Decision Primer: Five-star Michigan RB target Savion Hiter ready to make call

Savion Hiter is ready to make his decision.

The five-star running back out of Mineral (Va.) Louisa County will announce his commitment today at 11:15 a.m. ET on the Rivals YouTube channel.

Hiter, who is ranked as the No. 1 running back and No. 8 overall recruit nationally, per the Rivals Industry Ranking, is considering Michigan, Georgia, Ohio State and Tennessee.

Here is a closer look at where things stand.

Why It Will Be Michigan

Michigan has been a constant in the recruitment of Hiter. The Wolverines hosted him for multiple visits last year and got him back for his official visit earlier this summer. While this is a close battle with Tennessee, Michigan running backs coach Tony Alford may make the difference. After all, Alford has a strong relationship with Hiter and those around him and has been recruiting the elite ball carrier since his time at Ohio State. Michigan also features a run-first offense and has made Hiter its top overall priority this cycle. Alford, head coach Sherrone Moore, general manager Sean Magee and the rest of the staff have done everything right going into Hiter’s highly anticipated decision.

Why It Won’t Be Michigan

Tennessee has made things very interesting for Michigan down the stretch. The Volunteers made a big run this offseason and even got Hiter on campus for his final official visit in June. Like Michigan, Tennessee has been aggressive on the business side, but the Volunteers have also done a great job of building relationships with the Hiter family and making them feel at home. Knoxville is surrounded by small mountain towns, which resemble Mineral, Virginia. Hiter is a soft spoken, small town kid and feels comfortable at Tennessee. Knoxville is also within driving distance of his hometown. That makes travel a bit easier for his family.

Best Guess

I’m staying away from a Rivals Prediction in this recruitment. Hiter and his family are very private and don’t want to give any clues on which way they are leaning. If I had to give a best guess, I’d go with Michigan. As mentioned, Michigan has been a constant, and the longstanding relationship with Alford means something. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if Tennessee wins out. The Volunteers have done a phenomenal job here, too. I don’t think Georgia or Ohio State are big factors, but you never know as Hiter has kept everyone on their toes.

He Said It

Hiter said this when I spoke to him earlier this offseason…

Michigan: “I feel like I’m a priority for them. They are a big program for running the ball. You saw it this year. They have a history of great running backs coming out of there like Blake Corum, who is from Virginia. I could see myself running in a Michigan jersey.”

Georgia: “The Georgia visit (in January) was cool. I got to meet with Coach (Kirby) Smart. He always has good words for me. I got to meet (new running backs coach) (Josh) Crawford. I spent time with DHill (staffer David Hill). It’s always great to talk to them. They are a top program. I expect a lot out of them.”

Ohio State: “(New running backs coach) Coach (Carlos) Locklyn just got there, but we had a good connection when he was at Oregon. It’s nice to see him at Ohio State now.”

Tennessee: “They’ve been with me since freshman year. They offered me then. I fell in love with the campus. I love the coaches like Coach (Josh) Heupel. (New running backs coach) Coach (De’Rail) Sims jut got there, but we are building a good relationship.”