OFF THE BOARD
Randolph (NJ) Randolph offensive guard Brendan Mahon committed to Penn State. For whatever reason, Mahon always seemed like a Penn State type of guy. And obviously, with Michigan full at the offensive line position group, this doesn’t affect the Wolverines a great deal.
St. Paul (MN) Cretin-Derham wide receiver James Onwualu committed to Notre Dame. Onwualu had planned to visit Michigan last week, but decided to go ahead and commit to the Irish instead. Cretin-Derham has produced several high profile athletes (Seantrel Henderson, Joe Mauer, etc.), including outgoing Notre Dame wideout Michael Floyd.
Pittsburgh (PA) Seton La Salle tight end Scott Orndoff committed to Pitt. He was committed to Wisconsin for a long time, but the departure of offensive coordinator Paul Chryst made him back off that commitment. Luckily for Pitt, Chryst became the Panthers head coach. Orndoff visited Michigan unofficially last weekend, but you can’t blame him for picking a Chryst’s offense; he’s a guy who has done a good job of developing tight ends.
When Richmond (VA) Hermitage running back Derrick Green visited on Sunday, the coaches told him that they still wanted another running back, despite the fact that Smith committed on Saturday. That means the door is still open for Green or Joliet (IL) Catholic’s Ty Isaac.
Name: Ty Isaac Height: 6’3″ Weight: 215 lbs. Class: 2013 Position: Running back School: Joliet (IL) Catholic
Notes: Holds offers from Arizona, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Purdue, Tennessee, Toledo, USC, Vanderbilt, Washington, and Wisconsin . . . As a junior in 2011, rushed 178 times for 2,114 times and 45 touchdowns . . . Caught 16 passes for 360 yards and 7 touchdowns . . . As a sophomore in 2010, rushed for 650 yards and 7 touchdowns . . . As a freshman in 2009, rushed for 675 yards and 6 touchdowns . . . ESPN 4-star RB . . . Rivals 4-star RB, #18 overall . . . 247 Sports 4-star RB, 96 grade, #4 RB, #28 overall . . .
Strengths: Very good speed for a kid his size . . . Has clearly worked on running form to maximize speed . . . Very smooth runner in the open field who will be tough to track down from behind . . . Good vision . . . Knows how to set up blocks, when to follow blockers, and when to explode through hole . . . Naturally lowers hips to maximize cutting ability . . . Lowers pad level well when he sees contact coming . . . Good receiver . . . Catches ball away from body and high points the ball . . . Shows good hustle all the way through the play
Weaknesses: Not a particularly tough runner . . . Needs to improve lower body strength and leg drive . . . Goes down too easily when being tackled from side or behind . . . Probably needs to add 20 lbs. to be an effective power runner
Projection: Running back. Isaac has all the tools to be a successful college running back. There’s a reason many big-time schools are after him . . . but he plays against poor competition, so his high school statistics and highlights should be taken with a grain of salt. The high school players he’s playing against are overmatched, and it’s not because Isaac is superhuman. I have heard many concerns that he runs too high, but I don’t see that as being a problem. He does have a very upright running motion, but that’s typically only when he gets in the open field and is running away from 5’8″, 150 lb. defensive backs; when he’s in traffic, he does a good job of running behind his pads. I also have some concerns that in his misdirection, east-west high school offense, he might struggle to adjust to running from the I-formation and getting downhill immediately in college. He takes advantage of a lot of overpursuing linebackers to get into cutback lanes, but that flow might not be there at the next level. As Isaac grows and turns into a 235 lb. tailback, he seems to have a good future, especially if he runs behind a powerful offensive line like Michigan’s that can get him to the second and third level against smaller, sometimes slower players.
Reminds me of: Eddie George
For high definition highlights, click here or watch the low def ones below:
Rumors have been swirling that Massillon (OH) Washington cornerback Gareon Conley (#21)
might be the next recruit to drop for Michigan
(image via Friday Night Ohio)
Zach Bradshaw – WR – Damascus (MD) Damascus: Bradshaw is a 6’3″, 205 lb. wideout with 4.56 speed. He has an offer from Michigan, along with Maryland, South Carolina, West Virginia, and several others. He had 28 receptions for 395 yards and 6 touchdowns last season, plus 250 rushing yards for 2 touchdowns, and 2 punt return touchdowns. (Highlights here.)
Gareon Conley – CB – Massillon (OH) Washington: Conley is a 6’1″, 170 lb. cornerback with an offer from Michigan, plus from the likes of Northwestern, Toledo, and West Virginia. He had 26 tackles and 4 picks as a junior in 2011. There is a good chance that Conley will be committing to Michigan on this weekend’s visit.
David Dawson – OT – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Dawson is a 6’4″, 305 lb. offensive lineman who committed to Michigan in mid-February. Despite being projected by most as an offensive guard, he says that Michigan’s coaches want to start him out at right tackle and see how things go. (Commitment post here.)
Jaleel Hytchye – CB – Cincinnati (OH) LaSalle: Hytchye is a 5’11”, 170 lb. cornerback who does not yet hold an offer from Michigan. He does, however, have offers from Kentucky, Kent State, and Western Kentucky. Last season Hytchye made 30 tackles, 14 pass breakups, and 4 interceptions. Because Michigan is generally looking for corners who are 6’0″ or taller, chances are slim that he will get an offer at this point. (Highlights here.)
Ty Isaac – RB – Joliet (IL) Catholic: Isaac is a 6’3″, 215 lb. runner with offers from all over the country, including Michigan. He is generally thought to be #1 on Michigan’s running back board and early leaders seem to be Michigan and Notre Dame. He carried the ball 178 times for 2,114 yards and 45 touchdowns as a junior in 2011. (Highlights here.)
Shane Jones – LB – Cincinnati (OH) Moeller: Jones is a 6’1″, 220 lb. ‘backer from the same high school as 2012 wide receiver target Monty Madaris (Michigan State). He made 89 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks as a junior in 2011. He looks like a weakside linebacker or possibly a MIKE. He holds an offer from Michigan, along with Michigan State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Penn State, among others. (EDIT: Jones, like Anzalone below, also canceled his trip to Michigan due to the linebacker position being full.) (Highlights here.)
Colin McGovern – OT – New Lenox (IL) Lincoln-Way West: McGovern is a 6’7″, 280 lb. tackle with offers from Alabama, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Wisconsin, among others. He also had an offer Michigan, although the Wolverines are currently full at the offensive line positions unless something changes. (Highlights here.)
Shane Morris – QB – Warren (MI) De La Salle: Morris committed to Michigan in the summer of 2011. (Commitment post here.)
Dylan Roney – DE – Novi (MI) Catholic Central: Roney is a 6’2″, 215 lb. defensive end from the class of 2014. He has no scholarship offers at this point. Roney made 75 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery as a sophomore in 2011. He is the teammate of incoming freshman defensive end Matt Godin and 2013 running back commit Wyatt Shallman. (Highlights here.)
NOTE: Wyomissing (PA) Wyomissing Area linebacker Alex Anzalone was originally scheduled to visit Michigan this weekend, too. However, he stated that Michigan told him they were full at his position, which could mean several things. Since Anzalone looks like a SAM to me, it might mean that recent commit Mike McCray took that spot. It could also mean that Michigan has received a silent commitment from another player. And another possibility is that the coaches are saving a spot for E.J. Levenberry.
Fort Wayne (IN) Bishop Luers linebacker Jaylon Smith
ADDED TO THE BOARD (2012, 2013, 2014)
Fort Wayne (IN) Bushop Luers outside linebacker Jaylon Smith, a 2013 prospect, received a Michigan offer on Friday. The 6’3″, 202 lb. Smith is the brother of Rod Smith, a running back at Ohio State. Jaylon also holds offers from Indiana, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Purdue, and Tennessee.
OFF THE BOARD
Vandalia (OH) Butler offensive tackle Taylor Decker changed his commitment from Notre Dame to Ohio State. Decker is a 6’8″, 288 lb. lineman and a 4-star recruit across the board.
Hamilton (GA) Harris defensive end Jordan Jenkins committed to Georgia on Monday. The 6’3″, 245-pounder also visited Alabama, Auburn, Florida, and Tennessee. He played defensive tackle in the Under Armour All-America Game despite being undersized, but he still finished the game with 8 tackles and 2 sacks. However, Georgia plans to use him as an outside linebacker in their 3-4 system.
WEEKEND VISITORS
Madisonville (KY) North Hopkins safety Jeremy Clark was in town this past weekend. He’s 6’4″, 205 lbs. and could potentially develop into an outside linebacker at the college level. Clark was originally a “greyshirt” commit and wasn’t planning to join the program until 2013, but the departure of Carvin Johnson opened a slot for him.
Chicago (IL) Simeon offensive tackle Jordan Diamond visited Ann Arbor this past weekend. The 6’6″, 289-pounder is exploring his options with Arkansas, Auburn, Ohio State, and Wisconsin, and the Buckeyes are reportedly feeling quite confident about their chances with him.
Joliet (IL) Joliet Catholic running back Ty Isaac, a 2013 prospect, visited this past weekend. The 6’3″, 215 lb. runner had 2,114 yards rushing and 45 touchdowns as a junior last season, and Michigan appears to be tied with Notre Dame at the top of Isaac’s list. I have heard unflattering things about Isaac and I’m not a huge fan of his running style, but he is big and fast . . . so there’s that.
Woodbridge (VA) C.D. Hylton linebacker E.J. Levenberry, Jr., a 2013 prospect, also visited. The 6’3″, 226 lb. linebacker has already been offered by Michigan, along with several other schools.
Warren (MI) De La Salle quarterback Shane Morris, a 2013 commit, visited Ann Arbor. Morris seems to be turning into Michigan’s biggest athlete/recruiter, in the same vein as Ricardo Miller and Erik Magnuson in recent classes.
West Roxbury (MA) Catholic Memorial cornerback Armani Reeves visited Ann Arbor again this past weekend. He’s committed to Penn State but unsure of new head coach Bill O’Brien. The 5’9″, 185 lb. Reeves could play cornerback or receiver at the next level (Michigan wants him for defense), but both Penn State’s wide receivers coach and secondary coach have been let go. Reeves’s best friend Camren Williams is committed to Penn State, which could weigh heavily into a decision here.
Washington (D.C.) Friendship Collegiate cornerback Jalen Tabor, a 2014 prospect, visited Michigan this past weekend. He’s a 6’1″, 168 lb. sophomore who hasn’t been offered by Michigan yet. However, he does have offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Miami, Ohio State, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, and several others . . . so a Michigan offer will probably be on the way at some point. He attends the same school as 2011 running back Malcolm Crockett, who was recruited by Rich Rodriguez, and 2012 defensive tackle Eddie Goldman.
Alliance (OH) Marlington safety Dymonte Thomas, a 2013 commit, visited Michigan along with Morris. The 6’1″, 180-pounder could play either safety position for Michigan and is also a standout running back for Marlington.
RECRUITING NEWS
There wasn’t a whole lot of news this past week after last week’s monster recruiting update. Most class of 2012 kids who haven’t committed yet are going to wait until National Signing Day or thereabouts. So here’s a bit of a wrap-up of some developments in the recruiting world last week:
Scout released its final Scout 300 of the recruiting cycle. Posting this recruiting update at the beginning of January prevents people from questioning their integrity if they waited until after National Signing Day. After all, there’s virtually no more “scouting” info to come for the class of 2012 now that the all-American games have been played, and posting updates after NSD might make people question if they change their ratings depending on where kids commit.
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.
