in Tyler Beach
Wisconsin might be the most under-appreciated state in the Midwest for football talent. The state has produced several NFL first-rounders recently, such as J.J. Watt, Trae Waynes, Melvin Gordon and Travis Frederick.
Michigan went in to enemy territory last season and signed the state’s top prospect, Hartland Arrowhead offensive lineman Ben Bredeson. Now the Wolverines are looking to do it again as they have offered another offensive lineman in the 2017 class, Port Washington’s Tyler Beach, a 6-foot-6, 275-pound tackle with a fast-expanding offer list.
He took his first visit to Michigan on Saturday and got to see the team go through a spring practice.
“I thought they looked great,” Beach said to Scout’s Brice Marich. “They were learning and a lot of their younger guys were getting reps. You could tell they were learning a bunch and it was very organized. It was great.”
That was just one part of Beach’s visit, though, as he was treated to the full experience of what Michigan has to offer him.
“I visited the Ross Business School and it is an amazing program they have there,” said Beach. “I consider it brand new, but it is just a beautiful building and great, prestigious program.
“I talked to the coaching staff, as well. They were in the stadium for part of practice and I thought that pretty was cool. There was a huge coaching clinic this weekend, so there were a lot of coaches there and you could see part of the stadium full. It was all pretty cool.”
He added that his favorite part of the visit was talking to head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Beach hopes to return to Ann Arbor on April 1 for the spring game. He plans to make his college decision later in the spring. He says he does not have any favorites, but Michigan is one of his top schools. Wisconsin, Illinois, Vanderbilt and Western Michigan are among the other programs that have offered.
Wolverines top the list for 2018 LB
Springfield (Ohio) linebacker Antwuan Johnson is only a sophomore, but already holds offers from Michigan, Kentucky, Louisville and Cincinnati. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound prospect visited Michigan on Saturday and told Scout’s Josh Newkirk afterward that the Wolverines stand out early.
“The visit was great,” Johnson said. “There was lot of excitement from the coaches. It was a great atmosphere. It felt good being there. Michigan is definitely at the top of my list right now.”
Johnson plans to return for the spring game. He will also visit Iowa State and Tennessee.
Wolverines offer Alabama teammates
Phenix City (Ala.) Central four-star linebacker Markail Benton was offered by Michigan on Tuesday. The Wolverines now join a bevy of schools to offer the 6-foot-2, 227-pound Benton. His list includes Auburn, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Tennessee, Ole Miss, USC and more.
Benton’s teammate, Justyn Ross, a 6-foot-5, 190-pound sophomore wide receiver, was also offered by Michigan. He has additional offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State and Missouri.
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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.