Posts by: Thunder

Preview of 2017 In-State Recruiting: #6-10

Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary’s WR K.J. Hamler (image via MLive)

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Last week I started a series of posts on the top recruits in the state of Michigan for the class of 2017 (LINK). These posts are coming a little bit later than I usually like to do them, but that’s okay. After the top ten to fifteen prospects, you’ll probably come across some brand new names, maybe from your hometown or your rival school. I’m presenting these posts in groups of five. The top five were:

1. Donovan Peoples-Jones
2. Ambry Thomas
3. Antjuan Simmons
4. Ja’Raymond Hall
5. Joshua Ross

6. K.J. Hamler – WR – Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary’s
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 155 lbs.
Notable offers: Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, Pitt, West Virginia, Wisconsin
Commitment: Uncommitted
247 Composite: 3-star, #47 WR, #326 overall, #10 in-state
Analysis: I discussed Hamler at length here. He recently got invited to The Opening. I think Hamler has to end up in the right spot for him to reach his potential, a place where he can work in a wide-open offense. Oregon and West Virginia would be good landing places, but not the more pro-style offenses like Michigan, MSU, Pitt, etc.

Hit the jump for #7-10.

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2016 Season Countdown: #89 Jack Wangler

Jack Wangler (#16) with Maurice Ways (#85) and Derrick Henry (#27) (image via MLive)

Name: Jack Wangler
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 200 lbs.
High school: Warren (MI) De La Salle
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #16
Last year: I did not rank Wangler. He played in one game.

Wangler – the son of former Michigan QB John Wangler and the brother of LB Jared Wangler – enters his fourth season on campus after committing to Brady Hoke as a preferred walk-on, and this is the first time I’m profiling him in the countdown. He has played in three games in his career, including just one as a redshirt sophomore in 2015. He did see quite a bit of action in the spring with Michigan’s receiver corps decimated by injury (Maurice Ways, Jehu Chesson), along with a host of freshmen at the position who have yet to enroll. Wangler isn’t a quick-twitch guy and struggles to get separation, but he does seem to be the most trusted walk-on wideout. I doubt he will play much once Ways, Chesson, and the freshmen are in action.

Prediction: Backup wide receiver

2018 Recruiting Update: May 30, 2016

Justin Shorter (image via Rivals)

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2018
Clearwater (FL) Catholic Central wide receiver Amari Burney was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’1″, 205 lb. prospect with offers from Auburn, Florida, Louisville, Miami, and Wisconsin, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #16 wide receiver, and #120 overall. He’s a thickly built kid who’s a possession type of receiver.

Bradenton (FL) Braden River cornerback Tyrone Collins was offered by Michigan. He’s a 5’10”, 164 lb. prospect whose lone other offer comes from Boston College and Florida Atlantic, among others. He claims a 4.5 forty. He’s a very slight, quick cover corner with some good playmaking ability, and he’s not afraid of contact, either.

Chicago (IL) Mt. Carmel cornerback Houston Griffith was offered by Michigan when he visited two weekends ago. He’s a 6’0″, 180 lb. prospect with offers from Arkansas, Florida State, Illinois, Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Penn State, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #7 cornerback, and #72 overall. Griffith is a physical corner, though his highlights do not necessarily show a guy who’s the #72 overall player in the country. He’s the son of former Illinois and NFL fullback Howard Griffith.

Hit the jump for several other new offers in the class of 2018.

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School in the News: Baylor

TE Kedrick James

Some crazy stuff has gone down in Waco, TX, and now university president Ken Starr and head coach Art Briles are gone. So here’s a look at how the fallout from that might affect Michigan or other teams.

2016 roster members recruited by Michigan: QB Jarrett Stidham (RS So.)
2016 signees with Michigan offers: DE Brandon Bowen, WR Tren’Davian Dickson, WR Devin Duvernay, CB Donovan Duvernay, OT J.P. Urquidez
2017 commits with Michigan offers: None
2018 commits with Michigan offers: None

Scoop: Historically, Michigan and Baylor have not squared off for recruits very often. That’s because Baylor is usually not very good at football, at least not until recently. Stidham was a prized recruit in 2014, but I have doubts that he’ll go anywhere since he’s already established himself as a quality player at Baylor. Meanwhile, 2016 signees could potentially ask for a release from their National Letters of Intent to play somewhere else this fall. None of the five signees gave Michigan much of a look prior to committing to the Golden Bears, so they’re unlikely to end up in Ann Arbor, even if Michigan has room (and it’s not clear they do).

It may be a long shot, but the best chance Michigan has to benefit from Baylor’s turmoil is with TE Kedrick James and WR Hezekiah Jones. Both players have already decommitted from Baylor. James (and Donovan Duvernay) both attended Michigan’s Summer Swarm 2015 camp in Grand Prairie, TX, and the Wolverines are looking for tight ends in 2017. Four predictions have come in for James to Texas A&M in the last few days, and he was already looking at the Aggies before the decommitment. Jones was thought by many to end up in College Station before committing to Baylor. It seems counterintuitive for someone to escape Baylor only to enter the uncertainty of Texas A&M’s situation, but it’s possible. Michigan also needs wideouts, so I would expect Jim Harbaugh and the staff to inquire about both prospects.

2016 Season Countdown: #90 Jack Dunaway

Jack Dunaway (right, with Grant Perry; image via MLive)

Name: Jack Dunaway
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 212 lbs.
High school: Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #88
Last year: I did not rank Dunaway. He redshirted.

I generally don’t rank freshman walk-ons, and that was the case in 2015 with Dunaway. He’s the son of former Michigan tight end Craig Dunaway, who wore #88 from the late 1970s into the early ’80s; he also has a younger brother, tight end Carter Dunaway, who is committed to the Wolverines in the 2017 class. Last year Jack played defensive end, and this spring we saw him taking reps at SAM linebacker behind Jabrill Peppers and Noah Furbush. He clearly needs to bulk up, and I don’t think his athleticism will allow him to be a regular contributor. When the season rolls around, there will probably be another incoming freshman or two who move ahead of him on the depth chart, too. I don’t expect to see him on the field much this season, if at all, but he could sneak in there in garbage time.

Prediction: Backup SAM linebacker