Michigan Football: Defensive End Chris Wormley Commits, Other Recruiting Updates

The Michigan Wolverines were hoping to secure at least one commitment from their unofficial recruitment event, the Barbecue at the Big House, on Sunday, and they got it in 3-star defensive end Chris Wormley (Toledo, OH).

Wormley had been leaning toward committing to Michigan for over a month but did not make it official until Sunday. The Buckeyes were the only other team in the mix for Wormley, but the Whitmer High School standout never seemed to express much interest in going anywhere but Michigan.

The Wolverines now have 21 commits in their 2012 recruiting class, and 10 of those prospects are from the state of Ohio.

Wormley's commitment also means the Wolverines will likely only take one more defensive player in this class. The two leading candidates for the final spot, 4-star defensive tackles Danny O'Brien (Flint, MI) and Ondre Pipkins (Kansas City, MO), both attended the barbecue.

"It was more than what I expected," Pipkins told Josh Helmholdt of TheWolverine.com Monday. "I had a great time meeting with all the coaches and recruits. The meal was great and the BBQ, that was fun."

Pipkins is the No. 246 overall prospect according to Rivals.com and is not likely to make a decision about his future anytime soon, but the atmosphere of the Big House left a deep imprint in his mind. 

"You feel the college atmosphere just coming into the Big House," Pipkins said. "I had chills going down my spine. Looking up in the stands, it was crazy, and I had a wonderful feeling there."

The Wolverines are in Pipkins' final six teams along with Missouri, Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma and Tennessee. The 6'3" and 325-pound run-stopper spent some time talking to Michigan commits James Ross (Orchard Lake, MI) and Mario Ojemudia (Farmington Hills, MI), along with O'Brien.

There have been no on-record comments from O'Brien about the barbecue, but he reportedly enjoyed the visit and recently announced his final six potential suitors are Michigan, Iowa, Tennessee, Michigan State, Florida and Alabama.

Another top target who made the trip to Ann Arbor on Sunday was 4-star running back and current Ohio State commit Bri'onte Dunn (Canton, OH).

The nation's No. 11 running back and No. 124 overall prospect went with his cousin Dymonte Thomas (Alliance, OH), who will be one of the most sought after athletes for Michigan's 2013 recruiting class.

"I had a good time, met a lot of people and saw my friend Kyle [Kalis]," Dunn said Sunday afternoon. "I went up there with my friend Dymonte [Thomas] and got to spend a lot of time with the coaches. It was a lot different because everybody that was committed to Michigan or that they wanted was there. It was more about getting to know each other and touring the school."

Dunn also took an unofficial visit to Happy Valley last week but continues to re-affirm his commitment to Ohio State even though he is taking a longer look at Michigan, Miami (FL) and Penn State.

"There was no pressure, but they want me to come," Dunn said about the Wolverines' coaching staff.

Three-star wide receiver Jehu Chesson (St. Louis, MO), who just recently appeared on the radar for Michigan, talked with wide receivers coach Jeff Hecklinski on Sunday and got some good news.

"He said they are taking two wideouts, and he wants me to be one of them," Chesson said Monday. "It definitely affected my thoughts about them positively. To me, I feel like I left knowing more things about them when I came."

Michigan has a great shot at landing the Laude Horton Watkins High School star, but they will not know who they are up against until he reveals his top five or six teams in mid-August. Do not expect to hear about a commitment from Chesson until the end of his senior season.

The Wolverines also played host to multiple class of 2013 prospects as well. Junior offensive tackle prospect Steve Elmer (Midland, MI) got a chance to meet quarterback Shane Morris (Warren, MI), who is the lone commit in Michigan's 2013 class, and running back Wyatt Shallman (Novi, MI).

"I already kind of knew Shane a little bit, and I knew Wyatt Shallman - he was at the Notre Dame spring game," Elmer said Sunday. "I got to see Matt Godin again and I met Danny O'Brien too, and those guys are all pretty good."

Elmer also said he was "really interested" in Michigan and that the staff are all "really nice people."

Finally, the Wolverines offered Hudson High School junior inside linebacker Ben Gedeon (Hudson, OH) at the barbecue. Gedeon now has Michigan among his top schools after his visit to Ann Arbor over the weekend.

"They are definitely one of my top schools right now, especially after the BBQ," Gedeon said Tuesday afternoon. "They have really gone up."

Zach Dirlam is a Big Ten Columnist for the new 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 the major sports. You can also follow his blog on Twitter, @DirtyDugoutBlog, which will provide you with the latest updates about what will be posted on the blog!