Posts under: Blog

2017 Recruiting Update: May 9, 2016

Waxahachie (TX) Waxahachie WR Kenedy Snell (image via DFW.com)

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ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017
Warren (OH) Harding safety Lynn Bowden decommitted from Indiana. He’s a 6’1″, 185 lb. prospect with offers from Kentucky, Penn State, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #10 athlete, and #197 overall. It was surprising to me when he initially committed to the Hoosiers because he’s more talented than even the best of Indiana’s recruits most years, so it does not surprise me at all that he’s looking elsewhere. Michigan is holding a satellite camp at his school this summer (LINK).

Fayetteville (AR) Fayetteville defensive tackle Akial Byers was offered by Michigan in late March and I missed that news. He’s a 6’4″, 275 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Arkansas State, Florida State, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #15 defensive tackle, and #263 overall. As a junior in 2015, he made 69 tackles, 11 TFLs, and 3 sacks. Don Brown visited him in late April, so the Wolverines are actively recruiting him. He’s a big body with some impressive quickness, and he uses his hands pretty well. Arkansas two of the three Crystal Ball picks, but he has yet to pick up an offer from the home-state Razorbacks.

Lewisville (TX) Lewisville wide receiver Tyrell Shavers was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’6″, 202 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Oregon, Stanford, and Texas, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #26 wide receiver, and #207 overall. As a junior in 2015, he caught 36 passes for 667 yards and 10 TDs. He claims a 4.38 forty. A lot of 6’6″ receivers look like they might grow into tight ends, but Shavers is pretty lanky and looks like he’ll stick on the outside.

Hit the jump for a couple more offers, a player who went off the board, and a brief recap of some in-state accolades at the Nike’s Columbus Regional combine.

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Visitors: May 6-8, 2016

West Linn (OR) West Linn OT Alex Forsyth (image via Oregon Live)

2017

Nico Collins – WR – Pinson (AL) Clay-Chalkville: Collins is a 6’5″, 195 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, and Georgia, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #11 wide receiver, and #79 overall. He was supposed to visit Ann Arbor for the spring game but ended up visiting Georgia instead. As a junior in 2015, he caught 60 balls for 1,103 yards and 16 TDs. All 11 of his 247 Sports Crystal Ball picks are in favor of the Crimson Tide.

Alex Forsyth – OG – West Linn (OR) West Linn: Forsyth is a 6’5″, 280 lb. prospect with offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, Michigan, and Oregon, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #65 offensive tackle, and #584 overall. It’s difficult to pull Oregon players out of Oregon who have Oregon offers, and that seems like it will be the case with Forsyth, too. He has three Crystal Ball predictions, all for the Ducks. He’ll be in town on Wednesday, May 4.

Deron Irving-Bey – DE – Flint (MI) Southwestern: Irving-Bey is a 6’5″, 271 lb. prospect with offers from Indiana, Iowa State, Michigan, and Michigan State, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #13 strongside end, and #287 overall. He picked up the offer from the Wolverines toward the end of April. Like Forsyth, Irving-Bey has three Crystal Ball predictions for a green team, but this one is the Spartans. He will be in Ann Arbor on Tuesday, May 3. UPDATE: Irving-Bey did not visit this week and will try to make it to campus in June.

Site news: I’m a baller

(image via SB Nation)

A Crystal Baller, that is. This has been in the works for a bit, but yesterday I was given access to my own 247 Sports Crystal Ball account. Thanks are in order for Steve Lorenz, who vouched for me at 247; Chad, who gave me the account on the technical end at 247; and user Frito Bandito, who told me on Twitter that he sent messages to Lorenz on my behalf to get the ball rolling.

My first Crystal Ball prediction was for St. Joseph (MI) St. Joseph weakside end Corey Malone-Hatcher to Michigan. You can see all my predictions here (LINK). You can also follower me on Twitter (LINK), where my predictions will be posted in real time.

Football Study Hall: The modern power run game

Ian Boyd has a solid article on how various offenses run power, including read plays (LINK).

Hit the jump for some pictures of beautiful women, including a model doing a runway walk.

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Ben Mason, Wolverine

Sandy Hook (CT) Newtown FB/LB Ben Mason (image via News Times)

Sandy Hook (CT) Newtown fullback/linebacker committed to Michigan on Tuesday evening. He chose the Wolverines over offers from Boston College, Cal, Duke, Pitt, Rutgers, and Wisconsin, among others.

Mason is listed at 6’2″, 247 lbs. and ran a 4.88 forty. As a junior in 2015, he made 113 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, and 4 interceptions.

RATINGS
ESPN: Unranked
Rivals: 3-star ILB
Scout: 3-star, #32 ILB
247 Sports: 3-star, #28 ILB, #765 overall

Hit the jump for more on Mason’s commitment.

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