Visitors: March 2-4, 2018

Posts under: Blog


3Mar 2018
Blog, homepage no comments

Visitors: March 2-4, 2018

Kalel Mullings (image via TexasAgs)

2019

Lance Dixon – LB – West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield: Dixon is a 6’3″, 195 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Penn State, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #17 outside linebacker, and #278 overall. Right now his Crystal Ball is 83% in favor of MSU and 17% for Michigan.

Tre Mosley – WR – West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield: Mosley is a 6’2″, 175 lb. prospect with offers from Boston College, Indiana, Michigan, and Minnesota, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 3-star, the #76 wide receiver, and #562 overall. He’s a teammate of Dixon (see above).

2020

Kalel Mullings – LB – Boston (MA) Milton Academy: Mullings is a 6’2″, 215 lb. prospect with offers from Boston College, Maryland, Michigan, and UCLA, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #4 outside linebacker, and #30 overall. It’s very early in the process, but it looks like Michigan leads early. He visited Ann Arbor for the Ohio State game last fall.

Makari Paige – S – West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield: Paige is a 6’3″, 182 lb. prospect with offers from Boston College, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Minnesota, among others. He has four Crystal Ball predictions, all for Michigan.

Cornell Wheeler – LB – West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield: Wheeler is a 6’1″, 220 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan, Syracuse, and Toledo.

1Mar 2018
Blog, homepage 3 comments

Goodbye, Patrick Kugler

Patrick Kugler (image via MGoBlog)

HIGH SCHOOL

Kugler attended Wexford (PA) North Allegheny when his dad, Sean, was the offensive line coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Patrick was a 247 Composite 4-star, the #1 center, and #68 overall in the 2013 class. Florida, Florida State, Miami, Notre Dame, Penn State, Pitt, Stanford, and others all offered, including Purdue, where his brother played offensive line, as well. Kugler committed to Michigan in late February of 2012 (LINK), almost a year before National Signing Day. While film was lacking early in his career, I ended up giving a TTB Rating of 86 at the end of the cycle (LINK).

COLLEGE

Kugler redshirted in 2013 and only played in one game in 2014, the opener against Appalachian State. As a redshirt sophomore in 2015, he played in three games as a backup. Kugler made one start at left guard in 2016 when Ben Braden was injured, and he played in four more games as a backup throughout the season. As a fifth year senior in 2017, Kugler started all thirteen games at center, earning Honorable Mention All-Big Ten from the media.

CAREER STATS

14 starts in 23 games played

AWARDS

Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (2017)

SUMMARY

Even though Kugler was a tackle in high school, Michigan fans – and national evaluators – had high expectations for him. He was the projected #1 player at the center position, and he was a top-100 guy overall. With his father being an NFL offensive line coach, it was assumed he would be a relatively early contributor, particularly because the underwhelming Jack Miller was ahead of him when he arrived. A shoulder injury hampered Kugler for his first couple seasons on campus, and he even admitted in an interview last year that he did not take football seriously enough early in his career. Whether that was a reference to rehab, film study, the weight room, practice habits, or some combination of those things is unclear, but it’s not an understatement to say that his first four years on campus were disappointing. It shouldn’t take a guy with his size and pedigree five years to become a reliable contributor, but it did. Guys who played ahead of him included Jack Miller, Graham Glasgow, and Mason Cole, who converted from left tackle to keep Kugler on the bench in 2016. Kugler actually did a solid job of blocking in 2017, but there were communication issues on the offensive line, particularly with the right side. Whether that was an issue with Kugler’s calls or just with the guys on the right side, we’ll never know for sure. Considering the coaching staff is bringing him back as a graduate assistant in 2018, I have to believe the staff was confident in his understanding of the game.

I WILL REMEMBER HIM FOR . . . 

. . . being the son of an NFL offensive line coach. When he was being recruited, and when he was sitting on the bench, I couldn’t help thinking, “His dad is an NFL coach! He’s got to be good, right?!?!?!”

PROJECTION

As I mentioned above, Michigan is planning for Kugler to return in 2018 as a graduate assistant. He appears to be following in his dad’s footsteps as a coach, and he won’t be pursuing a career as an NFL player. This is probably a prudent move, since he would not be drafted and I don’t believe he would stick with an NFL team.

28Feb 2018
Blog, homepage 3 comments

2021 Recruiting Update: February 28, 2018

Buford (GA) Buford QB Aaron McLaughlin (image via Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

If you would like to contribute to the site, please consider using the Amazon links to make purchases. Or you can use the Paypal button on the sidebar. Thank you!


ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2021

Fort Lauderdale (FL) University School linebacker Emile Aime was offered by Michigan. He’s a 5’10”, 190 lb. prospect with offers from Louisville and Syracuse. He’s rated as an inside linebacker, so it will be interesting to see how his body develops, considering he’s so short and light at this point.

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech center Raheem Anderson II was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’3″, 288 lb. prospect with offers from Iowa State and Toledo. Anderson was a starter on Cass Tech’s team as a freshman in 2017, and he’s currently the only Cass Tech player with an offer from the Wolverines. Michigan has yet to offer any 2019 or 2020 prospects from a school that has been considered a pipeline to Ann Arbor.

Chicago (IL) Phillips defensive tackle Dominic Bass was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’4″, 250-pounder with offers from Iowa State and Purdue, among others. Michigan also offered his 2019 teammate, tight end Jahleel Billingsley.

Hit the jump for several more new offers in the 2021 class.

read more

26Feb 2018
Blog, homepage 3 comments

2019 Recruiting Update: February 26, 2018

Brandon Smith (image via 247 Sports)

COMMITMENT

Loganville (GA) Grayson offensive tackle Trente Jones committed to Michigan (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2019

Bellflower (CA) Mayfair safety Chris Adimora was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’1″, 195 lb. prospect with offers from Nebraska, Oregon, Texas, UCLA, and USC, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #23 safety, and #294 overall. I don’t get my hopes up for any California prospects, so I expect him to go to UCLA or USC.

Chicago (IL) Phillips Academy tight end Jahleel Billingsley was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’5″, 230-pounder with offers from Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, and Penn State, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #8 tight end, and #260 overall.

Westlake Village (CA) Oaks Christian running back Zach Charbonnet was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’1″, 192 lb. prospect with offers from Cal, Notre Dame, UCLA, and USC, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #19 running back, and #275 overall. As a junior in 2017, he ran the ball 265 times for 2,049 yards (7.7 YPC) and 23 touchdowns. He’s got a good combination of agility, burst, and power.

Hit the jump for several more offers and tidbits.

read more