Tag: 2013 recruiting

Scouting Report: Cole Luke

Chandler (AZ) Hamilton cornerback Cole Luke (#11) (image via East Valley Tribune)

Name: Cole Luke
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 165 lbs.
Position: Cornerback
School: Chandler (AZ) Hamilton

Notes: Holds offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Boise State, California, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon State, Purdue, San Diego State, Texas, UCLA, Utah, Vanderbilt, Washington . . . As a junior in 2011, had 62 tackles, 12 pass breakups, 6 interceptions (3 returned for touchdowns)1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 1 field goal block, 2 punt blocks . . . Claims a 4.45 forty . . . ESPN 4-star CB, 80 grade, #29 CB . . . Rivals 4-star CB, #17 CB, #198 overall . . . Scout 4-star CB, #10 CB . . . 247 Sports 4-star CB, 95 grade, #6 CB, #62 overall

Strengths: Long, lean kid with good wingspan . . . Not a true blazer, but very good speed . . . Shows good hip flexibility . . . Hard to get out of position . . . Good awareness of route combinations and what’s going on in the backfield . . . Willing run supporter . . . Goes low on tackles because of size, but wraps up and hangs on . . . Good open field tackler . . . Maintains good position when ball is in the air . . . Looks to be working for turnovers, not just to bat ball down . . . At times tries to tip interceptions to himself


Weaknesses: No glaring weaknesses . . . Needs to bulk up a little bit, like most high school corners . . . Needs to work a little on footwork . . . Not the most elusive or dangerous runner with ball in his hands, but that’s nitpicking

Projection: Cornerback.  Luke is a very smooth corner who does most things very well.  He’s not the most explosive player you’ll find, but more of a glider.  He doesn’t get out of position and always seems to know what’s going on around the field, and I think that awareness makes him a very safe bet to have a good career.  He’s a high ceiling, high floor type of player.

Reminds me of: Donovan Warren but more athletic.  I’m having a hard time coming up with a comparison from recent Michigan history, because Warren was a smooth cover man but never wowed anyone with his speed.  A lot of other good Michigan corners in recent years were more physical (Ty Law, Marlin Jackson) and not as smooth.  Luke actually reminds me a little of Johnny Sears in the way he moves, but Sears was a moron both on and off the field.

Scout 300 for 2013 updated

David Dawson (#55) jumped almost 100 spots in the new rankings

Scout released a new top 300 for 2013, and there are some changes since the initial release back in March:

Changes for Michigan players:

– Shane Morris stays at #28
– Patrick Kugler drops from #25 to #31
– Dymonte Thomas stays at #35
– Kyle Bosch stays at #49
– DeVeon Smith jumps from #58 to #53
– Chris Fox drops from #137 to #139
– Jake Butt drops from #147 to #152
– Ben Gedeon jumps from #158 to #153
– Jourdan Lewis jumps from #251 to #173
– David Dawson jumps from #274 to #178
– Logan Tuley-Tillman drops from #153 to #190
– Wyatt Shallman drops from #179 to #263
– Mike McCray drops from #202 to #214
– Gareon Conley drops from #227 to #233
– Jaron Dukes drops from #287 to #294

And here’s the rest:

5-stars:
4. Laremy Tunsil – OT – Florida
5. Su’a Cravens – S – California
6. Montravius Adams – DT – Georgia
9. Eddie Vanderdoes – DT – California
10. Robert Foster – WR – Pennsylvania
13. Vernon Hargreaves III – CB – Florida
14. Ty Isaac – RB – Illinois (USC)
15. Keith Ford – RB – Texas (Oklahoma)
17. Jaylon Smith – LB – Indiana
18. Justin Davis – RB – California
21. Justin Manning – DT – Texas
24. Joey Bosa – DE – Florida (Ohio State)
25. Kendall Fuller – CB – Maryland
26. James Quick – WR – Kentucky
27. Michael Hutchings – LB – California
28. Shane Morris – QB – Michigan (Michigan)
29. Adam Breneman – TE – Pennsylvania (Penn State)
31. Patrick Kugler – OG – Pennsylvania (Michigan)
33. Priest Willis – S – Arizona

4-stars:
37. Jason Hatcher – DE – Kentucky
39. Darrell Daniels – WR – California
40. Elijah Daniel – DE – Indiana
42. Jake Raulerson – OT – Texas
47. Sebastian Larue – WR – California
49. Kyle Bosch – OT – Illinois (Michigan)
50. John Montelus – OG – Massachusetts (Notre Dame)
53. DeVeon Smith – RB – Ohio (Michigan)
55. Marquez North – WR – North Carolina
57. Ethan Pocic – OT – Illinois
61. Kevin Olsen – QB – New Jersey
63. Alquadin Muhammad – DE – New Jersey
69. Evan Lisle – OT – Ohio (Ohio State)
71. Jake Oliver – WR – Texas (Texas)
75. Laquon Treadwell – WR – Illinois
78. Colin McGovern – OT – Illinois (Notre Dame)
79. Alex Anzalone – OLB – Pennsylvania
83. Steve Elmer – OT – Michigan (Notre Dame)
87. Greg Webb – DT – New Jersey
90. Maurice Smith – CB – Texas
91. Eli Woodard – CB – New Jersey (Ohio State)
92. Larenz Bryant – OLB – North Carolina
93. Chris Hawkins – CB – California (USC)
94. Leon McQuay – S – Florida
95. Joe Mathis – DE – California
98. Peter Kalambayi – MLB – North Carolina
102. Christian Lacouture – DE – Texas (Nebraska)
104. E.J. Levenberry – OLB – Virginia (Florida State)
107. Cameron Burrows – CB – Ohio (Ohio State)
109. Standish Dobard – TE – Louisiana (Miami)
115. Cole Luke – CB – Arizona
116. Tray Matthews – S – Georgia (Georgia)
120. Jonathan Allen – DE – Virginia
126. Derrick Green – RB – Virginia
129. Kyle Hicks – RB – Texas (Texas)
130. Shaq Wiggins – CB – Georgia (Georgia)
132. Billy Price – DT – Ohio (Ohio State)
133. Devon Allen – WR – Arizona
134. Michael Hill – DT – South Carolina
135. Henry Poggi – DT – Maryland
139. Chris Fox – OG – Colorado (Michigan)
144. Dajuan Drennon – DE – New Jersey
146. Elijah Qualls – DT – California
148. Maquedius Bain – DT – Florida (Florida State)
149. Rob Wheelwright – WR – Ohio (Wisconsin)
152. Jake Butt – TE – Ohio (Michigan)
153. Ben Gedeon – MLB – Ohio (Michigan)
158. Dorian O’Daniel – OLB – Maryland (Clemson)
159. Hunter Bivin – OT – Kentucky (Notre Dame)
166. Ishmael Wilson – OT – Texas (Texas A&M)
167. Ryan White – CB – Kentucky (Louisville)
173. Jourdan Lewis – CB – Michigan (Michigan)
176. Eldridge Massington – WR – Texas (USC)
178. David Dawson – OG – Michigan (Michigan)
187. Antwuan Davis – CB – Texas (Texas)
189. Matt Rolin – OLB – Virginia
190. Logan Tuley-Tillman – OT – Illinois (Michigan)
193. Scott Pagano – DT – Hawaii
206. Darius Latham – DT – Indiana
210. J.J. Gustafson – OT – Texas (Texas)
213. Maurice Hurst, Jr. – DT – Massachusetts (Michigan)
214. Mike McCray – OLB – Ohio (Michigan)
221. Mike McGlinchey – OT – Pennsylvania (Notre Dame)
233. Gareon Conley – CB – Ohio (Michigan)
256. James Onwualu – WR – Minnesota (Notre Dame)
263. Wyatt Shallman – FB – Michigan (Michigan)
265. Cameron Walker – CB – California
274. Jacob Matuska – DE – Ohio (Notre Dame)
281. Yannick Ngakoue – MLB – Washington, D.C.
284. Marcell Ateman – WR – Texas (Oklahoma State)
286. Demorea Stringfellow – WR – California
288. Nadir Barnwell – CB – New Jersey
294. Jaron Dukes – WR – Ohio (Michigan)
297. Tim Harris – S – Virginia (Virginia)

Running Back Recruiting

Cordova (TN) St. Benedict’s Jordan Wilkins

Yesterday’s announcement by Joliet (IL) Joliet Catholic running back Ty Isaac that he would be playing football at USC stunned some Michigan fans.  With his recent behavior, it was not surprising that heading to Southern California would be his choice.  Isaac started to withdraw from publicity a little bit, and it seems that when kids start to weary of the process, that’s often because they’re headed somewhere that won’t necessarily be well received publicly.  A kid from Illinois spurning Notre Dame, Michigan, and other midwest schools is going to get a little blowback.  This doesn’t necessarily mean that Isaac’s recruitment is over, because schools will probably continue to make a push for him.  But for now, Michigan fans should operate under the assumption that he’s permanently off the board.

Isaac was clearly the top running back prospect on the coaches’ board, so where do the Wolverines go from here?  Well, they already have Warren (OH) Howland running back DeVeon Smith and Novi (MI) Catholic Central jumbo running back Wyatt Shallman.  Both are solidly considered 4-star recruits, they can both play a role at Michigan, and both seem to be strongly committed to Michigan.  What Michigan seems to lack in those two guys is a gamebreaker.  They’re both grind-it-out types who can break tackles or score near the goal line, but neither appears to have the speed and agility to go 80 yards on any given play.

The two names that pop up most frequently are Richmond (VA) Hermitage running back Derrick Green and Cordova (TN) St. Benedict tailback Jordan Wilkins.  While Green claims 4.37 forty speed, that kind of acceleration and explosion isn’t apparent on his highlight film.  The 6’1″, 215-pounder looks more like a between-the-tackles power guy than a big play guy.  With Smith and Shallman already in the fold for 2013, taking a commitment from Green would seem a bit redundant.

Wilkins, on the other hand, looks a lot more like Isaac.  The Tennessee product has more lateral agility than Green, can catch the ball out of the backfield much like Isaac, and has the ability to break the big one.  While I don’t know that I can justify saying that Wilkins is faster than someone who claims a 4.37 forty, comparing junior film of Wilkins and Green makes the former look like the big-play guy that Michigan should be seeking.

Outside of those two guys, who both have offers, the pickings get a little slim.  There aren’t a great deal of options in the midwest, and reaching outside of the midwest is always a tough pull.  Chelsea (MI) Chelsea tailback Berkley Edwards is a Michigan legacy and the younger brother of wide receiver Braylon Edwards, but he’s small and probably not the feature back that Michigan really wants.  Otherwise, he would have been offered already.  Pickerington (OH) North’s Godwin Igwebuike is the teammate of 2013 tight end commit Jake Butt and has an offer from Wisconsin, but again, he’s not a threat to take it the distance.  The only other big-time running back prospect in the Big Ten imprint appears to be Philadelphia (PA) Imhotep’s David Williams, who has offers from Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Penn State.  Williams doesn’t have a Michigan offer and it could very well be too late to get a foot in the door.

It seems most likely at this point that Michigan will once again go without an elite level running back in the 2013 class, which continues the trend that arguably started in the 2010 class.  Fitzgerald Toussaint, a 2009 recruit, was somewhat highly touted but not really a national recruit.  One might even make the argument that you would have to go all the way back to 2008, when Michigan snagged the highly sought after Sam McGuffie, to find an elite running back in a Michigan recruiting class.

Recruiting Update: May 14, 2012

Six degrees of Kevin Bacon: Maurice Hurst, who spawned 2013 defensive tackle Maurice Hurst, Jr., tries to tackle former Michigan running back Leroy Hoard

COMMITMENT
Harper Woods (MI) Chandler Park wide receiver Csont’e York was offered by and committed to Michigan. (Commitment post here.)

ADDED TO THE BOARD (2013, 2014)
Seffner (FL) Armwood wide receiver Alvin Bailey was offered by Michigan.  The 5’11”, 170-pounder has also been targeted by Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Penn State, and South Carolina, among others.  He plays quarterback for Armwood, passing for 872 yards and 12 touchdowns, rushing for 872 yards and 6 touchdowns, and catching 22 passes for 404 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Bailey is the teammate of fellow Michigan target Leon McQuay III, a safety.

Piscataway (NJ) Piscataway cornerback Nadir Barnwell was offered by Michigan.  The 5’11”, 180-pounder is a lefty quarterback for his high school, but his quarterback days are likely over when he hits college.  He also holds offers from Florida, Georgia, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Rutgers, along with many others.  During his junior season, he passed for 1,364 yards, ran for 452, and made 40 tackles to go with 3 interceptions.  (Highlights here.)

Brooklyn (NY) Poly Prep offensive tackle Jay Hayes, a 2014 prospect, was offered by Michigan last week.  The 6’5″, 270 lb. athlete, who could also play defensive line, holds offers from Connecticut, Rutgers, and UCLA, too.

Westwood (MA) Xaverian Brothers defensive tackle Maurice Hurst, Jr. was offered by Michigan.  Hurst is a 6’2″, 285 lb. lineman with offers from Nebraska, Ohio State, and many others.  He is the son of former New England Patriots cornerback Maurice Hurst, who had 27 career interceptions from 1989 to 1995.  As a junior in 2011, “Junior” had 65 tackles and 11 sacks.

Mansfield (TX) Timberview safety Edward Paris, a 2014 prospect, was offered by Michigan.  He stands 6’2″ and 188 lbs. and claims a 4.4 forty.  Teams like Clemson, LSU, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma are already after him.  He carried the ball 12 times for 179 yards (14.9 yards per carry) and 3 touchdowns, but he also broke up 20 passes and notched 8 interceptions.  That’s pretty good production for a sophomore defensive back. (Highlights here.)

Tuscaloosa (AL) Northridge athlete Bo Scarbrough, a 2014 prospect, was offered by Michigan.  The 6’1″, 215 lb. is projected by some sites as a running back and as a linebacker by others, but after I watched his highlights, he looks like a running back to me.  He also doesn’t look like he’s 215 lbs. unless he’s put on some serious weight since football season, but oh well – he’s only a sophomore.  Scarbrough already holds offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Clemson, UCLA, and a few others, but since he’s in the Crimson Tide’s back yard, I won’t hold my breath that he’ll head to Michigan.

Olathe (KS) South offensive tackle Braden Smith, a 2014 prospect, was offered by Michigan.  The 6’6″, 285 lb. lineman also shows offers from Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Stanford. 

Chandler (AZ) Williams Field wide receiver Dionte Sykes, a 2014 prospect, was offered by Michigan.  He’s currently about 6’1″ and 175 lbs.  As a freshman in 2010, he was timed at 4.69 seconds in the forty and had a 245 lb. bench press, both of which are very impressive numbers for a freshman (and maybe too good to believe).  He also has offers from Arizona State, Colorado, and UCLA.  (Highlights here.)

Saluda (SC) Saluda defensive tackle Dexter Wideman, a 2014 prospect, was offered by Michigan.  He’s 6’3″, 276 lbs. as a sophomore and also holds offers from Clemson and South Carolina.  As a sophomore in 2011, he had 61 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery.

Scouting Report: Eddie Vanderdoes

Placer (CA) Placer defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes

Name: Eddie Vanderdoes
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 285 lbs.
Position: Defensive tackle
School: Placer (CA) Placer

Notes: Holds offers from Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Boise State, California, Colorado, Fresno State, Georgia, Houston, Illinois, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Oregon State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, San Jose State, Texas A&M, UCLA, USC, Utah, Vanderbilt, Washington, and Washington State . . . Claims a 4.88 forty yard dash . . . Bench presses 305 lbs. . . . Squats 500 lbs. . . . As a junior in 2011, had 65 tackles, 10 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 safety

Strengths: Very athletic for such a big kid . . . Quick enough and explosive enough to leap over occasional cut blocks . . . Has a well developed swim move . . . Has the ability to get under opposing linemen’s pads and bull rush . . . Devastating hitter when he squares up quarterbacks . . . Shows good straight line speed and very good lateral quickness . . . Has length to get separation from opposing linemen . . . Strong in both upper and lower body

Weaknesses: A bit of a freelancer . . . Too many spins and swims will get him washed out of plays against good linemen . . . Needs to strike his opponent with his hands first . . . Needs to improve hand placement and shedding blocks . . . Needs to work on stance, as he telegraphs loops and stunts . . . Plays a little high at times, which goes back to his stance . . . Needs to get up on the line of scrimmage rather than sitting back two or three feet . . . Could improve on feeling blocks and diagnosing plays . . . Hands, hands, hands

Projection: Nose tackle or 3-tech defensive tackle.  Vanderdoes is a bull when he wants to be.  He could play either defensive tackle position, and with his speed, he could probably even play strongside end in certain packages.  Vanderdoes does a little too much freelancing and isn’t technical enough right now.  He has loads of athletic talent, but he’s the type of kid who might take a couple years to adjust to college competition.  Sometimes big kids get used to blowing everyone up without using their hands, and then it’s not natural for them to do so when they face players who can stonewall them if they’re not careful.  He seems like a boom-or-bust type of player.  He will either take to college coaching and become a monster, or he will fail to develop the technical aspects of his game and get lost in the shuffle.

Reminds me of: Alan Branch