After multiple misses, I finally connected with Kris Jenkins Jr. tonight to talk about his official visits to NU and Michigan on consecutive weekends.
First of all, he's a very impressive kid: poised, thoughtful, confident and articulate.
Based on his Twitter feed, I was expecting him to be leaning toward Michigan, but after talking to him, I think he's genuinely torn. He gave both OVs an 8 out of 10.
He had some great things to say about Northwestern. "I loved it," he said. "I LOOOOVED it." He said what stood out the most was how connected the coaches and players were each other. There weren't any cliques, "everybody was a family," he said. While he'd already seen the facility during an unofficial in March, he said that it really sends a message about the program. "It shows me that they want to be the best, and they've given the program the tools they need to succeed. They're not playing games. They want to get going."
He said what stood out the most about Michigan was how much the staff focuses on players, even beyond football and academics. He cited the program's spring trip to South Africa as an example. "They really are looking at the bigger picture."
I think it will come down to NU or Michigan. He said that his tentative plan is to visit Maryland, Penn State and Virginia Tech -- his three other final schools -- but he made it very clear that if he makes his mind up during the dead period, he could pull the trigger in July. I think it was telling for him to say that. I asked him if he had a leader between NU and Michigan at this point, and he said no, he honestly hasn't made up his mind yet.
I would still give Michigan a slight edge here, just because it's a lot easier to pick Michigan, a traditional name school, over Northwestern. But I think NU has a better chance than I did before I talked to him.
First of all, he's a very impressive kid: poised, thoughtful, confident and articulate.
Based on his Twitter feed, I was expecting him to be leaning toward Michigan, but after talking to him, I think he's genuinely torn. He gave both OVs an 8 out of 10.
He had some great things to say about Northwestern. "I loved it," he said. "I LOOOOVED it." He said what stood out the most was how connected the coaches and players were each other. There weren't any cliques, "everybody was a family," he said. While he'd already seen the facility during an unofficial in March, he said that it really sends a message about the program. "It shows me that they want to be the best, and they've given the program the tools they need to succeed. They're not playing games. They want to get going."
He said what stood out the most about Michigan was how much the staff focuses on players, even beyond football and academics. He cited the program's spring trip to South Africa as an example. "They really are looking at the bigger picture."
I think it will come down to NU or Michigan. He said that his tentative plan is to visit Maryland, Penn State and Virginia Tech -- his three other final schools -- but he made it very clear that if he makes his mind up during the dead period, he could pull the trigger in July. I think it was telling for him to say that. I asked him if he had a leader between NU and Michigan at this point, and he said no, he honestly hasn't made up his mind yet.
I would still give Michigan a slight edge here, just because it's a lot easier to pick Michigan, a traditional name school, over Northwestern. But I think NU has a better chance than I did before I talked to him.
