Posts by: Thunder

Rivals 250 for 2017 updated

Dylan McCaffrey

Rivals updated its top 250 for the 2017 class (LINK). Since the list was originally released last July (LINK), the only Michigan commit on the list, Dylan McCaffrey, has moved up from #100 to #39. Here’s the full list of Michigan targets:

5-stars:
1. Marvin Wilson – DT – TX
2. Najee Harris – RB – CA (Alabama)
3. Trevon Grimes – WR – FL
4. Joshua Kaindoh – DE – FL
5. Isaiah Wilson – OT – NY
8. Lamont Wade – CB – PA
9. Jeffrey Okudah – S – TX
10. Josh Myers – OT – OH (Ohio State)
11. Nate McBride – LB – GA
12. Hunter Johnson – QB – IN (Clemson)
13. Donovan Peoples-Jones – WR – MI
15. Darnay Holmes – CB – CA
16. Jedrick Wills – OT – KY
17. Jarez Parks – DE – FL
18. Shaun Wade – CB – FL (Ohio State)
19. Wyatt Davis – OT – CA
20. Joseph Lewis – WR – CA
21. Calvin Ashley – OT – FL (Auburn)

Hit the jump for numbers 101-250.

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Projected Spring 2016 Depth Chart: Offense

John O’Korn

Based on last season’s performances and off-season rumblings, here’s a look at how the depth chart could look this spring.

QB: John O’Korn (RS Jr.), Wilton Speight (RS So.), Shane Morris (RS Jr.), Alex Malzone (RS Fr.), Brandon Peters (Fr.)
Scoop: According to some, O’Korn would have been starting over Jake Rudock if he had been eligible last season. Regardless, O’Korn is the most experienced player coming back and has performed better than anyone else when on the field. He’s the odds-on bet to be the starter this fall. Word was that Speight passed up Morris in the middle of last season. Malzone starts out ahead of Peters just because he has an extra year in the system, although Peters has higher long-term upside.

Hit the jump for the rest of the offense.

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Video: Michigan Football Team 136 – The Return of Harbaugh

Recruiting Update: February 22, 2016

Wylie (TX) East running back Eno Benjamin (image via HornSports)

Please consider supporting the blog by purchasing items on Amazon (LINK).

COMMITMENT
Littleton (CO) Valor Christian quarterback Dylan McCaffrey committed to Michigan (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017
Wylie (TX) East running back Eno Benjamin was offered by Michigan. He’s a 5’10”, 204 lb. prospect with offers from Houston, Iowa, Miami, and Texas Tech, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #13 running back, and #170 overall. As a junior in 2015, he ran 366 times for 2,652 yards and 41 TDs; he also caught 18 passes for 232 yards and 2 TDs. Benjamin’s trainer is former Michigan running back David Underwood, and he has been trying to get a Michigan offer for a couple years now. He does not have great top-end speed and is somewhat similar to 2017 running back commit Kurt Taylor, although Taylor probably has the edge in power while Benjamin is a little more elusive. If you want a good chuckle, watch Benjamin’s highlights at the :47 mark; as he breaks free down the sideline, his receiver realizes the cornerback is trailing him in man coverage, so the receiver just keeps sprinting 50 yards downfield while the cornerback has no idea where the ball is.

Kimberly (WI) Kimberly offensive guard Logan Bruss was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’4″, 260 lb. prospect with offers from Illinois, Nebraska, and Wisconsin, among others. Ben Bredeson aside, it’s typically pretty difficult to pull Wisconsin linemen out of Wisconsin when the state of Wisconsin wants to keep them in Wisconsin. Dorms made of cheese with beer faucets are hard to turn down.

Hit the jump for a bunch more new offers, a new 2018 offer, and some random bits.

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Site News: Tweaks and Upcoming Tweaks

As I get more familiar with WordPress and since it’s the off-season, I’m continuing to make some tweaks to the site. Hopefully they’re improvements.

Supporting the blog. As always, your support is appreciated. At the same time, I want to return (or redirect) some of that generosity. One way is by turning over 50% of the Amazon revenue to the Chad Tough Foundation. The site makes 4% to 8% of whatever you purchase via the Amazon links provided. This new setup means the blog will get 2% to 4%, while Chad Tough gets the other 2% to 4%. I want to give to other charities in the future, but Chad Tough is a good place to start. If you want to give to Chad Tough directly, here’s a link to their donation page (LINK).

Reshuffling the header. If you use the header (or footer) for guidance, I did a bit of reshuffling. Michigan’s all-time recruiting rankings and the explanation of TTB Ratings are now listed as drop-down menus under “Rankings.” I have also renamed the “Forum” as “Message Board.” It may be more syllables, but I just don’t like the word “forum.”

How to get an avatar. If you’re wondering how to get your own avatar, check out this post on how to do so using Gravatar (LINK).

Suggestions for an upvote/downvote plugin? I would like to add a plugin to the site that provides users a chance to upvote/downvote posts and comments. There are multiple WordPress plugins for that purpose. Personally, I prefer Reddit-style upvotes/downvotes; if you’re not familar, you would simply click on an up arrow or a down arrow. However, there are thumbs up/thumbs down options and the like. If you have any experience installing or using upvote/downvote plugins, please share any suggestions in the comments.

What are your thoughts?