A couple of recruits on visit walked into The Big House on Saturday for Michigan’s spring game without an offer, but ended up returning home with one.
One of whom was 2028 EDGE Simon Nuamah, a Bronx native who attends Tabor Academy in Marion, Massachusetts. Nuamah’s first time in Ann Arbor went off without a hitch as he got to soak in what it’s like to have fans packed in the country’s largest college football stadium.
“My visit to the spring game was amazing,” Nuamah told Maize n Brew. “I loved the atmosphere.
So many people came out for the spring game and it was a really cool environment.”
Shortly after the exhibition, Nuamah and his family met with Michigan defensive ends coach Lewis Powell, who extended the formal interest to the sophomore.
“It means a lot to get a Michigan offer,” Nuamah said. “It’s a great school athletically and academically. It’s a testament to how blessed I am and to the hard work I put into this game.”
Nuamah was impressed with what he saw from the program’s pass rushers in the game-like setting as well as how Powell treated his loved ones in meetings.
“I thought the Michigan edges looked very good,” Nuamah said. “Before the game, I was able to meet some other defensive recruits and commits. I just saw how much love they had for Ann Arbor and how much they respect Coach.
“(Powell and I) have a very good relationship. I like him a lot. We were able to connect easily when we met and my parents enjoyed his thoughtful words. I can tell from just meeting him that he truly cares about his players not just in the field but off the field. He cares about the right things and knows the game well.”
Reporting at 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds, Nuamah’s recruitment has exploded onto the scene this spring. The Wolverines now join Missouri, Georgia Tech, Penn State, Georgia, and others on his expanding offer sheet.
“Right now, I’m just trying to figure out what I’m looking for as I visit all the schools for the first time,” Nuamah said. “I’m hoping that next winter I will have a good understanding of what’s important for me and I can start to figure out what schools are the right fit at that point moving forward.”
Nuamah has not set a return date to Michigan, but he does intend to come back “soon” to learn more about the coaching staff and also receive insight about the program from the players. All in all, to get familiar with both the school and football opportunities that U-M can provide.
Building a relationship with Kyle Whittingham is another aspiration for Nuamah down the road. But from the surface, based on what he witnessed at the spring game, the head coach has the team humming.
“From what I’ve seen from the coaches on his staff, I’m sure that he will be successful in Ann Arbor,” Nuamah said. “The kind of mentors he has working in his program is a reflection of how he operates and what he believes in.”
