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2015 Season Countdown: #88 Nolan Ulizio

Name: Nolan Ulizio
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 293 lbs.
High school: West Chester (OH) Lakota West
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Ulizio was a senior in high school (LINK). He was a 247 Composite 3-star, the #137 offensive tackle, and #1274 overall.
TTB Rating: 65

Ulizio was a late flip from UConn after Jim Harbaugh was hired. D.J. Durkin, who was newly hired from Florida, had some previous relationships in the state of Ohio, and he was sent in to attempt to reap some late rewards. Ulizio was a 2-star recruit to some sites, and he had not even been evaluated by ESPN until after he switched his commitment to Michigan. Michigan’s coaching staff identified him as a late bloomer who hit a growth spurt, which helped him turn into an FBS recruit.

I have my concerns about Ulizio because of his lack of athleticism, but the kid is tenacious and has some decent technique. As he puts on muscle and continues to grow into his body, he could be an asset down the road. That will take some time, however. He looks like a fit at right tackle or offensive guard, and Michigan has some more experienced depth at those positions. I expect him to redshirt this season, and I don’t see him really factoring into the rotation until 2017 unless there are several departures.

Prediction: Redshirt

Rivals 250 for 2016 updated

Brandon Peters is the #229 player in the 2016 class

Rivals updated their top 250 prospects for 2016 (LINK). I posted the top 100 yesterday (LINK). Here’s what it looked like in February (LINK). Brandon Peters dropped from #211 to #229. Here are the rest of Michigan’s offerees:

101. Binjimen Victor – WR – Florida
109. Ron Johnson – DE – New Jersey
111. Auston Robertson – DE – Indiana
113. Boss Tagaloa – DT – California
117. E.J. Price – OT – Georgia (Georgia)
122. Terrance Davis – OG – Maryland
124. Devin Asiasi – TE – California
125. Jauan Williams – OT – Washington, DC
126. Damar Hamlin – CB – Pennsylvania
128. Elijah Holyfield – RB – Georgia
131. Amani Bledsoe – DE – Kansas
132. Diondre Overton – WR – North Carolina
133. David Long – CB – California
136. Cameron Chambers – WR – New Jersey (Michigan State)
139. Collin Johnson – WR – Texas (Texas)
140. Camilo Eifler – LB – California
146. Jean Delance – OT – Texas
147. Jared Mayden – CB – Texas
150. Xavier Kelly – DE – Kansas
151. J.P. Urquidez – OT – Texas (Baylor)
153. Jaquan Yulee – LB – Virginia
154. Joseph Jackson – DE – Florida (Miami)
156. Devin Bush – LB – Florida
157. Elysee Mbem-Bosse – LB – Georgia
160. Chris Daniels – DT – Texas
161. Josh Imatorbhebhe – WR – Georgia
162. Isaiah Chambers – DE – Texas
166. Nigel Knott – CB – Mississippi
167. Lavert Hill – CB – Michigan (Penn State)
171. Lamar Winston – ATH – Oregon
174. Steffon McKnight – WR – California
180. Shaquille Quarterman – LB – Florida (Miami)
181. Justin Layne – WR – Ohio (Michigan State)
182. John Broussard – CB – Alabama (Auburn)
183. C.J. Pollard – S – California
187. Carlo Kemp – DE – Colorado
189. Bryce Mathews – OT – Tennessee
191. Michael Onwenu – OG – Michigan
194. Jamal Pettigrew – TE – Louisiana (LSU)
195. Luke Farrell – TE – Ohio
198. Messiah DeWeaver – QB – Ohio (Michigan State)
202. Terrell Hall – DE – Washington, DC (Ohio State)
205. Tre Nixon – WR – Florida
206. Brad Hawkins – WR – New Jersey
207. Darrian Franklin – LB – California
208. Austin Mack – WR – Indiana
210. Koby Quansah – LB – Connecticut
213. Jeffrey McCulloch – LB – Texas
219. Antonio Williams – RB – North Carolina (Wisconsin)
220. Clark Yarbrough – OT – Virginia (Stanford)
224. Thaddeus Moss – TE – North Carolina
227. Rakeem Boyd – RB – Texas
229. Brandon Peters – QB – Indiana (Michigan)
234. Cameron Lewis – S – Louisiana (LSU)
236. Grant Holloway – WR – Virginia
238. Demetric Vance – S – Michigan (Michigan State)
241. Justin Madubuike – DE – Texas
243. Jaylon Jones – S – Texas
245. Alex Akingbulu – OT – California
247. Freddie Swain – WR – Florida

Visitors: June 2, 2015

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones

This event is a meet-and-greet for in-state 2017 prospects. It will take place at 3:30 p.m.

Carter Dunaway – TE – Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice: Dunaway committed to Michigan in April (LINK).


Ja’Raymond Hall – OT – Oak Park (MI) Oak Park: Hall is a 6’5″, 255 lb. prospect with offers from Miami-OH and Michigan. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #13 offensive tackle, and #82 overall. He is thought to be leaning toward the Wolverines.


K.J. Hamler – WR – Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary’s: Hamler is a 5’9″, 155 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, and several others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #45 wide receiver, and #279 overall. While he has the size to also play cornerback, he wants to play offense, although he would have to be a slot guy and maybe a kickoff returner. He is considered to be a Michigan State lean.

Hit the jump for a few more visitors.



Jaylen Kelly-Powell – S – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Kelly-Powell is a 6’0″, 183 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, and Pitt, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #13 safety, and #187 overall. He claims a 4.49 forty. Named after former Michigan basketball player Jalen Rose, Kelly-Powell is considered a Michigan lean.


Corey Malone-Hatcher – DE – St. Joseph’s (MI) St. Joseph’s: Malone-Hatcher, the #193 overall player in the class, visited this past weekend because he can’t make it to campus on June 2.


Donovan Peoples-Jones – WR – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Peoples-Jones is a 6’2″, 183 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #3 wide receiver, and #12 overall. He is pretty quite on the recruiting scene despite picking up numerous big-time offers, but he does have a family connection to Michigan, since his father played for the Wolverines in the 1990s.


Joshua Ross – LB – Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary’s: Ross is a 6’1″, 210 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Oklahoma, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #3 inside linebacker, and #116 overall. A teammate of Hamler (see above), Ross is the younger brother of Michigan senior linebacker James Ross III; because of that reason, he is thought to be a Michigan lean.


Allen Stritzinger – RB – Warren (MI) De La Salle: Stritzinger is a 6’0″, 183 lb. prospect with offers from Cincinnati, Michigan, and a few MAC programs. As a sophomore in 2014, he ran the ball 244 times for 1,356 yards and 20 touchdowns, and he added 9 receptions for 238 yards and 1 touchdown. He attends the alma mater of junior quarterback Shane Morris and redshirt freshman Jared Wangler.

Ambry Thomas – CB – Detroit (MI) King: Thomas is a 5’11”, 165 lb. prospect with offers from LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, and Tennessee, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #11 cornerback, and #150 overall. He was considered to be a slight Michigan State lean, but several new programs have thrown their hats in the ring recently and he may be openly considering his options.

2015 Rivals 5-star Challenge participants

Detroit (MI) King wide receiver Donnie Corley

The 2015 Rivals 5-star Challenge will be taking place in Baltimore on June 5-7. This is Rivals’ counter to Nike’s The Opening, and it’s an event where some of the top talent from around the country will be competing against each other. While it’s not as exciting as The Opening because it lacks the same kind of television coverage, there are always news bits and interviews coming out of the camp. Here are some participants who are being recruited by Michigan:

Sam Bruce – WR – Florida (Miami)
Devin Bush, Jr. – LB – Florida
T.J. Chase – WR – Florida (Clemson)
Jack Coan – QB – New York*
Donnie Corley – WR – Michigan
Nate Craig-Myers – WR – Florida
Ben Davis – LB – Alabama
Terrance Davis – OG – Maryland
Wyatt Davis – OT – California*
Landon Dickerson – OT – North Carolina
Rashan Gary – DT – New Jersey
Joey Gatewood – QB – Florida**
Maleik Gray – LB – Tennessee*
Trevon Grimes – WR – Florida
Mecole Hardman – WR – Georgia
Daelin Hayes – LB – Michigan (USC)
Lavert Hill – CB – Michigan (Penn State)
Anthony Hines – LB – Texas
Devon Hunter – S – Virginia*
Ron Johnson, Jr. – DE – New Jersey
Jack Jones – CB – California
Kendell Jones – DT – Texas (Alabama)
Caleb Kelly – LB – California
Xavier Kelly – DE – Kansas
Dexter Lawrence – DT – North Carolina
Richard LeCounte – CB – Georgia*
Greg Little – OT – Texas (Texas A&M)
Frank Martin – OT – California (USC)
Jared Mayden – CB – Texas
Nate McBride – LB – Georgia*
Richard Merritt – OG – Washington, DC
Ahmir Mitchell – WR – New Jersey
Byron Murphy – CB – Arizona
Isaac Nauta – TE – Georgia (Florida State)
Jeffrey Okudah – S – Texas*
Michael Onwenu – DT – Michigan
Donovan Peoples-Jones – WR – Michigan*
Jamal Pettigrew – TE – Louisiana (LSU)
C.J. Pollard – S – California
William Poole III – CB – Georgia*
Isaiah Pryor – S – Georgia*
Demetris Robertson – WR – Georgia
Shawn Robinson – QB – Texas*
Stanford Samuels – CB – Florida*
Miles Sanders – RB – Pennsylvania (Penn State)
Trevon Sidney – WR – California
Eli Stove – WR – Florida (Auburn)
Lokeni Toailoa – LB – California (UCLA)
Naseir Upshur – TE – Pennsylvania
Binjimen Victor – WR – Florida
Kareem Walker – RB – New Jersey (Ohio State)
Devin White – LB – Louisiana
LeAnthony Williams – CB – Georgia*
Lyndell Wilson – LB – Alabama
Marvin Wilson – DT – Texas*
Jaquan Yulee – LB – Virginia

*Denotes 2017 prospects
*Denotes 2018 prospects

Phil Steele’s 2015 Pre-season All-America Team

Taybor Pepper was once committed to Michigan as a preferred walk-on, but then Michigan State offered him a scholarship.

Phil Steele released his pre-season All-American team (LINK). There are no Michigan players on the list (which was expected) but there are several Big Ten players and Michigan opponents.

FIRST TEAM
Ezekiel Elliott – RB – Ohio State
Joey Bosa – DE – Ohio State
Anthony Zettel – DE – Penn State
Tom Hackett – P – Utah
De’Mornay Pierson-El – PR – Nebraska

SECOND TEAM
Jack Allen – C – Michigan State
Pat Elflein – OG – Ohio State
Isaac Seumalo – OG – Oregon State
Jack Conklin – OT – Michigan State
Taylor Decker – OT – Ohio State
Adolphus Washington – DT – Ohio State
Shilique Calhoun – DE – Michigan State
Brad Craddock – K – Maryland
Taybor Pepper – LS – Michigan State

THIRD TEAM
Leonte Carroo – WR – Rutgers
Darron Lee – LB – Ohio State
Vonn Bell – S – Ohio State
Andy Phillips – K – Utah
Jalin Marshall – PR – Ohio State

FOURTH TEAM
Connor Cook – QB – Michigan State
Devontae Booker – RB – Utah
Dan Feeney – OG – Indiana
Peter Mortell – P – Minnesota
Janarion Grant – KR – Rutgers

In case you’re counting, that’s eight Ohio State players and five Spartans.