Trieu: Josh Gattis' perseverance could pay off in Michigan's pursuit of Xavier Worthy
Fresno (Calif.) Central East wide receiver Xavier Worthy announces his college commitment on Friday, and Michigan is hoping he decides to come to Ann Arbor.
The Wolverines are heavily favored on the 247Sports Crystal Ball over Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Oregon and more.
When talking about Worthy, undoubtedly, the first trait that comes up is speed. He ran a 10.55 in the 100-meter dash as a sophomore.
His ability in space is exactly what Michigan has been looking for in receiver prospects.
“We have compared Worthy to DeSean Jackson multiple times because of his frame and explosive play-making style,” 247Sports analyst Greg Biggins said. “I still like that one, but breaking down his film again recently, you can see some Tavon Austin in him as well. A lot of track guys playing football are just straight-line guys, but Worthy has the ability to cut, change direction, make people miss in the open field.”
Worthy was offered by 20 schools. For a time, it seemed as though this recruitment was headed Oregon’s way. Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis continued to tout what Worthy would do in the Michigan offense and used fellow Californian Giles Jackson as evidence.
“We’ve been talking every day,” Worthy said of Gattis, “exactly how Giles is getting used, so they can’t really see who’s getting the reverse and stuff. It’s just knowing somebody from Cali that went out there. It’s good knowing somebody from your home state.”
If Worthy chooses Michigan on Friday, Gattis should get credit for continuing the battle when many saw Worthy staying out west. In fact, at one point, Worthy was ready to announce a decision but delayed, and it is believed the delay helped the Wolverines.
“It takes me to a message board post about Xavier Worthy,” The Michigan Insider’s Sam Webb said. “Someone said, ‘Why are you still recruiting this guy? He's going to go to Oregon. When a kid like that on the other side of the country commits to a school close to home, he never backs out, why even waste your time?’ This is a textbook example of why you stay the course … even if he had committed to Oregon.”
As a sophomore, Worthy caught 54 passes for 992 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Elite CB has Wolverines in top group
Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei’s Domani Jackson will be in the conversation for the top cornerback spot in the country in the 2022 class, and Michigan made his narrowed-down group of 10 schools.
Jackson said Michigan is a school he grew up rooting for and the Wolverines have class of 2021 teammate Cristian Dixon committed.
Alabama, Arizona State, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas and USC comprise the rest of his top 10.
UM offers in-state offensive lineman
West Bloomfield rising sophomore offensive lineman Amir Herring was offered a scholarship by Michigan.
The 6-foot-4, 270-pound Herring was a freshman starter for the Lakers.
Herring is the cousin of former Michigan defensive end Lawrence Marshall.
Kentucky, Maryland and Arizona State also have offered.
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.