After a Buckeye Surge, Detroit's Cass Technical High School Could be on the Verge of Changing Hands

Since his arrival in Columbus, Urban Meyer's recruiting efforts have been nothing short of spectacular. His reach has gone from coast to coast and the Buckeyes have still been able to basically pick and choose from the talent within the state's borders.

With the help of ace Michigan recruiter Kerry Coombs, the Buckeye staff has made things pretty tough for the Wolverines. However, with the arrival of Jim Harbaugh, it appears that one former Maize and Blue pipeline could be back to its old ways – funneling a wealth of talent to Ann Arbor. 

Back in February of 2014, Ohio State was able to sign the nation's No. 5 cornerback, which isn't a total surprise given Meyer's prowess. What was a bit surprising was that Damon Webb was also the second-ranked player in Michigan and was the leader of a talented Cass Tech team. Many just assumed he would inevitably move onto the Wolverines. Alas, Webb will be starting at safety for the Buckeyes on Saturday and has helped to establish Ohio State's ties to the Detroit powerhouse program.

The Buckeye presence in the hallways of Cass Tech would only intensify after the Webb signing. The 2014 season did not go so well for Brady Hoke and the Wolverines as they worked their way to a 5-7 record which included just three wins in the Big Ten. The question marks in Ann Arbor – combined with Hoke's firing in December – meant that Cass Tech was vulnerable and perhaps even ripe for the taking. 

Running back Mike Weber found himself right in the middle of the Buckeye/Wolverine feud, both before the Hoke firing and after Jim Harbaugh was announced as Michigan's newest head coach. Meyer, Coombs, and Stan Drayton worked to land a commitment from the one-time Wolverine pledge, and their efforts lasted all the way up until national signing day when Weber decided to spend his college days in Columbus. Friend and fellow Technician Josh Alabi also would sign with the Buckeyes in 2015. 

Ohio State did find some success in Michigan during the past 2016 recruiting cycle, but they looked 30 miles west of Detroit to do so. Canton's Michael Jordan (Plymouth) was another one that got away from both the Spartans and Wolverines and has already made an instant impact in Columbus. 

The University of Michigan didn't land a single Cass Tech player during the 2014 and 2015 recruiting cycles. During that time, the Buckeyes signed the aforementioned Webb, Weber, and Alabi. The Spartans of Michigan State signed linebacker Deon Drake in the Class of 2014. 

Recently, Jim Harbaugh and the new Wolverine staff have started to get things turned around at Cass. After losing out on the Mike Weber battle, they rebounded in 2016 by signing Michael Onwenu, a player that both Ohio State and Michigan State really wanted. The two-way lineman was enamored with the Buckeyes early on in the process, but Harbaugh and Co. would win out in the end.

The Class of 2017 is where things are really heating up for the Wolverines. Four-star safety Jaylen Kelly-Powell committed to Michigan on Nov. 15. The Buckeyes were recruiting him early on, but there hadn't been a whole lot of doubt surrounding where he'd end up. 

The biggest potential victory for Michigan is still in the works, however. Five-star wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones is still looking to make a decision before enrolling early at the school of his choice. He's been to Columbus numerous times – most recently for the Indiana game – and has a connection with his former Cass Tech teammates and Buckeye freshman quarterback Dwayne Haskins.

Great Visit.. Ohio State did all of the right things. I couldn't have asked for anything more !! #BuckeyeNation

— Donovan P. Jones (@dpeoplesjones) October 9, 2016

Peoples-Jones grew up rooting for the Gators, and Florida has also hosted the five-star. They've been a team that has been mentioned frequently, but at this point, it would be a major upset if he ended up anywhere other than Ann Arbor. His father graduated from Michigan's medical school and he too has aspirations of becoming an orthopedic surgeon.

The expected commitment from DPJ would obviously be a major win for Jim Harbaugh; not just over the Buckeyes, but the rest of the country as well.

Looking ahead to the future at Cass Tech, the Class of 2018 is headlined by a pair of four-stars in athlete Kalon Gervin and safety DeAndre Square. Gervin's crystal ball reads in favor of the Wolverines while the Spartans have 100% of the picks for Square. 

As for Ohio State, a new pipeline appears to have already been established at Las Vegas' Bishop Gorman High School, and St. John Bosco (Bellflower, California) – home of 2017 commit Wyatt Davis and 2018 target Jaiden Woodbey – could be next on the list.