Su'a Cravens & Kendall Fuller Recruiting Updates, Where Does Michigan Stand?

The Michigan Wolverines 2013 recruiting class is currently ranked No. 1 in the country by all major recruiting services, gaining 18 verbal commitments. However, if they hope to maintain their spot atop the team rankings when national signing day arrives, Rivals.com analyst Mike Farrell believes the Wolverines need to land a 5-star prospect such as Su'a Cravens (Murrieta, CA) or Kendall Fuller (Olney, MD). 

"Right now they've got the number one class in the country, in my opinion," Farrell told Tim Sullivan of TheWolverine.com on April 21st. "But five-stars are a key and they don't have any right now." 

In the month since Farrell made those statements, the Wolverines have not been able to secure a verbal commitment from a 5-star recruit. They found out Sunday that they are still in the hunt for Cravens and Fuller. 

Cravens, who is the nation's No. 5 overall prospect and No. 1 safety, has narrowed his list of schools down to Michigan, Nebraska and USC according to Vista Murrieta High School assistant coach Eric Peterson. "It's just Nebraska, Michigan and USC now," coach Peterson informed Mike Matya of HuskerOnline.com. "That's it."

"He's trimmed down everyone else, from Alabama to Oregon to you name it, everyone else has been trimmed down. Those are his final three." 

Coach Peterson also revealed Cravens will be making trips to Nebraska and Michigan at the end of the month with his family. It is likely the 6'1", 205-pounder will stick to his previously planned announcement date of June 6th, and bring his recruitment to an end shortly after the Midwest visits. 

"He'll be in Nebraska on the 30th and 31st [of May]," Peterson said, "and he'll be in Michigan on the 28th and 29th. His mom and dad will be coming with him." 

Michigan head coach Brady Hoke and Nebraska's head man Bo Pelini are the main reason why Cravens has opted to visit Ann Arbor and Lincoln instead of the countless other universities that have been pursuing him. 

"Because of coach Pelini and coach Hoke," Peterson said. "It's just the character of those two men, and what they do away from football for kids." 

It has been no secret that Cravens loves USC and is likely the team to beat for his services, but if the Wolverines can wow the California native on his visit to campus next week, it will certainly give him a lot to think about. 

The Wolverines are also behind a local school in Fuller's recruitment and, unfortunately for Michigan fans, it appears they are only falling further behind as the process continues for the Maryland defensive back. 

Jason Stamm of HokieHaven.com caught up with him over the weekend and when he asked Fuller— the nation's No. 4 overall prospect and No. 1 ranked cornerback—about his top schools, Virginia Tech and Clemson were the only programs the Our Lady Of Good Counsel defensive back mentioned. 

Fuller also spoke with MDHigh.com at the Chesapeake Bowl tryout last weekend and declared Virginia Tech and Clemson were his top two schools, followed by Michigan and Tennessee. The 5'11", 189-pound cornerback said he intends to visit all his top four schools again this summer. Currently, he is unsure when a final decision about his future will be made. 

"I really don't have a set decision day," Fuller said. "It could be sometime this summer or it could be at the Army Bowl. I really have no clue when my mind's going to be made up." 

Fuller's brothers have all played at Virginia Tech, so it is no surprise they have been the leader up to this point. From the sound of Fuller's latest interviews, it would take something miraculous during his summer visit to Michigan to lure him away from the east coast. 

Things can always change when it comes to college football recruiting. At the moment, Michigan has some ground to make up in their recruitment of Cravens and Fuller.

Zach Dirlam is the Lead Editor of the College Basketball section as well as Big Ten columnist for the FOX Sports/MSN/YardBarker affiliate website Sports at Work. Check out his blog, Dirlam’s Dirty Dugout Sports Blog, which features this story, along with other articles and video reports on major sports.

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