Midwest Rumor Mill: Latest news on some of region's top recruits

June has become the busiest month off the offseason in terms of recruiting news, and Rivals national analyst Greg Smith has all the latest buzz from the Midwest.

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The three-star defensive end from St. Louis (Mo.) Christian Brothers was at Memphis for an official visit last weekend. He recently released a top three that includes the Tigers, Kansas State and Indiana. The visit to Memphis was an eye-opener for him.

"It was amazing," he said. "The coaching staff really prioritized my family and I. Walking into the visit I didn’t know what to expect of an AAC school. They very much have the firepower to move to the Big 12 or B1G in the coming months or few years.”

He also liked that the school has his intended major of Structural Engineering/Civil Engineering. Memphis has become a real contender in this race after a strong visit.

Babalola (6-7, 270) is among the top players in the Midwest who isn’t committed yet. Stanford and Auburn have made big early impressions on him but last weekend Michigan got its chance to host him.

“The Michigan trip was great, what stood out was the history and tradition of the program, and how well they develop all types of players,” Babalola said.

The Wolverines are also in a unique spot because a former offensive line coach now runs the program. It certainly matters to Babalola that Sherrone Moore is the head coach now.

“Having coach Moore as the head coach now is great, because he’s always gonna want a physical team that punishes people,” Babalola said. “And as well coach (Grant) Newsome is great, as he played at Michigan and he knows what it looks like on that side of the ball.”

Michigan really stressed the importance of a degree from the school while also being able to play top-notch football. The program gave the talented lineman a lot to think about.

There isn’t a commitment date set yet for him.

Beerman is close to concluding his June official visits but he was at Michigan State last weekend. It was a great trip and he was able to spend a lot of time talking football with the staff.

“It was great to get a feel for the culture and what they are building up there," he said. "I also had a great football conversation with coach (Joe) Rossi. He feels that I bring a unique blend of height at 6-4, speed and football IQ which will allow me to bring value at all three LB spots on the field. He said this combination is hard to come by, and I will have the opportunity to develop into a strong player who makes a big impact on the field, and that makes me a priority for them.”

It was clear from the visit that the Spartans have made Beerman a priority. Up next, he will finish his official visits off with a trip to West Virginia, but the Spartans have made a strong impression.

The Country Club Hills (Ill.) Hillcrest defender will be one of the biggest Midwest recruits in the 2026 cycle. It was a given that his phone was going to blow up at midnight with schools jockeying to speak with him. Blade told me that Notre Dame was the first school to reach out.

“It showed just how hard they’re recruiting me and I honestly thought they were just joking when they said they would call as soon as midnight hits,” Blade said.

The defender is working out any final June visits and in-season trips with his parents as schools continue to push to get him on campus.

The four-star outside linebacker from Ohio made a trip to Alabama last weekend. The Tide have been a darkhorse in the race despite the feeling that he’s a strong lean to Ohio State. The Tide make a strong pitch to him over the weekend.

“It was great, and I loved spending time talking ball with all the coaches and hanging with the team,” Hill said. “It feels like an environment that I can thrive in.”

Hill is still on track for a July 3 commitment date.

The two-way standout from Omaha (Neb.) Millard South was just at a 7-on-7 camp at Missouri. After making plays on the field he was able to spend some time with the Tigers’ coaching staff. He plans on the Texas A&M camp on Monday and has no plans to hit Nebraska camp.

“It was fun, I got to see some different teams and competition,” Jackson said. “I did talk to the coaches and they said they were really interested.”

Jackson didn’t pick up an offer from Missouri but the team is going to keep in contact.

The four-star linebacker from Omaha (Neb.) Westside has been to Nebraska’s campus numerous times. At this point it's hard for the Huskers to show him anything new. However, as he weighs his options among Nebraska, Auburn and Oklahoma, the Huskers are pushing the comfort level of staying home.

It stood out to Jones that coach Matt Rhule has built a strong family culture in the program already. Nebraska has done all it can to show Jones that he can thrive in Lincoln and Rhule has the program in a good position. A visit to Oklahoma is up next and Jones is "very much looking forward to it."

The Cleveland (Ohio) Gilmour Academy has had a big month. He has been taking official visits but his recruitment was just shaken up after receiving an offer from Ohio State. He was at Kentucky last weekend and enjoyed the trip.

“What stood out to me was the relationship the players have with the coaches,” Lennon said.

Next up is his official visit to Columbus to see what the Buckeyes have to offer. The home-state school will be tough to beat if they make a strong push.

We’re getting close to decision mode for Pavey. He was at Wisconsin last weekend for an official visit that went very well.

“It was great. I loved how transparent they were being the whole time,” Pavey said. “Coach (Luke Fickell) Fick was elite in person just as much as when you watch him on TV coaching. They did a good job with making me feel like I was the one and I was a huge priority. Wisconsin has all the tools to make sure you are successful.”

This could be a classic Big Ten battle with Wisconsin, Indiana and Purdue leading the charge for his signature. A July 8 commitment date looms large.

The three-star cornerback is a prospect to know in the 2026 class. The Toledo (Ohio) Central Catholic standout told me that Indiana, Penn State, Nebraska, Toledo, Missouri and Tennessee were first to reach out to him over the weekend when schools could contact juniors.

Those schools reaching out showed which schools really want him. There are a few coaches that are standing out early in his recruitment. Keep an eye on the Buckeyes early in this recruitment.