Posts under: Blog

2017 Recruiting Update: June 21, 2016

Darien (CT) Darien offensive tackle Andrew Stueber (image via Darien Times)

COMMITMENT

Leesburg (GA) Lee County defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon committed to Michigan (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017

Peculiar (MO) Raymore-Peculiar defensive end Anthony Payne was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’3″, 250 lb. prospect with offers from Arkansas State, a few MAC schools, Tulane, and the like. He’s a 247 Sports 3-star, the #27 strongside end, and #697 overall. He worked out at Michigan’s satellite camp in Missouri, and the coaches liked what they saw. I can’t really blame them too much if his reported measurables are accurate: a 4.67 forty, a 405 lb. bench, a 635 lb. squat, and a 39″ vertical. However, his film isn’t anything special, and he looks like a guy who could get swallowed up by offensive tackles.

Darien (CT) Darien offensive tackle Andrew Stueber was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’6″, 285 lb. prospect with offers from Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, Pitt, Rutgers, and Tennessee, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #80 offensive tackle, and #774 overall. The nice thing about recruiting the New England area is that there’s not a strong pull to remain in the geographical area, since there aren’t any noteworthy programs there. On the flip side, one reason for the lack of noteworthy programs is a lack of talent (and competition for the talent that is there). Stueber’s film is fun to watch if you like to see an FBS-caliber tackle beating up on overmatched defenders, but he’s somewhat limited athletically and stands up too high.

Hit the jump for several commitments elsewhere, along with some random tidbits.

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2016 Season Countdown: #79 Alex Malzone

Alex Malzone (#12)

Name: Alex Malzone
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 222 lbs.
High school: Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #12
Last year: I ranked Malzone #75 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He redshirted.

Malzone enrolled in January of 2015 and earned a start for one team in last year’s spring game. That was the pinnacle of his very short career. By the fall he had dropped down the depth chart, at least to #4 behind Jake Rudock, Wilton Speight, and Shane Morris. This spring he was behind Speight, Morris, transfer John O’Korn, and even true freshman early enrollee Brandon Peters. And after a few snaps in the spring game, he was escorted off the field by a trainer after injuring his throwing hand. Then he had a minor run-in with the law. So the last twelve months or so have not gone smoothly for him in the football department.

It’s a new season in 2016, but not much will change. He should still be behind the aforementioned players, making him maybe fifth on the depth chart. Some mop-up duty isn’t out of the question, since Peters will probably redshirt. However, if something drastic were to happen, I think Peters would draw into the lineup before Malzone. Peters is just a superior athlete. Malzone will probably spend all or the vast majority of the season watching from the sideline.

Prediction: Fifth string quarterback

Otis Reese, Wolverine

Leesburg (GA) Lee County linebacker Otis Reese (image via Scout)

Leesburg (GA) Lee County linebacker Otis Reese, a 2018 prospect, committed to Michigan on Saturday. He chose the Wolverines over offers from Central Michigan, Louisville, Troy, and UCLA.

Reese is 6’2″, 195 lbs.

RATINGS
ESPN: Unranked
Rivals: Unranked
Scout: 4-star S
247 Sports: 4-star, 92 grade, #11 S, #117 overall

Hit the jump for more on Reese’s commitment.

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Aubrey Solomon, Wolverine

Leesburg (VA) Lee County DT Aubrey Solomon (image via Cleveland.com)

Leesburg (GA) Lee County defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon committed to Michigan on Saturday. He chose the Wolverines over offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Ohio State, and Ole Miss, among others.

Solomon is 6’3″, 305 lbs.

RATINGS
ESPN: 4-star, 84 grade, #6 DT, #61 overall
Rivals: 4-star, #4 DT, #91 overall
Scout: 4-star, #9 DT, #127 overall
247 Sports: 4-star, 91 grade, #14 DT, #207 overall

Hit the jump for more on Solomon’s commitment.

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Visitors: June 17-19, 2016

Kennedale (TX) Kennedale LB Baron Browning

2017

Toryque Bateman – OT – Gadsden (AL) Gadsden City: Bateman is a 6’8″, 305 lb. prospect with offers from Miami, Michigan, Mississippi State, and Tennesee, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #44 offensive tackle, and #403 overall.

Baron Browning – LB – Kennedale (TX) Kennedale: Browning is a 6’3″, 230 lb. prospect with offers from just about every major program across the country. He was previously committed to Baylor, though he decommitted well before the poop hit the fan in Waco. He’s a 247 Composite 5-star, the #2 outside linebacker, and #8 overall. His older brother, Barry, played cornerback at Stanford for Jim Harbaugh.

Tory Carter – FB – Leesburg (GA) Lee County: Carter is a 6’2″, 255 lb. prospect who committed to LSU in May; he also has offers from Troy and Michigan, the latter of which he picked up on Tuesday. Carter is a 247 Composite 3-star, the #3 fullback, and #1653 overall.

Hit the jump for several more visitors.

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