COMMITTED! BOOM (X2)! Former Arkansas defensive backs Tevis and TJ Metcalf have committed to Michigan!
Michigan had just one player committed via the transfer portal heading into to the week, and all of a sudden tripled that number by adding former Arkansas defensive backs Tevis and TJ Metcalf.
TJ had a stellar second year in college for the Razorbacks, racking up 71 tackles, 10 pass breakups, three interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 2024. Meanwhile, Tevis was a true freshman and didn’t see the field on defense very much.
Brady Norton, TJ Metcalf, and Tevis Metcalf Have Committed To Michigan
For those worried about Michigan’s lack of portal action, the transfer portal giveth those fans three new names to discuss tonight. In a matter of minutes the Wolverines earned commitments from brothers Tevis and TJ Metcalf, both DBs from Arkansas, and Brady Norton, an OL from Cal Poly. Announcements below:
The Metcalfs visited over the weekend, names who hadn’t gotten much buzz before they showed up in Ann Arbor. They are products of the Deep South, being born in Oxford, MS, to Ole Miss graduates, but attending HS in Jefferson County, Alabama, near Birmingham. They graduated from different schools, TJ going to Pinson Valley HS in Pinson, Alabama, while Tevis graduated from Clay-Chalkville HS, in Clay, Alabama. TJ is the older brother, a May 2005 who was in the 2023 recruiting class, while Tevis was in the 2024 class, though I am unsure of his birthday (logically it has to be at least ~nine months after May 2005, soooo Feb. 2006 or after). TJ is the bigger brother, listed at 6-1/200, while Tevis is listed at 5-10/192.
Neither were highly rated recruits, TJ being a 4* to Rivals but a 3* to everyone else, a bit outside the top 500 in the On3 consensus. Tevis was a 3* to everyone, #781 in the On3 consensus. We know more about TJ, who was a starter at safety for the Hogs this season (also played a decent bit as a reserve in 2023) and graded out well to PFF, 68.1 overall grade, 75.0 in run defense while not as strong in coverage bt still respectable. TJ logged 730 snaps and played in all 12 games, so he could be a plug-and-play option to replace Makari Paige and Quinten Johnson on the back-end for Michigan. Tevis looks more like a developmental prospect, having only played 15 total snaps and earning a redshirt. We should note that while TJ is listed as a safety, Tevis is listed as a CB.
My take on the Metcalfs right now is ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. TJ seems like a useful player and should immediately be able to join the safety rotation, having been a starter on an SEC defense with respectable results. Safety wasn’t flagged as a position of need for Michigan, especially with the possibility of a Rod Moore return, but I will never turn down a decent player, especially one with two years of eligibility remaining. Tevis seems more like a toss-in, an interesting prospect to put on the depth chart with four years of eligibility remainig and see what you have down the road. At a spot like corner, which is fairly thin, that’s not a bad thing.
Turning our attention to Norton, he’s a second-year player for Cal Poly in the FCS. Norton played at Mission Viejo HS in Orange County, a program that has produced some players in the past (Mark Sanchez, Jarrett Patterson, Nick Reed, Jed Collins, etc.). Norton wasn’t a highly rated player out of HS and ended up at Cal Poly as a result. He played in three games as a true freshman in 2023, earning a redshirt, and then became the team’s starting left tackle this season. Norton’s overall grades from PFF were good but not great (73.5) but the pass-blocking is what stands out, a sterling 90.6 grade. However, it’s very important to note that his lone bad grade, a 37.5, came against the lone FBS team they played, Stanford (who wasn’t good this year).
Of course, it’s also possible (probable?) that Norton was playing out of position, or at least the position he’s best suited for at an FBS level. Cal Poly’s roster lists Norton at 6’3/275, while On3 lists him at 6’4/270. That is not typical tackle size at an FBS level and as a result, the scouting services ranked him in the portal as an interior linemen. Some services were very high, On3 naming him the #3 IOL prospect in the portal and the #35 player overall. Norton picked up an Ohio State offer today, which is worth noting. 247 was a bit lower, ranking Norton a portal 3* but still the #225 player overall. FCS OL are often pretty hit or miss up-transferring to play in the FBS but it’s certainly worth a shot to see if Norton can work out, since Michigan needs OL help and he’s got three years of eligibility remaining. If his body needs more time to physically mature, he has the eligibility to support that.
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