Tag: 2017 recruiting

Offensive Recruiting Update: March 7, 2016

Clinton (MS) Clinton RB Cam Akers decommitted from Alabama

Thanks to those of you who have been using the Amazon link(s) to purchase items. As I mentioned before, right now 50% of my Amazon revenue is being donated to the Chad Tough Foundation. That means you helped donate $40 to Chad Tough in the month of February. If you want to donate straight to ChadTough, you can follow this link here (LINK).

I was trying to churn out spring practice previews last week, so the recruiting update got pushed back. And with the way Michigan is firing out offers under Jim Harbaugh, that means there are a ton of updates. Today is simply a look at the news about offensive products, with defensive guys hopefully to come tomorrow morning.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017
Clinton (MS) Clinton running back Cam Akers decommitted from Alabama. He’s a 5’11”, 210 lb. prospect who also has offers from Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, and Miami, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #3 running back, and #36 overall. A high school quarterback, he threw for 2,331 yards, 20 TDs, and 8 INTs last season; he also ran 169 times for 1,418 yards and 16 TDs. However, he is not expected to play QB at the next level. Akers recently said that he would probably take a visit to Michigan in the fall, but he lists Georgia and Ole Miss as his leaders now. The decommitment was not surprising, since Alabama also has #1 running back (and #1 overall player) Najee Harris committed, too.

Millbrook (AL) Stanhope Elmore tight end Zech Byrd was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’6″, 235 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Florida, and Ole Miss, among others. Byrd is unranked at this point, because a vast majority of his offers have come in the last couple of weeks. He has the body to play tight end or defensive end at the next level, but he is very raw and doesn’t have a great feel for the game on either side.

Brunswick (GA) Brunswick offensive tackle D’Antne Demery was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’6″, 308 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #24 offensive tackle, and #158 overall. He has already named Georgia his leader, so it might be tough to pull him out of the Peach State.

Hit the jump for lots and lots more offers, including a new 2019 tender.

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2016 Scholarship Count

Players are listed in order of remaining eligibility. With 85 scholarships allotted, Michigan is now at its scholarship limit. As for the 2017 recruiting class, 19 seniors are scheduled to graduate, so it should be a decent-sized class.

TOTAL SCHOLARSHIPS ALLOTTED FOR 2016 = 85

Hit the jump for the breakdown by class.

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MGoFish guest post: 2017 Best Guess Recruiting Class – Offense

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (image via Rivals)

The following is a guest post from Garrett Fishaw, the owner/managing editor of MGoFish.

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With Harbaugh’s first full recruiting class in the books, all eyes turn to 2017 to see how Harbaugh will follow up his top five finish in 2016.

The staff has put in a ton of early work to set themselves up for a great return. And it’s clearly paid off. They’ve already landed the top quarterback on their board and look to be among the favorites for a handful of elite members of the class.

But how will it finish? That’s almost impossible to predict this early, especially after the craziness that took place the last two cycles. So, take this prediction with a grain of salt as there will likely be more decommitments and targets that emerge later in the process.

1. QB Dylan McCaffrey, 6’5” 200lbs. Littleton, CO (Valor) 

• McCaffrey committed to Michigan in mid-February after having the Wolverines out front for almost a year. His addition to the class is huge as both a prospect and recruiting asset. Expect him to be a big reason why UM lands several top targets in 2017.
• Michigan’s Chances: COMMITTED

2. RB Kurt Taylor, 5’9” 200lbs. Covington, GA (Newton) 

• Taylor committed to Michigan in October and, like the rest of rest of the current commits, looks to be as solid as can be in that pledge. UM lost the commitment of his teammate WR Jeremiah Holloman earlier this month but that shouldn’t change anything in Taylor’s status. The only thing to watch with Taylor is his development throughout the cycle, as he already looks to have just about hit the peak of his physical build.
• Michigan’s Chances: COMMITTED

Hit the jump for the rest of Garrett’s offensive best guess list.

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Visitors: February 26-28, 2016

Jaylen Kelly-Powell (image via 247 Sports)

I saw the movie Deadpool recently, so now you can talk about spoilers over on the message board (LINK).

Visitors with an asterisk will be visiting Michigan for Wednesday’s basketball game against Northwestern.

2017
*Ja’Raymond Hall – OT – Oak Park (MI) Oak Park: Hall committed to Michigan in December (LINK).

*Jaylen Kelly-Powell – S – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Kelly-Powell is a 6’0″, 183 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #16 safety, and #249 overall. He had previously named Michigan his leader, although recent developments in his recruitment appear to see him slowing down his recruiting process a bit. He has visited Michigan multiple times already. He will be in town on Wednesday.

*Phillip Paea – OG – Berrien Springs (MI) Berrien Springs: Paea is a 6’4″, 280 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #25 defensive tackle, and #381 overall. Most of his offers have come within the past couple weeks, so he’s been under the radar until recently. He’s visiting on Wednesday.

*Donovan Peoples-Jones – WR – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Peoples-Jones is a 6’2″, 192 lb. prospect with offers from Florida, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, and USC, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 5-star, the #1 wide receiver, and #6 overall. He recently tweeted a bit of excitement about Michigan’s newest commit, 2017 quarterback Dylan McCaffrey.

Hit the jump for a half dozen more visitors.

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Rivals 250 for 2017 updated

Dylan McCaffrey

Rivals updated its top 250 for the 2017 class (LINK). Since the list was originally released last July (LINK), the only Michigan commit on the list, Dylan McCaffrey, has moved up from #100 to #39. Here’s the full list of Michigan targets:

5-stars:
1. Marvin Wilson – DT – TX
2. Najee Harris – RB – CA (Alabama)
3. Trevon Grimes – WR – FL
4. Joshua Kaindoh – DE – FL
5. Isaiah Wilson – OT – NY
8. Lamont Wade – CB – PA
9. Jeffrey Okudah – S – TX
10. Josh Myers – OT – OH (Ohio State)
11. Nate McBride – LB – GA
12. Hunter Johnson – QB – IN (Clemson)
13. Donovan Peoples-Jones – WR – MI
15. Darnay Holmes – CB – CA
16. Jedrick Wills – OT – KY
17. Jarez Parks – DE – FL
18. Shaun Wade – CB – FL (Ohio State)
19. Wyatt Davis – OT – CA
20. Joseph Lewis – WR – CA
21. Calvin Ashley – OT – FL (Auburn)

Hit the jump for numbers 101-250.

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