USA Today selected its All-USA team, and there are several Michigan commits and targets who are receiving national recognition. Here’s a list of the Michigan targets:
FIRST TEAM Robert Foster – WR – Pennsylvania (Alabama)
LaQuon Treadwell – WR – Illinois
Evan Lisle – OT – Ohio (Ohio State) Ethan Pocic – OT – Illinois (LSU)
Laremy Tunsil – OT – Florida
Su’a Cravens – S – California (USC)
Jabrill Peppers – CB – New Jersey*
Vernon Hargreaves III – CB – Florida (Florida)
Peter Kalambayi – LB – North Carolina (Stanford)
Jaylon Smith – LB – Indiana (Notre Dame)
Andrew Brown – DT – Virginia*
Montravius Adams – DT – Georgia
Henry Poggi – DT – Maryland (Michigan)
SECOND TEAM Derrick Green – RB – Virginia
Leonard Fournette – RB – Louisiana*
Kyle Bosch – OG – Illinois (Michigan)
Cameron Hunt – OG – California (Cal)
Jonathan Allen – DE – Virginia (Alabama) Da’Shawn Hand – DE – Virginia*
Joey Bosa – DE – Florida (Ohio State)
Eddie Vanderdoes – DT – California (USC) Michael Hutchings – LB – California (USC)
Leon McQuay III – S – Florida
This list is fluid, so names may be added or removed as the week goes along. I’ll add write-ups on some of these players as I find time during the week. (EDIT: Recent news suggests that some of the class of 2013 “official visits” will actually be unofficials because there are so many recruits in town; lots of recruits at one time means there’s less time for individual attention, obviously.)
Detroit (MI) Cass Tech DE Joshua Alabi: Alabi is a 6’4″, 245 defensive end/defensive tackle prospect from the class of 2015. He has no offers at this point, but he is likely to become a highly touted player as his career continues. He looks as if he’ll eventually end up as an interior player. Alabi visited Michigan for the game against Air Force earlier this fall. (Highlight at the end of this video.)
Cincinnati (OH) Sycamore LB Tinashe Bere: Bere is a 6’1″, 210 lb. inside linebacker prospect from the class of 2014. He has a lone offer from Illinois, and I doubt that he will be offered by Michigan. Michigan only seems to be going after elite linebacker prospects, and Bere doesn’t appear to fit into that category. He’s the former teammate of freshman tight end A.J. Williams. (Highlights.)
Indianapolis (IN) Pike WR Dominique Booth: Booth is a 6’1″, 195 lb. wideout from the class of 2014. He has offers from Cal, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan State, Missouri, Purdue, and Wisconsin, among others. As a sophomore in 2011, he had 46 catches for 585 yards and 5 touchdowns. (Highlights.)
St. Charles (IL) East OG Brennan Bosch: Bosch is a 6’2″, 235 lb. offensive line prospect for the class of 2015, so he’s just a sophomore. He is the younger brother of 2013 Michigan offensive guard commit Kyle Bosch; the younger has an offer from Illinois already.
Columbus (OH) Walnut Ridge DE Robert Bowers: Bowers is a 6’6″, 210 lb. defensive end prospect from the class of 2014. He has a lone offer from Cincinnati. He’s very lanky and a good athlete, but he looks like he’ll need to develop physically a little bit if he wants to get big-time offers. This was Bowers’ second visit to Michigan. (Highlights.)
Detroit (MI) Cass Tech QB Jayru Campbell: Campbell is a 6’3″, 190 lb. quarterback from the class of 2015. He already has offers from Alabama and Notre Dame. As a freshman in 2011, he had 2,000 passing yards, threw 32 touchdowns, and had just 6 interceptions. Campbell is the teammate of 2013 commit Jourdan Lewis and the former teammate of freshman linebacker Royce Jenkins-Stone and freshman cornerback Terry Richardson. (Highlights.)
Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake OT Mason Cole: Cole is a 6’5″, 275 lb. offensive line prospect from the class of 2014. He visited Ann Arbor for the BBQ at the Big House back in July, and he has offers from the likes of Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and USC. Some people have suggested that his previous visit to Michigan vaulted the Wolverines to the top of his list, and a good game against MSU could result in a commitment. (Highlights.)
Columbus (OH) Hamilton ATH Micky Crum: Crum is a 6’4″, 212 lb. prospect for the class of 2014 who already has an offer from Bowling Green. Ohio Preps named him the #19 in-state prospect for his class. He’s planning to play quarterback as a senior next season, but right now he’s playing tight end and linebacker. I could see him playing tight end or SAM at the next level. (Highlights.)
Massillon (OH) Washington OG Nathaniel Devers: Devers is a 6’3″, 265 lb. offensive guard prospect from the class of 2014. He has a lone offer from Toledo. Devers has visited Michigan previously, but did not earn an offer at the time. His teammate is Gareon Conley.(Highlights.)
Grand Rapids (MI) Christian OG Tommy Doles: Doles is a 6’5″, 245 lb. offensive line prospect from the class of 2014. He has already been offered by Iowa State and Michigan, though his lack of bulk might be preventing him from more offers. Being a highly coveted prospect might depend on how much weight he can add in the next several months, but he’s a very athletic kid with a high motor. Michigan is considered to be his leader.
Crystal Lake (IL) Prairie Ridge OT Shane Evans: Evans is a 6’4″, 250 lb. prospect from the class of 2014. He has no offers at this time.
Muskegon (MI) Muskegon DT Kenny Finley: Finley is a 6’3″, 265 lb. defensive tackle prospect from the class of 2014. Muskegon is the alma mater of former Michigan defensive tackle Terrance Taylor, and the school has produced several other FBS prospects in recent years.
Richmond (VA) Hermitage RB Derrick Green: Green is a 6’1″, 225 lb. running back who has been offered by Michigan, along with most of the big-time programs across the country. I did a couple scouting reports on Green (one live, one from video). Green has had several different teams high on his list (Alabama, Auburn, Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, etc.), but one constant has been Michigan. Both of his other presumed leaders at this point – Auburn and Tennessee – are having iffy or poor seasons, so a good performance against Michigan State this weekend could vault Michigan into the lead if he’s looking for a program headed in the right direct. This is his official visit.
Woodbridge (VA) Woodbridge DE Da’Shawn Hand: Hand is a 6’4″, 245 lb. prospect from the class of 2014. He already has offers from most of the big-time programs around the nation. He’s also generally considered to be the top overall recruit in his class. The fact that he’s driving up from Virginia during the season suggests that his interest in Michigan is strong, so hopefully the Wolverines can make a good impression on Saturday. UPDATE: Hand is no longer planning to attend Saturday’s game. (Highlights.)
Berea (KY) Madison Southern RB Damien Harris: Harris is a 5’11”, 201 lb. tailback prospect from the class of 2015. He’s one of just two current sophomores to have an offer from the Wolverines. As a freshman in 2011, he had 62 carries for 742 yards (12.0 yards/carry) and 12 touchdowns. This will be his second time visiting Michigan, and his highlights are very impressive from early in his sophomore season:
Huber Heights (OH) Wayne LB Dorian Hendrix: Hendrix is a 6’1″, 215 lb. linebacker prospect from the class of 2014. He attends the alma mater of former Michigan cornerback Terrence Talbott and defensive tackle Terry Talbott. Hendrix already has offers from Bowling Green, Illinois, and Toledo, among others. Ohio Preps lists him as the #11 player in the state of Ohio for 2014. He looks to me like a middle linebacker prospect, but I’m not sure that Michigan will be looking for many more linebackers in the 2014 class. (Highlights.)
Detroit (MI) Cass Tech RB/LB Gary Hosey: Hosey is a 6’0″, 225 lb. prospect from the class of 2014. He does not have any offers at this point. Michigan is looking at him as a potential running back recruit, but I don’t think he has the speed to be a BCS-level tailback; fullback might be more likely, but I’m not sure how many scholarships the Wolverines coaching staff will allot for fullbacks, with Sione Houma already on the roster and Wyatt Shallman coming in 2013.
Pickerington (OH) North RB Godwin Igwebuike: Igwebuike is a 5’11”, 185 lb. running back who’s the teammate of 2013 defensive end commit Jake Butt. He has offers from Cincinnati, Illinois, Nebraska, Pitt, and Wisconsin, and he’s currently committed to Northwestern, so he’s no slouch. If Michigan can’t reel in Derrick Green, Igwebuike might be a backup plan. (Highlights.)
Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison RB Ashton Jackson: Jackson is a 5’11”, 180 lb. running back from the class of 2014. He has offers from Cincinnati, Illinois, and Purdue, among others. His teammate is 2013 Michigan linebacker commit Mike McCray. As a sophomore in 2011, Jackson had 1,100 yards rushing and 18 rushing touchdowns. (Highlights.)
Westland (MI) John Glenn WR Da’Mario Jones: Jones is a 6’2″, 185 lb. wide receiver who is currently committed to Central Michigan. He also has offers from Bowling Green and Toledo, but he appears to be a backup plan option in case the recruitment of Crete (IL) Crete-Monee wide receiver LaQuon Treadwell falls through. (Highlights.)
Cleveland (OH) Glenville OG Marcelys Jones: Jones is a 6’4″, 325 lb. offensive guard prospect from the class of 2014. He does not have a Michigan offer, but he has been offered by Indiana and Ohio State; a Michigan offer might not be too far in the future. Glenville is the alma mater of sophomore defensive end Frank Clark and freshman defensive tackle Willie Henry.
Cincinnati (OH) La Salle WR Derek Kief: Kief is a 6’5″, 185 lb. receiver from the class of 2014. He already has offers from Cincinnati, Illinois, and Indiana, among others. As a sophomore in 2011, he had 48 catches for 680 yards (14.1 yards/catch) and 10 touchdowns. He’s a taller guy with good ball skills, sort of like Jaron Dukes with a little more speed. (Highlights.)
Muskegon (MI) Muskegon OG Malik King: King is a 6’4″, 275 lb. offensive guard.
Huber Heights (OH) Wayne CB Tyree Kinnel: Kinnel is a 5’11”, 170 lb. corner from the class of 2014. He does not have any offers at this time. He also visited Michigan last weekend for the Illinois game, and (Highlights.)
Red Oak (TX) Red Oak S Ronnie Larue: Larue is a 6’0″, 185 lb. high school quarterback who is being looked at by Michigan to play strong safety. The 2014 prospect claims a 4.58 forty and a 4.03 shuttle time, as well as a 280 lb. bench; those numbers are pretty impressive for a small-ish high school quarterback. (Highlights.)
Cleveland (OH) Glenville WR Marshon Lattimore: Lattimore is a 6’0″, 175 lb. wideout with offers from Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Michigan, and others. He attends Ohio State pipeline Glenville, but Michigan has made inroads at the school in the past couple recruiting classes. (Highlights.)
Westerville (OH) South TE Darryl Long: Long is a 6’4″, 220 lb. tight end from the 2014 class. He plays some wide receiver in high school, but he’ll likely move to tight end; at Michigan he would probably be a U-back like Devin Funchess. Long’s lone offer so far is from Ohio. (Highlights.)
Woodbridge (VA) Woodbridge QB Mike Majette: Majette is a 5’10”, 176 lb. quarterback from the class of 2015. He’s the teammate of 2014 defensive prospect of Da’Shawn Hand. He already has an offer from West Virginia, but he’s likely a little small (at this point) to be considered a legitimate prospect to play quarterback at Michigan. Michigan would likely look at him more as a defensive back. UPDATE: Majett is no longer planning to attend Saturday’s game. (Highlights.)
Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison WR Kendric Mallory: Mallory is a 6’2″, 174 lb. receiver in the class of 2014. He has an offer from Illinois and is the teammate of 2013 Michigan linebacker commit Mike McCray. (Highlights.)
Monroeville (PA) Gateway S Montae Nicholson: Nicholson is a 6’2″, 200 lb. safety from the class of 2014. He has visited Michigan previously and earned an offer at Michigan’s summer camp back in June; he also has offers from Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers, and West Virginia, among others. Nicholson would likely play strong safety at a place like Michigan. (Highlight.)
Monroeville (PA) Gateway WR Ricky Rogers: Rogers is a 6’2″, 192 lb. receiver from the class of 2014. He already has offers from Pitt, Rutgers, and West Virginia. Rogers has some speed and the ability to go up and get the ball, but he’s not an upper echelon talent. He may earn an offer down the road, but I don’t think he’s a guy that Michigan will offer this early in the process. (Highlight.)
Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake WR Artavis Scott: Scott is a 5’11”, 180 lb. receiver from the class of 2014. His teammate is Mason Cole, an offensive tackle with a Michigan offer. So far Scott has offers from Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and West Virginia, among others. I think there’s a very strong chance that Michigan offers Scott on the visit, though I doubt he would jump on the opportunity to commit.
Marion (OH) Harding RB L.J. Scott: Scott is a 5’10”, 210 lb. running back prospect with an offer from Kent State; he also reportedly has an offer from the Wolverines, though that might not be a “committable” offer. He’s a 2014 prospect who had 1,000 yards and 8 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2011. (Highlights.)
Cleveland (OH) Glenville S Erick Smith: Smith is a 6’1″, 185 lb. safety prospect for the class of 2014. His lone offer at this point is from Georgia Tech. I would not be surprised to see him earn a Michigan offer in the future, although he might not be a guy who needs to be offered right this instant. (Highlights.)
Middletown (OH) Middletown TE Chance Sorrell: Sorrell is a 6’6″, 229 lb. tight end prospect from the class of 2014. He has no offers at this point, and he suffered a broken ankle this season, so those offers might not come anytime soon. He’s a big kid who looks a bit like Craig Roh on the field, a good-but-not-great athlete. I don’t think he’ll be offered by Michigan at this stage, but he could be an option down the road. (Highlights.)
Sylvania (OH) Southview DT Ryan Stout: Stout is a 6’5″, 245 lb. defensive tackle prospect from the class of 2014. He has offers from Akron, Bowling Green, and Toledo. Southview is the alma mater of freshman safety Allen Gant. In his first five games this season, Stout had 45 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks. (Highlights.)
Louisville (KY) Central S Donald Styles: Styles is a 5’10”, 180 lb. safety prospect without any offers at this time. However, he’s a solid hitter with decent speed, and he looks to me like an FBS prospect, though maybe not fast enough for elite level offers. (Highlights.)
Monroeville (PA) Gateway TE/LB Brenon Thrift: Thrift is a 6’3″, 230 lb. prospect for 2014. He already has offers from Pitt and West Virginia. He visited Michigan back in the summer, but WVU is his current leader. (Highlights.)
Crete (IL) Crete-Monee WR LaQuon Treadwell: I scouted Treadwell prior to the beginning of the 2012 season, and nothing he’s done as a senior has diminished my thoughts on him. He’s one of the top few receivers in the country and has the ability to be a possession guy or a big-play guy, whichever type is needed for the program. UPDATE: Treadwell did not make it to Ann Arbor.
Chicago (IL) Hales Franciscan OT Denzel Ward: Ward is a 6’9″, 295 lb. offensive tackle from the class of 2014 who was offered by Michigan when he visited Ann Arbor last weekend. There’s some buzz about him possibly committing this weekend, although he said after last weekend’s visit that he wanted to consider his options and have a discussion with his parents. There’s no film on him yet, so I have no analysis on how he plays the game. He also has an offer from Purdue.
Detroit (MI) Cass Tech CB Damon Webb: Webb is a 5’11”, 170 lb. prospect from the class of 2014. LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State are all major players in his recruitment, though LSU and Michigan seem to be out front. He could also play wide receiver at the next level, though his physicality suggests that he has a higher ceiling on defense.
Detroit (MI) Cass Tech RB Mikey Weber: Weber is a 5’10”, 195 lb. prospect from the class of 2015. He was hurt as a freshman and for part of this season, but there’s some buzz around him due to the speed he has showcased at times. He has no offers at this point, but a sophomore running back with his speed and physical development is likely to get some good looks at Cass Tech soon.
Detroit (MI) Country Day QB Tyler Wiegers: Wiegers is a 6’4″, 197 lb. quarterback from the class of 2014 who holds offers from Toledo and Western Michigan. He doesn’t have the best arm and isn’t a great athlete, but I like the way Wiegers commands the offense and his accuracy, and he also has a decent arm. If Michigan is going to take a guy in 2014 who’s a backup type, I think Wiegers could fill that role. He’s not a superstar and isn’t a guy who will unite the fan base like Shane Morris, but that might not be what the coaches are looking for in 2014. (Highlights.)
Minster (OH) Minster TE Ethan Wolf: Wolf is a 6’6″, 221 lb. prospect for the class of 2014. He has offers from Cincinnati, Illinois, and Toledo, among others. As a sophomore in 2011, he had 20 receptions for 392 yards.
Name: Derrick Green Height: 6’0″ Weight: 215 lbs. Position: Running back High school: Richmond (VA) Hermitage
Notes:Scouted in person back in May . . . Holds offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Boston College, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Miami, Michigan, Mississippi, Mississippi State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Penn State, Pitt, Purdue, Rutgers, South Carolina, Tennessee, UCLA, USC, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin . . . Claims a 4.58 forty . . . Claims a 4.08 shuttle . . . 32″ vertical . . . As a sophomore in 2010, had 800 yards and 10 touchdowns . . . As a junior in 2011, had 1,493 yards and 20 touchdowns . . . ESPN 4-star RB, 86 grade, #6 RB, #53 overall . . . Rivals 5-star RB, #1 RB, #12 overall . . . Scout 4-star RB, #7 RB . . . 247 Sports 4-star RB, 96 grade, #10 RB, #123 overall
Strengths: NFL size . . . Good strength . . . Drives legs through contact . . . Good speed for his size . . . Picks up feet at line of scrimmage to wade through trash . . . Runs with good body lean . . . Excellent acceleration . . . Sometimes too fast for his blocking . . . Can be very good pass blocker
Weaknesses: Poor downfield vision . . . Does not go side to side well or make people miss . . . Runs through head-on tackles but lacks great balance . . . Gets taken down too easily by tacklers coming from either side . . . Needs to be more patient at times and let blocking develop . . . Mediocre receiver
Projection: Running back. As I’ve said before, any running back who picks Michigan in the next year or two will have a chance for a very good career because of the offensive line being assembled by Brady Hoke. Green is somewhat overrated by Rivals (the #1 back and #12 player nationally), but his career could be reminiscent of the P.J. Hills and John Clays from Wisconsin in recent years. He’s a kid who could have a very good career in the right system by running behind very good offensive lines and then punishing smaller linebackers and defensive backs. But he’s not a dynamic runner who can carry a college team by himself.
Reminds me of: LeGarrette Blount’s running style (not his punching people style)
Devon Allen – WR – Phoenix (AZ) Brophy Prep: Allen is visiting on Saturday and won’t be around for the BBQ on Sunday, but his visit does indicate somewhat serious interest in Michigan. However, most analysts seem to believe that LaQuon Treadwell will take the final wide receiver spot in the class and that Allen will head elsewhere, anyway . . . possibly to Ohio State. I wrote up a scouting report on Allen a couple months ago.
Drew Barker – QB – Burlington (KY) Conner: Barker, a 2014 prospect, is a 6’3″, 204 lb. signal caller with offers from Illinois, Purdue, South Carolina, and a few others. He originally stated that he would visit for the BBQ, but this visit may will not take place now. (Highlights.)
Jimmy Byrne – OG – Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius: Byrne is a 6’4″, 275 lb. class of 2014 prospect with offers from Illinois, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and West Virginia. I believe there’s a good chance that he will offered when he visits. (Highlights.) UPDATE: Byrne will not be visiting this weekend.
Mason Cole – OT – Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake: Cole is a 2014 prospect who holds offers from Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Michigan, Ohio State, South Carolina, Stanford, and USC. He stands 6’5″ and 267 lbs.
Nathaniel Devers – OG – Massillon (OH) Washington: Devers, a 2014 prospect, has a single offer from Toledo. He stands 6’3″ and 265 lbs. He claims a 385 lb. bench press and a 495 lb. squat, both of which are great numbers for a high school sophomore. Brady Hoke showed in the 2013 class that he’s willing and able to go after only elite prospects on the offensive line, and I’m not sure Devers fits in that category. Despite being teammates with 2013 commit Gareon Conley, I would not be surprised if Devers goes without an offer, at least until some other options on the offensive line shake out. (Highlights.)
Tommy Doles – OT – Grand Rapids (MI) Christian: Doles is a 6’5″, 240 lb. prospect whose only offer comes from Michigan so far. His teammate is 2014 wide receiver Drake Harris, who picked Michigan State over Michigan. Doles is very athletic, but obviously needs some time to fill out his frame.
Deon Drake – LB – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Drake is a 6’1″, 215 lb. weakside linebacker prospect. He has offers from Notre Dame, Pitt, and some others, but not from Michigan. If that changes this weekend, he would be one to watch for a commitment, just like most Technicians. Drake is considered to be the second-best 2014 prospect on the team behind wide receiver/cornerback Damon Webb. (Highlights.)
Michael Ferns III – LB – St. Clairsville (OH) St. Clairsville: Ferns is a 6’3″, 230 lb. athlete from the class of 2014. He looks like a SAM linebacker to me, but he could also play tight end or middle linebacker. He has already narrowed down his recruitment to a final three of Michigan, Notre Dame, and Penn State. Several insiders think Michigan is #1 on that list. (Highlights.)
Clifton Garrett – LB – Joliet (IL) Plainfield South: Garrett is a 6’3″, 220 lb. linebacker from the class of 2014. He already has offers from Illinois, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Wisconsin, and I would be surprised if he walks away from Ann Arbor without an offer from the Wolverines unless the coaches have off-the-field concerns. He has a very impressive highlight film and looks like a future middle linebacker, although he could also be utilized at the SAM position. UPDATE: Garrett will not be on campus this weekend.
Derrick Green – RB – Richmond (VA) Heritage: Green is a 6’0″, 215 lb. tailback with reported 4.37 speed, but he’s more of a two-down running back who struggles to catch the ball. He has offers from virtually every notable school in the country, including Michigan. Every other offered running back is off the board, so Green may be Michigan’s last chance to grab an “elite” tailback in the 2013 class.
Jay Hayes – OG – Brooklyn (NY) Poly Prep: Hayes is a 6’5″, 270 lb. lineman from the 2014 class. He could play either side of the line, but Michigan is recruiting him for offense. He also has offers from Notre Dame, Oregon, and Penn State, among others. UPDATE: Hayes is not attending the BBQ.
Jonathan Hilliman – RB – Jersey City (NJ) St. Peter’s Prep: Hilliman is a 6’0″, 201 lb. tailback from the class of 2014 who already holds offers from Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Rutgers, and Wisconsin. New Jersey has not been particularly kind to Michigan over the last several years, so I would be surprised if he ends up as part of Michigan’s class, and he might not make it to the BBQ. (Highlights.) UPDATE: Hilliman will not be visiting this weekend.
Corey Holmes – WR – Fort Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas: Holmes is a 6’1″, 172 lb. prospect from the class of 2014. He has offers from Florida, Michigan, and Wisconsin, among others. Despite being somewhat small-ish, Holmes looks more like a possession receiver than a blazing downfield threat. He grew up as a Michigan fan, and although I would be a little surprised if he commits to Michigan anytime soon, I would not be surprised if that occurs sometime down the road. (Highlights.) UPDATE: Holmes will not be visiting this weekend.
Jamarco Jones – OG – Chicago (IL) De La Salle: Jones is a 6’5″, 285 lb. guard prospect from the class of 2014. He already has offers from Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State, among others. My guess is that he will end up at Ohio State, but Michigan has a chance to impress him at the BBQ. (Highlights.) UPDATE: Jones is not visiting for the BBQ.
Coleman Key – QB – Broken Arrow (OK) Broken Arrow: Key camped at Michigan in June and came away without an offer, but he still has a chance. He’s a 6’5″, 210 lb. prospect from the 2014 class. He won’t be one of the most highly recruited quarterbacks in the class, but with Shane Morris arriving in 2013, Michigan might have to take a second-tier quarterback to groom behind Morris. Key has zero offers so far. (Freshman highlights.)
Montae Nicholson – S – Monroeville (PA) Gateway: Nicholson is a 6’2″, 195 lb. safety with offers from Michigan, Penn State, Pitt, and a few others. Gateway has sent a lot of kids to FBS schools in recent years, but many have chosen Ohio State or Pitt. There was some buzz recently that Nicholson might commit to Michigan at the BBQ, but I think that was all it was – buzz. (Highlights.)
D’Andre Payne – CB – Washington (DC) H.D. Woodson: Payne is only 5’9″ and 172 lbs., but he’s a very smooth, dynamic athlete. Michigan has already offered him as a field corner, but most big schools in the country have offered him, too. Still, it’s a good sign that he’s planning to return to campus, since he was already in Ann Arbor back in June for summer camp. (Highlights.)
Austin Roberts – WR – Carmel (IN) Carmel: Roberts is a 6’2″, 195 lb. prospect from the class of 2014. He already has offers from Florida, Iowa, Miami, Purdue, and Stanford. UPDATE: Roberts is not visiting for the BBQ.
Artavis Scott – WR – Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake: Scott is a 5’11”, 180 lb. receiver from the class of 2014. He already holds offers from Florida, Florida State, Ohio State, and South Carolina, among others. Scott has not been offered by Michigan yet, but he will probably receive one on the visit.
Conor Sheehy – DE – Milwaukee (WI) Marquette University: Sheehy is a 6’4″, 255 lb. defensive end with a single offer from Wisconsin. He camped at Michigan in June and left without an offer, but since he’s been invited back for the BBQ, there’s at least a decent chance the coaches extend an offer in person.
Bentley Spain – OT – Charlotte (NC) Providence: Spain is a 6’6″, 285 lb. prospect from the class of 2014. He already has offers from Clemson, Florida, LSU, Miami, North Carolina, Penn State, South Carolina, and Stanford, among others. I have a feeling that South Carolina will be the team to beat. Spain indicated that he may or may not make it to the BBQ, and usually that means no, so don’t be surprised if he doesn’t appear. UPDATE: Spain will not be visiting this weekend.
LaQuon Treadwell – WR – Crete (IL) Crete-Monee: The recruitment of Treadwell has been well documented. He has offers from all over the country but wants to visit Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. However, Michigan is the front-runner, and there’s a decent chance that he will commit to Michigan at the BBQ. I wrote up a scouting report on him a few months ago. UPDATE: Treadwell will not be visiting this weekend.
Damon Webb – CB – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Webb is a 5’11”, 170 lb. wide receiver/cornerback from the class of 2014. The Wolverines are recruiting him for defense. Aside from Michigan, he holds offers from LSU, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Wisconsin, among others. Michigan is considered to be the heavy favorite for his services, although his recruitment may last beyond the BBQ.
Parrker Westphal – CB – Bolingbrook (IL) Bolingbrook: Westphal is a 6’1″, 181 lb. defensive back prospect with offers from Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, and West Virginia, among others. Michigan seems to be #1 on the 2014 prospect’s mind, and he’s coached by former Michigan cornerback Todd Howard. The Wolverines are recruiting him mainly to play boundary corner and the slot corner position currently inhabited by Courtney Avery. (Highlights.)
William White – LB – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: White is a 6’1″, 215 lb. linebacker who currently holds no offers. He’s the son of former Detroit Lions safety William White. If an offer comes for White, it will likely be some time down the road. (Highlights.)
Richmond (VA) Hermitage running back Derrick Green
I attended a 7-on-7 tournament on Saturday in which Michigan target Derrick Green participated. Green is a 6’0″, 215 lb. running back from Richmond (VA) Hermitage. He has offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, USC, Virginia Tech, etc.
A 7-on-7 setting is not the best opportunity for him to show off his skills. First of all, he plays running back, a position that’s usually just used for checkdown purposes in 7-on-7. Hermitage was running a lot of plays out of the Pistol formation, which means Green was aligned behind the shotgun quarterback. They must be planning to use the Pistol this season because they were incorporating play action, even though you can’t run the ball in 7-on-7. On most plays Green would just sit and “block” at the line of scrimmage, so he wasn’t targeted very often. As far as I saw, Green didn’t play a single down of defense.
Green is not very adept at catching the ball. He dropped three passes that I saw, all of which were in the end zone – a flare, an out, and a wheel. He fought the ball all the way in each time, too. The balls were pretty well placed for him to catch, and he just bobbled them and eventually dropped them. It wasn’t a case of him letting them slip through his hands or turning his head upfield to run before he caught the ball; he just looked very clumsy.
He did, however, catch a couple flare routes later in the day. One he caught just in front of a linebacker and was touched down after a couple yards. On another he caught the ball with some room to run, and I can tell you that nobody would have wanted to jump in front of him once he got going. It’s clear that once he gets his 215 lbs. going upfield, he’s going to be a force.
As for his size, I wouldn’t bat an eyelash if you told me he was 220 or 225. He’s built like a Mack truck. I was standing next to him at one point and 5’11” or 6’0″ seems pretty accurate. He’s not any taller than 6’0″. There were spectators around who had no clue that Green was an elite recruit, and I heard whispers saying, “Let’s go watch that #27.” He’s quite a physical specimen.
Overall, nothing really surprised me about him. He’s huge, lean, and fast in a straight line. He’s not going to juke many people, and he doesn’t appear to be a threat out of the backfield. He was a pretty quiet kid. He wasn’t brash or cocky and genuinely seemed to fit in with his teammates.
