Tag: 2014 recruiting

Final Rivals 250 for 2014 released

Drake Harris is the #115 player in the country, according to Rivals

Rivals released their final list of top 250 players today. They released the top 100 yesterday. Here’s what it looked like in December. Movement for Michigan commits:

– Drake Harris drops from #106 to #115
– Michael Ferns drops from #202 to #211
– Bryan Mone dropped from #185 to being off the list

The rest of Michigan’s offerees:

103. Bryson Allen-Williams – LB – Georgia (South Carolina)
113. K.C. McDermott – OT – Florida (Miami)
115. Drake Harris – WR – Michigan (Michigan)
120. Daniel Helm – TE – Illinois (Tennessee)
121. Demarre Kitt – WR – Georgia (Clemson)
126. Adarius Pickett – CB – California (UCLA)
133. Kalen Ballage – ATH – Colorado (Arizona State)
134. Marshon Lattimore – ATH – Ohio (Ohio State)
135. Montae Nicholson – S – Pennsylvania (Michigan State)
137. Andy Bauer – OT – Missouri (Missouri)
138. Otaro Alaka – LB – Texas (Texas)
151. Jacory Washington – TE – Louisiana (LSU)
162. Bentley Spain – OT – North Carolina (North Carolina)
167. Dravon Henry – ATH – Pennsylvania (West Virginia)
176. Mark Andrews – WR – Arizona (Oklahoma)
186. Nick Watkins – CB – Texas (Notre Dame)
203. Sam Mustipher – OG – Maryland (Notre Dame)
208. Wesley Green – CB – Georgia
211. Michael Ferns – LB – Ohio (Michigan)
220. Roderick Johnson – OT – Missouri
224. Corey Holmes – WR – Florida (Notre Dame)
226. Melvin Keihn – LB – Maryland (Virginia Tech)
230. D’Andre Payne – CB – Washington, DC (Tennessee)
233. Jay Hayes – DT – New York (Notre Dame)
234. Parrker Westphal – CB – Illinois (Northwestern)
237. Dexter Wideman – DT – South Carolina (South Carolina)
246. K.J. Williams – WR – Pennsylvania (Syracuse)
248. Saeed Blacknall – WR – New Jersey (Rutgers)

Final Rivals 100 for 2014 released

Paramus (NJ) Catholic cornerback Jabrill Peppers is Rivals’ #3 player nationally

Rivals released their top 100 players on Monday. Here’s what it looked like back in December. Movement for Michigan commits:

– Jabrill Peppers dropped from #2 to #3
– Mason Cole jumped from #129 to #92

5-stars:
1. Da’Shawn Hand – DE – Virginia (Alabama)
2. Myles Garrett – DE – Texas (Texas A&M)
3. Jabrill Peppers – CB – New Jersey (Michigan)
4. Leonard Fournette – RB – Louisiana (LSU)
5. Quin Blanding – S – Virginia (Virginia)
6. Adoree’ Jackson – CB – California
8. Joe Mixon – RB – California (Oklahoma)
10. Jalen Tabor – CB – Washington, DC (Florida)
15. Malachi Dupre – WR – Louisiana
16. Bo Scarbrough – ATH – Alabama (Alabama)
17. Cameron Robinson – OT – Louisiana (Alabama)
20. Damian Prince – OT – Maryland
24. John Smith – S – California
26. Malik McDowell – DE – Michigan
27. Josh Malone – WR – Tennessee (Tennessee)
30. Elijah Hood – RB – North Carolina (North Carolina)
32. Andrew Brown – DT – Virginia (Virginia)
33. Jalen Hurd – RB – Tennessee (Tennessee)

4-stars:
36. Lorenzo Carter – DE – Georgia
37. Solomon Thomas – DE – Texas
38. Jamal Adams – S – Texas (LSU)
40. Damon Webb – CB – Michigan (Ohio State)
44. Jeff Jones – RB – Minnesota (Minnesota)
45. Demetrius Knox – OG – Texas (Ohio State)
50. Braden Smith – OG – Kansas
51. Erick Smith – S – Ohio (Ohio State)
53. Steven Parker – S – Oklahoma
57. Edward Paris – S – Texas (LSU)
63. Dante Booker – LB – Ohio (Ohio State)
68. Artavis Scott – WR – Florida (Clemson)
70. Jackson Barton – OT – Utah (Utah)
72. Nyles Morgan – LB – Illinois (Notre Dame)
74. Casey Tucker – OT – Arizona
77. Christian McCaffrey – RB – Colorado (Stanford)
79. Jeb Blazevich – TE – North Carolina (Georgia)
89. Jalen Brown – WR – Arizona (Oregon)
92. Mason Cole – OG – Florida (Michigan)
94. Jamarco Jones – OG – Illinois (Notre Dame)
95. Kenny Young – LB – Louisiana
98. Alex Bars – OT – Tennessee (Notre Dame)

Recruiting Update: January 20, 2014

Tyriq and Clarence Thompson (image via 247 Sports)

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2014
Sarasota (FL) Booker running back Marlon Mack (offense, defense) was offered by Michigan. Mack is a 6’0″, 195 lb. prospect with offers from Indiana, Louisville, South Florida, and UCLA, among others; he was committed to the Bruins until a few days ago. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #98 athlete, and the #1,117 player overall. Mack claims a 4.5 forty and shows the speed on film, but he’s not a polished running back and more of an athlete who runs the ball. The reason I linked his offensive and defensive highlights separately above is that he has a chance to play safety or maybe even corner in college, and I would lean toward him having higher upside at safety. He has good range and is a very physical hitter from the defensive back position. However, he appears to prefer running back, and that’s the position where Michigan is recruiting him at this time. The Wolverines are also in hot pursuit of Minneapolis (MN) Washburn running back Jeff Jones, and while signs are positive for Jones to Michigan, Mack decommitted from UCLA as soon as he was offered by Michigan assistant coach Jeff Hecklinski. Both running backs are planning January 31st official visits to Ann Arbor, so it will be a very interesting race to see who commits first. I believe Michigan will get at least one of the two, but Mack’s versatility could mean that he has a spot whether Jones commits or not.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015
Tampa (FL) Plant offensive tackle Jake Fruhmorgen was offered by Michigan. Fruhmorgen is a 6’5″, 280 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, South Carolina, and Wisconsin, along with lots of others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #6 offensive tackle, and #75 overall, and he’s already committed to playing in the 2015 Under Armour All-American Game. Fruhmorgen has the feet to play tackle at the next level, but really, I think he could play either guard or tackle position. His father John was an offensive tackle at Alabama in the late 1980’s and went on to play professionally, most notably for the Miami Dolphins.

Memphis (TN) Whitehaven linebacker Joshua McMillon was offered by Michigan. McMillon is a 6’3″, 230 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Ole Miss, and Tennessee, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #13 outside linebacker, and #186 overall. McMillon is being recruited as a SAM linebacker by the Wolverines, but he looks like a guy who might be more likely to end up at weakside end in the future. On the plus side for Michigan, his head coach is a Michigan graduate and he’s interested in early playing time, which could work out for him with starter Jake Ryan graduating after 2014 and no heir apparent. On the negative side, McMillon has stated that his “dream school” is Alabama.

Detroit (MI) King linebacker Tyriq Thompson was offered by Michigan on Thursday. Thompson is a 6’2″, 210 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan State, North Carolina State, Northwestern, and Wisconsin, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #23 outside linebacker, and the #448 player overall. As a junior in 2013, he had 142 tackles, 10 sacks, 7 pass breakups, and 4 forced fumbles. Thompson moved from Missouri to Michigan prior to the 2013 season. His stature and stance make him look a little like James Ross, but Thompson plays a little slower. Michigan State was presumed to be the leader until Michigan offered, so this new development makes things interesting. Thompson’s father Clarence was a safety at Michigan in the mid-’90s, when he made 154 tackles, 7 interceptions, 11 pass breakups, 4 fumble recoveries, and 1 forced fumble from 1993-1995.

OFF THE BOARD
Baltimore (MD) Gilman cornerback Troy Vincent, Jr. flipped from Penn State to North Carolina State. Obviously, he’s the son of Troy Vincent, whom you may or may not remember as a Wisconsin Badger, Miami Dolphin, and Philadelphia Eagle. Michigan seems set at cornerback, and there was some question about how heavily the Wolverines pursued him in the first place.

MISCELLANEOUS
The recruiting sites all updated their final rankings for the 2014 class:

• ESPN
• Scout
• 247 Sports

Final Scout 300 for 2014 released

Grand Rapids (MI) Christian wide receiver Drake Harris moved up two spots in the Scout 300 despite missing his senior season due to injury.

Scout released its final list of top 300 prospects for the class of 2014. Here’s what it looked like through last month. Movement for Michigan commits:

– Jabrill Peppers moved up from #4 to #3
– Drake Harris moved up from #54 to #52
– Bryan Mone moved up from #90 to #88
– Lawrence Marshall moved up one spot from #105 to #104
– Freddy Canteen dropped one spot from #171 to #172
– Michael Ferns dropped one spot from #178 to #179
– Mason Cole dropped from #249 to #253
– Chase Winovich dropped from #281 to #291

Here are the rest of Michigan’s offerees:

5-stars:
1. Leonard Fournette – RB – Louisiana (LSU)
2. Cameron Robinson – OT – Louisiana (Alabama)
3. Jabrill Peppers – CB – New Jersey (Michigan)
5. Myles Garrett – DE – Texas (Texas A&M)
6. Adoree’ Jackson – CB – California
8. Jamal Adams – S – Texas (LSU)
10. John Smith – S – California
12. Da’Shawn Hand – DE – Virginia (Alabama)
15. Quin Blanding – S – Virginia (Virginia)
17. Andrew Brown – DT – Virginia (Virginia)
18. Joe Mixon – RB – California (Oklahoma)
20. Solomon Thomas – DE – Texas
22. Casey Tucker – OT – Arizona
23. Lorenzo Carter – DE – Georgia
25. Bo Scarbrough – RB – Alabama (Alabama)
26. Braden Smith – OG – Kansas
27. Malachi Dupre – WR – Louisiana
29. Sam Hubbard – OLB – Ohio (Ohio State)
31. K.C. McDermott – OT – Florida (Miami)
34. Nyles Morgan – ILB – Illinois (Notre Dame)
36. Malik McDowell – DE – Michigan

4-stars:
41. Jalen Tabor – CB – Washington, DC (Florida)
42. Damon Webb – CB – Michigan (Ohio State)
43. Erick Smith – S – Ohio (Ohio State)
47. Edward Paris – CB – Texas (LSU)
49. Jalen Brown – WR – Arizona (Oregon)
51. Marshon Lattimore – CB – Ohio (Ohio State)
52. Drake Harris – WR – Michigan (Michigan)
55. Elijah Hood – RB – North Carolina (North Carolina)
59. Damian Prince – OT – Maryland
61. Mark Andrews – WR – Arizona (Oklahoma)
63. Jamarco Jones – OT – Illinois (Ohio State)
66. Josh Malone – WR – Tennessee (Tennessee)
67. Kyle Berger – OLB – Ohio (Ohio State)
69. Saeed Blacknall – WR – New Jersey (Rutgers)
75. Jalen Hurd – RB – Tennessee (Tennessee)
76. Dante Booker – OLB – Ohio (Ohio State)
78. Jeff Jones – RB – Minnesota (Minnesota)
81. Christian McCaffrey – RB – Colorado (Stanford)
83. Khairi Clark – DT – Florida (Florida)
86. Roderick Johnson – OT – Missouri
88. Bryan Mone – DT – Utah (Michigan)
102. Artavis Scott – WR – Florida (Clemson)
103. Parrker Westphal – S – Illinois (Northwestern)
104. Lawrence Marshall – DE – Michigan (Michigan)
107. Demetrius Knox – OG – Texas (Ohio State)
112. Steven Parker – S – Oklahoma
134. Sam Mustipher – OG – Maryland (Notre Dame)
138. Bryson Allen-Williams – OLB – Georgia (South Carolina)
143. Adarius Pickett – CB – California (UCLA)
144. Brandon Simmons – S – Texas (Stanford)
150. Kenny Young – MLB – Louisiana
158. Daniel Helm – TE – Illinois (Tennessee)
159. Bentley Spain – OT – North Carolina (North Carolina)
170. Shai McKenzie – RB – Pennsylvania (Virginia Tech)
172. Freddy Canteen – WR – Maryland (Michigan)
177. Dravon Henry – CB – Pennsylvania (West Virginia)
179. Michael Ferns – MLB – Ohio (Michigan)
180. Otaro Alaka – OLB – Texas (Texas)
187. Demarre Kitt – WR – Georgia (Clemson)
191. Jeb Blazevich – TE – North Carolina (Georgia)
195. Richard Yeargin – OLB – Florida (Notre Dame)
200. Corey Holmes – WR – Florida (Notre Dame)
202. Alex Bars – OT – Tennessee (Notre Dame)
204. Montae Nicholson – S – Pennsylvania (Michigan State)
205. Nick Watkins – CB – Texas (Notre Dame)
206. Jacory Washington – TE – Louisiana (LSU)
209. Wesley Green – CB – Georgia
222. Devon Thomas – RB – Oklahoma (Oklahoma State)
227. D’Andre Payne – CB – Washington, DC (Tennessee)
233. Jay Hayes – DT – New York (Notre Dame)
239. Marcus Allen – S – Maryland (Penn State)
247. Ja’Von Harrison – WR – Florida (Virginia Tech)
253. Mason Cole – OT – Florida (Michigan)
258. Malik Hooker – WR – Pennsylvania (Ohio State)
266. Dexter Wideman – DT – South Carolina (South Carolina)
268. Jackson Barton – OT – Utah (Utah)
272. Kiy Hester – S – New Jersey (Miami)
281. Chase Winovich – OLB – Pennsylvania (Michigan)
283. K.J. Williams – WR – Pennsylvania (Syracuse)
296. Juwann Winfree – WR – New Jersey (Maryland)
298. Conor Sheehy – DE – Wisconsin (Wisconsin)

Final ESPN 300 released for 2014

Michael Ferns (#10), Wilton Speight (#19), Jabrill Peppers (#5), Juwann Bushell-Beatty (#73), and Bryan Mone (#52) all appear in the final ESPN 300 for 2014; Jared Wangler (#2) is not ranked on the list

ESPN made its final update to their list of the top 300 prospects in the nation. Here’s what the ESPN 300 looked like in August, and here’s the movement for Michigan’s commits since then:

– Drake Harris dropped from #72 to #85
– Bryan Mone dropped from #76 to #91
– Lawrence Marshall dropped from #112 to #121
– Michael Ferns dropped from #123 to #129
– Juwann Bushell-Beatty dropped from #122 to #142
– Mason Cole dropped from #146 to #165
– Ian Bunting dropped from #118 to #200
– Wilton Speight dropped from #128 to #257

Here’s the rest of Michigan’s offerees:

5-stars:
1. Leonard Fournette – RB – Louisiana (LSU)
2. Jabrill Peppers – CB – New Jersey (Michigan)
3. Cameron Robinson – OT – Louisiana (Alabama)
4. Myles Garrett – DE – Texas (Texas A&M)
5. Andrew Brown – DT – Virginia (Virginia)
6. Da’Shawn Hand – DE – Virginia (Alabama)
9. Adoree’ Jackson – CB – California
10. Quin Blanding – S – Virginia (Virginia)
11. Jalen Tabor – CB – Washington, DC (Florida)
12. Bo Scarbrough – ATH – Alabama (Alabama)
14. Lorenzo Carter – DE – Georgia

4-stars:
17. Malachi Dupre – WR – Louisiana
18. Jamal Adams – S – Texas (LSU)
24. John Smith – S – California
25. Solomon Thomas – DE – Texas
26. Damian Prince – OT – Maryland
33. Lorenzo Featherston – DE – North Carolina (Florida State)
36. K.C. McDermott – OT – Florida (Miami)
39. Casey Tucker – OT – Arizona
43. Josh Malone – WR – Tennessee (Tennessee)
45. Marshon Lattimore – ATH – Ohio (Ohio State)
50. Edward Paris, Jr. – S – Texas (LSU)
53. Joe Mixon – RB – California (Oklahoma)
58. Damon Webb – CB – Michigan (Ohio State)
60. Malik McDowell – DE – Michigan
70. Jalen Hurd – RB – Tennessee (Tennessee)
72. Nyles Morgan – LB – Illinois (Notre Dame)
74. Jamarco Jones – OT – Illinois (Ohio State)
76. Alex Bars – OT – Tennessee (Notre Dame)
80. Elijah Hood – RB – North Carolina (North Carolina)
83. Artavis Scott – WR – Florida (Clemson)
85. Drake Harris – WR – Michigan (Michigan)
91. Bryan Mone – DT – Utah (Michigan)
94. Corey Holmes – WR – Florida (Notre Dame)
95. Parrker Westphal – CB – Illinois (Northwestern)
99. Andy Bauer – OT – Missouri (Missouri)
101. Jeb Blazevich – TE – North Carolina (Georgia)
107. Tyler Luatua – TE – California (Notre Dame)
118. Saeed Blacknall – WR – New Jersey (Rutgers)
120. Wesley Green – CB – Georgia
121. Lawrence Marshall – DE – Michigan (Michigan)
123. Nick Watkins – CB – Texas (Notre Dame)
127. Braden Smith – OG – Kansas
129. Michael Ferns – LB – Ohio (Michigan)
130. Dante Booker, Jr. – LB – Ohio (Ohio State)
136. Kyron Watson – LB – Illinois (Kansas)
137. Jeff Jones – RB – Minnesota (Minnesota)
139. Steven Parker – S – Oklahoma
140. Dravon Henry – ATH – Pennsylvania (West Virginia)
142. Juwann Bushell-Beatty – OT – New Jersey (Michigan)
143. Kevin Crosby – TE – South Carolina (South Carolina)
144. Bentley Spain – OT – North Carolina (North Carolina)
158. Roderick Johnson – OT – Missouri
162. Bryson Allen-Williams – LB – Georgia (South Carolina)
165. Mason Cole – OG – Florida (Michigan)
167. Demarre Kitt – WR – Georgia (Clemson)
169. Jacory Washington – TE – Louisiana (LSU)
172. Demetrius Knox – OG – Texas (Ohio State)
174. Andrew Williams – DE – Georgia
179. Dexter Wideman – DT – South Carolina (South Carolina)
180. Dwight Williams – LB – California (UCLA)
183. Erick Smith – S – Ohio (Ohio State)
184. Adarius Pickett – CB – California (UCLA)
187. Otaro Alaka – LB – Texas (Texas)
194. Mattrell McGraw – S – Louisiana
196. Kiy Hester – ATH – New Jersey (Miami)
200. Ian Bunting – TE – Illinois (Michigan)
204. Devon Thomas – RB – Oklahoma (Oklahoma State)
211. Khairi Clark – DT – Florida (Florida)
218. Christian McCaffrey – ATH – Colorado (Stanford)
244. Montae Nicholson – ATH – Pennsylvania (Michigan State)
246. Darrion Owens – LB – Florida (Miami)
250. Jermaine Roberts – CB – Louisiana (Texas)
257. Wilton Speight – QB – Virginia (Michigan)
262. Brandon Simmons – S – Texas (Stanford)
269. D’Andre Payne – CB – Washington, DC (Tennessee)
270. Garrett Dickerson – TE – New Jersey (Northwestern)
274. Nic Weishar – TE – Illinois (Notre Dame)
278. Jalen Brown – WR – Arizona (Oregon)
282. Jonathan Hilliman – RB – New Jersey (Boston College)
286. Isaiah McKenzie – ATH – Florida
292. Quincy Wilson – S – Florida (Florida)
295. Mark Andrews – WR – Arizona (Oklahoma)