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Kevonte Henry, Ex-Wolverine

Lawndale (CA) Leuzinger outside linebacker/defensive end Kevonte Henry committed to Oklahoma on National Signing Day after having been committed to Michigan. Henry committed to Michigan back in June 2021, but the departure of recruiting coordinator Courtney Morgan was a big development. After Morgan left to lead Washington’s recruiting department, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Henry would not be in the class, and Michigan did not pursue him very much over the past month or two.

I gave Henry a TTB Rating of 82 when he committed (LINK). He ended up ranked as a 3-star, the #33 edge player, and #396 overall. I think Henry has a chance to be a pretty good player, but recruiting kids from California is tough because a lot of them get homesick. If Morgan wasn’t going to be a part of Michigan’s program to give him an anchor, then even if Henry had stuck with Michigan initially, he very easily could have ended up in the transfer portal and closer to home in a year or two, anyway.

Michigan signed a total of 22 players in the class, including a couple defensive end/outside linebacker types in 4-star Derrick Moore and 3-star Micah Pollard.

Tom Brady is Retiring

The greatest NFL player of all time is retiring. The nice thing about Tom Brady is that unlike in other sports, the clear GOAT in football is Brady. Nobody else can lay claim to that spot, not after 7 Super Bowl wins, 10 Super Bowl appearances, and 14 conference championship games.

Not after 84,520 passing yards, which is #1 all time. Not after 7,263 completions, which is #1 all time. Not after 624 passing touchdowns, which is #1 all time.

Not after switching teams late in his career and winning the Super Bowl in year one for a previously struggling franchise, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Here are the quarterbacks taken in the 2000 NFL Draft, along with Brady, and their final year in the NFL:

• Marshall’s Chad Pennington to the Jets (Rd. 1, #18 overall): 2010
• Hofstra’s Giovanni Carmazzi to the 49ers (Rd. 3, #65): 2001
• Louisville’s Chris Redman to the Ravens (Rd. 3, #75): 2011
• Tennessee’s Tee Martin to the Steelers (Rd. 5, #163): 2003
• Virginia’s Marc Bulger to the Saints (Rd. 6, #168): 2010
• Southwest Texas State’s Spergon Wynn to the Browns (Rd. 6, #183): 2001
• Michigan’s Tom Brady to the Patriots (Rd. 6, #199): 2021
• Stanford’s Todd Husak to the Redskins (Rd. 6, #202): 2000
• Florida A&M’s Ja’Juan Seider to the Chargers (Rd. 6, #205): 2000
• Louisiana Tech’s Tim Rattay to the 49ers (Rd. 7, #212): 2007
• Notre Dame’s Jarious Jackson to the Broncos (Rd. 7, #214): 2003
• Georgia Tech’s Joe Hamilton to the Buccaneers (Rd. 7, #234): 2004

That shows you just how long Brady outlasted everyone else in his draft. Pennington was a decent QB who had some injury issues, and Bulger had a couple decent seasons with the Rams, but everyone else was a flop. And Brady kept plugging away – no, excelling – for 22 seasons.

Personally, I remember lying on the floor in my living room watching him shred Alabama in the Orange Bowl and being in awe of what was happening. Brady just had that “It” factor where things always seemed like they would turn out okay, and I don’t think I felt such confidence in a Michigan quarterback since watching Elvis Grbac as a wee lad.

It’s sad to see him step away, but it was fun knowing each and every year that a Michigan man was going to be consistently excellent to watch and root for in the NFL.

2022 Recruiting Update: National Signing Day Preview

The [late] signing period opens up on Wednesday. February’s National Signing Day used to mean fireworks, but there won’t be many fireworks for Michigan this year, as they signed most of their class back in December.

Here is a list of the uncommitted prospects remaining on Michigan’s offer board:

• Maryland S Bryce Barnes
• California RB Jabari Bates
• California CB Tayvion Beasley
• Michigan LB Jordan Cannon
• Louisiana RB TreVonte Citizen
• Washington OT Josh Conerly
• Georgia WR Syveion Ellis
• California CB Jahlil Florence
• Florida RB Terrance Gibbs
• California DE Gracen Halton
• Pennsylvania DT Lavon Johnson
• Georgia LB E.J. Lightsey
• Louisiana S Jacoby Mathews
• Texas TE Trent McGaughey
• Maryland WR Lamar Patterson
• Maryland DT Nasir Pearce
• New Jersey CB Avery Powell
• Alabama OT Riley Quick
• Florida LB Devin Smith
• Nevada LB Robby Snelling
• Florida DE Shemar Stewart
• Washington DT Peter Taiopu
• Michigan WR Tay’shawn Trent

Hit the jump for more.

2023 Recruiting Update: January 31, 2022

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2023

Jayden Bonsu – S – Hillside (NJ) St. Peter’s Prep: Bonsu is a 6’2″, 190 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Miami, and Penn State.

Jaden Greathouse – WR – Austin (TX) Westlake: Greathouse is a 6’2″, 206-pounder with offers from Baylor, Miami, and Texas, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #16 wide receiver, and #156 overall.

Malik Hartford – WR – West Chester (OH) Lakota West: Hartford is a 6’3″, 175 lb. prospect with offers from Notre Dame and Ohio State, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #19 athlete, and #217 overall. He could play wide receiver or safety at the next level.

Hit the jump for more.

Visitors: January 28-30, 2022

2022

Bryce Wilcox – S – Sharpsburg (GA) Trinity Christian: Wilcox is a 5’11”, 171 lb. prospect with an offer from Navy. He’s likely in consideration for a preferred walk-on opportunity from the Wolverines, if anything.

2023

Joshua Beasley – LB – Belleville (MI) Belleville: Beasley is a 6’0″, 200 lb. prospect.

Trent Brown – S – Washington (DC) St. John’s: Brown is a 6’0″, 185 lb. safety. He’s a teammate of incoming preferred walk-on Shomari Stone II.

Hit the jump for more.