Trieu: Nation's top-ranked guard has 'great connection' with Michigan football staff
Michigan made the top five for Broken Arrow (Okla.) offensive lineman Andrew Raym, ranked by 247Sports as the No. 1 guard in the country.
Michigan is the lone Big Ten and northern school to make that list, which also includes Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma and Texas A&M.
The 6-foot-5, 285-pound Raym plans to visit each of those five schools before making a decision. His coach reported to The Michigan Insider that he would target an Ann Arbor trip for this summer. To date, he has not been to campus, but the Wolverines made his top five based on how well they have recruited him.
Offensive line coach Ed Warinner and area recruiter Sherrone Moore, an Oklahoma native, have been sharing in the recruitment of Raym, with Moore running point. Defensive backs coach Mike Zordich also has been to the school during the spring evaluation period.
“I just had a great connection with a bunch of the people up there in Michigan,” Raym said of the Wolverines in January. “I mean, I talk to them daily. So, I just keep (them) in my mind.”
Since then, Raym has been more quiet about his recruitment, but with visits set to begin for him in June, the picture of his recruitment is likely to become more clear.
Michigan currently has six commitments in their 2020 class, including one offensive lineman, Baltimore native Micah Mazzccua.
In-state sophomore offered by UM
Oak Park class of 2021 offensive lineman Rayshaun Benny has had an eventful spring, going from zero offers at the Power 5 level to now holding 10, including one from Michigan.
“It means a lot to be offered by them. I was born and raised here,” Benny said.
Benny (6-4, 260 pounds) started at offensive tackle and defensive end for the Knights last fall.
He said Tuesday night that he spoke to Michigan about visiting in May.
“(I want to learn more about) the whole Michigan culture, and I hope to see their new facility and I also want to see the Big House,” he said.
Ohio State, LSU, Georgia, West Virginia, Oregon, Nebraska and others also have offered Benny. 247Sports ranks him as the No. 9 sophomore in the state of Michigan.
Wolverines offer Ohio TE
Michigan’s tight end in the 2019 class, Erick All, came from Ohio, and now the Wolverines are targeting another Ohio tight end in the 2020 class, as they have offered a scholarship to Cincinnati Elder’s Joe Royer.
Royer (6-5, 220 pounds) has not been to Michigan’s campus yet, but will look to schedule a visit now that the offer has been extended.
Arizona State, Boston College, Cincinnati, Louisville, Nebraska and West Virginia are considered to be a few of the contenders in his recruitment. He visited the Sun Devils recently.
Royer was a first team all-conference and second team all-district selection as a junior. He also played on Elder’s varsity basketball season in the winter.
More information
Allen Trieu covers Midwest football recruiting for 247Sports. 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.