Michigan football lands two 4-star recruits from Tennessee in span of 2 minutes

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan football landed commitments Friday morning from two four-star recruits out of Tennessee in the span of two minutes.

Michigan has had an eventful week on the recruiting trail, polishing off the No. 10 class in the country for 2021 on Wednesday by flipping Michigan State commit Rayshaun Benny and Colorado commit Ikechukwu Iwunnah while signing George Rooks.

Adding those three defensive tackles to the class addressed on of the greatest weaknesses on the current roster.

Now, after finishing the 2021 cycle strong, the new Michigan coaching staff is off to a hot start looking ahead to 2022.

Four-star athlete Kody Jones, from Germantown, Tennessee, announced his commitment to Michigan at 10 a.m. Friday, choosing the Wolverines over offers from Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Auburn, Penn State and others.

Jones projects as a defensive back at the college level, but his skills on the offensive side of the ball also make him a potential weapon as a kick and punt returner.

He’s ranked No. 279 overall in the 2022 class, according to the 247 Sports composite. Jones is the No. 15 athlete and No. 9 player from Tennessee.

About one minute after Jones committed, four-star safety Taylor Groves, from Cross Plains, Tennessee, also announced his pledge to Michigan.

Groves is listed at 6-foot-2, 175 pounds with good speed and playmaking ability. He had offers from Notre Dame, LSU, Penn State and dozens of other schools.

The 247 Sports composite rankings list Groves as the No. 242 overall player, No. 16 safety and No. 6 recruit from Tennessee for the 2022 class.

Both Jones and Groves were recruited primarily by new Michigan co-defensive coordinator Maurice Linguist, who also coaches the defensive backs.

Linguist, who left the Dallas Cowboys staff to join Michigan, is off to a hot start on the recruiting trail. He had a knack for landing top talent during his time at Texas A&M, and that clearly hasn’t changed.

The additions of Jones and Groves buoyed Michigan’s 2022 recruiting class up to No. 7 in the nation. There are three four-stars and three three-stars currently committed.

Linebacker Junior Colson, a four-star and top 100 recruit, was the only Tennessee player in Michigan’s 2021 class.

The only other Tennessee recruit to choose Michigan during the Jim Harbaugh era was three-star receiver Nate Johnson in 2016. Johnson was dismissed from the team due to a domestic violence incident in 2017.