Jemir Lynum wants to become the second person from his family to graduate with two college degrees, along with his aunt.
Lynum is transferring from Redford Thurston to Detroit Cass Tech, believing it will help with his academic goals as well as his goals as a football player. For now, the sophomore plans to study something related to astronomy.
“My parents, they don’t play about grades and academics,” Lynum told the Free Press during the Sound Mind Sound Body National College Showcase recruiting event at Wayne State on Monday, June 1. “That’s first in my household. Academics then football.”
Lynum completed online courses in the spring to prepare for his transfer. The athlete with experience at wide receiver, defensive back and running back will be another source of talent for the Technicians at the skill positions.
“They’ve been teaching me what they know from their coaches,” Lynum said of his new teammates. “I’m just glad that I will fit in.”
Lynum is ready to help out the football team wherever they ask him to help. Last year, Lynum had a consistent two-way impact for a Thurston team that went 6-4 and split the Western Wayne Athletic Conference title with Redford Union.
His talent was apparent on Monday, amongst the hundreds of teenagers going through workouts in front of college coaches. Lynum was popular after the workouts, shaking plenty of college coaches’ hands.
Lynum said he has picked up five scholarship offers: Ball State, Bowling Green, Mississippi Valley State, Miami (Ohio) and Alabama. He is also in contact with Ohio State about attending one of the Buckeyes’ summer camps.
He hopes the move to Cass Tech will help with athletic goals, along with his academic ones.
“Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to make it to the NFL,” Lynum said.
Elijah Goins to make college commitment on June 8
Macomb Dakota defensive back/wide receiver/kick returner Elijah Goins told the Free Press he will announce his college commitment on Monday, June 8. Goins has narrowed his list to seven finalists.
The schools he’s considering: Michigan State, Boston College, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Pittsburgh and Tennessee. The 6-foot, 170-pound Goins is rated as a three-star recruit at safety in the class of 2027, per 247 Sports’ composite rankings, coming in at No. 17 in Michigan and No. 106 at his position nationally.
The biggest factor in his decision?
“Early playing time,” Goins said.
Goins’ primary offseason focus has been on his mentality, trying to improve as a leader entering his senior season at Dakota.
“I know I want to win and if [my teammates] have the same mindset as me, then we are going to,” Goins said.
Goins said a football-focused class offered at Dakota has helped him and his teammates during the offseason. During his sixth hour, Goins can lift weights, or go outside and work on coverages and routes. Goins is hoping for a big step as a team after Dakota finished 7-4, with a 56-point loss to Romeo in districts.
“As of right now, we got this football class,” Goins said. “We are looking good, energized. We really want it.”
Drew Sheridan preparing for more passing in Divine Child offense
Dearborn Divine Child quarterback Drew Sheridan picked up invaluable experience during his sophomore season as he helped guide the Falcons to the Division 4 state championship.
“Being under the lights at Ford Field and the atmosphere we were in, we know as a team what it feels like,” Sheridan said. “We know exactly what it takes to get to that point. It’s going to be about duplicating it and doing it all over again.”
Teh left-handed Sheridan will play a bigger role in the offense in his upcoming junior season, now that Marcello Vitti, Divine Child’s two-way star now enrolled at Iowa, is off the roster.
He will have a strong receiving core of Giancarlo Vitti (Princeton commit), Rayshawn Thomas and Amere Damphie as the main targets in the Falcons’ expanded passing game.
“Marcello was obviously one of the best in the state, so it was really easy to just hand the ball to him,” Sheridan said. “Expanding the passing game, we are not really adding a ton of concepts or formations or anything like that. We are just doing more of it.”
Sheridan has focused on getting bigger, faster and stronger as he enters a crucial summer for his recruiting. Sheridan says he has been in contact with Michigan, Michigan State, Arkansas, Kentucky, Northwestern, Purdue, Toledo and Wisconsin.
“Got camp season coming up,” Sheridan said. “It’s going to be a really exciting month.”
Detroit King trio nearing commitment dates
Detroit King receiver/defensive back Don Spillers and offensive lineman Jameer Henry said they expect to announce their commitments in June. Receiver/defensive back Darryl Flemister said he will announce his college decision on July 4.
Henry, a three-star recruit ranked as the state’s No. 10 player in the class of 2027 by 247 Sports, opted not to share his college list publicly. Spillers, a three-star and the No. 14 player in the state (per 247) is deciding between Michigan State, Illinois and Louisville.
Spillers, who starred in wrestling during the offseason, has relationships with position coaches at MSU and Illinois dating back to his freshman year, and he wanted to be loyal to the schools interested in him. He added that Louisville had a “great culture” under coach Jeff Brohm.
Flemister, a three-star recruit and the No. 22 player in the state (per 247), has narrowed his list to five finalists. His list includes Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Pittsburgh and Wisconsin.
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Jared Ramsey covers high school sports for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jramsey@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: MHSAA football: Cass Tech’s new face, Elijah Goins sets commitment date
Reporting by Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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