Posts by: Thunder

Visitors: Michigan vs. Indiana

Brooklyn (NY) Poly OT Isaiah Wilson (image via Bleacher Report)

2017

Cam Akers – RB – Clinton (MS) Clinton: The 5’11”, 213 lb. prospect has offers from Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, and Ohio State, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 5-star, the #2 running back, and #5 overall. The U.S. Army All-American was previously committed to Alabama, but now Ohio State has a slight lead with 30% of the Crystal Ball picks. Michigan would have a pretty solid class with the players who are already committed at running back, but Akers and Najee Harris are too good to pass up if it’s possible to get them. This is his official visit. UPDATE: Akers is no longer visiting.

Tory Carter – FB – Leesburg (GA) Lee County: Carter is a 6’2″, 255 lb. prospect who is committed to LSU. He’s a 3-star, the #1 fullback, and #1186 overall. He’s a teammate of 2017 DT Aubrey Solomon (a former Michigan commit) and 2018 safety Otis Reese (a current Michigan commit). Fullback/linebacker Chase Lasater decommitted from Michigan and fullback/linebacker Ben Mason might start off on defense, so Carter is perhaps Michigan’s best shot at a fullback in this class. This is his official visit.

Noah Harvey – LB – Hartland (WI) Arrowhead: Harvey is a 6’3″, 210 lb. prospect with an offer from Buffalo. He’s a former teammate of Michigan freshman offensive lineman Ben Bredeson.

Brad Hawkins, Jr. – WR – Camden (NJ) Suffield Academy: Hawkins is a 6’2″, 195 lb. prospect who signed a National Letter of Intent to Michigan in February. However, academic issues prevented him from enrolling at Michigan, so he is attending prep school at Suffield Academy, where he played football this fall. According to recent reports, he and Michigan plan for him to enroll at Michigan, so he is essentially a 2017 commit.

Hit the jump for several more 2017 and 2018 visitors.

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Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: David Harris

David Harris

New York Jets inside linebacker David Harris made 11 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and 1 pass breakup in a 9-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Harris has been a steady presence on the inside over the last decade, and Sunday was his best game of the year so far.

HONORABLE MENTION

• New England Patriots QB Tom Brady was 23/32 for 319 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception in a 31-24 loss to the Seattle Seahawks
• On the other side, Seattle DE Frank Clark made 5 tackles and 1 sack in the same game
• Carolina Panthers WR Devin Funchess caught 3 passes for 56 yards and 1 touchdown, a 38-yarder, in a 20-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs
• Philadelphia Eagles DE Brandon Graham made 3 tackles and 1 sack in a 24-15 win over the Atlanta Falcons
• Green Bay Packers FB Joe Kerridge played in his first NFL game. He was released earlier in the year by the Washington Redskins

BAD NEWS

• Minnesota Vikings OT Jake Long suffered an Achilles injury and is out for the year. This may be the end of his career after multiple ACL tears and now an Achilles issue. He’s only 31 years old, which isn’t ancient, but he just can’t stay healthy.

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Jaylen Kelly-Powell, Wolverine

Jaylen Kelly-Powell (#1, image via USA Today)

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech safety Jaylen Kelly-Powell publicly committed to Michigan on Tuesday. He chose the Wolverines over offers from Alabama, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Stanford, among others.

RATINGS
ESPN: 4-star, 81 grade, #18 safety, #265 overall
Rivals: 3-star, #31 safety
Scout: 4-star, #23 safety, #269 overall
247 Sports: 4-star, 93 grade, #17 safety, #148 overall

Hit the jump for more on Kelly-Powell.

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Wilton Speight might have a broken collarbone

Michigan starting quarterback Wilton Speight reportedly has a broken collarbone (LINK), which I had been hearing since Sunday morning. Coincidentally – or not – Speight also suffered a collarbone injury in high school, an occurrence that allowed him to petition for an extra year of high school eligibility.

That means redshirt junior John O’Korn should slide into the starting job this week when Michigan faces Indiana. Speight has been the #2 quarterback all season, and many people suggested he was the best quarterback on the roster in 2015, when Jake Rudock had a great second half of the year and became an NFL draft pick. Even through the spring, when Speight was taking first-team reps, lots of “insiders” – including the mods at Rivals – insisted O’Korn would be the starter. I initially believed O’Korn would succeed Rudock, but after watching them play this spring, I reached the conclusion that Speight would probably be The Guy.

Hit the jump for more on the quarterback situation.

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Ex-Wolverine Updates: Week 11

Florida LB David Reese (image via 247 Sports)

NOTE: I know someone is going to show up wondering where my comments are about the Iowa game. An unexpected emergency had me spending most of Saturday night in the E.R. and I didn’t get a chance to DVR the game, so I have yet to watch it.

Former DE commit Pharaoh Brown: Brown had 6 catches for 93 yards in Oregon’s 52-27 loss to Stanford.

Former WR/S Brian Cole II: Cole made 4 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 blocked punt in East Mississippi Community College’s 38-30 win over Northwest Mississippi Community College. EMCC won the MACJC championship with a 10-1 record.

Former CB commit Gareon Conley: Conley made 1 tackle in Ohio State’s 62-3 win over Ohio State.

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