Amid busy recruitment, Michigan standing out for Tackett Curtis

Elite 2023 Many (La.) linebacker Tackett Curtis has his high school squad in the hunt for a second straight 2A state championship. The four-star has been a do-it-all player for Many, playing running back, safety and kick returner, all while emerging as a leader for his team.

Curtis ranks as the No. 66 player and the No. 5 linebacker in the country in the 2023 On300. With 41 offers to his name, and 40-plus coaches texting him on a near-weekly basis, Curtis’ recruitment is as national as it gets, and Michigan is among a number of schools pushing near the top for his commitment.

Curtis has visited Michigan twice this year. The four-star was in Ann Arbor over the summer soon after the dead period ended, took in Michigan’s dominant 31-10 win over Washington in September and saw the Wolverines on the road against Wisconsin.

“I loved their stadium and their campus,” he said. “Getting to watch their game, their atmosphere was great there. I mean, everything about them is really cool. The fans were going nuts.”

The junior talks to defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald and linebackers coach George Helow on a weekly basis and is expected to be visited the Michigan staff when his Many team is in the playoffs.

“I love talking to Coach Macdonald and Coach Helow,” Curtis said. “They’re two really good coaches, and they know what they’re doing. So being able to talk to them pretty much every other day and all throughout the week, just hearing how their week is going, their game plan and how they’re getting ready for Saturday. And then me filling them in on what we got going for our Friday night lights, how we plan to beat the team we’re playing against.”

Curtis has had an eye on Michigan’s performance all season and has been impressed with how the 6-1 Wolverines have been “getting after it” this season. The defensive performance in Year 1 under MacDonald, especially the use of linebackers, has caught Curtis’ eye.

“Their defense showcases their linebackers and so that’s what they want me to play,” he said. “I’m excited about it because the linebackers in their defense make a lot of plays. I mean that’s where you want to play for Michigan and Coach MacDonald.”

Tackett Curtis singled out the performance of Wolverines linebacker Josh Ross, who leads the team in tackles. Standing at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Curtis has a similar athletic profile to Ross.

Outside of Michigan, Curtis has visited Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Clemson and Georgia this season and is still in the process of setting up visits in November. The Louisiana prospect visited Arkansas, Penn State, Tennessee and Texas A&M, among others, over the summer. Over the 2022 spring and summer, Curtis hopes to get out to schools he has yet to see, including Florida, Oregon, Auburn and Ole Miss.

Though he’s still evaluating all his options, the behind-the-scenes look he’s experienced on his visits have given Curtis an idea of what he’s looking for in a school.

Curtis plans to take his five official visits through the spring and summer, setting up a decision before his senior year.