Tag: 2015 recruiting

Visitors: Second week of June 2013

Orlando (FL) Timber Creek running back Jacques Patrick

With school ending at various times around the country, visits won’t really be limited to being on the weekends. These are a few players who have visited in the last couple days or will visit in the next week.

Kalen Ballage – RB – Peyton (CO) Falcon: I wrote up a scouting report on Ballage last week. UPDATE: Ballage canceled his visit due to the wildfires taking place in Colorado.

Dre Brown – RB – DeKalb (IL) DeKalb: Brown is a 5’11”, 190 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Illinois and Northern Illinois. As a sophomore in 2012, he had 108 carries for 759 yards and 9 touchdowns. He also plays cornerback for his high school, which may be his position when he reaches college.

Jalen Brown – WR – Phoenix (AZ) Mountain Pointe: The 6’2″, 170 lb. wideout has offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon, and numerous others.  He was named Gatorade’s Player of the Year in Arizona after a junior season in which he had 67 catches for 1,235 yards and 18 touchdowns, to go along with his 26 tackles, 5 interceptions (1 of which was returned for a touchdown), and 1 fumble recovery. Michigan is looking for a slot receiver to complement the two bigger receivers (Drake Harris, Maurice Ways) who are already committed.

Jashon Cornell – DE – St. Paul (MN) Cretin Derham Hall: Cornell is a 6’4″, 230 lb. weakside end prospect with offers from Florida, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, USC, and lots of others. According to 247 Sports, he’s a 4-star, the #2 outside linebacker, and the #18 overall prospect for 2015.

Noah Furbush – LB – Kenton (OH) Kenton: Furbush is a 6’4″, 240 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue, and Tennessee, among others.  As a junior in 2012, he had 115 tackles and 1 forced fumble.  He is unranked by ESPN, Rivals, and Scout, but he’s a 3-star and the #52 OLB to 247 Sports.  This is his second visit to Michigan.  Personally, I think Furbush looks more like a future weakside end, but he’s being recruited as a SAM linebacker.

Jamarco Jones – OG – Chicago (IL) De La Salle: Jones is a 6’5″, 290 lb. prospect who has narrowed things down to Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State. According to 247’s Composite ranking, he’s a 4-star, the #4 offensive tackle, and the #49 overall player for 2014. Most projections have him going to Ohio State, but there are some rumblings that Michigan is making a late push. He has set an announcement date for June 27.

Jeff Jones – RB – Minneapolis (MN) Washburn: Jones is a 6’0″, 194 lb. prospect with offers from Kentucky, Iowa, Iowa State, Michigan State, and Wisconsin, among others; he has been committed to Minnesota since March, but is considering other options. According to 247’s Composite ranking, he’s a 4-star, the #9 running back, and the #144 overall prospect. As a junior in 2012, he had 110 carries for 1,002 yards and 9 touchdowns.

Stanley Norman – WR – Culver City (CA) Culver City: Norman is a 5’11”, 170 lb. prospect with offers from UCLA, Utah, and a few others. To 247 Sports he’s a 4-star, the #15 wide receiver, and the #157 player overall for 2015.

Jacques Patrick – RB – Orlando (FL) Timber Creek: Patrick is a 6’1″, 213 lb. back with offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, and USC, along with many others. The class of 2015 prospect claims a 4.6 forty and had 231 carries for 2,032 yards and 29 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2012.  Patrick is making a swing through the midwest to see Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State, and his cousin Terel Patrick coaches at Detroit (MI) King – which sent Dennis Norfleet to Michigan recently.

Frank Ragnow – OT – Chanhassen (MN) Chanhassen: Ragnow is a 6’6″, 271 lb. prospect with offers from Arkansas, Cal, Florida State, Minnesota, Nebraska, and several others. According to 247’s Composite ranking, he’s a 3-star, the #41 offensive tackle, and the #527 overall player.

Reno Rosene – OT – Thousand Oaks (CA) Oaks Christian: Rosene is a 6’7″, 310 lb. prospect for 2015 with an offer from Notre Dame.  According to 247 Sports, he’s a 4-star, the #14 OT, and the #164 player overall for his class.

Recruiting Update: June 10, 2013

Suwanee (GA) North Gwinnett offensive tackle Mitch Hyatt

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015
Suwanee (GA) North Gwinnett offensive tackle Mitch Hyatt was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’6″, 271 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State, Texas, and USC, among others. According to 247 Sports, he’s the #1 offensive tackle and #4 overall player in the class of 2015. However, his current leader appears to be Clemson. He’s long and lean with quick feet, and it looks like he’ll have some staying power near the top of the recruiting rankings.

MISCELLANEOUS
Scout updated its top 300 prospects for the class of 2014.

Here’s a list of unofficial visitors for this week.

2013 Rivals 5-star Challenge

The 2013 version of the Rivals 5-star Challenge will take place this weekend at Soldier Field in Chicago.  Somewhat like Nike’s The Opening, it’s an invitation-only camp for some of the top prospects from around the country.  There will be lots of reports and news coming out of the camp, so here’s a rundown of the Michigan targets who will be participating:

Jamal Adams – S – Texas
Kalen Ballage – ATH – Colorado
Alex Bars – OT – Tennessee (Notre Dame)
Terry Beckner, Jr. – DE – Illinois*
Saeed Blacknall – WR – New Jersey
Andrew Brown – DT – Virginia
Jalen Brown – WR – Arizona
Lorenzo Carter – DE – Georgia
Malachi Dupre – WR – Louisiana
Michael Ferns III – LB – Ohio (Michigan)
Leonard Fournette – RB – Louisiana
Da’Shawn Hand – DE – Virginia
Daniel Helm – TE – Illinois (Tennessee)
Elijah Hood – RB – North Carolina (Notre Dame)
Adoree’ Jackson – CB – California
Sterling Jenkins – OT – Pennsylvania*
Demetrius Knox – OG – Texas
Marshon Lattimore – ATH – Ohio
Tyler Luatua – TE – California
Josh Malone – WR – Tennessee
Iman Marshall – CB – California*
Malik McDowell – DE – Michigan
Joe Mixon – RB – California
Nyles Morgan – LB – Illinois
Sam Mustipher – OG – Maryland (Notre Dame)
Montae Nicholson – S – Pennsylvania
Steven Parker – S – Oklahoma
Jacques Patrick – RB – Florida*
Adarius Pickett – CB – California
Damian Prince – OT – Maryland
Josh Rosen – QB – California*
Bo Scarbrough – WR – Alabama (Alabama)
Artavis Scott – WR – Florida
Solomon Thomas – DE – Texas
Kevin Toliver II – CB – Florida (LSU)*
Casey Tucker – OT – Arizona
Jacory Washington – TE – Louisiana (LSU)
Damon Webb – CB – Michigan (Ohio State)
Dwight Williams – LB – California

*Denotes a 2015 prospect. All others are from the class of 2014.

Recruiting Update: June 3, 2013

Long Beach (CA) Poly cornerback Iman Marshall

COMMITMENT
Clairton (PA) Thomas Jefferson linebacker Chase Winovich committed to Michigan.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015
Long Beach (CA) Poly cornerback Iman Marshall was offered by Michigan. Marshall is a 6’1″, 186 lb. prospect with offers from Cal, Florida State, Notre Dame, UCLA, and USC, among others. He’s also teammates with 2014 wide receiver/safety offeree John “Juju” Smith and attends the alma mater of former Michigan cornerback Donovan Warren.  USC is the presumed leader for Marshall, however. He is currently a 4-star, the #5 cornerback, and the #50 overall player to 247 Sports.

OFF THE BOARD
Bamberg (SC) Bamberg-Erhardt tight end Kevin Crosby committed to South Carolina.  Crosby never visited Michigan and did not plan to.  Michigan has recruited several kids out of Bamberg-Erhardt in recent years, but so far they’ve been striking out.

Cleveland (OH) Shaker Heights defensive end Joe Henderson committed to Tennessee. His offer was reported several months ago, but it was always questioned whether he was actually offered.  The Wolverines appeared not to have been pursuing him too hard in the intervening months, however.

Tyrone (GA) Sandy Creek wide receiver Demarre Kitt committed to Clemson.  He never visited Michigan and did not appear particularly interested in doing so at any point.

MISCELLANEOUS
Last week’s scouting report was on Peyton (CO) Falcon athlete Kalen Ballage.

Recruiting Update: May 27, 2013

Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco quarterback Josh Rosen

COMMITMENT
Paramus (NJ) Catholic cornerback Jabrill Peppers committed to Michigan.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2014
Jacksonville (FL) Raines cornerback Lamont Simmons was offered by Michigan. Simmons is a 6’2″, 185 lb. corner with offers from Arkansas, Georgia, and Wisconsin, among others.  I can’t find much information about him, so feel free to comment with any insight you can.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015
Bamberg (SC) Erhardt defensive end LaSamuel Davis was offered by Michigan.  He’s a 6’4″, 205 lb. prospect with offers from Arizona, Arizona State, UCLA, and USC, among others.  Michigan has pursued several guys out of Erhardt in recent years (2014 ATH Kevin Crosby, 2012 DE Martin Aiken, 2011 RB Demetrius Williams), but so far the pursuit has been unsuccessful.

Jacksonville (FL) Trinity Christian linebacker Jeff Holland has been offered by Michigan.  He’s a 6’2″, 230 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Ohio State, and lots of others.  According to 247 Sports – the only service to release rankings for 2015 prospects – Holland is the #17 overall player and #1 linebacker in the nation.  Michigan also recruited 2011 RB Andrew Buie (West Virginia) and 2010 S Rashad Knight (Rutgers) out of Trinity Christian, but those offers were from the Rich Rodriguez era.

Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco quarterback Josh Rosen was offered by Michigan.  Rosen is a 6’4″, 200 lb. passer who claims a 4.55 forty.  As a sophomore in 2012, he had 2,087 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, and 352 rushing yards, which has earned him offers from Oregon State, Tennessee, and a few other schools so far.  247 Sports has ranked him as the #2 pro-style quarterback and the #5 overall player in the nation.  He is thought to favor some West Coast, Pac-12 schools, so Michigan will be in an uphill battle to capture his commitment.  That may be the reason why the Wolverines went ahead and offered him, despite the fact that they offered 2014 quarterback commit Wilton Speight on National Signing Day 2013.  Previously, La Mirada (CA) La Mirada’s Kevin Dillman was presumed to be Michigan’s top target at the position, and he may well be offered if Rosen ends up committing to Cal or Stanford.

Jacksonville (FL) Trinity Christian cornerback Kevin Toliver II was also offered by Michigan.  The teammate of Holland, he’s a 6’2″, 183 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, and lots of others . . . including LSU, to which he’s already committed.  247 Sports ranks him as the #1 cornerback and #33 overall player in the country.

Dallas (TX) Skyline linebacker Anthony Wheeler was offered by Michigan.  He’s a 6’2″, 225 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan State, Texas, and Texas Tech, among others.  Texas is thought to be the leader, although he’s giving other schools a chance.  I believe Wheeler will end up as a weakside end because he’s a little too stiff and slow to play linebacker at the next level.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
Fort Lauderdale (FL) University School wide receiver Sam Bruce was offered by Michigan.  He’s a 5’8″, 160 lb. prospect with offers from Arkansas, Clemson, and USC, among others.  His uncle is former St. Louis Rams wide receiver Isaac Bruce, who played his college ball at Memphis State; I think it’s safe to say that Sam won’t be following in his uncle’s footsteps when it comes to picking a college.  Michigan has really hit the University School hard with offers lately, going after 2013 WR Jordan Cunningham (Vanderbilt) and DT Maquedius Bain (LSU).  Bruce is a speedy pinball of a player who could end up as a wideout, corner, nickel corner, or returner at the next level.

Downers Grove (IL) South offensive tackle Erik Swenson was offered by Michigan.  Swenson was on my 2016 list for a long time, but I removed him several weeks ago because there was some question about whether his offer was “official” or not (even though officially official offers can’t be extended until the August prior to his senior year).  Now his unofficially official offer has been confirmed, so I’m adding him to the list again.  Swenson seems very interested in Michigan, and it probably wouldn’t be a stretch to position the Wolverines as his #1 choice.  However, he also has offers from Illinois, Notre Dame, and Ohio State, and lots more are sure to come.  The 6’6″, 280 lb. prospect already has great size, pretty good feet, and solid technique, and he’s just a rising sophomore.

OFF THE BOARD
Akron (OH) St. Vincent-St. Mary’s linebacker Dante Booker, Jr. committed to Ohio State.  He was always considered to be an Ohio State lean but was very quiet about his recruitment.  This might open the door a little bit for Clairton (PA) Thomas Jefferson linebacker Chase Winovich to commit to Michigan over Ohio State, but the last time I made a similar statement (when Sam Hubbard picked the Buckeyes), Kyle Berger went ahead and chose them, too.  I guess they’re all in a race to be the next Andy Katzenmoyer.