Ranking the Contenders: Jamari Buddin
Four-star linebacker Jamari Buddin out of Belleville, Mich., has announced that his commitment will come during the first week of July. Buddin narrowed his list of scholarship offers down to a top seven in April. There are three schools that every follower of this recruitment knows are heavily involved, but we are going to rank four here.
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1. PENN STATE
Had you asked me at any time in the last few months which school I felt would land Buddin, my answer would have been Penn State. I still feel that way today, but it’s close. Penn State has flexed its recruiting muscles in southeast Michigan during the 2021 recruiting cycle, landing three commitments already. I have cited James Franklin many times when asked about the best recruiting head coaches in college football, and he has forged a strong relationship with Buddin. But, Penn State needs to remain diligent if they are going to see this through to a commitment.
2. MICHIGAN STATE
The team that has gained the most ground over the last three months is Michigan State. First-year head coach Mel Tucker has brought a renewed energy to the program, and put a strong focus on recruiting in-state talent. Buddin is a focus on that in-state attention, and has reacted very positively to the new staff. I have Penn State with the best shot right now, but there’s another month to go and if the Spartans keep building on this momentum they will get this one done.
3. MICHIGAN
Michigan is generally considered the third team if you do consider this a three-team race right now, but you cannot count out the Wolverines yet. Buddin’s teammate and friend Andre Seldon enrolled mid-year in Ann Arbor, which is a very short drive down I-94 from Belleville. The close proximity means Buddin has been on the Wolverines' campus numerous times over the last few years. It is the program he knows best, but Michigan landed a couple linebackers recently and does not seem to be pushing as hard as the top two.
4. MINNESOTA
If there are three clear top teams in this recruitment, why extend our ranking past that number? There is still enough Minnesota buzz around Buddin’s recruitment, and you can never count out P.J. Fleck. I have seen the Gophers land commitments during this visit shutdown from out-of-state kids – highly coveted by in-state programs – who have never visited their campus. Few coaches have the ability to create a tsunami of excitement like Fleck, and for that reason I can not count out the Gophers here.