Farmington (MI) Farmington linebacker David Reese decommitted from Michigan on Wednesday night. He had committed to Michigan on the day of the spring game back in April (LINK).
Anyone with a finger on the pulse of Reese’s recruitment saw this moment coming months ago. Reese originally committed with Michigan’s understanding that he would get his first shot to play fullback, but that he would also be looked at as a linebacker. As more offers for linebacker started to come through, Reese started to reconsider and wanted assurances from Michigan that he could be a linebacker through and through. Meanwhile, he was also looking to enroll early. Michigan informed Reese that he could play linebacker, but that they were keeping early enrollee spots open for other prospects. In other words, they said that if he wanted to play for Michigan, he would have to wait until next summer to enroll.
Hit the jump for more on Reese, as well as some analysis of the linebacker recruiting situation.
Perhaps because of the growing friction between Reese and Michigan, other offers started to come through. Reese was a one-time Louisville commit, too, but now teams like Florida, TCU, and Texas came calling. Reese has taken visits to Nebraska, Florida, and TCU, and a visit to Texas is scheduled for this coming weekend.
Reese is at least the second linebacker to be removed from the 2016 class, joining Elkton (MD) Eastern Christian Academy’s Dele’ Harding. In a bit of a similar situation, Jim Harbaugh’s coaching staff realized that they did not want to pursue Harding, who committed to Brady Hoke’s staff. Harding, though, reportedly did not respond to Michigan’s attempts to contact him. Additionally, Norco (CA) Norco athlete Victor Viramontes decommitted from Michigan a few days ago. He is a high school quarterback/linebacker who was offered by Michigan as a quarterback, but his athleticism and mentality may have made him a linebacker down the road.
This is all very interesting for Michigan, a team that has gaping holes at linebacker for the 2016 season. Senior Ben Gedeon is the only experienced player returning on the roster, and the rest of the potential contributors are career special teamers, players coming off of injury, position-switchers, or walk-ons. Prattville (AL) Prattville’s Dytarious Johnson is the only true linebacker committed at this time, while Pembroke Pines (FL) Flanagan hybrid player Devin Gil could also be a linebacker.
Here’s a rundown of Michigan’s current 2016 options at the linebacker position:
- Pembroke Pines (FL) Flanagan’s Devin Bush, Jr. announces his college decision on December 16th (next Wednesday), and Michigan feels confident about earning his pledge.
- Gordo (AL) Gordo’s Ben Davis has made some noise about potentially visiting Michigan in January, but Michigan has only been on the fringe of his recruitment.
- McKeesport (PA) McKeesport safety/linebacker Khaleke Hudson was offered by Michigan recently, has been visited by Michigan’s coaches in the past few days, and has scheduled an official visit to Ann Arbor for mid-January.
- Houston (TX) Alief Elsik’s Dontavious Jackson has visited Michigan multiple times, and the Wolverines are at or near the top of his list.
- Orlando (FL) Oak Ridge linebacker Jonathan Jones has named Michigan his leader multiple times, has visited multiple times, and will take an official visit to Ann Arbor this coming weekend.
- Torrance (CA) North athlete Mique Juarez is a former USC commit that Michigan wanted to try to get to visit, but that probably won’t happen.
- Fresno (CA) Clovis West’s Caleb Kelly is an outside linebacker prospect who seems to like Oklahoma along with Michigan. It seems like a 50/50 proposition, but Michigan reportedly is not as high on him as some recruiting sites, and that lack of attention may push him over the edge toward the Sooners.
- Ellenwood (GA) Cedar Grove’s Elysee Mbem-Bosse is a wild card prospect nobody has been discussing, but he visited Michigan for the OSU game and could pick the Wolverines. He is pretty quiet on the recruiting trail.
- Houston (TX) Aldine Davis’s Jeffrey McCulloch visited Michigan for the Ohio State game, but the Wolverines seem to have been playing from pretty far behind.
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I’d have given Reece the early in. He’s a good football player that really likes to hit. I think he’s going to be an asset wherever he lands.
I’m not crazy about Caleb Kelly. He’s a specimen to be sure, long, pretty fast and all that, bats down some balls, but I’m not knockout by his film.
Viramontes looked like a for real linebacker to me, but i always thought the he might have been making a mistake coming here from the standpoint of having fun in college as I think he could be a really good QB for somebody like Rich Rod.
Dontavious Jackson is really big. Depending on how much soft weight he is carrying now, I think he could end up playing with his hand in the dirt.
Devin Bush and Jonathon Jones are way the picks of this litter as far as I’m concerned. But now, we be needing some LBs.
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I have a couple of homies in the Clovis area, they’re not sold on Caleb Kelly either….legit player, but nothing transcendent enough to warrant all the hype and star ratings.
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I continue to not see the 5 Starness of Daelin Hayes. First of all, his film is a confused mess. You can see just a world of size and some serious athletic ability, but the level of competition is not stellar. He’s a man among boys out there, the problem is that the boys really are boys. And not particularly big or athletic boys at that.
I think he’s a legit high level D1 kid, but I don’t like him more than I like Jonathan Jones.
I also think he’s a DE.
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I’ve said before that I’m not as high on Caleb Kelly as some of the recruiting sites, and Daelin Hayes is another one who does not impress me much. He gets injured too much, and his film isn’t all that impressive, anyway. I think his ratings are based largely on his size and speed, and I think it’s kind of laughable that Rivals rates him so highly.
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Still trying to figure out why a 6’2″ 230 lb linebacker recruit (Winovich) was tried out at TE all this season, when the coaches knew how thin we would be at LB next year. Despite having some decent looking talent and experience coming back next year, we also have gaping roster holes that make it look like our most fundamental weaknesses from 2015 (run blocking and LB play) are not likely to be improved upon. Even in what looks like a good 2016 recruiting class, we’ve got too many projects, and few if any guys who will be able to make an immediate impact. Have to hope that Harbaugh and Co. are looking high and low for a grad transfer at LB.
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