Posts by: Thunder

Nike’s The Opening 2018

D.J. Turner II

The Opening 2018 finals are taking place this coming weekend and early next week, so you will probably see a fair amount of coverage. As always, here are the players you may want to keep an eye on throughout, since they have been offered by Michigan:

Marcus Banks – CB – Houston (TX) Dekaney (LSU)
Julian Barnett – WR – Belleville (MI) Belleville (Michigan State)
Marquez Beason – WR – Dallas (TX) Bishop Dunne (Illinois)
Jahleel Billingsley – TE – Chicago (IL) Phillips
Dominick Blaylock – WR – Marietta (GA) Walton
Branson Bragg – C – Crandall (TX) Crandall (Stanford)
Bryan Bresee – DE – Damascus (MD) Damascus*
Noah Cain – RB – Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy
Nick Cross – S – Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha
Rian Davis – LB – Apopka (FL) Wekiva
Kalen Deloach – LB – Savannah (GA) Islands
Akeem Dent – CB – West Palm Beach (FL ) Central (Florida State)
Aeneas DiCosmo – DE – Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic
Lance Dixon – LB – West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield
John Dunmore – WR – Hollywood (FL) Chaminade-Madonna
Ty Evans – QB – Monument (CO) Palmer Ridge (Colorado)
Justin Flowe – LB – Upland (CA) Upland
De’Gabriel Floyd – LB – Westlake (CA) Westlake (Texas)
Devyn Ford – RB – Stafford (VA) North (Penn State)
Kyle Ford – WR – Orange (CA) Lutheran
Eric Gray – RB – Memphis (TN) Lausanne
Renardo Green – CB – Apopka (FL) Wekiva (Florida State)
Kenyon Greene – OT – Humble (TX) Atascocita (Texas A&M)
Kyle Hamilton – S – Atlanta (GA) Marist (Notre Dame)
Kevin Harris – DE – Loganville (GA) Grayson (Alabama)
Jadon Haselwood – WR – Ellenwood (GA) Cedar Grove (Georgia)
DeMarcco Hellams – S – Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha (Alabama)
Arjei Henderson – WR – Richmond (TX) Fort Bend Travis (Oklahoma)
Stephen Herron, Jr. – DE – Louisville (KY) Trinity (Michigan)
Daxton Hill – S – Tulsa (OK) Booker T. Washington
Sam Howell – QB – Monroe (NC) Sun Valley (Florida State)
Giles Jackson – RB – Oakley (CA) Freedom
Cornelius Johnson – WR – Greenwich (CT) Brunswick
Quinten Johnson – S – Washington (DC) St. John’s
George Karlaftis – DE – West Lafayette (IN) West Lafayette (Purdue)
Frank Ladson – WR – Miami (FL) South Dade (Clemson)
Shane Lee – LB – Baltimore (MD) St. Frances (Alabama)
Mike Martinez – TE – Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei (UCLA)
Jase McClellan – RB – Allen (TX) Allen (Oklahoma)
Bru McCoy – WR – Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei
Cade McNamara – QB – Reno (NV) Damonte Ranch (Michigan)
Graham Mertz – QB – Mission (KS) Blue Valley North (Wisconsin)
Harry Miller – C – Buford (GA) Buford (Ohio State)
Wanya Morris – OT – Loganville (GA) Grayson (Tennessee)
Evan Neal – OT – Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy
Owen Pappoe – LB – Loganville (GA) Grayson (Auburn)
George Pickens – WR – Hoover (AL) Hoover (Auburn)
Mycah Pittman – WR – Calabasas (CA) Calabasas
Pierce Quick – OT – Trussville (AL) Hewitt Trussville (Alabama)
Elias Ricks – CB – Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei
Josh Sanguinetti – CB – Fort Lauderdale (FL) University School
Mekhail Sherman – DE – Washington (DC) St. John’s
Brandon Smith – LB – Mineral (VA) Louisa (Penn State)
Keontra Smith – S – Hollywood (FL) Chaminade-Madonna (Miami)
Ishmael Sopsher – DT – Amite (LA) Amite
Jaquaze Sorrells – DT – Largo (FL) Largo
Isaiah Spiller – RB – Spring (TX) Klein Collins
Chris Steele – CB – Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco
Derek Stingley – CB – Baton Rouge (LA) Dunham (LSU)
Austin Stogner – TE – Plano (TX) Prestonwood (Oklahoma)
Taulia Tagovailoa – QB – Alabaster (AL) Thompson (Alabama)
Kayvon Thibodeaux – DE – Thousand Oaks (CA) Oaks Christian
D.J. Turner II – CB – Suwanee (GA) North Gwinnett (Michigan)
Salim Turner-Muhammad – CB – Alexandria (VA) Episcopal (Stanford)
Marcus Washington – WR – St. Louis (MO) Trinity
Kenyatta Watson II – S – Loganville (TX) Grayson (Texas)
Theo Wease – WR – Allen (TX) Allen (Oklahoma)
Brian Williams – S – Dallas (TX) Bishop Dunne (Texas A&M)
Max Williams – CB – Gardena (CA) Junipero Serra
Jude Wolfe – TE – Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco
Mykael Wright – CB – Valencia (CA) Valencia (Oregon)
Keon Zipperer – TE – Lakeland (FL) Lakeland

*Indicates a 2020 recruit

2020 Recruiting Update: Offense

Bay City (MI) Central WR Devell Washington (image via Hudl)

COMMITMENT

Columbus (OH) Northland wide receiver Kalil Branham committed to Michigan (LINK).

Belleville (MI) Belleville cornerback Andre Seldon, Jr. committed to Michigan (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2020

Jaheim Bell – WR – Valdosta (GA) Valdosta: Bell is a 6’3″, 204 lb. prospect with offers from Marshall and Virginia Tech. He’s a 3-star, the #39 athlete, and #464 overall. He’s a player who could be a receiver, safety, or linebacker at the next level.

Lavon Bunkley-Shelton – WR – Gardena (CA) Junipero Serra: Also known as “L.V.,” Bunkley-Shelton is a 5’11”, 168-pounder with offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Florida, and Oregon, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #36 wide receiver, and #205 overall. He could also play cornerback in college. USC has not offered, but all Junipero Serra kids with USC offers go to USC, so you should probably forget about him when the Trojans extend an offer.

Michael Drennen II – RB – Dublin (OH) Coffman: Drennen is a 5’11”, 190 lb. prospect with offers from Cincinnati, Indiana, Kentucky, and Louisville, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #16 running back, and #159 overall. He was offered after camping at Michigan early last week. Michigan should be in pretty good shape unless Ohio State comes calling, which is a strong possibility.

Hit the jump for a bunch more new offers.

read more

2018 Season Countdown: #79 Jalen Mayfield

Jalen Mayfield (left) with Cameron McGrone and Aidan Hutchinson (image via Twitter)

Name: Jalen Mayfield
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 275 lbs.
High school: Grand Rapids (MI) Catholic Central
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Mayfield was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 96 tackles, 31 tackles for loss, 17 sacks, and 3 fumble recoveries.

Mayfield was originally committed to Minnesota before getting an offer from the Wolverines, which he accepted. He joins a team with a gaping hole (or two) at offensive tackle, but it’s tough to play on the offensive line as a freshman. Mason Cole, Ben Bredeson, and Cesar Ruiz have played significant minutes in recent years when they were true freshmen, but they’ve gone through struggles. Now the belief is that Michigan will play a couple veteran offensive tackles or a redshirt freshman (James Hudson), so I don’t think Mayfield will play a big role in 2018. He needs to add some bulk and strength, and even new offensive line coach Ed Warinner has hinted that Mayfield will need a year or two of seasoning. He played in a run-heavy high school offense (over 3,500 rushing yards and 50 rushing touchdowns in 2017), so pass protection is probably going to be the biggest adjustment.

Prediction: Redshirt

George Johnson III, Wolverine

George Johnson III (image via Twitter)

Stuart (FL) Martin County wide receiver George Johnson III committed to Michigan on Monday evening. He picked Michigan over offers from Florida State, Georgia, Nebraska, and Oregon, among others.

Johnson is listed at 5’11” and 180 lbs. He claims a 4.72 forty, a 4.32 shuttle, and a 32″ vertical.

RANKINGS
ESPN: N/A
Rivals: 3-star ATH
247 Sports: 3-star, 85 grade, #95 WR, #967 overall

Hit the jump for more on Johnson’s commitment.

read more

Attractive Michigan Girl of the Week

If you have any other pictures of good looking girls wearing Michigan gear, send me an e-mail. Go Blue!