Tag: Ian Bunting

ESPN 300 for 2014 updated

Jabrill Peppers

ESPN updated its top 300 players for 2014. Here’s what it looked like back in June. Here’s the movement for the Michigan commits:

– Drake Harris dropped from #71 to #72
– Bryan Mone dropped from #73 to #76
– Lawrence Marshall dropped from #110 to #112
– Ian Bunting dropped from #116 to #118
– Juwann Bushell-Beatty dropped from #121 to #122
– Michael Ferns dropped from #122 to #123
– Wilton Speight dropped from #127 to #128

5-stars:
1. Leonard Fournette – RB – Louisiana
2. Jabrill Peppers – CB – New Jersey (Michigan)
3. Cameron Robinson – OT – Louisiana
4. Da’Shawn Hand – DE – Virginia
5. Andrew Brown – DT – Virginia (Virginia)
6. Adoree’ Jackson – CB – California
7. Myles Garrett – DE – Texas
10. Quin Blanding – S – Virginia (Virginia)
11. Lorenzo Carter – DE – Georgia

4-stars:
17. Jalen Tabor – CB – Washington, D.C.
20. Bo Scarbrough – ATH – Alabama (Alabama)
22. Damian Prince – OT – Maryland
25. Jamal Adams – S – Texas
26. Malachi Dupre – WR – Louisiana
27. Lorenzo Featherston – DE – North Carolina
31. Solomon Thomas – DE – Texas
38. Casey Tucker – OT – Arizona
39. Jalen Hurd – RB – Tennessee (Tennessee)
41. John Smith – ATH – California
45. K.C. McDermott – OT – Florida (Miami)
47. Elijah Hood – RB – North Carolina (Notre Dame)
51. Marshon Lattimore – ATH – Ohio
52. Alex Bars – OT – Tennessee (Notre Dame)
54. Edward Paris, Jr. – S – Texas (LSU)
57. Andy Bauer – OT – Missouri (Mississippi)
58. Damon Webb – CB – Michigan (Ohio State)
62. Nick Watkins – CB – Texas
64. Nyles Morgan – LB – Illinois
66. Jamarco Jones – OT – Illinois (Ohio State)
67. Malik McDowell – DT – Michigan
68. Tyler Luatua – TE – California
72. Drake Harris – WR – Michigan (Michigan)
76. Bryan Mone – DT – Utah (Michigan)
77. Corey Holmes – WR – Florida (Notre Dame)
84. Artavis Scott – WR – Florida (Clemson)
88. Kevin Crosby – TE – South Carolina (South Carolina)
90. Ja’von Harrison – ATH – Florida (Virginia Tech)
92. Parrker Westphal – CB – Illinois
94. Jeb Blazevich – TE – North Carolina (Georgia)
99. Josh Malone – WR – Tennessee
100. Joe Mixon – RB – California
104. Demarre Kitt – WR – Georgia (Clemson)
105. Kyron Watson – LB – Illinois (Kansas)
112. Lawrence Marshall – DE – Michigan (Michigan)
113. Saeed Blacknall – WR – New Jersey
115. Wesley Green – CB – Georgia (South Carolina)
118. Ian Bunting – TE – Illinois (Michigan)
121. Braden Smith – OT – Kansas
122. Juwann Bushell-Beatty – OT – New Jersey (Michigan)
123. Micheal Ferns – LB – Ohio (Michigan)
128. Wilton Speight – QB – Virginia (Michigan)
131. Dravon Henry – ATH – Pennsylvania
134. Bentley Spain – OT – North Carolina (North Carolina)
139. Roderick Johnson – OT – Missouri
146. Mason Cole – OT – Florida (Michigan)
156. Dante Booker – LB – Ohio (Ohio State)
162. Khairi Clark – DT – Florida (Florida)
163. Jacory Washington – TE – Louisiana (LSU)
166. Demetrius Knox – OG – Texas (Ohio State)
168. Andrew Williams – DE – Georgia
172. Jermaine Roberts – CB – Louisiana (Texas)
174. Bryson Allen-Williams – LB – Georgia (South Carolina)
177. Dwight Williams – LB – California
179. Adarius Pickett – CB – California
180. Dexter Wideman – DT – South Carolina (Florida State)
181. Otaro Alaka – LB – Texas (Texas)
193. Mattrell McGraw – S – Louisiana
196. Kiy Hester – ATH – New Jersey (Rutgers)
203. Quincy Wilson – S – Florida
208. Devon Thomas – RB – Oklahoma (Oklahoma State)
231. Erick Smith – S – Ohio
237. Steven Parker – S – Oklahoma
252. Montae Nicholson – S – Pennsylvania
264. Christian McCaffrey – RB – Colorado (Stanford)
271. Petera Wilson – LB – Tennessee
274. Brandon Simmons – S – Texas (Stanford)
278. D’Andre Payne – CB – Wahshington, D.C. (Tennessee)
279. Garrett Dickerson – TE – New Jersey
281. Kyle Berger – LB – Ohio (Ohio State)
286. Jonathan Hilliman – RB – New Jersey
295. Mark Andrews – WR – Arizona (Oklahoma)

247 Sports Top 247 for 2014 updated

Ian Bunting

247 Sports updated its 2014 top 247 players. Here’s what it looked like back in May.

Movement for Michigan commits:

– Jabrill Peppers jumped from #8 to #3
– Drake Harris dropped from #37 to #44
– Mason Cole dropped from #106 to #112
– Michael Ferns dropped from #179 to #188
– Juwann Bushell-Beatty jumped from #222 to #205
– Ian Bunting jumps from off the list to #224
– Lawrence Marshall dropped from #217 to #231

5-stars:
1. Cameron Robinson – OT – Louisiana
2. Leonard Fournette – RB – Louisiana
3. Jabrill Peppers – CB – New Jersey (Michigan)
4. Lorenzo Carter – DE – Georgia
5. Da’Shawn Hand – DE – Virginia
6. Andrew Brown – DT – Virginia (Virginia)
8. Quin Blanding – S – Virginia (Virginia)
9. Myles Garrett – DE – Texas
12. Joe Mixon – RB – California
16. Dante Booker – LB – Ohio (Ohio State)
17. Damian Prince – OT – Maryland
22. Jalen Hurd – RB – Tennessee (Tennessee)
24. Adoree’ Jackson – CB – California
26. Edward Paris – S – Texas (LSU)
30. John Smith – ATH – California

4-stars:
34. Marson Lattimore – CB – Ohio
36. Malachi Dupre – WR – Louisiana
37. Solomon Thomas – DE – Texas
39. Bo Scarbrough – ATH – Alabama (Alabama)
43. Jalen Tabor – CB – Washington, D.C.
44. Drake Harris – WR – Michigan (Michigan)
45. Malik McDowell – DE – Michigan
46. Jamarco Jones – OG – Illinois (Ohio State)
47. Lorenzo Featherston – DE – North Carolina
49. Bryan Mone – DT – Utah (Michigan)
52. K.C. McDermott – OT – Florida (Miami)
61. Josh Malone – WR – Tennessee
71. Jamal Adams – S – Texas
75. Mark Andrews – WR – Arizona
76. Elijah Hood – RB – North Carolina (Notre Dame)
80. Damon Webb – CB – Michigan (Ohio State)
82. Roderick Johnson – OT – Missouri
86. Nyles Morgan – LB – Illinois
87. Andy Bauer – OT – Missouri (Mississippi)
91. Braden Smith – OT – Kansas
94. Kyle Berger – LB – Ohio (Ohio State)
112. Mason Cole – OG – Florida (Michigan)
113. Dwight Williams – LB – California
120. Bentley Spain – OT – North Carolina
133. Saeed Blacknall – WR – New Jersey
135. Demetrius Knox – OG – Texas
140. Devon Thomas – RB – Oklahoma (Oklahoma State)
144. Artavis Scott – WR – Florida (Clemson)
145. Parrker Westphal – CB – Illinois
149. Dexter Wideman – DT – South Carolina
158. Montae Nicholson – S – Pennsylvania
167. Adarius Pickett – CB – California
169. Garrett Dickerson – DE – New Jersey
171. Alex Bars – OT – Tennessee (Notre Dame)
175. Tyler Luatua – TE – California
181. Wesley Green – CB – Georgia (South Carolina)
182. Bryson Allen-Williams – LB – Georgia (South Carolina)
183. Jay Hayes – DT – New York (Notre Dame)
185. K.J. Williams – WR – Pennsylvania (Syracuse)
186. Otaro Alaka – LB – Texas (Texas)
188. Michael Ferns III – LB – Ohio (Michigan)
197. Joe Henderson – DE – Ohio (Tennessee)
198. D’Andre Payne – CB – Washington, D.C. (Tennessee)
204. Shai McKenzie – RB – Pennsylvania
205. Juwann Bushell-Beatty – OT – New Jersey (Michigan)
211. Nic Weishar – TE – Illinois (Notre Dame)
214. Darrion Owens – LB – Florida (Miami)
215. Demarree Kitt – WR – Georgia (Clemson)
217. Juwann Winfree – WR – New Jersey
219. Sam Hubbard – LB – Ohio (Ohio State)
220. Steven Parker – S – Oklahoma
224. Ian Bunting – TE – Illinois (Michigan)
231. Lawrence Marshall – DE – Michigan (Michigan)
232. Kenny Young – LB – Louisiana
233. Jalen Brown – WR – Arizona
235. T’Kevian Rockwell – LB – Texas (Baylor)

Nike’s The Opening 2013

Drake Harris

Nike’s The Opening, an invite-only camp for elite recruits, will take place this coming weekend. A lot of media will come out after this weekend, since recruiting analysts and ESPN descend on Oregon for the weekend.

Here’s a list of Michigan offerees who are participating, so you may want to keep an eye out for these guys:

Jamal Adams – S – Texas
Bryson Allen-Williams – OLB – Georgia (South Carolina)
Kyle Berger – OLB – Ohio (Ohio State)
Quin Blanding – S – Virginia (Virginia)
Jeb Blazevich – TE – North Carolina (Georgia)
Dante Booker – LB – Ohio (Ohio State)
Andrew Brown – DT – Virginia
Ian Bunting – TE – Illinois (Michigan)
George Campbell – WR – Florida*
Lorenzo Carter – DE – Georgia
Khairi Clark – DT – Florida (Florida)
Kevin Crosby – TE – South Carolina (South Carolina)
Malachi Dupre – WR – Louisiana
Leonard Fournette – RB – Louisiana
Wesley Green – CB – Georgia (South Carolina)
Da’Shawn Hand – DE – Virginia
Drake Harris – WR – Michigan (Michigan)**
Ja’Von Harrison – ATH – Florida (Virginia Tech)
Joe Henderson – DE – Ohio (Tennessee)
Corey Holmes – WR – Florida
Elijah Hood – RB – North Carolina (Notre Dame)
Jalen Hurd – RB – Tennessee (Tennessee)
Adoree’ Jackson – CB – California
Demetrius Knox – OG – Texas
Tyler Luatua – TE – California
Josh Malone – WR – Tennessee
Mattrell McGraw – S – Louisiana
Shai McKenzie – RB – Pennsylvania
Joe Mixon – RB – California
Nyles Morgan – LB – Illinois
Montae Nicholson – ATH – Pennsylvania
Edward Paris, Jr. – S – Texas (LSU)
Adarius Pickett – CB – California
Damian Prince – OT – Maryland
Cameron Robinson – OT – Louisiana
Artavis Scott – WR – Florida
Brandon Simmons – S – Texas (Stanford)
John Smith – ATH – California
Bentley Spain – OT – North Carolina
Jalen Tabor – CB – Washington, D.C.
Solomon Thomas – DE – Texas
Troy Vincent, Jr. – CB – Maryland
Damon Webb – CB – Michigan (Ohio State)
Andrew Williams – DE – Georgia
Dwight Williams – LB – California
Petera Wilson – LB – Tennessee
Quincy Wilson – S – Florida
Richard Yeargin III – DE – Florida

*2015 prospect
**Drake Harris is not attending the event. He has to take a summer class that overlaps with the event, and the summer class is what will allow him to graduate in December and enroll early at Michigan.

ESPN 300 released for 2014

Paramus (NJ) Catholic cornerback Jabrill Peppers is the #2 player in the country

ESPN, which had already released its top 150 players, posted its top 300 players on Monday.

Movement for Michigan commits:

– Drake Harris jumped from #96 to #71
– Bryan Mone dropped from #72 to #73
– Lawrence Marshall dropped from #107 to #110
– Juwann Bushell-Beatty dropped from #120 to #121
– Michael Ferns dropped from #112 to #122
– Wilton Speight dropped from #125 to #127
– Mason Cole dropped from #145 to #146

5-stars:
1. Leonard Fournette – RB – Louisiana
2. Jabrill Peppers – CB – New Jersey (Michigan)
3. Andrew Brown – DT – Virginia
4. Da’Shawn Hand – DE – Virginia
5. Adoree’ Jackson – CB – California
6. Myles Garrett – DE – Texas
7. Cameron Robinson – OT – Louisiana
10. Lorenzo Carter – DE – Georgia
11. Quin Blanding – S – Virginia (Virginia)

4-stars:
16. Jalen Tabor – CB – Washington, D.C.
18. Damian Prince – OT – Maryland
19. Bo Scarbrough – ATH – Alabama (Alabama)
24. Jamal Adams – S – Texas
26. Lorenzo Featherston – DE – North Carolina
28. Malachi Dupre – WR – Louisiana
33. Solomon Thomas – DE – Texas
37. Tyler Luatua – TE – California
39. Casey Tucker – OT – Arizona
40. Jalen Hurd – RB – Tennessee (Tennessee)
45. K.C. McDermott – OT – Florida (Miami)
49. Marshon Lattimore – ATH – Ohio
50. Andy Bauer – OT – Missouri (Mississippi)
51. Elijah Hood – RB – North Carolina (Notre Dame)
52. Edward Paris, Jr. – S – Texas (LSU)
55. Alex Bars – OT – Tennessee (Notre Dame)
57. Damon Webb – CB – Michigan (Ohio State)
60. John Smith – ATH – California
62. Nick Watkins – CB – Texas
64. Nyles Morgan – LB – Illinois
66. Jamarco Jones – OT – Illinois
68. Malik McDowell – DE – Michigan
71. Drake Harris – WR – Michigan (Michigan)
73. Bryan Mone – DT – Utah (Michigan)
77. Corey Holmes – WR – Florida
87. K.C. Crosby – TE – South Carolina (South Carolina)
88. Ja’von Harrison – ATH – Florida (Virginia Tech)
89. Artavis Scott – WR – Florida
91. Parrker Westphal – CB – Illinois
94. Jeb Blazevich – TE – North Carolina (Georgia)
102. Demarre Kitt – WR – Georgia (Clemson)
103. Kyron Watson – LB – Illinois (Kansas)
110. Lawrence Marshall – DE – Michigan (Michigan)
111. Saeed Blacknall – WR – New Jersey
113. Wesley Green – CB – Georgia
116. Ian Bunting – TE – Illinois (Michigan)
119. Braden Smith – OT – Kansas
120. Jacory Wahsington – TE – Louisiana (LSU)
121. Juwann Bushell-Beatty – OT – New Jersey (Michigan)
122. Michael Ferns III – LB – Ohio (Michigan)
126. Josh Malone – WR – Tennessee
127. Wilton Speight – QB – Virginia (Michigan)
130. Dravon Henry – ATH – Pennsylvania
131. Bentley Spain – OT – North Carolina
137. Joe Mixon – RB – California
139. Roderick Johnson – OT – Missouri
146. Mason Cole – OT – Florida (Michigan)
147. Khairi Clark – DT – Florida
156. Dante Booker – LB – Ohio (Ohio State)
163. Andrew Williams – DE – Georgia
165. Jermaine Roberts – CB – Louisiana (Texas)
169. Dexter Wideman – DT – South Carolina
170. Dwight Williams – LB – California
172. Otaro Alaka – LB – Texas (Texas)
186. Mattrell McGraw – S – Louisiana
189. Kiy Hester – ATH – New Jersey
193. Demetrius Knox – OG – Texas
194. Adarius Bennett – CB – California
197. Quincy Wilson – S – Florida
202. Devon Thomas – RB – Oklahoma (Oklahoma State)
227. Erick Smith – S – Ohio
233. Steven Parker – S – Oklahoma
248. Montae Nicholson – S – Pennsylvania
261. Christian McCaffrey – RB – Colorado (Stanford)
269. Petera Wilson – LB – Tennessee
272. Brandon Simmons – S – Texas (Stanford)
276. D’Andre Payne – CB – Washington, D.C. (Tennessee)
277. Garrett Dickerson – TE – New Jersey
279. Sam Mustipher – OG – Maryland (Notre Dame)
285. Jonathan Hilliman – RB – New Jersey
295. Mark Andrews – TE – Arizona
299. Kyle Berger – LB – Ohio (Ohio State)

Ian Bunting, Wolverine

Hinsdale (IL) Central wide receiver/tight end Ian Bunting (image via Twitter)

Hinsdale (IL) Central tight end Ian Bunting committed to Michigan on Tuesday.  Bunting chose the Wolverines over offers from Florida State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, and USC, among others.

Bunting stands 6’6″ and 210 lbs.  As a junior in 2012, Bunting had 16 catches for 412 yards and 4 touchdowns.

RATINGS
ESPN: 4-star, 83 grade, #5 TE, #114 overall
Rivals: 3-star, #14 TE
Scout: 3-star, #17 TE
247 Sports: 4-star, 90 grade, #11 TE

Bunting visited Michigan in November 2012 for the Northwestern game, but he didn’t receive an offer from the Wolverines until March.  At the time of that in-season visit, he had just one offer, which had come from Purdue.  When he visited again last weekend, it was thought that Notre Dame was his leader, but he was impressed enough to commit a few days afterward.

Bunting is a long and lean prospect.  He’s listed from 6’5″ to 6’7″ and from 210 to 215 lbs., but he plays like a wide receiver.  When he gets an unimpeded release off the line of scrimmage, he’s very difficult to cover.  He can run past some defensive backs, and jump balls are no contest for someone with his size and athleticism; if defenses cover him with a linebacker, that will be a huge mismatch.  He’s a very flexible player who picks up his knees when he runs, can bend at the knees to block, and can adjust well to the ball in the air.  I also like the way Bunting runs routes; he changes direction well for such a tall guy, and he shows a dedication to proper footwork.  As a blocker, he shows the willingness to be physical and he keeps a nice, wide base when engaged with defenders.

There’s not much to dislike about Bunting.  He will add weight as his body matures, so it will be interesting to see whether that changes his athleticism; he won’t be a mammoth bruiser, but he should probably be 240-245 lbs. by the time his college career ends.  I also wonder how he would react to press man coverage, because no defensive backs seem willing to test him in that respect.  He will have to learn how to shed press man defenders if he doesn’t know already.

Michigan will likely use Bunting like they use Devin Funchess, splitting him out wide, moving him around in the backfield, and sending him downfield as a deep threat at times.  I think those two have very similar skills. Michigan should be able to redshirt him in 2014 to add some weight, but if he’s not being used as an in-line blocker, there’s not much of a reason to keep him off the field if he can contribute.  Funchess did just fine at about 228 lbs. in 2012, and Bunting has another year and a half to add that 10-20 lbs.

Recruits have stated that the coaches only plan to take one tight end in the 2014 class, so Bunting will likely be the only player for the position unless something changes with the roster.  He’s the seventh commitment in a class that will probably be around 16 or a few more.  Walk-on wide receiver Brad Anlauf also attended Hinsdale Central High School.

TTB Rating: 78 (ratings explanation)