Jamar “JJ” Howard has already become one of the biggest quarterback names in the Class of 2028, and his recruitment just tightened up in a big way. The Clovis West High School standout from Fresno, California, has whittled nearly 30 Division I offers down to a final 12, and Michigan is squarely in the mix.
Howard’s shortlist features Michigan, Oregon, Ole Miss, SMU, Missouri, North Carolina, Kentucky, Washington, UCLA, Arkansas, Utah and BYU. That’s a national board packed with Power Four programs, but the Wolverines have put themselves in especially strong position early.
The reason starts with the body of work. Howard is listed at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, and he already looks the part of a high-end college quarterback.
He’s rated an 88 by 247Sports, which slots him as a 3-star prospect, while also checking in as the No. 28 quarterback nationally and No. 31 player in California. After a sophomore season that produced 2,800 passing yards and 37 touchdowns, the buzz around him only picked up.
Michigan’s edge is easy to see. Of the 12 schools still alive, the Wolverines are the only one Howard has already visited in person. That trip to Ann Arbor gave the staff a chance to leave an impression before the rest of the country got their turn.
The recruiting services have noticed that momentum too. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine currently gives Michigan the best shot at landing Howard, with the Wolverines sitting at 31.3%.
Howard also made it clear Michigan has stayed active with him throughout the process. Asked which schools have been recruiting him hardest, he said: "I think SMU, Michigan, Oregon, Kentucky, North Carolina, UCLA, Washington, BYU and Utah, for sure," Howard noted when asked about programs recruiting him hardest. "Those are some of the schools that have been looking at me pretty heavily."
For now, Howard is getting ready for his junior season at Clovis West, and the next big phase of the recruitment will come with game-day visits this fall. He said he has not set exact dates yet, but Michigan, SMU, BYU, Oregon and Ole Miss are the trips he wants to make first.
In Other News...
Michigan Fall Camp Buzz Centers On Two Names Fans Arent Watching
Michigans fall camp chatter has started to widen beyond the usual headline names, and one of the more interesting voices in the room has been offensive lineman Andrew Sprague. He pointed to wide receiver Channing Goodwin as a player who is getting overlooked, but who has shown enough in practice to suggest he can matter this season. For a roster always searching for reliable answers at receiver, any quiet rise from an under-the-radar target is the kind of development worth tracking.
Sprague also brought up Jonah Lealea, the Utah transfer working at defensive tackle, as another player drawing notice on the practice field. Michigan likes when newcomers settle in quickly, especially up front, and Lealeas early buzz suggests he may be closer to a meaningful role than the casual observer might assume. The staff still has time to sort out how those pieces fit, but the early signs have put both names on the list of players to watch as camp unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Jyaire Hill Just Raised The Stakes For Michigan's Season
Jyaire Hill is already setting the tone for what Michigan wants this season to feel like. The senior cornerback said he is chasing a championship now, and the message lands with a little extra weight because the Wolverines are trying to keep their edge in a year when expectations are back where they usually are in Ann Arbor. It is the kind of veteran voice that can help frame a locker room, especially for a team looking to stay steady while the rest of the roster continues to evolve.
Offensively, Michigan is still working through how to best harness its ground game under Jason Beck, with Jordan Marshall and Savion Hiter giving the staff real options in the backfield. There is also familiar Michigan quarterback chatter in the background, with ESPN analyst Booger McFarland saying J.J. McCarthy still has the tools to become a franchise quarterback even while backing up in Minnesota. For the Wolverines, it is another reminder that the programs present and future are both pulling in interesting directions. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Fall Camp Is Heating Up Around A Few Crucial Starting Battles
The second week of fall camp is already sorting through a handful of Michigans most important jobs, and the competition has a way of making every practice rep feel a little bigger. Savion Hiter, JJ Buchanan, Channing Goodwin and Travis Johnson are among the players drawing attention as coaches sort out who can handle bigger roles this season, while Andrew Babalola, John Henry Daley, Cameron Brandt and Dominic Nichols are all part of the larger mix of linemen and edge players trying to carve out steady spots.
For Michigan, the appeal is obvious: these are the kinds of battles that can shape both the depth chart and the tone of the season before August is even over. Some of the evaluations are still unfolding, with coaches praising what certain players can do and leaving the final answer open, which is exactly what makes camp worth watching this time of year. [Read more 🡒]