Deron Irving-Bey to Michigan: Wolverines Land 4-Star DE Prospect

In what became a battle of two Michigan-based Big Ten schools, Deron Irving-Bey chose Michigan over Michigan State.

The 4-star defensive end had been favored for East Lansing for much of the process. 247Sports' recruiting crystal ball gave him a 100 percent chance of being a Spartan at one point, with Michigan in the distant view. 

But the Wolverines offered Irving-Bey a scholarship in April, and it became increasingly clear the two schools would go head-to-head for his services. It's not lost on anyone that Michigan offered him during the same week he chose to attend Michigan State's pro day.

Flint Southwestern head coach Chane Clingman made it clear Irving-Bey wanted to stay close to home, per Allen Trieu of the Detroit News:

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Deron is from Flint and he's close to his family. I think he wants a quality education, a coaching staff that shows that they have his best interests, and I think he wants his family to be able to see him play – whether that's going to a real game or being able to watch him on TV. I know those are some of the things that he's expressed to me. At the end of the day he just loves football and wants to play, so I'm sure he'll be happy wherever he decides to go. He wants [to] get his degree and receive a quality education.

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Irving-Bey is the No. 279 overall player in the 2017 class and ranked 24th among defensive ends, per Scout. Only six players were better than him in the state of Michigan, per Scout, so it's understandable the two biggest schools in the state would want him around.

From a physical standpoint, Irving-Bey's ready for major college action. He's listed at 6'5" and 272 pounds, well within the range of a Big Ten defensive end. He's also showed a real ability to get after the quarterback and play the run; the issue has largely been with a lack of competition. 

That won't be a problem now. It's just going to be up to head coach Jim Harbaugh to ensure Irving-Bey stays productive now that he'll be playing in one of the nation's top conferences.