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2016 Recruiting Update: January 28, 2015

Manvel (TX) Manvel safety Deontay Anderson (image via 247sports.com)

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
Harbor City (CA) Narbonne offensive tackle Alex Akingbulu was offered by Michigan. Akingbulu is a 6’6″, 275 lb. prospect who just finished playing his first year of organized football, and Michigan is his first (and only) offer. Offensive coordinator Tim Drevno is the point man on him, so his west coast connections must have paid off with the little known recruit. Akingbulu does not have much technique at this point, but he is an impressive athlete who moves his feet really well. With a good deal of coaching, he could be pretty special. You might remember his high school from when Michigan was recruiting safety Sean Parker (Washington) in the 2010 class.


Manvel (TX) Manvel safety Deontay Anderson was offered by Michigan. Anderson is a 6’1″, 192 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA, and USC, among others. Basically, he can go to school wherever he wants. Michigan recently had a flirtation with his 2015 teammate, cornerback Will Lockett, who ultimately decided to stick to his UCLA pledge. Anderson is an early 247 Composite 5-star, the #2 returner (this is a category now?), and #25 overall in the class. As a junior in 2014, he made 59 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 interceptions (1 returned for touchdown), 8 pass breakups, and 1 punt return for a touchdown.

Concord (CA) De La Salle tight end Devin Asiasi was offered by Michigan. Asiasi is a 6’5″, 255 lb. prospect with offers from Nebraska, Oregon, and USC, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #10 weakside end, and #148 overall. He’s a big kid but someone who can be split out at times, and he even takes an occasional direct snap. Former Michigan (and Idaho and New England Patriots) quarterback Matt Gutierrez was from there, and I recently watched When the Game Stands Tall, a decent football movie about the school, which set the national record for consecutive victories.

Hit the jump for a couple more offers, commitments elsewhere, and some random tidbits.

Huber Heights (OH) Wayne quarterback Messiah DeWeaver decommitted from Michigan on Tuesday night. DeWeaver is a 6’3″, 202 lb. prospect who committed to Michigan in June of 2014. He has picked up offers from Kentucky, Michigan State, and Penn State in the meantime, and he’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #14 pro-style quarterback, and #306 overall. He held out through the coaching change and met the new staff, but ultimately, he has decided not to remain committed. DeWeaver transferred from Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison – which has sent several players to Michigan over the years – to Huber Heights (OH) Wayne after the football season. Wayne has been somewhat kind to Michigan over the years, too, with 2015 safety commit Tyree Kinnel and then the Talbott brothers several years ago.

Oakland (CA) Bishop O’Dowd linebacker Camilo Eifler was offered by Michigan. Eifler is a 6’2″, 210 lb. prospect with offers from Colorado, Duke, and Washington. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #45 outside linebacker, and #594 overall. Eifler is a speedy, hard-hitting linebacker, and I’m surprised that he doesn’t have more offers at this point. His head coach is Napoleon Kaufman, whom you may remember as a tremendously speedy running back for the Washington Huskies and then the Oakland Radiers.

Los Angeles (CA) Loyola cornerback David Long, Jr. was offered by Michigan. Long is a 6’0″, 175 lb. prospect with offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Miami, Oregon, UCLA, and Washington, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #34 cornerback, and #329 overall. He claims a 4.5 forty and a 34″ vertical. It’s unclear at this point whether Michigan wants him as a corner or receiver; he looks more engaged playing receiver, but he does have some skills on defense. Long is also friends with quarterback K.J. Costello and wide receiver Dylan Crawford, both Californians in the 2016 class whom Michigan has already offered.

Pompano Beach (CA) Coconut Creek cornerback Trayvon Mullen was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’2″, 175 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, LSU, and Miami, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #6 cornerback, and #63 overall. He also claims a 4.37 forty. The previous Michigan staff also offered two teammates of Mullen, wide receiver Binjimen Victor and cornerback Malek Young.

OFF THE BOARD
Cincinnati (OH) Moeller tight end Jake Hausmann committed to Ohio State. Hausmann is one of the top few tight end prospects in the country. On the plus side, Michigan has also been pursuing Perry (OH) Perry tight end Luke Farrell, who also had the Buckeyes at or near the top of his list. This may open the door a little bit for Farrell to come up north, although he too has plenty of suitors.

MISCELLANEOUS
Lawrenceville (GA) Archer offensive tackle E.J. Price included Michigan in his top ten, specifically at #2. Price grew up in Grand Rapids, and he has stated that Michigan was his childhood favorite team. Price is a 6’6″, 290 lb. prospect who’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #9 offensive tackle, and #65 overall. The 247 Crystal Ball currently has Georgia leading with some votes for Auburn, so there might be some ground to make up if the new staff wants to reel him in.

Egg Harbor (NJ) Cedar Creek safety Ahmir Mitchell included Michigan in his top eight.

Over on Recruiting Season, I added/updated profiles for:

• Detroit King CB Dontre Boyd
• Muskegon Mona Shores WR Hunter Broersma
• Traverse City West OG Jacob Cerny
• Southfield RB Matt Falcon
• West Bloomfield QB Trishton Jackson
• Farmington Hills Harrison DE Khalid Kareem

2015 Recruiting Update: January 27, 2015

Left to right: Reuben Jones, Greg Mattison, and Jake Pickard

COMMITMENTS
Albuqerque (NM) Eldorado quarterback Zach Gentry committed to Michigan (LINK).

Lakeland (FL) Lake Gibson defensive end Reuben Jones committed to Michigan (LINK).

West Chester (OH) Lakota West offensive tackle Nolan Ulizio committed to Michigan (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015
Fort Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas cornerback Rashard Causey decommitted from Florida Atlantic. Michigan offered almost exactly a year ago, but then he surprisingly committed to FAU in April over some decent offers. The 6’0″, 185 lb. prospect took officials to Wisconsin and Louisville in the meantime, and he decommitted following the Louisville visit. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #50 cornerback, and #517 overall. He’s also a teammate of cornerback Damon Arnette, who visited Michigan two weekends ago but remains committed to South Carolina at this time. Causey transferred to St. Thomas Aquinas – a powerhouse program in Florida – prior to his senior season. Georgia and Tennessee have entered the fray and may be difficult to beat, but Michigan could also throw its hat into the ring once again, as Causey says he is “open to everyone.”

Houston (TX) Cypress Falls cornerback Nate Dalton was offered by Michigan. The 6’2″, 185 lb. prospect scheduled an official visit to Michigan for this past weekend, but he then promptly announced that he would not be taking the visit and committed to Arkansas instead. Dalton is a 247 Composite 3-star, the #90 cornerback, and #1011 overall, but the book appears to be closed on him. File him under “Off the Board.”

Manvel (TX) Manvel cornerback William Lockett was offered by Michigan. Lockett is a 6’0″, 182 lb. prospect who has been committed to UCLA since last August. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #79 cornerback, and #849 overall. Lockett took an official visit to Michigan this past weekend, but he has since said that he’ll stick with his commitment to UCLA. So maybe he should be in the “Off the Board” category.

Hit the jump for a couple more new offers, some commits elsewhere, and some other tidbits.

Omaha (NE) Central defensive end Daishon Neal was offered by Michigan. Neal is a 6’7″, 250 lb. prospect who has been committed to Nebraska since April 2014; he also has offers from Arkansas, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Oregon, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #36 strongside end, and #674 overall. Neal has said that he has narrowed his choices down to the Cornhuskers or potentially Michigan, and that was before the offer came through on Monday. It’s quite possible that he will visit Ann Arbor officially this coming weekend. As far as talent goes, Neal has some untapped potential. He’s a good athlete with some speed and length, but he plays a little high and doesn’t get off blocks as quickly as he should. I see him more as a 3-4 defensive end than a speed rusher or one-gap guy, so it will be interesting to see how Michigan runs their defense if he comes on board.

Millburn (NJ) Millburn defensive end Jake Pickard was offered by Michigan. Pickard is a 6’6″, 231 lb. prospect who has been committed to Wisconsin since last July; he also has offers from Nebraska, Oregon, Rutgers, and Syracuse, among others. Pickard canceled a potential official visit to Oregon for an official to Michigan this past weekend, and he will be having coaches from Syracuse, Wisconsin, and Michigan in to visit him this week. It was reported that Pickard was told he was the only defensive end Michigan is offering, but that deal seemed to expire on Monday when the coaches officially went after Neal. Pickard is another long, thick guy who is being recruited for the end position, but he could also play tight end, defensive tackle, or even offensive tackle, depending on how his body fills out. He seems to be a high-effort player whose film is full of him getting penetration and batting down passes, which can be be useful assets.

Prattville (AL) Prattville cornerback Keith Washington was offered by Michigan. Washington is a 6’2″, 170 lb. prospect who just committed to Cal on Sunday. He has also taken officials to North Carolina, Indiana, and Louisville – with two remaining – and holds offers from Duke (where he was committed last summer), Kentucky, Miami, Missouri, and TCU, among others. He is a 247 Composite 3-star, the #75 dual-threat quarterback, and #952 overall, but several teams are recruiting him as a defensive back. As a senior this past year, he was 93/162 for 1,718 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions; he also ran for 1,201 yards and 20 scores. He moved from Texas to Alabama prior to his senior year, which is why you might see some highlights wearing two different uniforms.

OFF THE BOARD
Princeton (NC) Princeton running back Johnny Frasier flipped from Florida State to North Carolina State. Frasier immediately becomes the Wolfpack’s top recruit (#76 overall), ranked even higher than former Michigan commit Darian Roseboro. They’re quietly putting together a solid class with #27 overall ranking for 2015.

Oak Park (MI) Oak Park running back John Kelly committed to Tennessee. Kelly was recruited hard by Jim Harbaugh, but Michigan got in on him late and he was friendly with Mike Weber. If the Wolverines had been able to hold onto Weber’s commitment, they might have had a chance. Instead, Weber is committed to Ohio State, and Kelly – who was not offered by the Buckeyes – chose the Volunteers.

Salt Lake City (UT) Brighton linebacker Osa Masina committed to USC. Masina is a 247 Composite 5-star and Michigan got in on him relatively early, but the Wolverines’ poor season seemed to turn him off. Michigan had been consistently in his top four or five schools, but they dropped out of it recently and it was understood they had no chance. Masina spurned the chance to play at Utah with his older brother.

Greenbelt (MD) Eleanor Roosevelt offensive tackle Isaiah Prince committed to Alabama. The Crimson Tide pulled off a minor upset by stealing him away from Maryland.

MISCELLANEOUS
Here’s a list of last weekend’s official visitors (LINK).

It’s obvious that Michigan wants at least one more cornerback in this class, but options are getting slim now that Dalton committed to Arkansas, Lockett reconfirmed to UCLA, and Long Beach (CA) Poly’s Colin Samuel canceled a hastily planned official visit. Late in the recruiting process, you start to look at lower-rated guys from Michigan or Ohio, places where a childhood affinity for – or awareness of – Michigan’s tradition can play a factor. I’ll throw out a few names to keep an eye on if Michigan continues to be rebuffed:

• Southfield (MI) Southfield wide receiver/defensive back Ja’Mar Antwine is a 6’0″, 181 lb. prospect who committed to Central Michigan last June. He’s a 247 Composite 2-star, the #236 cornerback, and #2682 overall. Antwine looks more like a safety at the next level and is probably an inch or two shorter than 6’0″.
• Grand Rapids (MI) Ottawa Hills wide receiver/cornerback Sam Beal is a 6’2″, 177 lb. prospect who’s committed to Western Michigan. He probably projects best as a wide receiver, but he has good speed and a long frame to work with. He’s a 247 Composite 2-star, the #165 athlete, and #2089 overall.
• Southfield (MI) Southfield wide receiver/cornerback Ray Buford, Jr. is 6’1″, 195 lbs. and committed to Minnesota last July over a bunch of MAC offers. He was a teammate of current Michigan defensive end Lawrence Marshall and Southfield has some decent prospects in the pipeline, too, including 2016 running back Matt Falcon. Buford doesn’t offer a ton of speed, but he has decent size and a solid frame. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #77 athlete, and #978 overall.
• Saline (MI) Saline defensive back Tyrone Miller started off his high school career at Ann Arbor (MI) Pioneer and has visited Michigan a few times. He’s 6’1″, 171 lbs. and claims a 4.61 forty. He’s not the quickest kid around, but he is fairly physical and could be a boundary corner, play in the slot, or play safety. Miller held out on committing to MAC schools for a while but committed to Central Michigan in December; however, he recently picked up offers from Kansas and more could be on the way. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #112 cornerback, and #1262 overall.

Over on Recruiting Season, I added/updated profiles on:

• Saline DB Tyrone Miller
• Farmington Hills Harrison LB Michael Ojemudia
• West Bloomfield DT Eddy Wilson II
• Bright TE Alexx Zielinski

2017 Recruiting Update: January 26, 2015

Antioch (CA) Antioch RB Najee Harris (image via San Jose Mercury News)

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017
Antioch (CA) Antioch running back Najee Harris was offered by Michigan. Harris is a 6’1″, 210 lb. prospect with offers from Cal, UCLA, and Utah, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #5 running back, and #42 overall in his class. Harris represents Jim Harbaugh’s first offer in the 2017 class, and we have seen that kind of early attention pay off in past classes, such as with Bryan Mone in the 2014 class. The running back is a sturdy north-south runner who lacks great speed but is only coming out of his sophomore year. As a sophomore this past season, he carried the ball 271 times for 2,263 yards (8.4 yards/carry) and 23 touchdowns.

OFF THE BOARD
Miamisburg (OH) Miamisburg offensive tackle Josh Myers committed to Ohio State over the weekend. Myers is one of two linemen in his class to have earned offers from Michigan (both from the Hoke regime), along with Florida’s Calvin Ashley. Early on Myers is 247 Sports’ #1 offensive tackle and #3 overall player, so this is a big commitment for the Buckeyes.

MISCELLANEOUS
Ann Arbor (MI) Pioneer running back Antjuan Simmons visited Michigan this past weekend. Simmons is a 6’1″, 205 lb. prospect with no offers at this time, but he boasts a 4.55 forty and could play several positions at the next level. It’s early yet, but he looks like one of the top few prospects in the state for 2017.

Over on Recruiting Season, I added/updated profiles for Warren De La Salle RB Allen Stritzinger, Detroit King CB Ambry Thomas, and Detroit Cass Tech WR Donovan Peoples-Jones.

Nolan Ulizio, Wolverine

West Chester (OH) Lakota West offensive tackle Nolan Ulizio with Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh

West Chester (OH) Lakota West offensive tackle Nolan Ulizio committed to Michigan on Sunday. He had previously been committed to UConn, and he also held offers from Cincinnati, Kentucky, and Pitt.

Zach Gentry, Wolverine

Albuquerque (NM) Eldorado quarterback Zach Gentry (image via abqjournal.com)

Albuquerque (NM) Eldorado quarterback Zach Gentry committed to Michigan on Saturday. He originally committed to Texas in May of 2014 and was solid to the Longhorns until recently. He chose Texas – and then Michigan – over offers from Alabama, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, TCU, and Tennessee, among others.

Gentry is a 6’6″, 230 lb. prospect whom I scouted (LINK) last January when Michigan was sorting through quarterbacks for the 2015 class.

RATINGS
ESPN: 4-star, 83 grade, #9 pocket quarterback, #118 overall
Rivals: 4-star, #4 pro-style quarterback, #105 overall
Scout: 4-star, #19 quarterback, #278 overall
247 Sports: 3-star, 88 grade, #16 pro-style quarterback

Because he’s a quarterback, some statistics:
2012: 150/281 for 2,022 yards, 17 touchdowns, 6 interceptions; 305 rushing yards, 9 touchdowns
2013: 160/286 for 1,587 yards, 9 touchdowns, 3 interceptions; 617 rushing yards, 16 touchdowns

The story with Gentry is a little bit unclear at this point. Gentry was on Michigan’s radar early in the 2015 recruiting cycle and garnered a visit from then Michigan offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, who watched Gentry throw and then took a pass on offering him. In the meantime, Michigan pulled in quarterback Alex Malzone, and Gentry committed to the Longhorns. He seemed solid to Texas and dismissed overtures from several schools, including Alabama. Then Harbaugh came calling, and it made Gentry rethink his decision. Depending on whom you believe, the Longhorns’ continued pursuit of 247 Composite 5-star Kyler Murray (committed to Texas A&M) and 4-star Kai Locksley (committed to Florida State) was off-putting to Gentry. Or there are rumors that Texas is looking to become more of a spread option team. Or it might be that Harbaugh has a reputation for coaching up quarterbacks, whereas Texas head coach Charlie Strong has a shorter resume (albeit one including Teddy Bridgewater). Regardless of the reason(s), Gentry accepted an invitation to Ann Arbor this week, and it paid off with a flip.

In case you’re wondering, Texas still has 3-star Brandon Merrick’s commitment, plus the potential for one of the aforementioned players.

In reviewing Gentry’s senior film, it’s clear that he has a lot of upside. He has a good arm – not great – and throws a catchable ball. Accuracy is tough to gauge from highlights, but he has a decent completion percentage and doesn’t throw many interceptions. It’s important to remember that good high school quarterbacks often suffer from poor receivers who can’t get open, drop a lot of balls, etc. (and some receivers are cursed by poor quarterback play, too, so it goes both ways). Gentry has a three-quarters delivery that might be more of a cause for concern if not for his 6’6″ frame, sometimes listed as big as 6’7″. In regard to throwing the ball, he looks very natural on the move and can push the ball down the field while getting out of the pocket, particularly going to his right. Moving is one of his big strengths. Gentry has very good speed, a little bit of shimmy, and some good instincts when it comes to running the ball. While he won’t be a threat to take it the distance very time, he’s every bit as mobile as a guy like Ohio State’s Cardale Jones, who moved the chains against some good defenses with some timely scrambles.

On the negative side, Gentry has some mechanical issues aside from the arm slot. He also tends to throw off his back foot or falling to the side without stepping toward his target, which causes the ball to hang a little bit. His footwork when taking shotgun snaps needs work, and he’s exclusively a shotgun/pistol guy, so getting him to drop back from under center might be a large undertaking. My biggest concern with him is that the ball rarely comes out “on time” within the framework of the play. He never plants his back foot and throws. I am not a fan of the way his team’s routes are designed and plays are run, and these are not the complicated route combinations he will be seeing in college. New Mexico is not known for its football, and it shows – not only in his own team, which lacks refinement, but also in the play of his opponents.

Overall, Gentry is a high-quality commitment for Michigan and Jim Harbaugh, but he’s also a boom-or-bust type. He’ll be a long way from home, learning an offense with pro-level reads and combinations, and competing with several other guys for playing time. At the same time, he will either be the most gifted (or second-most behind Shane Morris) athlete at the position. The whole playbook is open for a guy like this, who can throw it deep, throw it short, stand in the pocket, roll out, scramble, or do some designed runs. Fellow 2015 classmate Alex Malzone is more refined and ready right now, while Gentry has the better long-term potential. For better or worse, watching Gentry’s film reminded me of Utah quarterback Travis Wilson.

This gives Michigan eight commits in the 2015 class, and Gentry follows defensive end Reuben Jones as the only two guys (so far) to commit to Jim Harbaugh. Word has spread that Harbaugh could very well go after two quarterbacks in each class, and this starts off that trend with a bang. Five of the eight commits are offensive players. According to the Bentley Historical Library, this is just the second Michigan commit out of New Mexico in over a hundred years, with just defensive tackle Alan Branch coming out of Rio Rancho (NM) Cibola in that time.

TTB Rating: 84 (ratings explanation)