Tag: Donovan Peoples-Jones

Visitors: Michigan vs. Penn State

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (image via 247 Sports)

2017

Toryque Bateman – OT – Gadsden (AL) Gadsden City: Bateman is a 6’8″, 305 lb. prospect with offers from Arizona State, Miami, Michigan, and Tennessee, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #43 offensive tackle, and #408 overall. Bateman was close to committing to Michigan at one point and the Crystal Ball is still 62% in favor of the Wolverines, but there have been rumors that Michigan might back off due to questions about whether he’ll qualify or not. UPDATE: Bateman did not make it to town.

Markquese Bell – WR – Bridgeton (NJ) Bridgeton: Bell is a 6’3″, 194 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, and Rutgers, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #6 athlete, and #179 overall. I did a scouting report on him back in April (LINK). He said several weeks ago that distance would no longer be a factor in his recruitment, which led some to believe that he was leaning away from Rutgers and perhaps toward the Wolverines. UPDATE: Bell is now visiting for the Wisconsin game on October 1.

Ellis Brooks – LB – Richmond (VA) Benedictine:

Nico Collins – WR – Pinson (AL) Clay-Chalkville: Collins is a 6’5″, 195 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, and Michigan, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #13 wide receiver, and #86 overall. Alabama was thought to be the early leader, then Michigan jumped to the front, and now there are rumors that Georgia is in the driver’s seat. This will be his third visit to Michigan in the last few months. The Crystal Ball is 62% in favor of the Wolverines. UPDATE: Collins did not make it to town.

Hit the jump for several more visitors.

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Preview of 2017 In-State Recruiting: #1-5

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech WR Donovan Peoples-Jones

Back in February, I exchanged posts with MGoFish where I took a look at the top five uncommitted prospects within the state (LINK). The post eliminated from contention several prospects who had already committed to various schools, though the list doesn’t change much when you throw in the committed players.

In previous years, I have done posts where I included all of the most notable prospects within the state. Those posts grow to be very long and arduous to put together. Last year I ranked the 2016 prospects, a first in the series. This year I simply haven’t had the time to put together one single post with 35-50 players on it. I still want to complete the project, but I’ll be breaking it up into chunks where I look at five players at a time.

Below are the top five players in the state. For further analysis on some, feel free to visit the link to MGoFish above:

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Visitors: May 13-15, 2016

2017

Donovan Peoples-Jones – WR – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Peoples-Jones is a 6’2″, 192 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 5-star, the #1 wide receiver, and #6 overall. He was the SPARQ national champion last year as a rising junior, and he earned a return invitation to The Opening when he worked out in Columbus last weekend. He’s a teammate of 2017 safety Jaylen Kelly-Powell and OG Jordan Reid.

2018

Markese Stepp – RB – Indianapolis (IN) Cathedral: Stepp is a 6’0″, 205 lb. prospect with offers from Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, and Tennessee, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #12 running back, and #209 overall. As a sophomore in 2015, he ran 155 times for 1,300 yards and 17 TDs. A teammate of 2017 LB Pete Werner (Notre Dame) and 2018 OG Emil Ekiyor, his visit to Ann Arbor this weekend resulted in the offer from the Wolverines. There are six Crystal Ball predictions in place, all for the Fighting Irish.

2017 Recruiting Update: May 9, 2016

Waxahachie (TX) Waxahachie WR Kenedy Snell (image via DFW.com)

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ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017
Warren (OH) Harding safety Lynn Bowden decommitted from Indiana. He’s a 6’1″, 185 lb. prospect with offers from Kentucky, Penn State, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #10 athlete, and #197 overall. It was surprising to me when he initially committed to the Hoosiers because he’s more talented than even the best of Indiana’s recruits most years, so it does not surprise me at all that he’s looking elsewhere. Michigan is holding a satellite camp at his school this summer (LINK).

Fayetteville (AR) Fayetteville defensive tackle Akial Byers was offered by Michigan in late March and I missed that news. He’s a 6’4″, 275 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Arkansas State, Florida State, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #15 defensive tackle, and #263 overall. As a junior in 2015, he made 69 tackles, 11 TFLs, and 3 sacks. Don Brown visited him in late April, so the Wolverines are actively recruiting him. He’s a big body with some impressive quickness, and he uses his hands pretty well. Arkansas two of the three Crystal Ball picks, but he has yet to pick up an offer from the home-state Razorbacks.

Lewisville (TX) Lewisville wide receiver Tyrell Shavers was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’6″, 202 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Oregon, Stanford, and Texas, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #26 wide receiver, and #207 overall. As a junior in 2015, he caught 36 passes for 667 yards and 10 TDs. He claims a 4.38 forty. A lot of 6’6″ receivers look like they might grow into tight ends, but Shavers is pretty lanky and looks like he’ll stick on the outside.

Hit the jump for a couple more offers, a player who went off the board, and a brief recap of some in-state accolades at the Nike’s Columbus Regional combine.

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Visitors: March 25-27, 2016

Bellevue (CA) St. John Bosco OT Wyatt Davis (image via Maxpreps)

2017
Henry Bainivalu – OT – Seattle (WA) Skyline: Bainivalu is a 6’6″, 290 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan, Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #19 offensive tackle, and #110 overall. He quietly has Michigan as one of his top few schools, although Washington is probably out front. Bainivalu said he he may visit Michigan this weekend, so it’s not 100% set in stone. UPDATE: Bainivalu will visit during the week of April 11th instead.

Naytron Culpepper – CB – Miami (FL) Carol City: Culpepper is a 5’11”, 160 lb. prospect with offers from Arkansas, Louisville, LSU, and South Carolina, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #39 safety, and #520 overall. He’s a teammate of 2017 linebacker De’Andre Wilder (see below).

Wyatt Davis – OT – Bellevue (CA) St. John Bosco: Davis is a 6’5″, 310 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA, USC, and Washington, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 5-star, the #7 offensive tackle, and #24 overall. He’s the son of actor Duane Davis (who was the Very Dumb Football Player in Beetlejuice and Alvin Mack in The Program), as well as the grandson of former Grambling State, Green Bay Packers, and Cleveland Browns defensive end Willie Davis, an NFL Hall of Famer. Much like Bainivalu, Davis is high on Michigan.

A.J. Dillon – RB – Groton (MA) Lawrence Academy: Dillon is a 6’1″, 230 lb. prospect with offers from Florida State, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #19 running back, and #249 overall. He claims a 4.59 forty and a 4.39 shuttle. As a junior in 2015, he ran 187 times for 1,887 yards and 26 TDs. He is coming to Ann Arbor on March 22 and recently named the Wolverines to his top five. He’s the grandson of Notre Dame star Tom Gatewood, a College Football Hall of Fame wide receiver in the 1970s.

Hit the jump for more 2017 and 2018 visitors.

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