Posts under: Blog

2018 Season Countdown: #77 Grant Newsome

Grant Newsome (image via Freep)

Name: Grant Newsome
Height: 6’7″
Weight: 318 lbs.
High school: Lawrenceville (NJ) Lawrenceville School
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #77
Last year: I ranked Newsome #95 and said he would redshirt due to his knee injury (LINK). He redshirted.

At this point there’s not a whole lot to be said about Grant Newsome that hasn’t been delved into extensively already. He shredded his knee against Wisconsin in 2016, almost had to have his leg amputated, and missed all of last year. He hoped to be cleared to play this past spring, and he did participate in some drills. However, he was not cleared for contact.

And he may never be cleared for contact. If clearance wasn’t coming by the spring, then I doubt he’ll be able to contribute much on the field this fall, if anything. Would it be best to sit out a second straight season and hope to be cleared in 2019? If he’s not cleared this year, will he medically retire? If anyone deserves a sixth year of eligibility on the horizon, it’s Newsome, who’s on the verge of missing a second full season. Newsome has been a very good, publicly outspoken diplomat for the program, and he seems like a kid who might have a future in coaching. I think he will sit out this season once again, but if he walks on the field to play this fall, he’s deserving of a standing ovation all to his own.

Prediction: Redshirt season #2

2018 Season Countdown: #78 Jordan Anthony

Jordan Anthony

Name: Jordan Anthony
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 236 lbs.
High school: Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #34
Last year: I ranked Anthony #58 and said he would be a backup linebacker (LINK). He redshirted.

I predicted last year that Anthony would be an early contributor because Michigan doesn’t mind small-ish linebackers, and he’s an athletic kid who could help on special teams. That was a swing and a miss. Michigan did play a freshman linebacker, but it was Josh Ross. Anthony stayed off the field and will be a redshirt freshman this fall.

It’s a total crap shoot with Anthony right now, along with a lot of players, because we weren’t able to see spring practice and there was no spring game. Michigan is trying to replace Mike McCray II, but Anthony doesn’t seem to be in the running to take that spot at WILL linebacker. Otherwise, there’s not much playing time opening up this season. Ross and Devin Gil seem like the most likely options for that spot, and Anthony’s best chance for contributions probably will come on special teams. There’s often room for 235 lb. guys who can run on specials, so that’s where I expect to see him in 2018.

Prediction: Backup linebacker, special teamer

Nike’s The Opening participants: Michigan

Jourdan Lewis and Delano Hill were two of Michigan’s ten eventual signees to participate in Nike’s The Opening in 2012

2018
Stephen Herron, Jr., DE – Louisville, KY
Cade McNamara, QB – Reno, NV
D.J. Turner II, CB – Suwanee, GA

2017
Gemon Green, CB – DeSoto, TX
Cameron McGrone, LB – Indianapolis, IN
Myles Sims, CB – Atlanta, GA
Christian Turner, RB – Buford, GA

2016
Jordan Anthony, LB – Bradenton, FL
Jaylen Kelly-Powell, S – Detroit, MI
Oliver Martin, WR – Iowa City, IA
Dylan McCaffrey, QB – Littleton, CO
Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR – Detroit, MI
Joshua Ross, LB – Orchard Lake, MI
Cesar Ruiz, C – Bradenton, FL
O’Maury Samuels, RB – Los Lunas, NM
Drew Singleton, LB – Paramus, NJ
Benjamin St-Juste, CB – Montreal, Canada
Ambry Thomas, CB – Detroit, MI

Hit the jump for more.

read more

Nike’s The Opening 2018

D.J. Turner II

The Opening 2018 finals are taking place this coming weekend and early next week, so you will probably see a fair amount of coverage. As always, here are the players you may want to keep an eye on throughout, since they have been offered by Michigan:

Marcus Banks – CB – Houston (TX) Dekaney (LSU)
Julian Barnett – WR – Belleville (MI) Belleville (Michigan State)
Marquez Beason – WR – Dallas (TX) Bishop Dunne (Illinois)
Jahleel Billingsley – TE – Chicago (IL) Phillips
Dominick Blaylock – WR – Marietta (GA) Walton
Branson Bragg – C – Crandall (TX) Crandall (Stanford)
Bryan Bresee – DE – Damascus (MD) Damascus*
Noah Cain – RB – Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy
Nick Cross – S – Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha
Rian Davis – LB – Apopka (FL) Wekiva
Kalen Deloach – LB – Savannah (GA) Islands
Akeem Dent – CB – West Palm Beach (FL ) Central (Florida State)
Aeneas DiCosmo – DE – Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic
Lance Dixon – LB – West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield
John Dunmore – WR – Hollywood (FL) Chaminade-Madonna
Ty Evans – QB – Monument (CO) Palmer Ridge (Colorado)
Justin Flowe – LB – Upland (CA) Upland
De’Gabriel Floyd – LB – Westlake (CA) Westlake (Texas)
Devyn Ford – RB – Stafford (VA) North (Penn State)
Kyle Ford – WR – Orange (CA) Lutheran
Eric Gray – RB – Memphis (TN) Lausanne
Renardo Green – CB – Apopka (FL) Wekiva (Florida State)
Kenyon Greene – OT – Humble (TX) Atascocita (Texas A&M)
Kyle Hamilton – S – Atlanta (GA) Marist (Notre Dame)
Kevin Harris – DE – Loganville (GA) Grayson (Alabama)
Jadon Haselwood – WR – Ellenwood (GA) Cedar Grove (Georgia)
DeMarcco Hellams – S – Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha (Alabama)
Arjei Henderson – WR – Richmond (TX) Fort Bend Travis (Oklahoma)
Stephen Herron, Jr. – DE – Louisville (KY) Trinity (Michigan)
Daxton Hill – S – Tulsa (OK) Booker T. Washington
Sam Howell – QB – Monroe (NC) Sun Valley (Florida State)
Giles Jackson – RB – Oakley (CA) Freedom
Cornelius Johnson – WR – Greenwich (CT) Brunswick
Quinten Johnson – S – Washington (DC) St. John’s
George Karlaftis – DE – West Lafayette (IN) West Lafayette (Purdue)
Frank Ladson – WR – Miami (FL) South Dade (Clemson)
Shane Lee – LB – Baltimore (MD) St. Frances (Alabama)
Mike Martinez – TE – Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei (UCLA)
Jase McClellan – RB – Allen (TX) Allen (Oklahoma)
Bru McCoy – WR – Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei
Cade McNamara – QB – Reno (NV) Damonte Ranch (Michigan)
Graham Mertz – QB – Mission (KS) Blue Valley North (Wisconsin)
Harry Miller – C – Buford (GA) Buford (Ohio State)
Wanya Morris – OT – Loganville (GA) Grayson (Tennessee)
Evan Neal – OT – Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy
Owen Pappoe – LB – Loganville (GA) Grayson (Auburn)
George Pickens – WR – Hoover (AL) Hoover (Auburn)
Mycah Pittman – WR – Calabasas (CA) Calabasas
Pierce Quick – OT – Trussville (AL) Hewitt Trussville (Alabama)
Elias Ricks – CB – Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei
Josh Sanguinetti – CB – Fort Lauderdale (FL) University School
Mekhail Sherman – DE – Washington (DC) St. John’s
Brandon Smith – LB – Mineral (VA) Louisa (Penn State)
Keontra Smith – S – Hollywood (FL) Chaminade-Madonna (Miami)
Ishmael Sopsher – DT – Amite (LA) Amite
Jaquaze Sorrells – DT – Largo (FL) Largo
Isaiah Spiller – RB – Spring (TX) Klein Collins
Chris Steele – CB – Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco
Derek Stingley – CB – Baton Rouge (LA) Dunham (LSU)
Austin Stogner – TE – Plano (TX) Prestonwood (Oklahoma)
Taulia Tagovailoa – QB – Alabaster (AL) Thompson (Alabama)
Kayvon Thibodeaux – DE – Thousand Oaks (CA) Oaks Christian
D.J. Turner II – CB – Suwanee (GA) North Gwinnett (Michigan)
Salim Turner-Muhammad – CB – Alexandria (VA) Episcopal (Stanford)
Marcus Washington – WR – St. Louis (MO) Trinity
Kenyatta Watson II – S – Loganville (TX) Grayson (Texas)
Theo Wease – WR – Allen (TX) Allen (Oklahoma)
Brian Williams – S – Dallas (TX) Bishop Dunne (Texas A&M)
Max Williams – CB – Gardena (CA) Junipero Serra
Jude Wolfe – TE – Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco
Mykael Wright – CB – Valencia (CA) Valencia (Oregon)
Keon Zipperer – TE – Lakeland (FL) Lakeland

*Indicates a 2020 recruit

2020 Recruiting Update: Offense

Bay City (MI) Central WR Devell Washington (image via Hudl)

COMMITMENT

Columbus (OH) Northland wide receiver Kalil Branham committed to Michigan (LINK).

Belleville (MI) Belleville cornerback Andre Seldon, Jr. committed to Michigan (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2020

Jaheim Bell – WR – Valdosta (GA) Valdosta: Bell is a 6’3″, 204 lb. prospect with offers from Marshall and Virginia Tech. He’s a 3-star, the #39 athlete, and #464 overall. He’s a player who could be a receiver, safety, or linebacker at the next level.

Lavon Bunkley-Shelton – WR – Gardena (CA) Junipero Serra: Also known as “L.V.,” Bunkley-Shelton is a 5’11”, 168-pounder with offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Florida, and Oregon, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #36 wide receiver, and #205 overall. He could also play cornerback in college. USC has not offered, but all Junipero Serra kids with USC offers go to USC, so you should probably forget about him when the Trojans extend an offer.

Michael Drennen II – RB – Dublin (OH) Coffman: Drennen is a 5’11”, 190 lb. prospect with offers from Cincinnati, Indiana, Kentucky, and Louisville, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #16 running back, and #159 overall. He was offered after camping at Michigan early last week. Michigan should be in pretty good shape unless Ohio State comes calling, which is a strong possibility.

Hit the jump for a bunch more new offers.

read more