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2024 Season Countdown: #127 Manuel Beigel

Name: Manuel Beigel
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 280 lbs.
High school: Wallingford (CT) Choate Rosemary Hall
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Beigel was a senior in high school. He made 10 tackles and 4 sacks.
TTB Rating: 79

Beigel is a transplant from Germany who is a blank slate. Jim Harbaugh tried to go heavy on international prospects over the past several years, recruiting Beigel, fellow German Julius Welschof, Frenchman Aymeric Koumba, Canadian Luiji Vilain, Canadian Benjamin St-Juste, and several other foreign players who did not end up signing with the Wolverines.

I’m not sure what to think of Beigel so far because his film is so limited, but athletically, he looks to be top-notch when it comes to movement for his size. A soccer player when he was younger, he maintains foot quickness and change-of-direction skills rarely seen in players his size. The real questions are about his technique and strength, both of which seem to have a way to go. Already at 6’5″ and 280 pounds, he is likely to end up as a 3-tech defensive tackle, but he looks like a guy who might get pushed around and washed out of the play in the Big Ten. My guess is that he redshirts this season while learning some nuances of big-time college football.

Prediction: Redshirt

2025 Recruiting Update: April 9, 2024

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2025

Fort Lauderdale (FL) American Heritage running back Byron Louis (4-star, #15 RB, #203 overall) was offered by Michigan. He ran 160 times for 1,224 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior in 2023. Louis also has offers from Alabama, Florida State, Miami, and Ohio State, among others. The Buckeyes are among the leaders and could land him relatively soon, perhaps opening the door for Michigan to land an Ohio running back like Marquise Davis or Bo Jackson.

Saint Louis (MO) Cardinal Ritter running back Jamarion Parker (4-star, #28 RB, #323 overall) decommitted from Arkansas. He’s now considered to be a Nebraska lean.

Pocola (OK) Pocola tight end Dakotah Terrell was offered by Michigan. Terrell is a 6’9″, 215-pounder who was offered by new tight ends coach Steve Casula. Terrell has been a standout basketball player who is now interested in pursuing football instead of basketball. Arkansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and UNLV have also offered.

Hit the jump for more.

2024 Season Countdown: #128 Zach Ludwig

Name: Zach Ludwig
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 202 lbs.
High school: South Park (PA) South Park
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Ludwig was a senior in high school.
TTB Rating: 55

Ludwig is one of the most interesting commitments during my time covering Michigan football. The nephew of (former) strength coach Ben Herbert, Ludwig got an offer from the Wolverines and committed, without seeming to have any other schools pursuing him. When scouring his film, it was hard to see where he might fit in – quarterback, tight end, linebacker, long snapper? Nobody really seems to know. Even the status of his “scholarship offer” seems to have been in question.

Now that Herbert is the strength coach for the Los Angeles Chargers, one has to wonder if Ludwig will stick around in Ann Arbor. Regardless, at a listed 6’3″ and 202 pounds, Ludwig is unlikely to play as a freshman. Perhaps when he adds some strength down the road, he can be considered a threat to play some special teams.

Prediction: Redshirt

2024 Season Countdown: #129 Liam Groulx

Name: Liam Groulx
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 227 lbs.
High school: Charlotte (NC) Providence Day
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #53
Last year: I did not rank Groulx. He redshirted.
TTB Rating: N/A

Groulx attended the same high school as freshman quarterback Jadyn Davis and freshman wide receiver Channing Goodwin. He played some outside linebacker in high school, but he lacks the quickness to play in space and currently lacks adequate size to play his current position of inside linebacker. If he wants to see the field in the future, he will likely have to continue bulking up for another year or two. On top of that, Michigan currently has ten scholarship inside linebackers on the roster, and that doesn’t include special teams demon Christian Boivin, who has been earning a little bit of praise so far this spring. This will likely be another “redshirt” year for Groulx.

Prediction: Backup linebacker

2024 Season Countdown: #130 Grayson Dee

Name: Grayson Dee
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 228 lbs.
High school: Pittsburgh (PA) Mt. Lebanon
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #38
Last year: I did not rank Dee. He redshirted.
TTB Rating: N/A

Dee was a high school defensive end and tight end who has the body of an old-school Michigan fullback. I get Kevin Dudley vibes when watching his high school Hudl film, and he’s now listed at 6’1″, 228 lbs. (Dudley was 6’0″, 238).

There are too many talented inside linebackers on the roster for Dee to get much playing time consideration, but perhaps some special teams time or – if the coaches want to know what’s good for them – a move to fullback could pay off down the line.

Prediction: Backup linebacker