Clinton (MS) Clinton RB Cam Akers decommitted from Alabama
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I was trying to churn out spring practice previews last week, so the recruiting update got pushed back. And with the way Michigan is firing out offers under Jim Harbaugh, that means there are a ton of updates. Today is simply a look at the news about offensive products, with defensive guys hopefully to come tomorrow morning.
ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017
Clinton (MS) Clinton running back Cam Akers decommitted from Alabama. He’s a 5’11”, 210 lb. prospect who also has offers from Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, and Miami, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #3 running back, and #36 overall. A high school quarterback, he threw for 2,331 yards, 20 TDs, and 8 INTs last season; he also ran 169 times for 1,418 yards and 16 TDs. However, he is not expected to play QB at the next level. Akers recently said that he would probably take a visit to Michigan in the fall, but he lists Georgia and Ole Miss as his leaders now. The decommitment was not surprising, since Alabama also has #1 running back (and #1 overall player) Najee Harris committed, too.
Millbrook (AL) Stanhope Elmore tight end Zech Byrd was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’6″, 235 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Florida, and Ole Miss, among others. Byrd is unranked at this point, because a vast majority of his offers have come in the last couple of weeks. He has the body to play tight end or defensive end at the next level, but he is very raw and doesn’t have a great feel for the game on either side.
Brunswick (GA) Brunswick offensive tackle D’Antne Demery was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’6″, 308 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #24 offensive tackle, and #158 overall. He has already named Georgia his leader, so it might be tough to pull him out of the Peach State.
Hit the jump for lots and lots more offers, including a new 2019 tender.
Murrieta (CA) Vista Murrieta offensive tackle Chuck Filiaga was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’5″, 330 lb. prospect with offers from Florida, Oregon, Ole Miss, and Texas, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #14 offensive tackle, and #71 overall. I think he’s a bit overrated at #71 overall, but he’s still a good prospect. Most people have him pegged for USC.
Park Ridge (IL) Maine South offensive guard Kevin Jarvis was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’5″, 330 lb. prospect with offers from Arkansas, Auburn, and Maryland, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #35 offensive tackle, and #290 overall. He is massive and mean, but he sits in a weird stance and I don’t trust offensive linemen from Illinois after Chris Bryant and Erik Swenson.
Huntington (WV) Huntington offensive tackle Billy Ross was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’5″, 290 lb. prospect with offers from Florida State, Louisville, Miami, and West Virginia, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #55 offensive tackle, and #492 overall. Ross has decent athleticism and nastiness, and he could play a few positions on the offensive line. Right now he is pegged for West Virginia, but he should be a player who picks up some other big-time offers before the end of the recruiting cycle.
Jackson (TN) University School offensive tackle Trey Smith was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’6″, 290 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Stanford, and Tennessee, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #10 offensive tackle, and #57 overall. Smith is very athletic for a lineman, runs very well, and even has the athleticism to maybe play defense at a high level in college. Smith is trying to visit sometime next month if he can work out the logistics.
Clearwater (FL) Clearwater tight end Kane Taylor was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’4″, 250 lb. prospect with offers from Ole Miss and South Carolina, among others. Taylor plays fullback, defensive tackle, and linebacker for his high school team, but Michigan wants him as a tight end. He’s not a refined product, but he plays with a lot of aggression. He’s a teammate of 2017 running back Adarius Lemons.
ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2019
St. Simons Island (GA) Frederica wide receiver Jashawn Sheffield was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’2″, 175 lb. prospect with offers from Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and Miami, among others. He plays some running back for his high school team, but with his build, he will probably be a safety or wide receiver when he graduates . . . in three years. As a freshman playing varsity in 2015, he had 753 rushing yards, 316 receiving yards, and 14 total touchdowns.
OFF THE BOARD
Kimberly (WI) Kimberly offensive guard Logan Bruss committed to Wisconsin. Bruss was offered by the Wolverines shortly before he committed to the Badgers, so there wasn’t a ton of time between there to build a relationship.
Menomonie (WI) Menomonie offensive tackle Alex Fenton committed to Wisconsin. Further proving that Ben Bredeson was the exception to the rule, it’s tough to pull linemen out of the state of Wisconsin.
Los Angeles (CA) Hawkins running back Greg Johnson committed to Arizona. Johnson was a very early offer in the 2017 class for Michigan’s staff, and they have been recruited Johnson and a couple of his teammates hard over the past year. Greg Johnson and particularly wide receiver teammate Joseph Lewis are the crown jewels from Hawkins, so this is a bit of a blow. However, Johnson was looked at as a USC lean, so this is a surprise. Either way, the #4 athlete and #58 overall player is off the board.
MISCELLANEOUS
Littleton (CO) Valor Christian quarterback Dylan McCaffrey, a Michigan commit, announced he would play in the 2017 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. If McCaffrey does indeed remain committed to Michigan – and I have no reason to believe he won’t – he would become the fourth Wolverine signal-caller to be an Army All-American, joining Clayton Richard, Chad Henne, and Brandon Peters. Here’s a look at the full list of commitments who have played in that particular all-star game (LINK).
Tucson (CA) Catalina Foothills quarterback Rhett Rodriguez committed to Arizona. This doesn’t mean much to the Michigan program, because the current staff wasn’t recruiting him (and wouldn’t). However, the 2017 prospect is the son of former Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez, who is obviously now at Arizona. Somewhere in an alternate universe, Rhett Rodriguez and Joshua Jackson battled it out for the starting quarterback job at Saline High School while Rich Rodriguez and Fred Jackson coach the Wolverines to Big Ten championships. In that alternate universe, Michigan signed Josh Jackson in 2016, got a commitment from Rhett, and signed nary a tight end or offensive lineman.
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i got probably the best advice of my life on St. Simons Island. My wife an I honeymooned there as I have family on the island and all up and down the coast for miles.
There used to be a fine dining, seafood restaurant way at the northern end of the island on a dirt road, back in the woods, almost into the marsh, far away from all the rest of the action, Alfonso’s Old Plantation Supper Club. It featured multiple courses of fresh seafoods, chowders, served with or in all kinds of complex sauces. The food was spectacular. I believe Mrs Alfonso ran the kitchen, Alfonso definately ran the room. He was a stud Maitre D’.
The building had the look of a barn on the outside and was painted Rustoleum Red with green trim. Across the street was a huge house painted the same colors. On the inside it was all chandeliers, crystal, silver and heavily starched, white table cloths. Alfonso, Mrs. Alfonso and the entire staff were about the blackest people I have ever met. The wait staff’s blackness was intensifies by their white, heavily starched uniforms made from the same material as the table cloths.
Whoever made the reservation for us ate there regularly, knew Alfonso well and told him that we were there on out honeymoon. Near the end of our evening, Alfonso comes over and says to me, “Young man, I understand that you are newly married. I have some advice for you.”
“Yes sir.” I say.
He says to me, “I’ve been married to the same woman for 37 years. I always be married, cuz she always be right.”
My silver anniversary is coming up. I have to say that it’s an approach that works.
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That’s funny – I had never heard of St. Simons Island until I saw that Jashawn Sheffield was offered. But that does seem like some good advice, and you still remember it years later, so it must have been an influential experience.
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