Cesar Ruiz, Wolverine

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19Dec 2016
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Cesar Ruiz, Wolverine

Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy C Cesar Ruiz at The Opening

Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy center Cesar Ruiz committed to Michigan today. He chose the Wolverines over offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Rutgers, and Stanford, among others.

He’s 6’3″, 315 lbs. and claims a 5.26 forty.

RATINGS
ESPN: 4-star, 84 grade, #1 C, #69 overall
Rivals: 4-star, #1 C, #77 overall
Scout: 4-star, #2 C, #100 overall
247 Sports: 4-star, 95 grade, #1 C, #66 overall

Hit the jump for more on Ruiz’s commitment to Michigan.

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19Dec 2016
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2017 Recruiting Update: December 19, 2016

Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy center Cesar Ruiz (image via Scout)




COMMITMENTS

Cheshire (CT) Cheshire Academy wide receiver Tarik Black committed to Michigan (LINK).

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones committed to Michigan (LINK).

DECOMMITMENT

Groton (MA) Lawrence Academy running back A.J. Dillon flipped from Michigan to Boston College (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017

Orlando (FL) Dr. Phillips defensive end Robert Porcher IV decommitted from Nebraska. He’s the son of former Detroit Lion Robert Porcher, as you probably gathered already. He’s a 3-star, the #33 weakside end, and #545 overall. When he decommitted he mentioned that he wanted to stay closer to his family, which is interesting because his offers within the state of Florida are from FAU, UCF, and USF. If he indeed plans to stay in Florida, then those aren’t exactly powerhouse schools. He did take an official visit to Michigan in October.

Hit the jump for several players who committed elsewhere and some random bits from the recruiting world.

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17Dec 2016
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2017 Recruiting Down the Stretch: Tight End

Will anyone in the 2017 class be the next Jake Butt?

COMMITMENTS

Michigan doesn’t have any tight ends in the 2017 class after Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice tight end Carter Dunaway decommitted several months ago. It’s worth noting that Dunaway is still sitting on offers from Indiana, Nebraska, and Purdue. He’s a 3-star, the #64 tight end, and #1340 overall.

UNCOMMITTED PLAYERS

  • Josh Falo
  • Leonard Warner

Hit the jump for more on Michigan’s tight end situation.

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17Dec 2016
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A.J. Dillon, Ex-Wolverine

Groton (MA) Lawrence Academy running back A.J. Dillon decommitted from Michigan on Thursday and flipped to Boston College. Here’s what I wrote about Dillon back in March when he committed (LINK).

As you can see, I was not in love with Dillon. He’s a back in the mold of De’Veon Smith, in my opinion, and while Smith has done some good things, he’s not a championship- or award-caliber back. Dillon ran a laser-timed 4.64 forty, but that speed didn’t necessarily show up on the field.

I wrote a piece on Michigan’s running back recruiting not long ago (LINK) in which I outlined some possible scenarios for the position leading up to the completion of the 2017 class. Basically, Michigan seems to have a shot with just a couple guys right now to fill out the class and/or replace Dillon. One is national #1 prospect Najee Harris from Antioch (CA) Antioch. The other is Wylie (TX) East back Eno Benjamin, who is currently projected to go to Texas. There are some positive vibes about Harris potentially flipping from Alabama to Michigan, and the Wolverines were recently put in the top six for Benjamin, a former Iowa commit.

The loss of Dillon isn’t particularly damaging from a talent standpoint, but it could signal an underwhelming haul at the running back position if Michigan can’t close with Harris or Benjamin. The Wolverines had three running back commits, but are now down to two. Dillon was the second-best runner, according to the 247 Composite rankings, and the top back, Los Lunas (NM) Los Lunas’s O’Maury Samuels, is trying to shore up his academic resume. If academics causes him to fall by the wayside, then Michigan might be left with their third-best option in Loganville (GA) Grayson’s Kurt Taylor. While Michigan got a solid crew in 2016 with Chris Evans, Kareem Walker, and Kingston Davis, it would be disappointing for Michigan to only be able to bring in the 59th-best running back in the country after a year in which they were in playoff discussion and finished the regular season ranked at #6.

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16Dec 2016
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Some notes on Isaiah Wilson’s commitment to Georgia

Brooklyn (NY) Poly offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson (image via Rivals)

I’m almost to 5,000 followers on Twitter, so help me out and give me a follow (LINK).


NOTE: This is the skeleton of a commitment post I had begun writing for Isaiah Wilson. I had my Crystal Ball on him to pick Michigan, and the late swing to Georgia surprised a lot of people in the Michigan recruiting sphere. So I had some notes going, as well as a bit of a scouting report. Naysayers will say that I’m throwing this stuff out there only because he committed elsewhere, but I guarantee what’s below was written prior to his public commitment to the Bulldogs.

Wilson is listed at 6’7″, 355 lbs. He claims a 5.6 forty.

RATINGS
ESPN: 5-star, 93 grade, #2 OT, #2 overall
Rivals: 5-star, #2 OT, #6 overall
Scout: 4-star, #9 OT, #49 overall
247 Sports: 4-star, 94 grade, #12 OT, #103 overall

Hit the jump for more.

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