Recruiting Update: February 3, 2012

Tag: Jordan Diamond


3Feb 2012
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Recruiting Update: February 3, 2012

Cleveland (OH) Glenville defensive tackle Willie Henry (#74) was one of two commitments Michigan received

COMMITMENTS
Cleveland (OH) Glenville defensive tackle Willie Henry committed to Michigan.  He received an offer over the weekend on a hastily planned official visit, and things went well enough for him to commit almost immediately. (Find Henry’s commitment post here.)

Detroit (MI) King running back Dennis Norfleet committed to Michigan.  He received an offer on the eve of National Signing Day and committed almost on the spot.  The 5’8″, 175 lb. athlete could play running back, slot receiver, punt returner, and/or kick returner. (Find Norfleet’s commitment post here.)

OFF THE BOARD
Tampa (FL) Berkeley Prep wide receiver Nelson Agholor committed to USC.  Agholor was heavily considering Florida and Notre Dame, too, but you can’t really go wrong with USC when they’ve had a steady string of NFL-bound quarterbacks, including returning senior Matt Barkley.

Oxford (AL) Oxford linebacker Kwon Alexander committed to LSU.  The 6’2″, 212 lb. outside linebacker spurned the in-state schools in favor of the LSU Tigers.  He’s an athletic kid who really looks like he’s going to be a star at the next level.

Lakewood (WA) Lakes offensive tackle Zach Banner committed to USC.  Banner is the son of former Washington Husky, Atlanta Falcon, and Oakland Raider Lincoln Kennedy.  Banner himself is already 6’9″ and 310 lbs.

Oxon Hill (MD) Potomac cornerback Ronald Darby committed to Florida State.  Darby is only 5’11” and 172 lbs., so he lacks some bulk, but he has some of the best speed in the country.  He had previously been committed to Notre Dame, but I can’t blame him for wanting to get away from the Fighting Irish and the ticking time bomb that is Brian Kelly.

Cleveland (OH) Cleveland Heights offensive tackle Kyle Dodson flipped from Wisconsin to Ohio State.  The 6’6″, 315 lb. monster had been committed to Wisconsin for a couple months, but the departure of some of Wisconsin’s offensive staff (coordinator Paul Chryst became the head coach at Pitt) and the arrival of Urban Meyer contributed to the change of heart.

Washington (D.C.) Friendship nose tackle Eddie Goldman committed to Florida State.  The 6’4″, 307 lb. Goldman was offered when Rich Rodriguez was still Michigan’s head coach.  Many expected Goldman to choose Auburn, so he surprised some people.

Lakewood (OH) St. Edward’s tight end Sam Grant committed to Oklahoma.  He had previously been committed to Boston College, and many Michigan insiders expected Grant to pick Michigan.  The 6’4″, 245 lb. tight end might find himself lingering near the bottom of the depth chart with the Sooners.

Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco Prep defensive end Darius Hamilton committed to Rutgers.  One of the top recruits in the nation, the 6’4″, 245-pounder seemed to be leaning toward Rutgers all along, so this wasn’t a surprise in the slightest.  High school teammate Leonte Carroo is a part of the Scarlet Knights’ class as well.

Euless (TX) Trinity offensive guard Hiva Lutui committed to Utah.  Lutui didn’t receive a lot of attention from Michigan fans, and a while ago, it seemed he would choose UCLA.

Cincinnati (OH) Moeller wide receiver Monty Madaris committed to Michigan State.  His recruitment ended in a bit of a head-scratching way, because he was reportedly concerned about going so far from home.  Michigan is right next to Ohio, of course, but driving from Cincinnati to East Lansing is a significant drive (5 hours and 23 minutes, according to Google Maps).  Madaris held off from signing on Wednesday, which caused his high school coach to say some pretty immature things.  There’s nothing like supporting your 18-year-old student-athlete when he’s troubled with the biggest decision of his life.

Brooklyn (NY) Erasmus Hall cornerback/safety Wayne Morgan committed to Syracuse.  The 5’11”, 188 lb. defensive back suffered a somewhat precipitous drop on some recruiting sites as the recruiting cycle wore on, dropping as far as the #116 safety in the nation, according to Scout.

San Clemente (CA) San Clemente offensive tackle Kyle Murphy committed to Stanford.  The 6’7″, 275 lb. lineman has good feet and will likely remain at left tackle as a collegian.

Lehi (UT) Westlake defensive end/outside linebacker Moana Ofahengaue committed to Utah.  The 6’4″, 205-pounder could play weakside end or outside linebacker in college, and he really stood out in the Semper Fidelis All-American Game.  He was high on Michigan early in the process, but Michigan filled up at defensive end pretty quickly.

Westlake Village (CA) Oaks Christian wide receiver Jordan Payton flipped from Cal to Washington UCLA.  Throughout his recruitment, he was committed to 33% of the Pac-12’s schools: USC, Cal, Washington, and finally UCLA.  You do not want to stand behind him in line at McDonald’s, because you will be waiting a long time just to order your damn McDouble.  He could stand to listen to the Toadies a little more.

Tempe (AZ) Corona Del Sol offensive tackle Andrus Peat committed to Stanford.  The mammoth 6’7″, 305 lb. Peat has a brother who plays defensive tackle at Nebraska.  Peat visited Michigan last summer, but it was pretty clear early on that he would be staying out west somewhere.  I would envision the above mentioned Murphy at left tackle and Peat on the right side, giving the Cardinal two solid bookends on the offensive line for the next several years.

McKees Rocks (PA) Sto-Rox linebacker Deaysean Rippy committed to Pitt.  The 6’2″, 200-pounder looks like a wideout (and indeed played WR in high school) and is a little thin.  He will probably take a year or two to add some weight, but he’s very fast and could turn into a solid, athletic outside linebacker for the Panthers.

Atwater (CA) Buhach defensive tackle Aziz Shittu committed to Stanford for the second time.  The 6’3″, 275-pounder originally committed to the Cardinal early last year, but he re-opened his recruitment in June.  He was always thought to be staying on the west coast; it just wasn’t clear which California school he would attend.  Along with Murphy, Peat, linebacker Noor Davis, and running back Barry Sanders, Stanford pulled in a hell of a recruiting class, perhaps their best ever.

Sacramento (CA) Grant safety Shaq Thompson flipped from Cal to Washington.  Thompson had just committed to Cal a few weeks ago, but when lead recruiter Tosh Lupoi left the Golden Bears for the Huskies, Thompson followed quite promptly.  This will make it extremely disappointing for Thompson once Lupoi takes a job elsewhere in about two years, which seems likely in the coaching world.

McDonough (GA) Henry County defensive end Dalvin Tomlinson committed to Alabama.  The 6’2″, 270 lb. Tomlinson will probably play defensive end in the Crimson Tide’s 3-4 scheme, although he could easily be a defensive tackle in a four-man front.

Edwardsville (IL) Edwardsville defensive tackle Vincent Valentine committed to Nebraska.  He’s a 6’3″, 300 lb. nose tackle type.

Palm Beach Gardens (FL) Palm Beach Gardens offensive tackle Avery Young committed to Auburn.  Young is a 6’6″, 273 lb. lineman whose brother Willie currently plays for the Detroit Lions.

PENDING ANNOUNCEMENTS
There are a few prospects on the 2012 Offer Board who have yet to announce their college destinations:

Chicago (IL) Simeon offensive lineman Jordan Diamond will announce tonight at 8:00 p.m. EST.  Michigan insiders are not particularly optimistic that things will fall their way, with the recent vibe leaning toward Arkansas.

Olney (MD) Good Counsel athlete Stefon Diggs will announce next Friday, February 10th.  Michigan appears to be out of the running for Diggs.

Klein (TX) Oak fullback E.J. Fatu has run into some personal/family issues, transferred schools, and his recruitment is a bit up in the air right now.

Wimberley (TX) Wimberley fullback Dennis Smith has allegedly run into some legal trouble, and he might be one of those kids who ends up at a JUCO.

Bamberg (SC) Erhardt athlete Demetrius Williams has fallen off the radar.  He was recruited by Rich Rodriguez, so he probably didn’t have a committable offer from Brady Hoke and Co.  However, I have been unable to find any new info on Williams for the last several months.

22Jan 2012
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Caleb Stacey, ex-Wolverine

Cincinnati (OH) Oak Hills offensive lineman Caleb Stacey decommitted
from Michigan on Saturday in favor of the Cincinnati Bearcats

Cincinnati (OH) Oak Hills offensive lineman Caleb Stacey decommitted from Michigan on Saturday and committed to the Cincinnati Bearcats.  The 6’4″, 280-pounder said that he wanted to stay closer to home.

It’s hard not to guess that Stacey’s decommitment resulted partly from Michigan’s other pursuits along the offensive line.  Stacey was Michigan’s lowest rated commit, and even though he was the only one that many pegged for center, he might have thought that the road to playing time would be a difficult one.  Because let’s be honest – no kid thinks that Cincinnati is a better football team or that his chances of making it to the NFL are better as a Bearcat.  Of course, it’s certainly possible that he’s telling the truth about distance from home, but there are likely other reasons, too.

Michigan now has 23 commits in the 2012 class, four offensive linemen, and zero kids who are likely to play center.  While this does open up the possibility that Michigan could take two higher rated offensive lineman, such as Puyallup (WA) Puyallup OG Joshua Garnett and Chicago (IL) Simeon OT Jordan Diamond, it also means Michigan is dangerously thin at the center position for the future.  Aside from two seniors (Rocko Khoury, Ricky Barnum), the only player on the time with a bead on the center position is rising redshirt freshman Jack Miller.  Unless Michigan can pull another center in during the 2012 class, the 2013 center position will consist of a redshirt sophomore Jack Miller, inexperienced position changers from guard or tackle, and any freshman from the 2013 class.

For other updates on former Wolverines and former commits, check out the Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia.

16Jan 2012
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Recruiting Update: January 16, 2012

Fort Wayne (IN) Bishop Luers linebacker Jaylon Smith


ADDED TO THE BOARD (2012, 2013, 2014)

Fort Wayne (IN) Bushop Luers outside linebacker Jaylon Smith, a 2013 prospect, received a Michigan offer on Friday.  The 6’3″, 202 lb. Smith is the brother of Rod Smith, a running back at Ohio State.  Jaylon also holds offers from Indiana, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Purdue, and Tennessee.

OFF THE BOARD
Vandalia (OH) Butler offensive tackle Taylor Decker changed his commitment from Notre Dame to Ohio State.  Decker is a 6’8″, 288 lb. lineman and a 4-star recruit across the board.

Hamilton (GA) Harris defensive end Jordan Jenkins committed to Georgia on Monday.  The 6’3″, 245-pounder also visited Alabama, Auburn, Florida, and Tennessee.  He played defensive tackle in the Under Armour All-America Game despite being undersized, but he still finished the game with 8 tackles and 2 sacks.  However, Georgia plans to use him as an outside linebacker in their 3-4 system.

WEEKEND VISITORS
Madisonville (KY) North Hopkins safety Jeremy Clark was in town this past weekend.  He’s 6’4″, 205 lbs. and could potentially develop into an outside linebacker at the college level.  Clark was originally a “greyshirt” commit and wasn’t planning to join the program until 2013, but the departure of Carvin Johnson opened a slot for him.

Chicago (IL) Simeon offensive tackle Jordan Diamond visited Ann Arbor this past weekend.  The 6’6″, 289-pounder is exploring his options with Arkansas, Auburn, Ohio State, and Wisconsin, and the Buckeyes are reportedly feeling quite confident about their chances with him.

Joliet (IL) Joliet Catholic running back Ty Isaac, a 2013 prospect, visited this past weekend.  The 6’3″, 215 lb. runner had 2,114 yards rushing and 45 touchdowns as a junior last season, and Michigan appears to be tied with Notre Dame at the top of Isaac’s list.  I have heard unflattering things about Isaac and I’m not a huge fan of his running style, but he is big and fast . . . so there’s that.

Woodbridge (VA) C.D. Hylton linebacker E.J. Levenberry, Jr., a 2013 prospect, also visited.  The 6’3″, 226 lb. linebacker has already been offered by Michigan, along with several other schools.

Warren (MI) De La Salle quarterback Shane Morris, a 2013 commit, visited Ann Arbor.  Morris seems to be turning into Michigan’s biggest athlete/recruiter, in the same vein as Ricardo Miller and Erik Magnuson in recent classes.

West Roxbury (MA) Catholic Memorial cornerback Armani Reeves visited Ann Arbor again this past weekend.  He’s committed to Penn State but unsure of new head coach Bill O’Brien.  The 5’9″, 185 lb. Reeves could play cornerback or receiver at the next level (Michigan wants him for defense), but both Penn State’s wide receivers coach and secondary coach have been let go.  Reeves’s best friend Camren Williams is committed to Penn State, which could weigh heavily into a decision here.

Washington (D.C.) Friendship Collegiate cornerback Jalen Tabor, a 2014 prospect, visited Michigan this past weekend.  He’s a 6’1″, 168 lb. sophomore who hasn’t been offered by Michigan yet.  However, he does have offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Miami, Ohio State, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, and several others . . . so a Michigan offer will probably be on the way at some point.  He attends the same school as 2011 running back Malcolm Crockett, who was recruited by Rich Rodriguez, and 2012 defensive tackle Eddie Goldman.

Alliance (OH) Marlington safety Dymonte Thomas, a 2013 commit, visited Michigan along with Morris.  The 6’1″, 180-pounder could play either safety position for Michigan and is also a standout running back for Marlington.

RECRUITING NEWS
There wasn’t a whole lot of news this past week after last week’s monster recruiting update.  Most class of 2012 kids who haven’t committed yet are going to wait until National Signing Day or thereabouts.  So here’s a bit of a wrap-up of some developments in the recruiting world last week:

Scout released its final Scout 300 of the recruiting cycle.  Posting this recruiting update at the beginning of January prevents people from questioning their integrity if they waited until after National Signing Day.  After all, there’s virtually no more “scouting” info to come for the class of 2012 now that the all-American games have been played, and posting updates after NSD might make people question if they change their ratings depending on where kids commit.

Here’s a scouting report on Louisville (KY) Trinity WR James Quick.  Michigan will be battling with lots of teams across the country to get Quick’s commitment, but he looks like a very good prospect for the next level.

7Dec 2011
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Mailbag: How do you want the class to finish?

Stefon Diggs is the top overall player left on Michigan’s radar


I am an avid reader of your blog and also enjoy most of your comments on MGoBlog. I was hoping you could comment on your site about how you would like to see the recruiting class finish up. It is commonly believed that there are four spots left, and here’s what I’m wondering: 

RB – Being held for Dunn, unlikely to take another RB otherwise. Do you think there’s another candidate? 

OL – There are several OL still high on Michigan (Banner, Diamond, Garnett, etc.) Could you provide your rankings of those players, which you’d want to see in a M uniform the most, and any thoughts about which makes a better fit based on the rest of the roster? 

WR – Now that we have one already in the fold, of the remaining options left who would you most want to see sign with M and why? 

Other – This had hoped to be Yuri Wright, but that hasn’t developed much. Who else would you consider here? A TE? Thanks for your insight! 

AC1997

Thanks for the e-mail, AC.

Regarding running backs, I don’t think there are any other candidates right now.  Drake Johnson is a bit of an insurance policy in case Canton (OH) Glenoak’s Bri’onte Dunn doesn’t come over to the good side, but I don’t know that there’s a pressing need to find an elite running back in this class.  There’s an outside shot that Greg Garmon could come to Michigan, but I don’t foresee that coming to fruition.  Michigan has Fitzgerald Toussaint for another couple years and the coaches seem to like Thomas Rawls, who’s the heir apparent to Toussaint.  I don’t think it would kill Michigan to lose out on Dunn, but they must  get an elite running back in 2013 if that happens.

As for the offensive linemen, here are some thoughts about the linemen still high on Michigan:

  1. Puyallup (WA) Puyallup OG Joshua Garnett is the most athletic and most versatile lineman on the board.  His technique isn’t quite as solid as that of Michigan commit Kyle Kalis, but Garnett is the better athlete. Garnett could play tackle as well, but putting Kalis at strongside guard and having Garnett as the pulling guard could be a seriously powerful combination.  Aside from Stefon Diggs, Garnett is probably the best player left on Michigan’s board.
  2. Lakewood (WA) Lakes OT Zach Banner is a potentially dynamic offensive tackle.  He’s not the best prospect, but a 6’9″ guy with his athleticism is extremely intriguing.  His bloodlines are a positive, too (his father is former NFL offensive tackle Lincoln Kennedy).  With those long arms, Banner could be an ideal blind-side protector.  I think 2012 commit Blake Bars is a future offensive guard, so Michigan could use another tackle in this class.
  3. Chicago (IL) Simeon OT Jordan Diamond is a notch down from the other two prospects, in my opinion.  He has decent size, decent athleticism, and decent technique, but he doesn’t have the All-American potential of the above two players.
  4. Lakeland (FL) Lakeland OT Evan Goodman has popped up on Michigan’s radar recently.  It’s unclear whether the Wolverines have offered Goodman, although he has plenty of other good offers.  He’s currently committed to Arizona State, but the coaching uncertainty has caused him to reconsider.  I’m not a huge fan of Goodman.  He’s certainly athletic – probably the second-most athletic kid in this grouping – but he lacks a punch and is a real project.  His technique will have to be overhauled completely before he can play at the next level, and even then, I’m not sure he has the requisite aggression to be successful.
Olney (MD) Good Counsel wide receiver Stefon Diggs is the best player left on Michigan’s board, slightly ahead of the aforementioned Garnett.  Michigan could use a big-play wide receiver and Diggs has the potential to be a game-breaker.  Diggs has the potential to develop into a first round draft pick if he can keep his head on straight.  He’s Mario Manningham or better.  Unfortunately, Diggs is unlikely to come to Michigan.
I would really like to see Michigan pursue a quarterback with one of these scholarships.  It doesn’t seem like the coaches will do so, but Michigan is quite thin at the position.  When 2013 commit Shane Morris arrives on campus, he will be behind a senior/redshirt junior Devin Gardner and a redshirt sophomore Russell Bellomy.  That’s it.  I think a school should always have at least four scholarship quarterbacks, and unless the coaches get someone in 2012 or an additional QB in 2013, Michigan will have only three scholarship quarterbacks for each season under Hoke.  Outside of a quarterback, I would like to see Michigan grab San Diego (CA) Westview tight end Taylor McNamara.  He reminds me of former Notre Dame tight end (and current Minnesota Viking) Kyle Rudolph.
12Oct 2011
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Recruiting Update: October 12, 2011



Laquon Treadwell (in red), Anthony Standifer (in black)
(image via ESPN.com)

 ADDED TO THE BOARD

Castle Rock (CO) Valor Christian OG Alex Kozan was offered by Michigan this past week.  Kozan is a class of 2012 recruit, which seems to mean that the coaching staff isn’t confident about their chances with Puyallup (WA) Puyallup OG Joshua Garnett.  Garnett is clearly the superior player.  Kozan looks like an old school Michigan guard, the kind that Lloyd Carr and Gary Moeller would have loved but that Rich Rodriguez wouldn’t have touched.  He’s 6’4″, 295 lbs. and plays with a nice, wide base, but he’s a little bit stiff.  Rivals lists him as the #28 offensive tackle in the country, but he looks to me like a guard all the way.  He’s decently nasty and moves his feet pretty well, but he’s built for a team that wants to pound the ball.

Crete (IL) Crete-Monee WR Laquon Treadwell, a 2013 prospect, was offered by Michigan yesterday.  Treadwell is a 6’3″, 190 lb. receiver who is teammates with 2012 cornerback and Michigan commit Anthony Standifer.  This is Treadwell’s first offer and he has stated several times that Michigan would be his leader if they offered.  Of course, we heard that same type of comment from Chicago (IL) Simeon OL Jordan Diamond earlier this year, and Diamond has so far held off on committing to anyone and looks less and less likely to join Michigan’s class.  There’s very little video of Treadwell on the internet, so it’s tough to get a feel for where he stands as a prospect.  Crete-Monee’s competition level is fairly low when compared to some other areas that Michigan has recruited heavily, so while Treadwell has been very productive this season, his statistics should be taken with a grain of salt. 

OFF THE BOARD

Flint (MI) Powers Catholic DT Danny O’Brien committed to Tennessee.  Before Michigan offered O’Brien, Tennessee was the leader . . . and after Michigan offered, Tennessee never really took a back seat.  Michigan did seem to surpass the other schools that were recruiting him, but not the Volunteers.  O’Brien is a 6’3″, 293 lb. (or more) defensive tackle who could be a 1-tech or 3-tech on the line.  I think he’s a nose tackle all the way, but others feel he’s better suited to a position where he can penetrate.  Rumors have been swirling that Michigan’s coaches cooled on O’Brien and stopped pushing for his commitment; even before those rumors popped up, I had been hearing that he hadn’t been very impressive as a senior.  I will be surprised if this one turns out to haunt Michigan down the road.  While the Wolverines need another body on the interior to go along with Kansas City (MO) Park Hill DT Ondre Pipkins, I don’t imagine O’Brien will be terrorizing the SEC.