Michigan still leads for star linebacker Shanon Reid, but Tennessee’s in the mix

According to the 247Sports Composite, there are 42 outside linebackers rated ahead of Fort Myers (Fla.) Dunbar High’s Shanon Reid.

I’m not buying that.

Reid plays his football about 20 minutes from my house, so I’ve been able to see him a lot during his senior year. He has solid size at 6’1.5, 209 pounds. Reid is an active linebacker who loves to hit and shows off great instincts to sniff out plays. When he does, he pulls the pin and gets after it. Reid has good balance and maintains tackling position so that he does not get juked. He also has good ball skills, playing tight end and, in the red zone, receiver.

I spoke with him about his recruitment, and about Dunbar High School finally beating local power Fort Myers, in which he recorded 13 tackles.

“I can’t even explain it right now,” Reid said. “These boys been beating me ever since my freshman year. This is for our community.”

Reid has 30 scholarship offers, but one school stands out above the rest: Michigan.

Reid visited Michigan on Oct. 1 and loved it, saying it felt like home.

“I talk to (defensive coordinator Don) Brown,” Reid said. “I love how much they blitz.”

But Michigan is not the only school in it for Reid.

“Me and (Fort Myers running back Darrian Felix) are checking out Tennessee on the 12th,” Reid said. “That will be great to open up my mind. I still have Michigan as my No. 1, but I want something to fall back on just in case anything happens.

Why has Tennessee come on late?

“Tennessee thought I was not interested anymore because they had seen all the Michigan stuff,” Reid said. “But I set up an official visit since I have four left.”

Reid is an early enrollee, and still has one more official visit left: Iowa State. Matt Campbell and staff have done a good job continuing to recruit Southwest Florida, as the previous staff did. Reid will be taking his official there on the 19th.

After that, Reid is uncertain if he will take any more. He says that Mississippi State is still trying to set up a visit in late December, but he does not know if he’ll take it as he is an early enrollee.

Is Reid anticipating any other schools trying make a last-minute press?

“Maryland has been talking to me again,” Reid said. “They told me some of their coaches were on the Michigan coaching staff.”

Several Michigan targets are set to announce in the coming weeks. Michigan currently has a top-10 class, with 11 four-stars and seven three-stars. That will go up.

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