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2015 Season Countdown: #89 Jon Runyan, Jr.

Jon Runyan, Jr. with his family

Name: Jon Runyan, Jr.
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 276 lbs.
High school: Philadelphia (PA) St. Joseph’s
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Runyan committed to Michigan in June 2013 (LINK). He ended the cycle as a 247 Composite 3-star, the #122 offensive tackle, and #1127 overall.
TTB Rating: 73

Runyan was a very early commit to the 2015 class, and some people had questions about why he was offered since he was not well regarded by recruiting sites and did not garner an impressive offer list. In fact, 247 Sports lists him as having received just one offer, although sometimes kids stop reporting offers after they commit. Regardless, Runyan is a Michigan legacy whose dad was a high NFL draft pick and long-time player. The biggest question about Runyan, Jr. seemed to be about his size, and he was reported to be about 245 lbs. when he committed nearly two years ago.

He reportedly got up to 276 lbs. by his senior year, which is still pretty light for a college lineman. You also may see in the highlights below that he’s lacking some technique – especially when blocking in the open field – and he also lacks the sheer power one would expect of a high-level prospect. Iowa takes kids like this every year and churns out one or two high draft picks on the line, so size and strength can be improved with quality strength and conditioning. But without that size coming into college, Runyan will probably find himself redshirting like most linemen this season.

Prediction: Redshirt

Rivals 100 for 2016 updated

Erik Swenson

Rivals released the new top 100 list at noon today (LINK). Here’s what it looked like back in February (LINK). Michigan’s lone representative on the list, Erik Swenson, dropped from #82 to #93. Here are Michigan’s other offerees on the list:

5-stars:
1. Dexter Lawrence – DT – North Carolina
2. Shea Patterson – QB – Louisiana (Ole Miss)
3. Marlon Davidson – DE – Alabama
4. Jacob Eason – QB – Washington (Georgia)
5. Nate Craig-Myers – WR – Florida
6. Rashan Gary – DT – New Jersey
7. Demetris Robertson – ATH – Georgia
8. Mique Juarez – LB – California (USC)
9. Greg Little – OT – Texas (Texas A&M)
11. Daelin Hayes – LB – Michigan (USC)
12. Levonta Taylor – CB – Virginia (Florida State)
13. Ben Davis – LB – Alabama
14. Lyndell Wilson – LB – Alabama
15. Malik Henry – QB – Florida (Florida State)
18. Rahshaun Smith – DE – Maryland (Clemson)
19. Caleb Kelly – LB – California
22. Kareem Walker – RB – New Jersey (Ohio State)
24. Jonah Williams – OT – California (Alabama)

4-stars:
27. K.J. Costello – QB – California (Stanford)
29. Eli Stove – WR – Florida (Auburn)
30. Brandon Jones – S – Texas
31. Tommy Kraemer – OT – Ohio (Notre Dame)
33. Curtis Robinson – LB – California (Stanford)
34. Isaac Nauta – TE – Georgia (Florida State)
36. Isaac Bruce – WR – Florida (Miami)
37. Mecole Hardman – ATH – Georgia
43. Kaden Smith – TE – Texas (Stanford)
47. Janarius Robinson – DE – Florida (Florida State)
48. Landon Dickerson – OT – North Carolina
49. Ben Bredeson – OT – Wisconsin
51. Ahmir Mitchell – WR – New Jersey
52. Ben Cleveland – OG – Georgia (Georgia)
53. Deontay Anderson – S – Texas
54. Jake Hausmann – TE – Ohio (Ohio State)
55. Miles Sanders – RB – Pennsylvania (Penn State)
57. Devin Duvernay – WR – Texas
60. Byron Murphy – CB – Arizona
62. Erick Fowler – LB – Texas
63. Naseir Upshur – TE – Pennsylvania
65. Ed Oliver – DT – Texas (Houston)
67. Willie Allen – OT – Louisiana
69. Josh King – DE – Illinois
70. Theo Howard – WR – California (Oregon)
71. Scott Bracey – WR – Virginia (Duke)
74. Richard Merritt – OG – Washington, DC
75. Trayvon Mullen – CB – Florida
76. Lokeni Toailoa – LB – California (UCLA)
79. Donnie Corley – WR – Michigan
82. Dylan Crawford – WR – California
83. Dwayne Haskins – QB – Maryland (Maryland)
84. T.J. Chase – WR – Florida (Clemson)
85. Michael Menet – OT – Pennsylvania (Penn State)
86. Kendell Jones – DT – Texas (Alabama)
87. Frank Martin – OT – California (USC)
91. Jack Jones – ATH – California
93. Erik Swenson – OT – Illinois (Michigan)
95. Devin White – ATH – Louisiana
96. Jarrett Guarantano – QB – New Jersey (Tennessee)
97. Trevon Sidney – WR – California
98. Marquill Osborne – CB – North Carolina (Tennessee)

2015 Season Countdown: #90 Chris Fox

Chris Fox (right) is still not 100% healthy.

Name: Chris Fox
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 303 lbs.
High school: Parker (CO) Ponderosa
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #73
Last year: I ranked Fox #83 and said he would be a backup offensive guard (LINK). He played briefly in one game.

Fox has missed the majority of the last two seasons due to bad knees. A torn ACL wiped out his freshman year, and lingering knee problems took away most of his redshirt freshman season. The only time he saw the field last year was in the season opening blowout victory over Appalachian State.

At this point Fox is rumored to be likely to take a medical hardship sooner or later. He was still on crutches this winter, and he was nowhere to be found for much of the spring. As Jim Harbaugh and his staff look to make way for contributors on both sides of the ball, guys who have to spend years rehabbing might find themselves pushed toward pooping or getting off the pot. With five specific guys likely to hold onto their starting positions, plus another few decent backups, Fox would be on the outside looking in this year, anyway.

Prediction: Medical hardship or backup offensive guard

Recruiting Update: June 1, 2015

Houston (TX) Langham Creek running back Toneil Carter

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
Bend (OR) Summit tight end Cameron McCormick, an Oregon commit, was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’5″, 230 lb. prospect who also holds offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon State, UCLA, and Washington, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #28 tight end, and #625 overall. As a junior in 2014, he caught 35 passes for 491 yards and 8 touchdowns. McCormick is a versatile player who could be an in-line tight end or an H-back, but he’s also a playmaker on defense, where he shows nice speed, a nose for the football, and a willingness to punish quarterbacks and ball carriers. He could feasibly end up on either side of the ball. Michigan probably has no real shot at pulling him away from the Ducks.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017
Houston (TX) Langham Creek running back Toneil Carter was offered by Michigan. He’s a 5’11”, 198 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas, and Texas A&M, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #3 running back, and #26 overall. As a sophomore in 2014, he carried the ball 189 times for 1,382 yards and 19 touchdowns. Carter has a nice combination of power and speed, and he also shows some nice wiggle in the hole.

Sebastian (FL) Sebastian defensive end Jarez Parks was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’4″, 245 lb. prospect who also holds an offer from South Florida. He has a large frame that will probably see him grow into a strongside end or maybe even a defensive tackle by the time he’s finished growing.

Hit the jump for some guys who committed elsewhere, some top lists, and some random tidbits.

OFF THE BOARD
Orlando (FL) Dr. Phillips offensive tackle Calvin Ashley committed to Auburn. Ashley is a 6’7″, 307 lb. prospect and the #4 overall player in the 2017 class. He was one of Michigan’s first offers for 2017.

Arlington (TX) Bowie offensive guard Tope Imade committed to Texas. Michigan just offered Imade a little over a week before he committed to the Longhorns, and he was considered a Texas lean all along.

Reading (PA) Exeter Township offensive tackle Michael Menet committed to Penn State. Michigan pushed hard for Menet at a couple junctures, but he never seemed that interested. He recently released a top two that included Duke and Penn State, and despite Duke’s recent success, it wasn’t tough to figure out which way this one would go.

Niceville (FL) Niceville wide receiver Eli Stove committed to Auburn. He did not appear to be interested in his Michigan offer at any point. The Wolverines have also offered his 2016 teammate, safety Romeo Finley, although Finley has also not expressed a great deal of interest.

MISCELLANEOUS
Here’s a list of visitors from this past weekend (LINK). Do not be surprised if Michigan gets a commit in the near future.

Here’s a list of 2017 prospects visiting this coming Tuesday (LINK).

Here’s my scouting report on 2016 defensive end Ron Johnson, Jr. (LINK).

Oakland (CA) Bishop O’Dowd linebacker Camilo Eifler named a top six that includes Michigan; the other teams on the list are Cal, Oregon, Texas A&M, UCLA, and Washington. He’s the #224 overall player in the 247 Composite. He took an unofficial visit to Ann Arbor in early April.

Green Bay (WI) Bay Port offensive tackle Cole Van Lanen named a top four that includes Michigan; the other teams on the list are Iowa, Michigan State, and Wisconsin. He’s the #195 overall player in the 247 Composite. He took an unofficial visit to Ann Arbor in early May.

2015 Season Countdown: #91 John O’Korn

Houston transfer quarterback John O’Korn (image via Nunes Magician)

Name: John O’Korn
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 220 lbs.
High school/college: Fort Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas, University of Houston
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: O’Korn played for Houston. He completed 90/173 passes (52%) for 951 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions.

You can find a commitment post for O’Korn here (LINK). Harbaugh and O’Korn showed some immediate mutual interest after Harbaugh was hired and O’Korn, who was displaced as the Cougars’ starter, decided to transfer.

As a non-graduate transfer without any kind of immediate waiver, O’Korn will have to sit out the 2015 season due to NCAA rules. Since he did not redshirt at Houston, this will count as his redshirt year and he will be eligible for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Naturally, a player guaranteed to redshirt is not particularly important to this squad except perhaps as a talented scout team player. He should compete for the starting job beyond this season.

Prediction: Redshirt