Recruiting Update: January 18, 2016

Recruiting Update: January 18, 2016


January 18, 2016

Olathe (KS) North safety Isaiah Simmons

DECOMMITMENT
Upper Marlboro (MD) Riverdale Baptist cornerback Sir Patrick Scott decommitted from Michigan (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
Winter Garden (FL) West Orange wide receiver Eddie McDoom decommitted from Oregon. McDoom is a 5’11”, 170 lb. prospect who had committed to the Ducks in December, but also has offers from Clemson, Florida, Miami, Ohio State, and Oklahoma, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #67 wide receiver, and #405 overall. He recently caught a touchdown pass in the Under Armour All-American Game. Interestingly, McDoom was one of a couple wide receiver commits who took an Oregon spot that could have gone to Dylan Crawford, who committed to Michigan two weekends ago. McDoom says that when he made it clear to Oregon that he wanted to take other visits – mainly to Michigan – the Ducks pulled his offer. Michigan fans are familiar with that policy, since it sounds similar to Brady Hoke’s approach. Now McDoom is scheduled to come to Ann Arbor next weekend, and it’s unclear whether this situation will affect Crawford or not. If Michigan is able to secure a commitment from McDoom and keep Crawford, that may sew up the receiver position before Donald Stewart and Pie Young decide to commit.

Olathe (KS) North safety Isaiah Simmons was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’3″, 212 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Louisville, Missouri, and Nebraska, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #16 safety, and #326 overall. Simmons is a large safety who also plays some wide receiver. He reminds me a little bit of Michigan cornerback Jeremy Clark, although Simmons is thicker at this stage in his career than Clark was. He has visits scheduled to Nebraska and Louisville for the next two weekends, so Michigan would likely have to bump one of those schools out of the way unless he decides to make a mid-week trip. If the name of Simmons’s school sounds familiar, Michigan recruited Jimmie Swain IV (Oregon) from there in the 2014 class.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017
Port Washington (WI) Port Washington offensive tackle Tyler Beach was offered by Michigan. Beach is a 6’8″, 270 lb. prospect with offers from Bowling Green, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, and Northern Illinois. He has not been offered by Wisconsin yet, but it’s often tough to pull players out of Wisconsin if the Badgers want them (Ben Bredeson is an exception).

Hit the jump for some more 2017 offers, a 2018 offer, some commitments elsewhere, and some random recruiting bits.

Kennedale (TX) Kennedale linebacker Baron Browning was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’4″, 227 lb. prospect who committed to Baylor in July; he also has offers from Alabama, Florida, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M, and USC, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 5-star, the #2 outside linebacker, and #28 overall. As a junior in 2015, he made 74 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 interceptions (1 TD), 4 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries (1 TD). His older brother, Barry Browning, was recruited by Jim Harbaugh to Stanford in the class of 2010, starting a few games here or there over four years (the final three under David Shaw). Browning is a long, lean outside linebacker in the mold of a Shawn Crable. There was also a video posted recently of him deadlifting 600 lbs. He is quite a physical specimen.

Detroit (MI) U of D Jesuit safety Scott Nelson was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’2″, 180 lb. prospect with offers from Boston College, Miami-OH, and Northwestern. He’s a 247 Sports 3-star, the #45 safety, and #608 overall. He claims a 4.5 forty. Nelson plays receiver, safety, some quarterback, and kick returner. He’s a very good route runner on offense, but I like the way he plays the ball in the air at safety, too.

Miami (FL) Columbus defensive end Guy Thomas was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’3″, 198 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Florida State, and Miami, among others. He claims a 4.8 forty, and he’s a long, lean, quick pass rusher. He has to add quite a bit of bulk to his frame, but that will come with time. As a junior in 2015, he made 54 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles. Thomas is a teammate of 2017 cornerback Trajan Bandy.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2018
Detroit (MI) Cass Tech cornerback Kalon Gervin was offered by Michigan. Gervin is a 5’11”, 170 lb. prospect with offers from Illinois, Iowa State, Penn State, and a few MAC schools. Immediately after the offer, he said that Michigan was his #1 school. However, National Signing Day for him is still about 25 months away, so there’s a long way to go. Gervin was a teammate this past season of Michigan commit Michael Onwenu, as well as 2017 wide receiver target Donovan Peoples-Jones.

OFF THE BOARD
Edwardsville (IL) Edwardsville defensive end A.J. Epenesa, a 2017 prospect, committed to Iowa. This hurts Michigan in the sense that Epenesa is the #1 strongside end and #13 overall prospect for his class, along with the fact that he’s in the Big Ten imprint and had Michigan in his top group. There are thirteen months until signing day, though.

Coconut Creek (FL) Coconut Creek cornerback Malek Young committed to Miami. A teammate of 2016 uncommitted cornerback Trayvon Mullen and wide receiver Binjimen Victor, Young was a long-time Georgia commit until things went sour for head coach Mark Richt. Now Richt has poached one of the players from his former school.

MISCELLANEOUS
Concord (CA) De La Salle tight end Devin Asiasi named Michigan to his top five. Asiasi is visiting Michigan next weekend along with teammate Boss Tagaloa.

Los Angeles (CA) Loyola cornerback David Long, Jr. will announce his decision on ESPNU on Thursday, January 21. The show starts at 6:00 p.m. EST. He took a visit to Washington and will host Jim Harbaugh in his home early this week.

With the announced departures of Ross Taylor-Douglas (LINK), Terry Richardson (LINK), Willie Henry (LINK), and Derrick Green (LINK) for various reasons, here’s how the scholarship situation is shaking out so far for the fall (LINK).

Here’s a list of visitors from this past weekend (LINK).

I posted a scouting report on Nixa (MO) Nixa tight end Chase Allen (LINK), who visited this weekend.

Scout posted its final Scout 300 rankings for 2016 (LINK).

7 comments

  1. Comments: 1356
    Joined: 8/13/2015
    Roanman
    Jan 18, 2016 at 8:26 AM

    Aside from his name, I think I like both the guys we have and the group we are chasing better than I do either McDoom or Pie Young. More size, the same if not more speed.

    I think Oregon might be a program in decline. I’m prepared to consider the likelihood that this thought comes directly from a negative bias against Brady Hoke’s abilities as something other than a defensive line coach and recruiter. Although who knows, maybe his problems here all came directly from Brandon.

    • Comments: 295
      Joined: 12/19/2015
      Extrajuice
      Jan 18, 2016 at 9:33 AM

      I remember Magnus ranked his preferences a couple months ago on these types of receivers (Young, Crawford, McDoom). Not sure if Nate Johnson was in that group or not. It’s difficult for me to evaluate but McDoom looks more explosive than the others. Crawford looks more polished, more willing to block but probably the slowest runner. Young seems like he’s running about 80% on most plays but then he’ll turn on the jets and he flies! Seems fairly physical too and made a lot of plays on defense. I still really like Nate Johnson too. Of all these WRs he probably makes the most types of catches. Acrobatic, cocky, fast. I really don’t want to lose him but it seems to be trending that way.

      Personally, I like Nate Johnson, Eddie McDoom and Pie Young. Crawford would probably round out my top 4. I’d then include Ahmir Mitchell and then Hawkins (who may be better as a DB).

  2. Comments: 6285
    Joined: 8/11/2015
    Lanknows
    Jan 18, 2016 at 11:20 AM

    It’s not unusual to be waiting to be waiting on a bunch of decisions up to signing day, despite how Michigan recruiting operated under Brady Hoke. But it is unusual to see so much fluidity between so many players at one position group: WR. Really though it’s WR/DB because clearly some of these kids are going to be tried out at both.

    I don’t have a strong preference between these guys with Corley off the table, but I like that Michigan is targeting smaller/quicker type WRs and not just the bigger/slower jump ball/possession guys.

    I’m not sure what to make of the late offers to LBs and Safeties. I suspect they view Simmons as a LB long-term. It’s rumored that Johnson (kid from Alabama) won’t end up in the class. It would seem we’ve lost out on Jones and/or Jackson (the kid from Texas) which is a shame since the staff seemed to really want both.

  3. Comments: 71
    Joined: 8/11/2015
    umfarnn
    Jan 18, 2016 at 12:38 PM

    Any thoughts on the lack of bigger WRs in this class and the last? With Cole switching to defense and the talk that Mitchell and Hawkens are heading there as well, all the WRs from this class and the last will be sub 6′ guys. Unless we are going to the NE Patriots offense of slots and TEs, we need some bigger outside guys like Corley.

    • Comments: 3844
      Joined: 7/13/2015
      Jan 18, 2016 at 1:32 PM

      I wouldn’t count on both Hawkins and Mitchell playing defense full-time/permanently. Harbaugh brings guys in and lets them compete for spots, switch sides of the ball, etc. I think at least one of them will end up staying on offense. That being said, I’m not too concerned. Size is a bit overrated at receiver. Michigan is apparently still recruiting Donald Stewart, and Caleb Crawford has decent size at 6’1″. Toss in the fact that Michigan has a bunch of 6’6″-ish tight ends (plus Chase Allen if/when he commits) who can get jump balls, and it’s not a major concern to me. By the way, I like Maurice Ways, and Drake Harris is 6’4″, so there are still some big receivers in the arsenal.

    • Comments: 6285
      Joined: 8/11/2015
      Lanknows
      Jan 18, 2016 at 1:41 PM

      Guys over 6’1 who could be at WR over through the next 2-3 years:

      Keith Washington (CB) 6’2
      Drake Harris 6’4
      Brian Cole (S) 6’2
      Mo Ways 6’3
      Mitchell 6’3
      Hawkins 6’2

      That’s no shortage of tall guys and Michigan is in no “danger” of looking like the Patriots. WRs, like RBs, are generally getting shorter and faster, but I think Michigan will always want to have at least one taller deep threat.

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