Name: Trente Jones Height: 6’5″ Weight; 302 lbs. High school: Loganville (GA) Grayson Position: Offensive tackle Class: Freshman Jersey number: N/A Last year: Jones was a senior in high school (LINK). He had 69 pancake blocks as a senior. TTB Rating: N/A
Jones is a bit of a rarity for Michigan – a touted prospect from an elite program in the South. Jones comes from Loganville (GA) Grayson, which produces star players every year. There are some hard feelings in the area that Grayson poaches a lot of good players from nearby schools. But they play against good programs and hold their own against powerhouses from other parts of the country.
This year Jones should not be a factor in Michigan’s rotation, despite being an Under Armour All-American. Jon Runyan, Jr. will start at one tackle, and the other tackle spot is a battle between Andrew Stueber and Jalen Mayfield. Jones needs a year or two in the weight room, so that works out well for the program overall, but I do think he will be a good player down the road.
Ja’Khi Douglas – WR – Houma (LA) Terrebonne: Douglas is a 5’9″, 187 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, and Florida State, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #33 wide receiver, and #180 overall. He’s built a little bit like a running back, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him play in the backfield a little bit when he gets to college. He claims a 4.48 forty, a 4.51 shuttle, and a 37″ vertical.
Kyle Edwards – RB – Destrehan (LA) Destrehan: Edwards is a 6’0″, 210-pounder with offers from Alabama, Notre Dame, and Texas A&M, among others. He’s a 3-star, the #34 running back, and #463 overall. He’s a burly running back who reminds me a little bit of former Michigan back Thomas Rawls.
Montra Edwards – DT – Lexington (MS) Holmes Central: Edwards is a 6’2″, 282-pounder, and with those measurements, I can’t help thinking of Maurice Hurst, Jr. He’s a 3-star, the #62 defensive tackle, and #785 overall. His stat line of 102 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks as a junior is also pretty impressive, if not unbelievable.
Name: Charles Thomas Height: 5’11” Weight: 224 lbs. High school: Oakdale (CT) St. Thomas More Position: Linebacker Class: Freshman Jersey number: N/A Last year: Thomas was a senior in high school (LINK). He made 49 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and a 44-yard punt return for a touchdown. TTB Rating: N/A
Thomas is a tough prospect to pin down – figuratively and figuratively. (Not literally, because that would just be mean.) Not only has he attended three high schools – Langston Hughes in GA, IMG Academy in FL, and St. Thomas More in CT – but his highlights are a bit scattered. He’s listed on Michigan’s signing day info as being 5’11” and 224 lbs., even though those are often exaggerated, and he was listed as a recruit at 6’0″. So he’s probably 5’10”.
As for his play on the field, it doesn’t appear to be too impressive. He doesn’t show a lot of sideline-to-sideline speed, and his physicality is combined with less than stellar technique. He could be a thumping two-down middle linebacker, but those are a thing of the past. Can he improve his speed and coverage? If not, I’m afraid he’ll be playing from behind throughout his career. I expect him to redshirt while those things get sorted out.
Former Michigan cornerback Benjamin St-Juste is transferring to Minnesota (LINK).
How much will Michigan’s tight ends be used this year (LINK)?
LeBron James – notorious for being an OSU fan – endorses Juwan Howard as the next Michigan basketball coach (LINK). I like James, but I’m not sure how to feel about that.
Michigan with a nice wrinkle to Boundary Pin & Pull RPO