Jim Harbaugh has recruited a handful of eighth-graders during his time at Michigan, and in some cases extended offers. Now he's dipping into the grade below.
After a recruiting visit Tuesday to Southfield A&T, Harbaugh offered 13-year-old quarterback Isaiah Marshall, currently a seventh-grader at nearby MacArthur Academy. Marshall is the son of former Northwestern running back Brian Marshall, now an assistant coach at Southfield A&T.
Blessed to receive my first offer from University of Michigan and being the youngest athlete to receive an offer from UM. #MakingHistory #StayGrinding pic.twitter.com/DTU2IyneZu
— Isaiah Marshall (@ZekeMarshall07) January 15, 2019 The 5'8, 155-pound Marshall currently plays for the Southfield Falcons, a travel team that finished third in the country this season. Apparently he checked all the boxes when Harbaugh watched him on film."He came to look at a couple of our kids, sat down to watch some tape of Isaiah and liked what he saw," Brian Marshall told the Free Press. "He broke it down and then extended an offer. ... He said (Isaiah) was the youngest (to ever receive an offer).
"He liked what he saw with the film. He liked his anticipation, as far as him throwing kids open and reading coverages. Ball placement. Touch. Things you're looking for in a quarterback. Can they read progressions, can they throw guys open, can they be poised. All those different things."
Marshall is a member of the class of 2024. Brian Marshall said he's not worried about the attention going to his son's head.
"He's pretty laid back and humble, we keep a controlled environment for the most part," Brian said. "He's pretty grounded. My brothers and I have all played Division I football, we've been there. We have experience on our side. We control the social media thing.
"But I still remember the (recruiting) process, and we coach the kids through it now. He grew up watching Sam Johnson play high school and youth ball, he was the first middle school kid in Michigan to get an offer. So he's seen the process. He's not your normal kid when it comes to the distraction factor."
Marshall isn't the only young quarterback on Michigan's radar. Just last year, Harbaugh offered then-eighth grader Ty Simpson. A member of the class of 2022, Simpson has also received offers from the likes of LSU, Tennessee and Ole Miss.
