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Ex-Wolverines: Class of 2014

I like to put a little bow on each recruiting class after those players finish their college careers, so here’s a step toward reflecting on the 2014 class. Michigan had six players transfer out of the program from the class, and four of them ended up starting at other FBS schools. Only one player decommitted, which is unlikely to happen again in the current recruiting climate (for example, Michigan suffered four decommitments in the 2021 class).

Hit the jump for a look back.

Christian Turner, Ex-Wolverine

Redshirt sophomore running back Christian Turner announced on Saturday that he was entering the NCAA transfer portal.

Turner came to Michigan from Buford (GA) Buford in 2018. He was a 3-star, the #22 running back, and #508 overall. He notched 20 carries for 95 yards and 1 catch for 16 yards as a freshman; then he had 44 carries for 171 yards and 1 touchdown, plus 4 catches for 13 yards, in 2019. He initially opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID concerns but then re-joined the team, though he was relegated to special teams.

I gave Turner a TTB Rating out of high school (LINK), but every class since then has included a better prospect. And it doesn’t help that Turner’s classmate, Hassan Haskins, has outplayed his ranking and taken over the primary role at Michigan.

Michigan couldn’t find room for Turner to play in a deep backfield in 2020, and that’s unlikely to change in 2021. Turner will get more of an opportunity to touch the ball somewhere else. Usually, players transfer somewhere closer to home, so I would expect him to resurface somewhere down south, perhaps in the ACC or the Sun Belt.

Here’s the 2021 scholarship count with Turner removed (LINK), as well as Jalen Mayfield (NFL) and Zach Carpenter (transfer).

Goodbye Again, Jalen Mayfield

HIGH SCHOOL
Mayfield, from Grand Rapids (MI) Catholic Central, was recruited to Minnesota by then-Gophers offensive line coach Ed Warinner, but he flipped to Michigan when the Wolverines came through with an offer. He ended up playing in the Army All-American Bowl and finished the 2018 recruiting cycle as a 4-star, the #16 offensive tackle, and #268 overall. I initially gave him a TTB Rating of 84 (LINK) before bumping him up to an 87 at the end of the cycle (LINK).

Hit the jump for more.

Davonte Miles, Wolverine

Head on over to https://touchthebanner.blogspot.com/2020/12/davonte-miles-wolverine.html to discuss this post and others.

River Rouge (MI) River Rouge defensive tackle Davonte Miles committed to Michigan on Friday. He picked the Wolverines over offers from Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan State, and Pitt, among others.

Miles is listed at 6’5″ and 275 lbs.

RANKINGS
ESPN: N/A
Rivals: 3-star SDE, 5.5 grade,
247 Sports: 3-star, 86 grade, #45 DT

Hit the jump for more.

Transfer Portal Recruiting Update: December 18, 2020

This probably won’t be as regular of a thing as a normal high school recruiting update, but I think it might be helpful and informative to occasionally take a look at the transfer portal and any rumblings that might be emanating from said portal.

We are on the cusp of “free agency” in college football, where basically any player can transfer once and be eligible for his new team next fall. With Michigan having a lot of roster holes – and there will be more holes coming soon – I will discuss here some potentially viable options, or at least options that Michigan fans might find interesting.

Hit the jump for the rest of the post.