Michigan has landed a commitment from Xavier Simpson, a top 100 point guard from the Class of 2016.
Simpson announced his commitment in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, picking the Wolverines over Iowa State, Wisconsin, Miami and Illinois. He’s the fourth member of John Beilein’s 2016 recruiting class, joining four-star John Teske, three-star forward Austin Davis and shooting guard Ibi Watson. At 5-foot-11, Simpson does not have the overt physical tools that a lot of lead guards do these days, but he’s a true point guard, a leader and a facilitator that excels in ball-screen actions.
In other words, he’s a perfect fit for John Beilein’s offense.
A native of Lima, Ohio, Simpson is currently ranked 87th by Rivals.
Simpson’s commitment capped a wild recruiting day for Wolverines fans. On Wednesday morning, top 30 point guard prospect Cassius Winston announced that he had cut the Wolverines from his list -- or, depending on who you ask, that Michigan had stopped recruiting him.
By the early afternoon, the rumors swirling that Simpson was seriously considering Michigan had reached the public. Simpson, prior to this weekend, had cut his list to four: Iowa State, Wisconsin, Miami and Illinois. Once Michigan realized they weren’t going to get Winston, they swooped in for Simpson, and their recruiting pitch worked. For what it’s worth, Lima is less than two hours from Columbus, where former Michigan guard Trey Burke, an under-recruited point guard turned National Player of the Year, hails from.