Will '21 Defensive End T.J. Guy Choose Boston College or Michigan?

With former BC commit TJ Guy about to make his decision we spoke with Eric Rutter of Wolverine Digest.

With local defensive end T.J. Guy set to make his decision on Friday. AJ Black editor of BC Bulletin, and Eric Rutter of Wolverine Digest discuss this recruit. 

AJ Black: BC Bulletin

Boston College originally had Mansfield, MA defensive end T.J. Guy committed back in 2019, but that was under former head coach Steve Addazio. Shortly after new head coach Jeff Hafley was hired, Guy decommitted to explore his options, making it clear that he was keeping Boston College as a possible destination. On the recruiting trail the Eagles have had a rough week, as fellow Bay State defensive end Josaiah Stewart also decommitted to explore other options. The Eagles are focusing in on defensive line help this cycle, and could take anywhere from 3-6 at the position, and have been spreading their focus across the country. Guy would be a massive local get for the Eagles, and fit a position of need. 

Eric Rutter: Wolverine Digest

With T.J. Guy set to decide on Friday, the Wolverines appear to be in good position. U-M defensive coordinator Don Brown is one of the point-men in Guy’s recruitment, and Brown is a legend in the Northeast area. For the 2021 recruiting cycle, Brown is only ranked as the No. 28 recruiter nationally, and that position undersells his ability to land the prospects he wants, especially in the Northeast. Michigan already has one defensive end commit in the 2021 cycle— three-star Dominick Giudice, but U-M is looking to add one or two more players at the position. Guy would help round out what is currently an offensive-heavy ’21 class for the Wolverines.

Predictions:

Eric Rutter: Given Brown’s pristine track record in the region, I feel pretty good at Michigan’s chances in this one. First off, it is not often that a player decommits from a school before eventually rejoining the same recruiting class. It happened at Michigan with defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon, but that was an atypical recruitment for many reasons. That said, Boston College has reportedly made Guy a priority since taking over. Is that enough to wrestle Guy’s verbal pledge from Brown and the Wolverines? Ultimately, I do not think so. I fully expect for Guy to commit to Michigan on Friday.

AJ Black: Whatever Don Brown wants in New England, Don Brown gets. The moment when T.J. Guy decommitted from BC was the moment it seemed clear he was going to go elsewhere. While he said he wanted to explore other options, BC fans know that most recruits who decommit from the Eagles never return. I expect Michigan to win this recruiting battle tomorrow and take TJ Guy to Ann Arbor. But I also caution folks that this is not the end of this fight. Remember there is a long time between Friday's announcement and National Signing Day. If Jeff Hafley's team has a good year, or if Harbaugh struggles, BC could still land T.J. Guy later on down the road.

You can follow AJ Black on Twitter @AJBlack_BC and Eric Rutter at @EricRutterWD. Make sure to check out Wolverine Digest for all your Michigan news and analysis.