Offered Wide Receiver Markus Allen Puts U-M In Top 10, Talks Officials

Markus Allen discusses Michigan interest.
Offered Wide Receiver Markus Allen Puts U-M In Top 10, Talks Officials
Offered Wide Receiver Markus Allen Puts U-M In Top 10, Talks Officials /

On Tuesday afternoon, Clayton (Ohio) Northmont three-star wide receiver Markus Allen released his list of top 10 schools, and Michigan was firmly in that group.

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Since picking up an offer from U-M last month, Allen has been motivated to learn more about the Wolverines’ program, and a trip to Ann Arbor would help accomplish that. Allen was slated to take a visit to Michigan’s campus last weekend, but the rampant spread of the coronavirus caused that trip to fall on the back burner.

However, the 6-2, 190-pound junior wide receiver is anxious to step onto U-M’s campus as soon as visits resume.

“I will most likely get back up to Michigan first,” Allen told Wolverine Digest.

Hailing from Ohio, Allen is quite familiar with what Michigan has shown on the football field in recent years. After watching Michigan games over the past several years, Allen is intrigued by the design of the team’s passing game in the sense that the Wolverines utilize their wide receivers at key points in the game.

“I like how their offense is how we run it in high school,” Allen said. “They have a couple RPOs in there, and usually they have a pretty solid run game in there also. But when they get it out to the receivers, it’s big hits deep down field or very critical downs when they get it out to Donovan People- Jones or when they used to get it out to Tarik Black.”

As a big-bodied receiver that lined up primarily on the outside last season, Allen understands that he can be an important piece to his future team’s downfield passing scheme. Particularly, this bodes well for U-M given the way Michigan has used its outside weapons recently.

“Especially with bigger receivers being the size they are and the way they are, I feel like when I get to college I’ll be their height, weight and size,” Allen said. “Michigan does a good job of using receivers in that size category.”

From a recruiting standpoint, Allen hears the most from Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis, and the two have discussed Michigan’s offensive philosophy.

“They said they like to give their best players the ball in open space and let them do what they have to do,” Allen said. “With me being my size and with the speed on me, they like that especially.”

Last year, Allen hauled in 51 receptions for 1,099 yards and 15 touchdowns and utilized his secondary-stretching size to do so. Regarding contested catches, Allen shows the ability to high-point the ball above his shoulders and has good time with his leaps. These qualities bode well for a recruit that fancies himself as a red zone target.

“I can go and get the ball when it’s up in the air,” Allen said. “I’m a big red zone threat. I know how to use my body and have strong hands.”

With that playing style in mind, Allen says that he prefers an offense that slings the ball around to its receivers. And according to the three-star recruit, Michigan fits that bill.

That aspect is part of what Allen discusses with Gattis, though football is not the only topic the two discuss.

“The relationship with me and coach Gattis is very good,” Allen said. “We text all the time, even when it’s not just about football we still text and everything. So, me and him have created a good bond and that bond is probably going to get better over the next couple months.”

Allen mentioned that he is not sure which schools he would like to take an official visit to at the moment, but he hopes to figure that out “very soon.” And regarding a final decision on his future school, Allen forecasts that as still several months away.

“I will most likely make a decision before my senior season or during my senior season after I take my officials,” Allen said.

Until that time, though, Allen maintains that his recruitment is open and he is willing to receive overtures from other schools. 


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