Tag: 2015 recruiting

Damien Harris, Wolverine

Berea (KY) Madison Southern running back Damien Harris

Berea (KY) Madison Southern running back Damien Harris committed to Michigan last Monday. He chose the Wolverines over offers from Florida, Notre Dame, Ohio State, South Carolina, Tennessee, and several others.

Harris is a 5’11”, 205 lb. prospect who claims a 4.4 forty. As a freshman on varsity in 2011, he had 62 carries for 742 yards and 11 touchdowns. His sophomore year netted 144 carries for 1,778 yards and 35 touchdowns.

RATINGS
ESPN: 4-star, 84 grade, #3 running back, #20 overall
Rivals: N/A
Scout: N/A
247 Sports: 4-star, 94 grade, #10 running back, #91 overall

Harris camped at Michigan prior to his 2012 sophomore season, netting an offer from the Wolverines at the time. As his childhood favorite, Michigan was at the top of his list the entire time. Ohio State was considered to be the main contender, and he even said they were tied at the top not too long ago, but that obviously didn’t last long.

There are a lot of things to like about Harris, as evidenced by his recruiting rankings. He does have very good flat-out speed, which means he’s very difficult to catch once he hits the open field. He also shows good acceleration through the hole, so it doesn’t take him long to hit top speed. He’s pretty thickly built with a frame that reminds me a little bit of Boise State alum and current Tampa Bay Buccaneer Doug Martin, although their running styles are a little different. Harris isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder, especially against second- and third-level guys. When he’s near the sideline, he uses good body lean to take contact and stay inbounds. He also shows the ability to stay low through traffic and grind for yards, although he doesn’t have to do that very often against Madison Southern’s competition. Additionally, he throws some great blocks in the running game; he won’t have to block much for other runners in college, but that shows a willingness to block for his teammates, which bodes well for pass protection.

As mentioned above, the competition level for Madison Southern is very questionable. Harris is clearly faster than anyone he plays against, and the opponents aren’t very big, either. Those inflated statistics would drop off somewhat against good competition, but that’s not his fault. The team runs some dive option stuff that won’t be a part of his college playbook, but they also run some I-formation plays that should prepare him a little bit for what he’ll run at Michigan. Aside from those institution “shortcomings,” I see a couple flaws in Harris’s game. I think he turns his shoulders a little too much, especially before he hits the second level, and that takes away from some of his power. He also lacks some suddenness, so he’ll be mostly a downhill power runner with speed; he’s probably not a guy who will be able to dance to daylight at the next level.

Overall, I think Harris has excellent potential. With the way Michigan is recruiting the offensive line, I think he’ll be able to show off his talents by hitting the hole hard, lowering his shoulder, and then outrunning some people. He might struggle to create for himself, but hopefully he won’t have to worry about that very often. He could be an all-conference type of player, if not All-American.

This is Michigan’s fourth commitment for the 2015 class and the first running back. Unless Michigan pulls off a surprise in the 2014 class, the coaches are expected to take at least two runners in 2015. The program has not recruited Kentucky heavily over the years, but they have secured commitments from Kentuckians like Jeremy Clark, Brandent Englemon, and Brandon Logan over the years.

TTB Rating: I will not assign ratings for the 2015 class until the 2014 class wraps up.

Here are Harris’s Hudl highlights.

George Campbell, Wolverine

Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake wide receiver George Campbell, Jr. (image via MGoBlog)

Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake wide receiver George Campbell, Jr. committed to Michigan last Saturday. He chose the Wolverines over offers from Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, and Ohio State, among many others. I had literally just arrived at my vacation destination when the event occurred, and I wasn’t about to type out a commitment post on my iPhone.

Campbell is a 6’3″, 184 lb. prospect who claims a 4.36 forty. Some sites insist on listing him at 6’5″, but he measured in at a combine this spring at 6’3″. The 4.36 is a laser time, too, so those measurements seem to be pretty legitimate. As a sophomore in 2012, he had 30 catches for 766 yards (25.5 yards/catch) and 5 touchdowns. He also had 57 tackles on defense.

RATINGS
ESPN: 4-star, 88 grade, #1 ATH, #3 overall
Rivals: N/A
Scout: N/A
247 Sports: 5-star, 98 grade, #1 WR, #17 overall

Campbell, the teammate of class of 2014 Michigan offensive guard commit Mason Cole, was offered back in December 2012 and watched the team practice for the Outback Bowl. He’s very close with fellow East Lake wide receiver Artavis Scott, who was heavily interested in Michigan at one time. When Scott committed to Clemson, that was thought to be a huge negative for Michigan’s chances with Campbell. However, Campbell always had good things to say about Michigan, and when he visited for the BBQ at the Big House last weekend, he decided to end his recruiting process.

As evidenced by that forty time, Campbell has excellent speed. He accelerates quickly, which is troublesome for defensive backs, who have to decide whether to flip their hips, backpedal, or support the run. He also shows some shake and bake for a kid who’s fairly tall, but he gets upfield swiftly without taking too much time to dance. His size is a plus, as he should be able to carry 210-215 lbs. on his frame eventually. I haven’t seen any video of his blocking abilities, but with his length and eventual heft, that shouldn’t be a problem, provided he makes the effort. Regarding effort, I like his enthusiasm for making plays, especially on the defensive clips.

The biggest knock on Campbell is his hands, and there’s definitely some evidence that he needs to work on his pass catching. He is not a smooth receiver, and he has difficulty judging how to position his hands. He likes to catch the ball in his body, and usually when the ball is outside his frame, he tries to clap onto the ball rather than letting it settle softly. His route running isn’t very evident on video, but that and his size are things that every high school sophomore needs to work on. As a defensive player, he shows some natural instincts for chasing the ball, rushing the passer, and playing the ball in the air. I almost like his instincts better as a defender, but his tackling technique involves grabbing guys and trying to swing them around until they fall down.

Overall, Campbell is probably pretty accurately ranked near the top of his class, but there is potential for a significant drop if he doesn’t show improvement in catching the ball. I have seen smoother receivers, and I think 2014 Michigan commit Drake Harris is one of them. However, there are some natural talents in Campbell that can’t be taught, so I like that ESPN ranks him as an athlete. He could realistically play wide receiver or safety at the next level, or perhaps even outside linebacker if he continues to grow. Whether he ends up on offense or defense, he should be an asset down the road.

Campbell is Michigan’s first wide receiver commit in the 2015 class and was the third overall (Damien Harris is the fourth). While several current seniors will graduate after the 2013 season, zero are scheduled to depart after 2014. That means it should be a fairly small wide receiver class, and Campbell might even be the lone recruit at that spot, depending on any attrition. Michigan is also working hard on Saginaw (MI) Heritage athlete Brian Cole, who is being recruited as a wideout but could also play defensive back.

TTB Rating: I won’t give ratings for 2015 kids until the 2014 class finishes.

Visitors: July 28-August 3, 2013

Flower Mound (TX) Flower Mound tight end Kaden Smith

Kamonte Carter – DE – Gaithersburg (MD) Gaithersburg: Carter is a 6’4″, 215-pounder with offers Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, and a few others. He also plays quarterback for his high school team.

Jalen Christian – CB – Damascus (MD) Damascus: Christian is a 5’10”, 160 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, and Wisconsin, among others. According to 247’s Composite ranking, he’s a 4-star, the #14 cornerback, and the #135 player overall. The last two Damascus players to be offered by Michigan – 2011 cornerback Brandon Phelps and 2013 linebacker/wide receiver Zach Bradshaw – both committed to Virginia.

Adoree Jackson – CB – Gardena (CA) Junipero Serra: Jackson is a 5’10”, 182 lb. prospect with offers from Florida, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, and USC, among others. According to 247’s Composite ranking, he’s a 5-star, the #2 cornerback, and #9 player overall. He was supposed to visit for the BBQ, but that didn’t fit with his schedule. Instead, he’s supposed to visit with Kentrail Moran (below) while visiting his hometown stomping grounds in Illinois this week. UPDATE: Moran did not visit.

Kentrail Moran – RB – O’Fallon (IL) O’Fallon: Moran is a 5’10”, 188 lb. prospect for 2016 with an offer from Northern Illinois. As a freshman in 2012, he had 138 carries for 700 yards and 6 touchdowns, along with 22 catches for 248 yards and 1 score. UPDATE: Moran did not visit.

Kaden Smith – TE – Flower Mound (TX) Flower Mound: Smith is a 6’5″, 235 lb. prospect for 2016 with offers from Alabama and Clemson. As a freshman in 2012, he had 14 catches for 192 yards. Smith played at Marcus High School last season – the alma mater of former Michigan fullback Stephen Hopkins – but is transferring to Flower Mound for the 2013 season.

2013 BBQ at the Big House Visitors

Gardena (CA) Junipero Serra cornerback Adoree’ Jackson

The BBQ at the Big House is a recruiting event that was started by former Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez. Rather than having a junior day or Friday Night Lights type of event, the coaches host players for a BBQ in July. This year’s event will take place on July 27 (for 2015/2016 prospects) and July 28 (for 2014 prospects). Here’s a list of the players who have said they’ll be at the BBQ:

Joshua Alabi – DT – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Alabi is a 6’4″, 260 lb. prospect for 2015. He has offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, among others.  247 Sports ranks him as the #26 offensive tackle and #229 player overall.

Jerome Baker – LB – Cleveland (OH) Benedictine: Baker is a 6’1″, 205 lb. weakside linebacker prospect with offers from Florida, Illinois, and Ohio State, among others. According to 247’s Composite ranking, he’s a 4-star, the #7 athlete, and #94 player overall.

Kalen Ballage – RB – Peyton (CO) Falcon: I wrote up a scouting report on Ballage in May. UPDATE: Ballage will not be able to make the BBQ trip but plans to take an official visit to Michigan.

Ian Bunting – TE – Hinsdale (IL) Central: Bunting committed to Michigan back in April.

George Campbell, Jr. – WR – Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake: Campbell is a 6’3″, 184 lb. prospect for 2015. He has offers from Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Texas A&M, among others. As a sophomore in 2012, he had 30 receptions for 766 yards and 5 touchdowns. He’s teammates with Michigan commit Mason Cole and Michigan target Artavis Scott (see below). According to 247 Sports, Campbell is a 5-star, the #1 wide receiver, and the #16 overall player.

Freddy Canteen – WR – Elkton (MD) Eastern Christian Academy: Canteen committed to Michigan in June.

Brian Cole – WR – Saginaw (MI) Heritage: Cole is a 6’2″, 190 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Tennessee. Michigan is recruiting him for wide receiver and appears to be the front runner. According to 247 Sports, he’s a 4-star, the #9 cornerback, and #72 player overall.

Mason Cole – OG – Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake: Cole committed to Michigan in February. He has been selected to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Shaun Crawford – CB – Lakewood (OH) St. Edward: Crawford is a 5’9″, 165 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Arkansas, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, and Tennessee, among others. He claims a 4.51 forty and as a sophomore in 2012, he had 66 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, 3 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery.

Messiah DeWeaver – QB – Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison: DeWeaver is a 6’2″, 180 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. He camped at Michigan in June. He was a teammate with incoming freshman linebacker Mike McCray II.

David Edwards – QB – Downers Grove (IL) North: Edwards is a 6’6″, 225 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Illinois and Vanderbilt. As a sophomore in 2012, he had 502 passing yards for 3 touchdowns, along with 719 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns.

Michael Ferns III – LB – St. Clairsville (OH) St. Clairsville: Ferns committed to Michigan last August.

Desmond Fitzpatrick – WR – Farmington (MI) Farmington: Fitzpatrick is a 5’11”, 165 lb. prospect for 2016 offers from Indiana, Ohio, and Toledo. He played for Farmington Harrison last season, but is transferring to Farmington High for the coming year.

Leonard Fournette – RB – New Orleans (LA) St. Augustine: Fournette is a 6’1″, 225 lb. prospect with offers from just about everyone; his two leaders appear to be Alabama and LSU. Michigan was not mentioned in regard to Fournette until Jabrill Peppers committed and started talking to and about him being a part of Michigan’s class. According to 247’s Composite ranking, Fournette is the #1 player in the entire class. As a junior in 2012, he had 196 carries for 2,136 yards and 31 touchdowns. That’s 10.9 yards/carry. Chances are slim that Michigan jumps in front of those two SEC schools, but it can’t hurt to get him on campus. There’s a chance that he might really like it, and it puts Ann Arbor in the minds of other top prospects.

Noah Furbush – LB – Kenton (OH) Kenton: Furbush committed to Michigan at the beginning of July.


Da’Shawn Hand – DE – Woodbridge (VA) Woodbridge: I wrote up a scouting report on Hand back in February. He recently announced a top three that included Michigan and eliminated long-time favorite Virginia Tech. UPDATE: Hand will not be able to make the visit.

Dele Harding – LB – Elkton (MD) Eastern Christian Academy: Harding is a 6’1″, 218 lb. prospect for 2016 with offers from Massachusetts, Tennessee, and USC. He’s the teammate of Michigan commits Brandon Watson and Freddy Canteen. Harding camped at Michigan back in June and was told by Michigan’s coaches that he would probably be offered down the road, but it’s still pretty early for the class of 2016.

Drake Harris – WR – Grand Rapids (MI) Christian: Harris committed to Michigan in April.

Justin Hilliard – LB – Cincinnati (OH) St. Xavier: Hilliard is a 6’2″, 225 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Arkansas, Iowa, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Ohio State, among others. As a sophomore in 2012, he had 65 tackles, 7 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble. It’s still fairly early, but in my opinion, Hilliard is the best Ohio player in his class.


Jonathan Hilliman – RB – Jersey City (NJ) St. Peters Prep: I wrote up a scouting report on Hilliman back in December. He recently announced Ohio State as his favorite. UPDATE: Hilliman is no longer planning to attend the event.

Corey Holmes – WR – Fort Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas: I wrote up a scouting report on Holmes a few months ago. He declared Michigan as his leader early, but the Wolverines seem to have faded, perhaps by their choice. It seems like Michigan has been pursuing some other wide receiver targets harder. UPDATE: Holmes committed to Notre Dame and will not visit Michigan.

Adoree’ Jackson – CB – Junipero (CA) Gardena Serra: I wrote up a scouting report on Jackson back in March. He has aspirations in track and field, so while he likes Michigan, it might be tough to keep him away from schools that have better track programs. UPDATE: Jackson likely will not visit at this point.

Van Jefferson – WR – Brentwood (TN) Ravenwood: Jefferson is a 6’2″, 164 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Middle Tennessee State, Penn State, and Vanderbilt. He used to attend Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary’s and is the son of former Detroit Lions wideout and current Tennessee Titans wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson. The elder Jefferson attended Central Florida, in case you were wondering. UPDATE: Jefferson no longer plans to attend the BBQ.


Sterling Jenkins – OT – Pittsburgh (PA) Baldwin: Jenkins is a 6’8″, 305 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, and Pitt, among others. According to 247 Sports, he’s a 4-star, the #7 offensive tackle, and the #86 overall player in his class.

Tyree Kinnel – S – Huber Heights (OH) Wayne: Kinnel is a 6’0″, 190 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Arkansas and Kentucky. He has visited Michigan numerous times and is getting a bit antsy for an offer, but the fact that he keeps visiting Ann Arbor suggests that he really likes the Wolverines.

Marshon Lattimore – WR – Cleveland (OH) Glenville: Lattimore is a 6’0″, 175 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, and USC, among others. According to 247’s Composite ranking, he’s a 5-star, the #5 cornerback, and the #32 overall player in the country. Almost everyone expects him to pick Ohio State eventually, but he was invited to the BBQ and is considering attending, so there will be a chance to sway him.

Thiyo Lukusa – OG – Traverse City (MI) West: Lukusa is a 6’5″, 300 lb. prospect for the class of 2016. He has no offers at this time.

Lawrence Marshall – DE – Southfield (MI) Southfield: Marshall committed to Michigan in May.

Osa Masina – LB – Salt Lake City (UT) Brighton: Masina is a 6’4″, 207 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Michigan, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wisconsin, along with several others. He has a brother at Utah and the Utes appear to be Osa’s favorite. According to 247 Sports, he’s a 4-star, the #17 athlete, and the #206 overall player in his class.

Malik McDowell – DE – Detroit (MI) Loyola: McDowell is a 6’7″, 290 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, and numerous others. According to 247’s Composite ranking, he’s a 5-star, the #3 strongside end, and the #33 player overall. He is attempting to transfer to Southfield and become teammates with Lawrence Marshall, but that hasn’t been finalized yet.

Riley Neal – QB – Yorktown (IN) Yorktown: Neal is a 6’5″, 200 lb. prospect for 2015 with no offers at this point. He had 1,700 yards and 15 passing touchdowns as a sophomore in 2012.


Montae Nicholson – S – Monroeville (PA) Gateway: Nicholson is a 6’3″, 200 lb. prospect with offers from Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Stanford, and Virginia Tech, among others. As a junior in 2012, he had 28 tackles, 2 interceptions (both returned for touchdowns), 2 forced fumbles, and 3 fumble recoveries; he also had 25 receptions for 653 yards and 6 touchdowns. He was one of Michigan’s first few offers for the 2014 class after camping in Ann Arbor last summer. While Michigan is recruiting him as a safety, he’s also considering playing wide receiver in college. UPDATE: Nicholson is no longer attending the BBQ.

Darrion Owens – LB – Orange Park (FL) Oakleaf: Owens is a 6’3″, 216 lb. prospect with offers from Auburn, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, and Ohio State, among others. He plays some safety in high school, but Michigan is looking at him as a SAM linebacker. As a junior in 2012, he had 101 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 6 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery. According to 247’s Composite ranking, he’s a 3-star, the #42 outside linebacker, and the #561 player overall. UPDATE: Owens committed to Miami and said he won’t take other visits.

Tommy Roush – OG – Traverse City (MI) West: Roush is a 6’3″, 270 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. He camped at Michigan in June. Roush played for Petoskey (MI) Petosky last fall before transferring.


Artavis Scott – WR – Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake: Scott is a 5’10”, 175 lb. prospect with offers from Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Oregon, among others. As a junior in 2012, he had 64 receptions for 995 yards and 10 touchdowns. According to the 247 Composite rankings, he’s a 4-star, the #8 wide receiver, and the #78 player overall. Many people presume Michigan to be his leader. UPDATE: Scott committed to Clemson and probably will not make it to the BBQ.


Tim Settle – DT – Manassas (VA) Stonewall Jackson: Settle is a 6’3″, 307 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Miami, Ohio State, and Virginia Tech, among others. According to 247 Sports, he’s a 5-star, the #2 defensive tackle, and the #8 player overall for his class. I have seen some questions on whether Michigan is interested in offering Settle, but if you watch his video, I don’t see any reason not to pursue him. UPDATE: Settle, who was supposed to ride with Da’Shawn Hand, will not be able to visit now that Hand isn’t visiting.

Wilton Speight – QB – Richmond (VA) Collegiate: Speight committed to Michigan in February.

Erik Swenson – OT – Downers Grove (IL) South: Swenson is a 6’6″, 285. lb prospect for 2016 with offers from Illinois, Michigan, Northwestern, Notre Dame, and Ohio State. Michigan is his stated leader.

Tyriq Thompson – LB – Detroit (MI) King: Thompson is a 6’1″, 205 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Illinois and Wisconsin. He’s the son of former Michigan safety Clarence Thompson.

Brandon Watson – CB – Elkton (MD) Eastern Christian Academy: Watson committed to Michigan in June.

Maurice Ways – WR – Detroit (MI) Country Day: Ways committed to Michigan in April.

Mikey Weber – RB – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Weber is a 5’10”, 195 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State, among others. As a sophomore in 2012, he had 1,700 yards and 21 touchdowns rushing. He has several former teammates at or heading to Michigan.

Antonio Williams – RB – New London (NC) North Stanly: Williams is a 5’11”, 195 lb. prospect for 2016 with offers from Clemson, Georgia, North Carolina, North Carolina State, and South Carolina. As a freshman in 2012, he had 1,516 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Chase Winovich – LB – Clairton (PA) Thomas Jefferson: Winovich committed to Michigan in June.

Recruiting Update: July 22, 2013

Corey Holmes went off the board to Notre Dame

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015
Gaithersburg (MD) Gaithersburg defensive end Kamonte Carter was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’4″, 215 lb. athlete with offers from Maryland, Nebraska, Penn State, West Virginia, and several others. Carter plays quarterback for his high school team, but also plays a little bit of linebacker. Michigan wants him for defense, but he’s not a particularly aggressive hitter or tackler; of course, that might also be because he plays quarterback and may want to save his body for the offensive side of the ball.

OFF THE BOARD
Fort Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas wide receiver Corey Holmes committed to Notre Dame. Holmes declared Michigan his leader early in the process, but the Wolverines had been fading for months. He looks mostly like a slot receiver, and that spot seems to have been taken by Freddy Canteen, anyway.

VISITORS
Here’s a list of this week’s visitors, including the guys headed to town for the BBQ.