Recruiting Update: October 21, 2015

Kurt Taylor

COMMITMENT
Covington (GA) Newton running back Kurt Taylor committed to Michigan (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
Farmington Hills (MI) Harrison defensive end Khalid Kareem decommitted from Alabama. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #9 strongside end, and #195 overall. When Harrison originally committed to the Crimson Tide, Michigan thought they might secure his commitment and got surprised. The Wolverines continued to recruit him, but now they feel as if they have a good chance at some other players, so they have not been recruiting Kareem. Notre Dame looks like a legitimate option.

Hit the jump for a new 2017 offer, some guys who went off the board, and some random bits.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017
New Orleans (LA) McDonogh 35 safety Brad Stewart, Jr. was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’0″, 193 lb. prospect with offers from Florida, Florida State, Miami, Mississippi State, and others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #30 cornerback, and #358 overall.

OFF THE BOARD
Pittsburgh (PA) Seton-La Salle wide receiver/safety Paris Ford, a 2017 prospect, committed to Pitt. Ford is the #6 safety and #96 overall for the 2017 class, but he never showed a lot of interest in his Michigan offer.

Citra (FL) North Marion wide receiver Freddie Swain committed to Florida. This was expected, and he did not show much interest in Michigan.

New London (NC) North Stanly running back Antonio Williams committed to Ohio State. Williams had been committed to Wisconsin, but he decommitted last week in the wake of the news of Ohio State commit Kareem Walker visiting Michigan. It seemed like a foregone conclusion that Williams would commit to Ohio State, and that’s exactly what happened. The complicating factor is that Ohio State’s other running back commit, George Hill, decommitted in the midst of all that. Hill is expected to commit to Michigan State, Williams is committed to Ohio State, and Walker is still committed to the Buckeyes. Meanwhile, there are some who think Walker will be committed to Michigan before long.

MISCELLANEOUS
Here’s the visitors list for last weekend’s game against Michigan State (LINK).

In addition to the Williams/Walker/Hill news above, something else is going on with Michigan running back recruiting. It looked like something might come to a head eventually, and now Southfield (MI) Southfield running back Matt Falcon will not be a part of Michigan’s recruiting class. Michigan’s coaching staff is not confident that Falcon can return to form, and the school is willing to honor his scholarship offer in the form of a medical scholarship, but not as one of their 25 (or 85) football scholarships. Falcon suffered a third career ACL injury prior to his senior season beginning, and other injuries have caused him to miss time in previous years. Michigan was pretty set with their running back situation before that injury, but with Falcon hurt and the duo of Kiante Enis/Chris Evans possibly playing other positions, the Wolverines want a sure running back in this class. That explains the interest in Walker, and I believe it could lead to other explorations at the position if Walker remains committed to OSU or commits elsewhere. Regardless, we can basically trim Falcon off of the 2016 commitment list. Some other running backs I would keep an eye on are Texas’s Rakeem Boyd (Texas A&M) and North Carolina’s Robert Washington, a former Syracuse commit.

Elkton (MD) Eastern Christian Academy linebacker Dele’ Harding is another 2016 commit who should no longer be considered so. The new Michigan staff basically has not recruited him, though they have attempted to get word to him that they would be going in a different direction. Harding committed to Michigan during the 2014 season, after athletic director Dave Brandon was fired but before Brady Hoke was canned. Harding was a high school teammate of second-year Wolverines Freddy Canteen and Brandon Watson. Michigan is down to 20 recruits in the class of 2016 right now.

Check out the recruit tracker for updates on commits’ senior seasons (LINK).

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