Tag: 2013 recruiting

Weekend Visitors: March 16-18, 2012

Warren (OH) Howland running back Deveon Smith (image via 247 Sports)

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech OT David Dawson: Dawson committed to Michigan back in February.

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech LB Deon Drake: Drake, a 2014 prospect, is 6’1″ and 215 lbs.  He currently has no offers, partly because he was overshadowed by some of the other talent at Cass Tech last season. (Highlights here.)

Richmond (VA) Hermitage RB Derrick Green: Green is a 6’1″, 215 lb. running back with reported 4.37 speed, but you don’t really see that track speed translating to the football field.  He is a big power runner, though, and would fit in well with Michigan’s offense because he gets downhill and can punish tacklers.  He has offers from Ohio State, Oklahoma, and USC, along with lots of others. (Highlights here.)

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech S Delano Hill: Cass Tech is a pipeline to Michigan . . . at least for guys that Michigan offers.  However, Hill has not been offered by the Wolverines, and an offer does not seem to be on the horizon.  The Wolverines seem to be set at safety unless a big-time player (like Su’a Cravens) wants to commit. (Highlights here.)

Detroit (MI) Crockett TE Khalid Hill: Hill committed to Michigan back in February.

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech LB Gary Hosey: Hosey, a 2014 prospect, transferred to Cass Tech from Farmington Hills (MI) Harrison.  At 6’0″ and 230 lbs., he seems like a middle linebacker prospect for Michigan, if anything.

Pittsburgh (PA) Seton La Salle TE Scott Orndoff: Orndoff had been committed to Wisconsin since August, but he decommitted from the Badgers at the end of February, partly because offensive coordinator Paul Chryst left for the Pitt Panthers.  He also has offers from Michigan State and West Virginia, among others.  Despite having two tight ends already committed, it sounds like the coaches would be open to taking a commitment from Orndoff, a 245-pounder who stands 6’4″. (Highlights here.)

Baltimore (MD) Gilman DT Henry Poggi: Poggi is the son of Biff Poggi, the head coach at Gilman.  Henry has brothers playing football at Iowa and Duke.  The youngest of the bunch is a 6’3″, 255 lb. defensive tackle who is also being looked at by some schools as a tight end.  Alabama, Maryland, and Ohio State, among others, have also offered Henry.



Warren (OH) Howland RB Deveon Smith: Smith is a 5’11”, 200 lb. inside runner who lacks true breakaway speed.  He is a very tough runner, though, and would be a solid addition the class.  However, there is some information circulating that Michigan has backed off on his recruitment a little bit, hoping that they’ll be able to reel in Ty Isaac before Smith makes a commitment.  Opinions vary wildly on whether Michigan should try to grab Smith this weekend, whether they should back off and wait on Isaac, or whether they should try to get both.  The general feeling is that Michigan only wants one more running back to go along with Novi (MI) Catholic Central’s Wyatt Shallman, not two. (Highlights here.)

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech WR Damon Webb: There’s not a whole lot of information out there about Webb, but he’s a 2014 prospect who transferred to Cass Tech from U of D Jesuit.  Webb is now a 5’11”, 170 lb. wideout. (Freshman highlights here.)


Detroit (MI) Cass Tech LB William White: White is a 6’1″, 220 lb. inside linebacker.  His father played safety for the Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, and Atlanta Falcons from 1988-1998, making 672 career tackles and 20 career picks.

Scouting Report: Ty Isaac

Joliet (IL) Catholic running back Ty Isaac (#32)

Name: Ty Isaac
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 215 lbs.
Class: 2013
Position: Running back
School: Joliet (IL) Catholic

Notes: Holds offers from Arizona, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Purdue, Tennessee, Toledo, USC, Vanderbilt, Washington, and Wisconsin . . . As a junior in 2011, rushed 178 times for 2,114 times and 45 touchdowns . . . Caught 16 passes for 360 yards and 7 touchdowns . . . As a sophomore in 2010, rushed for 650 yards and 7 touchdowns . . . As a freshman in 2009, rushed for 675 yards and 6 touchdowns . . . ESPN 4-star RB . . . Rivals 4-star RB, #18 overall . . . 247 Sports 4-star RB, 96 grade, #4 RB, #28 overall . . .

Strengths: Very good speed for a kid his size . . . Has clearly worked on running form to maximize speed . . . Very smooth runner in the open field who will be tough to track down from behind . . . Good vision . . . Knows how to set up blocks, when to follow blockers, and when to explode through hole . . . Naturally lowers hips to maximize cutting ability . . . Lowers pad level well when he sees contact coming . . . Good receiver . . . Catches ball away from body and high points the ball . . . Shows good hustle all the way through the play

Weaknesses: Not a particularly tough runner . . . Needs to improve lower body strength and leg drive . . . Goes down too easily when being tackled from side or behind . . . Probably needs to add 20 lbs. to be an effective power runner

Projection: Running back.  Isaac has all the tools to be a successful college running back.  There’s a reason many big-time schools are after him . . . but he plays against poor competition, so his high school statistics and highlights should be taken with a grain of salt.  The high school players he’s playing against are overmatched, and it’s not because Isaac is superhuman.  I have heard many concerns that he runs too high, but I don’t see that as being a problem.  He does have a very upright running motion, but that’s typically only when he gets in the open field and is running away from 5’8″, 150 lb. defensive backs; when he’s in traffic, he does a good job of running behind his pads.  I also have some concerns that in his misdirection, east-west high school offense, he might struggle to adjust to running from the I-formation and getting downhill immediately in college.  He takes advantage of a lot of overpursuing linebackers to get into cutback lanes, but that flow might not be there at the next level.  As Isaac grows and turns into a 235 lb. tailback, he seems to have a good future, especially if he runs behind a powerful offensive line like Michigan’s that can get him to the second and third level against smaller, sometimes slower players.

Reminds me of: Eddie George

For high definition highlights, click here or watch the low def ones below:

National Underclassmen Combine: Michigan top 20 for 2013

Shallman is NUC’s 15th-best prospect in Michigan

National Underclassmen Combine released its top 20 in-state prospects for the class of 2013.  All of the players are notable, I guess, since they’re in-state kids . . . but the order in which they’re ranked might be a bit surprising.  Click through for the full list, but here are the Michigan offerees:

1. Steve Elmer – OL – Midland (MI) Midland (Notre Dame)
2. Shane Morris – QB – Warren (MI) De La Salle (Michigan)
4. David Dawson – OL – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech (Michigan)
6. Jourdan Lewis – DB – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech (Michigan)
10. Khalid Hill – LB – Detroit (MI) Crockett (Michigan)
15. Wyatt Shallman – DL – Novi (MI) Catholic Central (Michigan)

Recruiting Update: March 12, 2012

Detroit (MI) Loyola defensive end Malik McDowell

COMMITMENTS
Massillon (OH) Washington cornerback Gareon Conley committed to Michigan.

Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison linebacker Mike McCray committed to Michigan.

ADDED TO THE BOARD
Duluth (GA) Peachtree Ridge offensive tackle Orlando Brown, a 2014 prospect, was offered by Michigan.  Brown is the son of Orlando “Zeus” Brown, the former Cleveland Brown and Baltimore Raven offensive tackle.  The younger Brown is even bigger than his father, currently standing 6’10” and weighing 360 lbs.  He also has offers from Alabama, Auburn, Notre Dame, and USC, along with several others.

Grand Rapids (MI) Christian wide receiver Drake Harris, a 2014 prospect, has a Michigan offer.  Harris is a 6’4″, 180 lb. kid who is also a highly touted shooting guard prospect.  As a sophomore in 2011, he had 57 receptions for 1,118 yards and 14 touchdowns.  He also has offers to play football at Indiana and Michigan State.

Mesquite (TX) West Mesquite wide receiver Eldridge Massington was offered by Michigan on Wednesday.  He’s a 6’3″, 205 lb. wideout with offers from Baylor, Houston, Notre Dame, TCU, and Tennessee, among others.  As a junior in 2011, he had 41 receptions for 666 yards and 6 touchdowns.  As you might imagine from an offer list like that, Massington immediately put Michigan and Notre Dame at the top of the heap.  He’s a tall, good-sized receiver with enough speed to stretch the field.

Detroit (MI) Loyola defensive end Malik McDowell, a 2014 prospect, was offered by Michigan.  McDowell is a 6’6″, 260 lb. strongside end who has started to wow people this offseason.  Loyola isn’t a highly recruited school, so it’s rare that we hear of kids from that school.  There have been rumors that McDowell will be transferring to Cass Tech, but so far there hasn’t been any movement there.  He also has an offer from Syracuse.

OFF THE BOARD
Camp Hill (PA) Cedar Cliff tight end Adam Breneman committed to Penn State.  I did a scouting report and TTB Andrew interviewed Breneman in the past, but always seemed to be a long shot for Michigan.  You can’t fault the kid for choosing the Nittany Lions.  New head coach Bill O’Brien showed with the New England Patriots that he values the tight end position, and he’ll find myriad ways of getting the ball to Breneman in the next few seasons.

Columbus (OH) Bishop Hartley tight end Jacob Matuska committed to Notre Dame.  The 6’5″, 240-pounder was being recruited by Michigan as a tight end, but the Fighting Irish are planning to use him as a defensive end.

Belton (TX) Belton tight end Durham Smythe committed to Texas.  Along with jumbo wide receiver Ricky Seals-Jones, who could also play tight end, the Longhorns are bringing in a couple quality

Crete (IL) Crete-Monee cornerback Anthony Standifer committed to Mississippi.  Standifer, a 2012 prospect, was committed to Michigan for several months, but a reported academic issue was going to prevent him from getting into Michigan.  Therefore, he decommitted a few months ago and started to look elsewhere.  He finally chose a school this past week.

VISITORS
In case you missed it, here’s a list of guys who visited Michigan this past weekend.  David Dawson is on that list, but he ended up not making it to Ann Arbor.

Meanwhile, St. Paul (MN) Cretin-Derham wide receiver James Onwualu will be visiting Michigan on Wednesday.  The 6’1″, 205 lb. athlete is being recruited by Michigan as a slot receiver, while other schools are recruiting him as a cornerback and safety, too.

Gareon Conley, Wolverine

Massillon (OH) Washington’s Gareon Conley is Michigan’s newest commit

Massillon (OH) Washington cornerback Gareon Conley committed to Michigan on Saturday.  He chose the Wolverines over offers from Northwestern, Toledo, and West Virginia.

Conley is 6’2″ and 165 lbs.  As a junior in 2011, he made 26 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 4 interceptions.  He also had 3 receptions for 10 yards, 3 punt returns for 39 yards, and 4 kickoff returns for 142 yards.

Ratings:
ESPN: Unranked CB
Rivals: Unranked ATH
Scout: 4-star CB, #20 CB, #227 overall
247 Sports: 3-star CB, 88 grade

Conley was offered by Michigan in mid-February and the word out of Massillon was that he would be a Wolverine – it was just a matter of when.  Even though the Wolverines have zero other commitments at the boundary corner position, it’s quite possible that Conley saw all the other commitments going down and wanted to hop on the train before it got full.  The coaches likely want to take two or three total corners in this class.

Conley is listed as being 6’1″ or 6’2″ on all the recruiting sites, and he’s a long, lanky kid.  He has good speed but he’s not lightning fast.  He does accelerate pretty well for a kid with such long legs, and it’s going to be hard to beat him over the top because of his speed and length.  His wingspan will allow him to jam receivers at the line and reach around receivers to tip away passes without having to interfere with the offensive player.

My concerns with Conley are twofold.  First of all, how quickly will he be able to add weight?  He’s very thin at his height and only 165 lbs.  Michigan is lacking in big corners, so much so that incoming freshman Jarrod Wilson might get a shot to play cornerback instead of free safety.  J.T. Floyd will have graduated by the time Conley arrives, so that will leave Raymon Taylor as the only sizable cornerback; Blake Countess, Delonte Hollowell, and Terry Richardson are all small-ish field corner types, although Countess could probably play the boundary if necessary.  This goes hand-in-hand with Conley’s size questions, but will he become more aggressive with added size?  There are times in his highlights where he seems afraid of contact.  He’s tentative when tackling, tries to drag guys to the ground, and shies away from contact when running the ball. 

Overall, Conley is a very good athlete whose mentality and aggression need to catch up to the rest of what he has to offer.  Once he adds the necessary weight and strength, he should improve as a tackler and run supporter.  I have never seen a kid come to Michigan and fail to add weight; it’s just a matter of how quickly that can happen for him.  But if he doesn’t become a more physical player, he will have a hard time seeing the field.

Massillon Washington is the alma mater of former Michigan linebacker Shawn Crable and former Michigan cornerback (late of Scottsdale Community College) Justin Turner.

TTB Rating: 75 (rating system)