Tag: Henry Poggi

Recruiting Update: June 4, 2012

Maurice Hurst, Jr.

COMMITMENT
Westwood (MA) Xaverian Brothers defensive tackle Maurice Hurst, Jr. committed to Michigan.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2013
Geismar (LA) Dutchtown wide receiver Shelby Christy was offered by Michigan recently.  Christy is a 6’3″, 175 lb. wideout with offers from Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Minnesota, Mississippi, Mississippi State, and Northwestern.  As a junior in 2011, he had 25 receptions for 400+ yards and 7 touchdowns.  LSU hasn’t come forward with an offer yet, but if they do, expect him to be a Tiger.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2014
Hendersonville (TN) Beech athlete Jalen Hurd was offered by Michigan on Wednesday.  He also has offers from Alabama, Nebraska, Ohio State, Tennessee, and several others.  As a freshman in 2010, he had 57 carries for 459 yards and 3 touchdowns.  As a sophomore in 2011, he had 1,606 rushing yards and 437 receiving yards to go with 27 total touchdowns.  The 6’2″, 190-pounder could play running back or receiver, but I’m listing him as a running back because he’s built a little bit like 2013 running back target Ty Isaac.  Alabama looks like the early leader for Hurd, however.

Midlothian (IL) Marist tight end Nic Weishar was offered by Michigan.  Weishar is a 6’5″, 200 lb. wideout/tight end with offers from Illinois, Iowa, Notre Dame, Purdue, and Wisconsin, along with a few others.  As a junior in 2011, he had 77 receptions for 1,160 yards and 13 touchdowns.  (Highlights here.)

OFF THE BOARD
Lemont (IL) Lemont offensive tackle Ethan Pocic committed to LSU.  Back when Michigan filled up on offensive linemen, I was a little disappointed that they wouldn’t have room for Pocic, who was strongly considering Michigan up to that point.  Pocic was also considering Illinois (where his brother Graham plays) and Ohio State, so having him play in the SEC means Michigan has just a small chance of facing him at any point.  I think Pocic is going to be a very good player.

Fort Wayne (IN) Bishop Luers linebacker Jaylon Smith committed to Notre Dame.  Smith’s brother Rod is a running back for Ohio State, and it seemed from the beginning that this would be a Notre Dame vs. Ohio State battle; Smith never showed interest in going to Michigan.  On the camp circuit this spring, Smith has been consistently mentioned as one of the top performers, working out as a linebacker, defensive end, and even cornerback.  I’ll be curious to see how Notre Dame uses him, but hopefully he plays poorly against the Wolverines.

PENDING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Murrieta (CA) Vista Murrieta safety Su’a Cravens scheduled a college announcement for Wednesday, June 6th.  He stated several weeks ago that he would still take visits to a few Big Ten schools, including Michigan, but when a kid sets an early announcement date without having visited some of his “finalists,” the writing is probably on the wall.  In Cravens’s case, a lot of people are going to be eating crow if he doesn’t commit to USC.  In any case, here’s the scouting report I put together on Cravens.

Baltimore (MD) Gilman defensive tackle Henry Poggi has scheduled a college announcement for 10:00 this morning.  He will reportedly decide between Alabama and Michigan.  He has visited Michigan multiple times (for the Purdue game last year and in March), but his most recent visit was to Tuscaloosa.  Here’s the scouting report I put together on Poggi back in March.

WEEKEND VISITORS
There were a couple weekend visitors, including Hurst.  Cedar Falls (IA) Cedar Falls offensive tackle Ross Pierschbacher, a 2014 prospect, is going to visit Michigan today.  He’s a 6’5″, 275 lb. kid with offers from Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin, but he doesn’t have a Michigan offer yet.  He was the offensive line MVP of the Illinois NFTC this past weekend.

Scouting Report: Henry Poggi

Baltimore (MD) Gilman defensive tackle Henry Poggi

Name: Henry Poggi
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 255 lbs.
Class: 2013
Position: Tight end, defensive tackle
School: Baltimore (MD) Gilman

Notes: Holds offers from Alabama, Auburn, Boston College, California, Florida, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina State, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, South Florida, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC, Vanderbilt, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin . . . Claims a 4.7 forty yard dash . . . As a junior in 2011, had 49 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, and 1 forced fumble . . . As a sophomore in 2010, had 6 sacks . . . ESPN 4-star DT . . . Rivals 4-star DT, #2 DT, #43 overall . . . Scout 4-star DT, #16 DT . . . 247 Sports 4-star DT, 95 grade, #6 DT, #66 overall . . . Brother Sam played at Duke . . . Brother Jim plays for Iowa . . . Father Biff is head coach at Gilman and one of the subjects in Season of Life, a book by Jeffrey Marx

Strengths: Really improved from sophomore to junior year . . . Uses hands well on defense . . . Not extremely explosive, but gets off blocks by using technique and effort . . . Good speed for a defensive tackle . . . Plays low and changes direction well for a big kid . . . Takes good angles of pursuit . . . Aggressive, hard-nosed tackler who wraps up ball carriers . . . Appears to be well coached . . . Strong blocker who could be used in short yardage situations as a tight end . . . Understands leverage and moves feet well when blocking

Weaknesses: Not particularly fast or explosive with pads on . . . Needs to improve upper body strength

Projection: Defensive tackle.  I can see why some teams and analysts have talked about Poggi as an “athlete” because he could contribute at multiple positions at the next level.  He’s a very technically sound player on both sides of the ball.  As he adds weight to his frame, I don’t think he’s going to wow anyone with his physical skills.  He’s not enough of a fast-twitch athlete to contribute as an edge rusher or be a real threat to catch the ball.  He might not end up being big or stout enough to play nose tackle.  But it looks to me that he would fit in well at the 3-technique defensive tackle position, where he can take on (and beat) single blocks with strength and technique.  Heck, with the way he blocks, someone might even want to put some weight on him for a few years and plug him in at offensive guard.  Ultimately, he doesn’t look like a guy who will develop into a first round draft pick, but he could easily be one of those guys who has a very solid college career and gets picked in the 4th through 7th round.

Reminds me of: Dan Klecko

Weekend Visitors: March 16-18, 2012

Warren (OH) Howland running back Deveon Smith (image via 247 Sports)

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech OT David Dawson: Dawson committed to Michigan back in February.

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech LB Deon Drake: Drake, a 2014 prospect, is 6’1″ and 215 lbs.  He currently has no offers, partly because he was overshadowed by some of the other talent at Cass Tech last season. (Highlights here.)

Richmond (VA) Hermitage RB Derrick Green: Green is a 6’1″, 215 lb. running back with reported 4.37 speed, but you don’t really see that track speed translating to the football field.  He is a big power runner, though, and would fit in well with Michigan’s offense because he gets downhill and can punish tacklers.  He has offers from Ohio State, Oklahoma, and USC, along with lots of others. (Highlights here.)

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech S Delano Hill: Cass Tech is a pipeline to Michigan . . . at least for guys that Michigan offers.  However, Hill has not been offered by the Wolverines, and an offer does not seem to be on the horizon.  The Wolverines seem to be set at safety unless a big-time player (like Su’a Cravens) wants to commit. (Highlights here.)

Detroit (MI) Crockett TE Khalid Hill: Hill committed to Michigan back in February.

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech LB Gary Hosey: Hosey, a 2014 prospect, transferred to Cass Tech from Farmington Hills (MI) Harrison.  At 6’0″ and 230 lbs., he seems like a middle linebacker prospect for Michigan, if anything.

Pittsburgh (PA) Seton La Salle TE Scott Orndoff: Orndoff had been committed to Wisconsin since August, but he decommitted from the Badgers at the end of February, partly because offensive coordinator Paul Chryst left for the Pitt Panthers.  He also has offers from Michigan State and West Virginia, among others.  Despite having two tight ends already committed, it sounds like the coaches would be open to taking a commitment from Orndoff, a 245-pounder who stands 6’4″. (Highlights here.)

Baltimore (MD) Gilman DT Henry Poggi: Poggi is the son of Biff Poggi, the head coach at Gilman.  Henry has brothers playing football at Iowa and Duke.  The youngest of the bunch is a 6’3″, 255 lb. defensive tackle who is also being looked at by some schools as a tight end.  Alabama, Maryland, and Ohio State, among others, have also offered Henry.



Warren (OH) Howland RB Deveon Smith: Smith is a 5’11”, 200 lb. inside runner who lacks true breakaway speed.  He is a very tough runner, though, and would be a solid addition the class.  However, there is some information circulating that Michigan has backed off on his recruitment a little bit, hoping that they’ll be able to reel in Ty Isaac before Smith makes a commitment.  Opinions vary wildly on whether Michigan should try to grab Smith this weekend, whether they should back off and wait on Isaac, or whether they should try to get both.  The general feeling is that Michigan only wants one more running back to go along with Novi (MI) Catholic Central’s Wyatt Shallman, not two. (Highlights here.)

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech WR Damon Webb: There’s not a whole lot of information out there about Webb, but he’s a 2014 prospect who transferred to Cass Tech from U of D Jesuit.  Webb is now a 5’11”, 170 lb. wideout. (Freshman highlights here.)


Detroit (MI) Cass Tech LB William White: White is a 6’1″, 220 lb. inside linebacker.  His father played safety for the Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, and Atlanta Falcons from 1988-1998, making 672 career tackles and 20 career picks.

Recruiting Update: October 30, 2011

Lemont (IL) Lemont OT Ethan Pocic (#77) would be a welcome replacement on the offensive line if he plays like Michigan’s other Lemont alumnus

ADDED TO THE BOARD

Lemont (IL) Lemont OT Ethan Pocic, a 2013 prospect, was offered by Michigan.  Pocic is 6’7″, 285 lbs. and has offers from Nebraska, Notre Dame, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, among others.  Lemont is the same high school that David Molk attended, and much like Molk, Pocic doesn’t seem to like opposing defensive linemen or reporters.  His film shows him destroying various high schoolers, and he’s not very open about the recruiting process.  He’s not a bad athlete, but he’s a little less athletic than some of the other offensive tackle prospects Michigan has recruited recently.  I would slot Pocic in as a right tackle prospect.

Austintown (OH) Fitch OL/DL Billy Price, a class of 2013 player, received an offer from Michigan this past week.  Price is a 6’4″, 280 lb. strongside end prospect with offers from Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Tennessee, among others.  He looks like an absolute physical specimen with good musculature and very little bad body weight.  While some of the recruiting sites list him as a defensive end, most schools are recruiting him to play offensive line.  Fitch attends the same high school as 2012 Notre Dame commit Will Mahone, a running back that was on Michigan’s radar but whom Michigan never offered.

PURDUE VISITORS

Farmington Hills (MI) Harrison TE Devin Funchess (2012).  Committed to Michigan.  Funchess has 18 receptions for 412 yards and 4 touchdowns this season.

Sylvania (OH) Southview SS Allen Gant (2012).  Committed to Michigan.  He has 67 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 3 pass breakups, and 2 forced fumbles.

Birmingham (MI) Seaholm OT Dan Gibbs (2012).  Gibbs is a 6’7″, 320 lb. mammoth with offers from Ball State and Eastern Michigan.  He’s not athletic enough to be a contender for a scholarship offer from the Wolverines, but he could be a preferred walk-on type if he chooses.  I don’t imagine he’ll choose to pay for school instead of taking a scholarship, and he doesn’t look like someone who would be in danger of cracking the lineup at any point, anyway.  Gibbs is too stiff to be a high-level prospect.

Joliet (IL) Catholic RB Ty Isaac (2013).  Isaac already holds an offer from Michigan, in addition to Illinois, Iowa, Notre Dame, and several other schools.  Through six games this season, Isaac had 92 carries for 983 yards (10.7 yards per carry) and 13 touchdowns.  Current rumblings suggest that Michigan and Notre Dame are his two early leaders, and he has made unofficial visits to both schools already.

Muskegon (MI) Muskegon RB Juwan Lewis (2012).  Nothing much has changed with Lewis, a 5’11”, 208 lb. runner with offers from Buffalo, Toledo, and Western Michigan.  He keeps hoping that Canton (OH) Glenoak RB Bri’onte Dunn sticks with his Buckeye commitment, because Lewis might be in line for an offer if the Wolverines can’t reel in another running back.

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech LB Royce Jenkins-Stone (2012).  Committed to Michigan.

Grand Blanc (MI) Grand Blanc DE Luke MacLean (2013).  MacLean hasn’t been offered by anyone other than Buffalo, but more offers are surely on the way.  I’m not sure that Michigan will go after him, but he has visited Michigan a couple times and also been to East Lansing.

Baltimore (MD) Gilman DT Henry Poggi (2013).  Every team up and down the east coast has offered Poggi already, in addition to Michigan.  He’s the son of Gilman’s head coach and already has two brothers playing FBS football, one at Duke and one at Iowa.  The 6’3″, 250 lb. Henry has been offered to play several positions, including tight end and defensive tackle.  Michigan is recruiting him as a defensive tackle.

Toledo (OH) Central Catholic FS Jayme Thompson (2013).  Thompson is a 6’2″, 182 lb. free safety prospect with a single offer, that from Bowling Green.  While the offers haven’t started flowing yet, they undoubtedly will for a kid his size and with his speed.  I would not be surprised to see Thompson earn a Michigan offer at some point, although the current roster might preclude very many offers to safeties for the 2013 class.

Springboro (OH) Springboro OG Sean Welsh (2013).  Welsh is 6’3″, 275 lbs. and has offers from Bowling Green, Ohio, and Toledo.  From the looks of his film, I think offers from Big Ten schools are bound to be coming soon.  He moves very well for a guy his size and looks like he already has pretty good strength for such a young player.