Recruiting Update: February 22, 2016

Recruiting Update: February 22, 2016


February 22, 2016
Eno Benjamin 711x

Wylie (TX) East running back Eno Benjamin (image via HornSports)

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COMMITMENT
Littleton (CO) Valor Christian quarterback Dylan McCaffrey committed to Michigan (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017
Wylie (TX) East running back Eno Benjamin was offered by Michigan. He’s a 5’10”, 204 lb. prospect with offers from Houston, Iowa, Miami, and Texas Tech, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #13 running back, and #170 overall. As a junior in 2015, he ran 366 times for 2,652 yards and 41 TDs; he also caught 18 passes for 232 yards and 2 TDs. Benjamin’s trainer is former Michigan running back David Underwood, and he has been trying to get a Michigan offer for a couple years now. He does not have great top-end speed and is somewhat similar to 2017 running back commit Kurt Taylor, although Taylor probably has the edge in power while Benjamin is a little more elusive. If you want a good chuckle, watch Benjamin’s highlights at the :47 mark; as he breaks free down the sideline, his receiver realizes the cornerback is trailing him in man coverage, so the receiver just keeps sprinting 50 yards downfield while the cornerback has no idea where the ball is.

Kimberly (WI) Kimberly offensive guard Logan Bruss was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’4″, 260 lb. prospect with offers from Illinois, Nebraska, and Wisconsin, among others. Ben Bredeson aside, it’s typically pretty difficult to pull Wisconsin linemen out of Wisconsin when the state of Wisconsin wants to keep them in Wisconsin. Dorms made of cheese with beer faucets are hard to turn down.

Hit the jump for a bunch more new offers, a new 2018 offer, and some random bits.

Fontana (CA) Summit running back Stephen Carr, a USC commit, was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’0″, 195 lb. prospect who also has offers from Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame, and UCLA, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #2 running back, and #30 overall. Carr has a very good combination of speed, elusiveness, and power, but he is likely to stick with his USC commitment.

Houston (TX) North Shore defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson was offered by Michigan. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #6 weakside end, and #118 overall. He has offers from Baylor, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Texas, and Texas Tech, among others. He’s a bit of a compact speed rusher, but he is expected to stay in the state of Texas.

Oak Ridge (TN) Oak Ridge wide receiver Tee Higgins was offered by Michigan. Higgins is a 6’5″, 190 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, and others. He’s a 247 Composite 5-star, the #4 wide receiver, and #24 overall, and he was Tennessee’s Mr. Football in 2015 when he caught 46 passes for 841 yards and 16 TDs. This is high praise to live up to, but his game reminds me a bit of Cincinnati Bengals receiver A.J. Green’s.

Beaver Falls (PA) Beaver Falls defensive tackle Donovan Jeter was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’4″, 260 lb. prospect with offers from Miami, Ohio State, Penn State, Pitt, and Stanford, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #17 defensive tackle, and #272 overall. Jeter is so awesome that he wears the #5 as a defensive end (although he will need to move inside at the next level). Penn State is considered to be the favorite, but he immediately put Michigan in his top group when the Wolverines offered.

Sacramento (CA) Luther Burbank defensive end Deonte “D.J.” Johnson was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’5″, 240 lb. prospect with offers from Georgia, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, and USC, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #13 weakside end, and #186 overall. His highlights are pretty fun to watch, especially the first play in which he tracks down a wide receiver 60 yards downfield after a reverse pass completion, saving a touchdown by 2 yards. His hustling skills are admirable.

Lawrenceville (GA) Central Gwinnett defensive tackle Emmanuel McNeil was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’3″, 280 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU, and Ohio State, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #29 defensive tackle, and #471 overall. As a junior playing for Riverside Military Academy, he made 21 TFLs and 5 sacks; this will be his first season at Central Gwinnett.

Oakland (CA) Bishop O’Dowd offensive tackle Alijah Vera-Tucker was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’4″, 275 lb. prospect with offers from Cal, Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #30 offensive tackle, and #194 overall. He is coached by former Washington Huskies and Oakland Raiders running back Napoleon Kaufman; Michigan recruited linebacker Camilo Eifler from O’Dowd in 2016, but he signed with Washington.

Lexington (KY) Lafayette offensive tackle Jedrick Wills was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’5″, 315 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Kentucky, LSU, Notre Dame, and Ohio State, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #7 offensive tackle, and #34 overall. When I first saw a headshot of Wills, I thought I would see a player on film who looked a little bit sloppy at 315 lbs. In fact, I saw just the opposite. Wills is very agile and athletic for his size, and he also plays aggressively. He would be a very good pickup as a left tackle prospect, although he will probably stay down south.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2018
Los Angeles (CA) Hawkins wide receiver Jalen Hall was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’3″, 180 lb. prospect with offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Cal, Miami, Notre Dame, and USC, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #1 wide receiver, and #6 overall for the class of 2018. Michigan is already recruiting a trio of his 2017 teammates: RB Greg Johnson, WR/TE Taariq Johnson, and WR Joseph Lewis.

OFF THE BOARD
Warren (OH) Harding safety Lynn Bowden committed to Indiana. He’s the #162 overall player in the country. That’s abnormally high for an Indiana commit, so we’ll see if his pledge lasts all the way through Signing Day.

MISCELLANEOUS
Brooklyn (NY) Poly offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson named Michigan to his “final five.” Previously, he had named Michigan his leader, and he visited campus during the first weekend of February. A decision is not imminent, so this may play out for a while.

Miami (FL) Columbus cornerback Trajan Bandy named Michigan his #3 school in a top eleven; Oklahoma and Tennessee are 1-2. Bandy is a teammate of Michigan signee Joshua Uche.

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