Posts by: Thunder

Visitors: June 9-11, 2023

2024

Manuel Beigel – DT – Wallingford (CT) Choate Rosemary Hall: Beigel is an international prospect from Germany who has been committed to Michigan since July of 2022. He has since picked up offers from some other big-time programs like Georgia, Penn State, and Texas A&M, among others. This is his official visit.

Boo Carter – ATH – Cleveland (TN) Bradley Central: Carter is a 5’10”, 184-pounder with offers from Michigan, Tennessee, and a bunch of others . . . but it seems to be a two-horse race between the Wolverines and the Volunteers. He’s a 4-star, the #20 athlete, and #240 overall. This is his official visit.

Ondre Evans – CB – Nasvhille (TN) CPA: Evans is a 6’0″, 190 lb. prospect with offers from Arkansas, Michigan, North Carolina State, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and others. He’s a 4-star, the #30 cornerback, and #340 overall. This is his official visit.

Hit the jump for more.

2024 Recruiting Update: June 6, 2023

Today is just a mini-update since there haven’t been any new offers, but a few guys did go off the board to other schools as #OVseason has begun.

OFF THE BOARD

Jefferson (GA) Jefferson linebacker Sammy Brown (5-star, #2 LB, #14 overall) committed to Clemson.

Baltimore (MD) Gilman linebacker Dejuan Lane (4-star, #31 S, #309 overall) committed to Penn State.

Park City (UT) Park City linebacker Blake Tabaracci (3-star, #64 LB, #705 overall) committed to UCLA.

MISCELLANEY

Here’s a list of visitors from this past weekend, including a handful of officials (LINK)

2023 Season Countdown: #104 Jayden Denegal

Name: Jayden Denegal
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 238 lbs.
High school: Apple Valley (CA) Apple Valley
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #14
Last year: I ranked Denegal #97 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating: 61

Denegal may have been regarded as a better passing quarterback than classmate Alex Orji last season, but it turned out that Michigan didn’t really need a passer. They didn’t really need Orji as a runner, either. They mostly just needed J.J. McCarthy and a few backups to take garbage time snaps (though Cade McNamara did start one unimpressive game before getting injured). Denegal got into the UConn game to hand off the ball, and that was it.

While McNamara is off to Iowa, McCarthy returns and will be backed up by some combination of Jack Tuttle and/or Davis Warren. Orji has earned some off-season hype because he’s 6’3″ and 235 lbs., looks really strong, and can run and jump and do fun things to watch. Some people have been clamoring for Orji to get the Dan Villari treatment and come in for some occasional running plays.

No one is clamoring for Denegal at this point. Buzz out of practice has been next to nil, but that’s what tends to happen for the quarterback who is roughly fifth on the depth chart. With McCarthy possibly gone in 2024, maybe he will get a chance to vie for the starting job next season, but for now it seems like he will be buried on the depth chart for at least one season. I would expect to see him on the field a little here and there in mop-up duty.

Prediction: Backup quarterback

Visitors: June 2-4, 2023

2023 TRANSFER PORTAL

Josh Wallace – CB – UMass: Wallace is a 6’1″, 190-pounder who has started 34 games over the past few seasons at UMass and was a two-time team captain. He has one year of eligibility remaining and was coached at UMass by former Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown.

2024

Marquis Gallegos – S – West Hills (CA) Chaminade: Gallegos is a 6’1″, 175 lb. prospect with offers from Cal, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, UCLA, and USC, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #23 safety, and #252 overall. This is his official visit.

Brian Robinson, Jr. – DE – Austintown (OH) Fitch: Robinson is a 6’5″, 255-pounder with offers from Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Penn State, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #10 edge, and #132 overall. All four crystal ball picks have come in for Michigan, but he also has official visits set up for Kentucky and Penn State after he visits Ann Arbor.

Hit the jump for more.

2023 Season Countdown: #105 Will Rolapp

Name: Will Rolapp
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 200 lbs.
High school: Darien (CT) Suffield Academy
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #30
Last year: I ranked Rolapp #101 and said he would be a backup wide receiver and special teamer (LINK). He did not play in any games.
TTB Rating: N/A

Rolapp is a walk-on receiver who did not see any playing time in 2022 even though he had a very nice, memorable, 26-yard catch against Maryland in 2021. A few fun facts about Rolapp since there’s really no recap of last season for him:

• Rolapp originally attended Darien (CT) Darien, the same high school as former Michigan offensive lineman Andrew Stueber
• He then attended Suffield Academy for prep school, the same prep school that produced Michigan players Kechaun Bennett, Brad Hawkins, and Davis Warren
• Rolapp also played point guard in basketball and once scored 44 points in a game
• There’s a 5-minute highlight reel of his basketball exploits on Youtube:

As for playing time in 2023, Rolapp will be in a battle for mop-up duty.