Michigan pulls off surprise

Once again, four-star point guard Xavier Simpson prove that no matter how well the recruiting process is covered there will always be surprises.

The 5-foot-11 point guard who ranks No. 87 in the class of 2016 announced during a Wednesday ceremony at Lima (Ohio) Senior that he will play his college ball at Michigan.

Just two days ago Simpson released a list of four finalists that didn't include the Wolverines. So how did John Beilein and his staff pull the rug out from underneath Illinois, Iowa State, Miami and Wisconsin.

Sources close to the situation indicate to Rivals.com that after Simpson took an official visit to Wisconsin over the weekend he made a stop by Ann Arbor to visit with Michigan.

Though they didn't make his list of four schools on Monday, the Wolverines kept plugging away and according to sources eventually told him they would end their pursuit of No. 28 in 2016 Cassius Winston -- who they were likely trailing Michigan State for -- and any other 2016 point guards if Simpson would commit.

While it may be a few days before we know exactly what turned the tide, the fact of the matter is that the tide was turned and the Wolverines landed a solid point guard. Simpson isn't the biggest kid but he's a natural leader, has been a winner on the high school level, has good skill and most of all he plays with loads of toughness.

The fourth player to pick Michigan in the class of 2016, Simpson joins a class that includes two other Ohio natives in four-star PF Jon Teske and three-star shooting guard Ibi Watson. Michigan big man Austin Davis rounds out the Wolverines' 2016 class.