Recruiting Update: March 24, 2014

Tag: Josh Rosen


24Mar 2014
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Recruiting Update: March 24, 2014

Sumter (SC) Crestwood running back Ty’Son Williams (image via SC Now)

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015
Sumter (SC) Crestwood running back Ty’Son Williams was offered by Michigan. Williams is a 5’11”, 200 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Georgia, North Carolina, North Carolina State, and South Carolina, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #24 running back, and #313 overall. As a junior in 2013, he had 81 carries for 848 yards and 15 touchdowns, plus 8 catches for 118 yards. Williams has some good speed and decent vision, but sometimes he seems to lack the necessary balance for the cuts he wants to make; he’s a little stiff and often seems to be about to fall down.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary’s linebacker Daelin Hayes was offered by Michigan. Hayes is a 6’3″, 225 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan State and Tennessee. He missed a large part of his sophomore season due to injury. Hayes is the cousin of Michigan redshirt junior running back Justice Hayes, but he’s also teammates with Tyson Smith (class of 2015, committed to Michigan State) and Joshua Ross (class of 2017, uncommitted), so there are pulls in multiple directions. The younger Hayes plays running back, too, but the Wolverines offered him as an outside linebacker.

OFF THE BOARD
Charlotte (NC) South Mecklenburg safety Stephen Griffin committed to Tennessee. Griffin picked up the Michigan offer about a month ago but did not appear to be strongly interested.

Glassboro (NJ) Glassboro wide receiver Juwan Johnson committed to Penn State. Johnson is a tall, physical receiver with pretty good speed, so Michigan will have to contend with him for the next several years. Johnson had expressed passing interest in the Wolverines but was not likely to join the class at any point.

Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco quarterback Josh Rosen committed to UCLA. His pledge was not a surprise at all, but he had made a surprise visit to Ann Arbor the weekend before announcing his commitment. The visit went well but he was always someone who wanted to stay close to home and disavowed the cold weather he would face in Michigan. Some sources have suggested that if Jim Mora, Jr. leaves for another job or if Bruins starter Brett Hundley sticks around for his senior year in 2015, Michigan (and others) might be back in the hunt for Rosen’s services. By the time any of that transpired, however, the Wolverines would likely already have a commitment from another quarterback prospect.

MISCELLANEOUS
Here’s a list of visitors who made it to Ann Arbor this past week/weekend.

I did a scouting report on Detroit (MI) Cass Tech running back Michael Weber.

Richmond (VA) St. Christopher’s cornerback Garrett Taylor is announcing his college decision at 12:30 p.m. today via Twitter. Most people expect him to choose Michigan with Stanford being the other possibility.

Last week I posted profiles on Trevon Avery, Khari Willis, Dior Johnson, Junior McMullen, and Grant Perry on Recruiting Season.

1Feb 2014
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January Coach Visits

Southfield (MI) Southfield defensive end Malik McDowell (#67) is Michigan’s top target remaining in the 2014 class

Since January is such a popular month for college coaches to hit the road and recruit, here’s a list of players who are expecting or have received visits this month.

2014
Ian Bunting – TE – Hinsdale (IL) Central*
Noah Furbush – LB – Kenton (OH) Kenton*
Jeff Jones – RB – Minneapolis (MN) Washburn*
Marlon Mack – RB – Sarasota (FL) Booker*
Malik McDowell – DE – Southfield (MI) Southfield*
Jared Wangler – LB – Warren (MI) De La Salle*
Chase Winovich – LB – Clairton (PA) Thomas Jefferson*

2015
Blake Barnett – QB – Corona (CA) Santiago*
Jake Browning – QB – Folsom (CA) Folsom
Nick Johns – QB – Washington (DC) Gonzaga
Kyle Kearns – QB – Pleasanton (CA) Foothill
Brian Lewerke – QB – Phoenix (AZ) Pinnacle
Alex Malzone – QB – Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice
Josh Rosen – QB – Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco*
David Sills – QB – Elkton (MD) Eastern Christian Academy*
Jarrett Stidham – QB – Stephenville (TX) Stephenville*
Ricky Town – QB – Ventura (CA) St. Bonaventure
Ryan Willis – QB – Mission (KS) Bishop Miege
Brandon Wimbush – QB – Jersey City (NJ) St. Peter’s Prep
Andrew Dowell – RB – Lakewood (OH) St. Edward
Johnny Frasier – RB – Princeton (NC) Princeton*
Damien Harris – RB – Berea (KY) Madison Southern*
Soso Jamabo – RB – Plano (TX) West*
Ronald Jones II – RB – McKinney (TX) North
Kentrail Moran – RB – O’Fallon (KY) O’Fallon
Jacques Patrick – RB – Orlando (FL) Timber Ridge*
Mike Weber – RB – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech*
George Campbell – WR – Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake*
Irvin Charles – WR – Haddonfield (NJ) Paul VI
Brian Cole – WR – Saginaw (MI) Heritage*
David Dowell – WR – Lakewood (OH) St. Edward
Tyron Johnson – WR – New Orleans (LA) Warren Easton*
Christian Kirk – WR – Scottsdale (AZ) Saguaro*
Kai Locksley – WR – Baltimore (MD) Gilman
Damarkus Lodge – WR – Cedar Hill (TX) Cedar Hill*
Juval Mollette – WR – Randleman (NC) Randleman*
Stanley Norman – WR – Gardena (CA) Junipero Serra
Kemah Siverand – WR – Houston (TX) Cypress Ridge
Bowman Archibald – TE – Dade City (FL) Pasco
Chris Clark – TE – Avon (CT) Old Farms
Austin Ervin – TE – St. Johns (MI) St. Johns
Jackson Harrison – TE – Columbia (TN) Central
Tyler Petite – TE – Moraga (CA) Campolindo
Anthony Rush – TE – Cary (NC) Cary
Jalen Wilkerson – TE – Douglas (GA) Coffee
Matthew Burrell, Jr. – OT – Woodbridge (VA) Hylton
Trevor Elbert – OT – Rockwall (TX) Heath
Jake Fruhmorgen – OT – Tampa (FL) Plant*
Mitch Hyatt – OT – Suwanee (GA) North Gwinnett*
Sterling Jenkins – OT – Pittsburgh (PA) Baldwin*
Harrison Moon – OT – Chattanooga (TN) Signal Mountain
Chuma Edoga – OG – Powder Springs (GA) McEachern
Richie Petitbon – OG – Washington (DC) Gonzaga
Jon Runyan, Jr. – OG – Philadelphia (PA) St. Joseph’s Prep*
Jashon Cornell – DE – St. Paul (MN) Cretin-Derham*
Jalen Dalton – DE – Clemmons (NC) West Forsyth
Landis Durham – DE – Plano (TX) East
Clelin Ferrell – DE – Richmond (VA) Benedictine
Keisean Lucier-South – DE – Orange (CA) Lutheran*
Charles Omenihu – DE – Rowlett (TX) Rowlett
Cassius Peat – DE – Tempe (AZ) Corona Del Sol
Darian Roseboro – DE – Lincolnton (NC) Lincolnton*
Darrion Daniels – DT – Dallas (TX) Bishop Dunne
Rasheem Greene – DT – Junipero (CA) Gardena Serra
Daylon Mack – DT – Gladewater (TX) Gladewater
Tim Settle – DT – Manassas (VA) Stonewall Jackson*
Elijah Taylor – DT – Cincinnati (OH) Moeller
Shy Tuttle – DT – Lexington (NC) North Davidson*
Christian Wilkins – DT – Suffield (CT) Suffield Academy
Jerome Baker – LB – Cleveland (OH) Benedictine*
Josh Barajas – LB – Merrillville (IN) Andrean
Asmar Bilal – LB – Indianapolis (IN) Ben Davis
Wyatt Cook – LB – Owings Mills (MD) McDonogh
Jordan Fox – LB – Jersey City (NJ) St. Peter’s Prep
Justin Hilliard – LB – Cincinnati (OH) St. Xavier*
Malik Jefferson – LB – Mesquite (TX) Poteet*
John Houston – LB – Junipero (CA) Gardena Serra
Darrin Kirkland, Jr. – LB – Indianapolis (IN) Warren Central
Arthur McGinnis – LB – New Orleans (LA) Warren Easton
Anthony McKee – LB – Columbus (OH) Walnut Ridge
Joshua McMillon – LB – Memphis (TN) Whitehaven*
Cameron Smith – LB – Granite Bay (CA) Granite Bay
Adonis Thomas – LB – Lawrenceville (GA) Central Gwinnett*
Tyriq Thompson – LB – Detroit (MI) King*
Anthony Wheeler – LB – Dallas (TX) Skyline*
Kareem Ali – CB – Sicklerville (NJ) Timber Creek
Kris Boyd – CB – Gilmer (TX) Gilmer
Shaun Crawford – CB – Lakewood (OH) St. Edward*
Minkah Fitzpatrick – CB – Jersey City (NJ) St. Peter’s Prep*
Iman Marshall – CB – Long Beach (CA) Poly*
Darrell Miller – CB – Cedar Hill (TX) Cedar Hill
John Reid – CB – Philadelphia (PA) St. Joseph’s Prep*
Tyree Kinnel – S – Huber Heights (OH) Wayne*
Marcus Lewis – S – Washington (DC) Gonzaga
Tyler Woodley – S – Powder Springs (GA) McEachern

This post is getting long, so hit the jump for 2016 and 2017 prospects:

2016
Messiah DeWeaver – QB – Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison
Kentrail Moran – RB – O’Fallon (IL) O’Fallon
Miles Sanders – RB – Woodland Hills (PA) Woodland Hills*
Kareem Walker – RB – Wayne (NJ) DePaul Catholic*
Scott Bracey – WR – Richmond (VA) Benedictine*
Brandon Burton – WR – Gardena (CA) Junipero Serra
Cameron Chambers – WR – Sicklerville (NJ) Timber Creek
D.J. Morgan – WR – Bellflowers (CA) St. John Bosco
David Edwards – TE – Downers Grove (IL) North
Marquise Guinn – TE – Carthage (TX) Carthage
Jake Hausmann – TE – Cincinnati (OH) Moeller
Isaac Nauta – TE – Buford (GA) Buford*
Kaden Smith – TE – Flower Mound (TX) Marcus*
Naseir Upshur – TE – Philadelphia (PA) Imhotep
Sean Foster – OT – Mundelein (IL) Carmel Catholic
Thiyo Lukusa – OT – Traverse City (MI) West*
Erik Swenson – OT – Downers Grove (IL) South*
E.J. Price – OG – Lawrenceville (GA) Central Gwinnett*
Tommy Roush – OG – Traverse City (MI) West
Lawrence Gordon – DE – Saginaw (MI) Saginaw
Jarrod McLin – DE – Carthage (TX) Carthage
Prince Sammons – DE – Cincinnati (OH) Hills Christian
Dexter Lawrence – DT – Wake Forest (NC) Rolesville*
Ed Oliver – DT – Houston (TX) Westfield
Daelin Hayes – LB – Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary’s
Keion Joyner – LB – Havelock (NC) Havelock
Robbie Robinson – CB – Hampton (VA) Phoebus
Aaron Matthews – ATH – Clairton (PA) Thomas Jefferson

2017
Bailey Hockman – QB – Powder Springs (GA) McEachern
Kahlee Hamler – WR – Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary’s
Joshua Ross – LB – Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary’s

*Prospect holds a Michigan offer

7Jan 2014
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Scouting Report: 2015 Quarterbacks

Josh Rosen

Since quarterback is such an important position, I like to look at the players that Michigan is reportedly considering for offers. The only two 2015 quarterbacks to be offered so far are Josh Rosen and David Sills, but with Rosen most likely staying on the west coast and Sills committed to USC, it seems like the Wolverines might have to extend another offer or two before they land their guy. Here’s a numerical ranking of the 13 guys rumored to be of interest to Michigan; players are ranked in order of my perception of how they would fit at Michigan, not necessarily their overall talent.

1. Josh Rosen – QB – Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco: Rosen is a 6’4″, 205 lb. prospect with offers from Cal, Duke, Fresno State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon State, Tennessee, Texas, UCLA, and USC, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 5-star, the #1 pro-style QB, and #4 overall in his class. As a junior in 2013, he had 3,200 yards passing, 39 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, and a completion percentage of 69%. He also ran for 404 yards and 8 touchdowns. Physically, Rosen reminds me of Chad Henne with his frame and running style, a guy who can pull the ball down and run if you leave him open, but not a guy who can really beat you with his feet. His mechanics and throwing style remind me of Aaron Rodgers, who’s always ready to throw the ball and has a quick release. Rosen has a very strong arm and can put the ball anywhere on the field, but he shows nice touch, too. The biggest question I have about Rosen is whether he can look off safeties, go through progressions, etc. because he tends to stare down his receiver and wait for him to come open.

2. Kyle Kearns
 – QB – Pleasanton (CA) Foothill: Kearns is a 6’3″, 195 lb. prospect with no offers at this time. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star and the #17 pro-style quarterback, and he had 2,500 yards passing and 26 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2012. After watching his highlights, I was surprised to click on his profile and find out that he hasn’t received any offers yet. Kearns is a guy who looks like he’s in command of the offense, knows where to go with the ball, gets rid of the ball quickly, and can throw his guys open. He also shows good quickness, the ability to throw on the run to his left or his right, and solid arm strength. I also like that he keeps his eyes downfield while scrambling. He’s not the biggest guy, and he won’t leave defenses in the dust with his speed, but I like the way he runs his football team.

3. Brady White – QB – Santa Clarita (CA) Hart: White is a 6’2″, 190 lb. prospect with offers from Colorado State and San Jose State. As a sophomore in 2012, he had 2,575 passing yards with 25 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. 247’s Composite rankings puts him at a 4-star level as the #3 pro-style QB and #73 overall. He claims a 4.68 forty. Frankly, I’m surprised that he’s ranked as a pro-style quarterback because a big part of his game is running the ball, and that’s the first thing that sticks out on his highlight film. He’s very mobile and accelerates quickly up the field while showing good vision and elusiveness. He has good feet and is always ready to throw, although the technical part of his footwork needs to be cleaned up. He can throw the ball from multiple angles, but his standard release is kind of a three-quarters delivery, which could get balls knocked down at the line of scrimmage since he’s only a little over 6′ tall. One thing that troubles me about White is that the ball almost never comes out on time, and he has a little bit of a hitch in his release where he takes an extra little crow hop before he gets rid of the ball. Windows will close on him in college if he can’t fix that, and he doesn’t have the pure arm strength to make up for it. White also runs a very shotgun-heavy offense and rarely drops back from under center, which doesn’t exactly mesh with the offensive philosophy of Brady Hoke.

4. Zach Gentry – QB – Albuquerque (NM) Eldorado: Gentry is a 6’6″, 230 lb. prospect with offers from Louisville, New Mexico, New Mexico State, San Diego State, and Tennessee. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #12 pro-style quarterback, and #269 overall. He claims a 4.68 forty and as a sophomore in 2012, he had 2,022 yards passing with 17 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, plus 110 carries for 305 yards and 9 touchdowns. Gentry is a tall quarterback with a well developed frame, so he probably won’t get significantly bigger. He runs mostly a shotgun/pistol spread offense. He has a strong arm but throws a very catchable ball, and he has a high release when he sets his feet in the pocket. His straight line speed is good for a guy his size, but he lacks lateral quickness and agility. He may be tough to bring down because of his size, but he could improve his pocket awareness – he seems to throw the ball on time or get flushed out of the pocket, instead of sliding around or moving up in the pocket. I would also like to see him attack the line of scrimmage more when he rolls out, so he can get more on the football, but that’s a pretty easy thing to coach up.

5. Kevin Dillman – QB – La Mirada (CA) La Mirada: Dillman is a 6’4″, 220 lb. prospect with offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, California, Clemson, Florida State, Louisville, Nebraska, Tennessee, UCLA, Utah, and Vanderbilt, among others. He claims a 4.7 forty and is a 247 Composite 4-star, the #4 dual-threat quarterback, and #145 overall. Dillman runs a pro-style offense and takes a lot of snaps from under center, so he would appear to mesh well with Michigan’s type of offense. When I was watching his junior highlights, I kept waiting for him to do something dynamic – make a long run, uncork a great throw while scrambling, something – but he was very methodical and took a lot of checkdowns. He runs well for a guy his size, but he probably won’t be a dynamic runner in college, despite being ranked as a dual-threat. He has a fairly strong arm and can push the ball down the field when he wants, but he mostly seems to settle for throwing hitches, slants, square ins, etc. It’s difficult to say whether that’s his decision or his coach’s. He has a high release and active feet, although there are times when he pushes the ball from the shoulder, aiming rather than throwing. He’s another guy who could end up as a tight end if the quarterback position doesn’t pan out.

6. Alex Malzone – QB – Bloomfield (MI) Brother Rice: Malzone is a 6’2″, 185 lb. prospect with offers from Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Toledo, and Western Michigan. As a junior in 2013, he completed 190/281 passes for 2,785 yards and 25 touchdowns, adding 3 more scores on the ground. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #33 pro-style QB, and #649 overall. Malzone runs a somewhat multiple offense and has experience dropping back, from shotgun, or from the pistol formation. He has a slight build and is a little short at a listed 6’2″. He runs his offense very well, is a good ball handler, and seems to be in command. He’s a good athlete who can get on the edge a little bit and make some things happen with his feet, but he’s not a blazer. Malzone gets the ball out on time and shows good accuracy and touch. His throws on skinny posts appear to be right on the money, but I question whether he has the arm strength to squeeze those in there against faster and longer defenders. He has a little bit of a hitch in his throwing motion where he brings the ball down to throw it, not totally unlike a right-handed version of Tim Tebow. Michigan’s coaching staff has been somewhat erratic with the quarterbacks they’ve recruited (the 6’3″ sorta dual-threat Russell Bellomy, the 6’3″ Shane Morris with a rocket arm, the 6’6″ Wilton Speight), but I look at Malzone and see him being too short and lacking the arm strength that Michigan likely wants.

7. Jack Beneventi – QB – Glen Ellyn (IL) Benet Academy: Beneventi is a 6’6″, 190 lb. prospect who’s committed to Iowa and also has offers from Illinois, Louisville, UMass, Notre Dame, and Western Michigan. As a junior in 2013, he was 134/246 passing for 1,482 yards and 7 touchdowns. He’s very tall and plays like it by standing tall in the pocket and using a high release. He has decent arm strength and looks good throwing the ball when he can get rid of it on time. His footwork is very inconsistent, and he tends to push the ball from his shoulder rather than whip it, which is something that’s somewhat difficult to fix; that can somewhat limit arm strength and the ball can die on longer throws. While he moves well for a guy his size, that foot speed is going to disappear as his body matures and he faces better competition. With his size, I wonder if Beneventi might be the type of guy who goes to Iowa as a quarterback and comes out a tight end.

8. Jimmy Fitzgerald – QB – Champaign (IL) Centennial: Fitzgerald is a 6’3″, 205 lb. prospect with offers from Florida International and Illinois. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #28 pro-style quarterback, and #561 overall. As a sophomore in 2012, he was 96/195 for 1,300 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. The first thing I noticed about Fitzgerald was that his footwork is sloppy and inconsistent, so that’s something that will have to be coached quite a bit. He does have good arm talent, and he throws a nice, catchable ball. Fitzgerald runs a shotgun spread offense in high school, which may not translate well to Michigan’s offensive style.

9. Sheriron Jones – QB – Moreno Valley (CA) Rancho Verde: Jones is a 6’3″, 180 lb. prospect with offers from Arizona and Arizona State. He claims a 4.6 forty and is a 247 Composite 4-star, #6 dual-threat quarterback, and #171 overall. Jones is a raw pure quarterback prospect. He has a slight build and lacks a strong arm. His footwork needs significant tweaking, and he runs a shotgun spread offense that does not necessarily mesh with what Michigan wants to do. Jones is a good runner with some speed and agility, but he’s not a dynamic runner.

10. David Sills – QB – Elkton (MD) Eastern Christian Academy: Sills is a 6’3″, 180 lb. prospect who is committed to USC and has other offers from Clemson, Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, and Virginia Tech. Two of his teammates (Brandon Watson and Freddy Canteen) are 2014 Michigan commits. At one point I saw full season highlights of Sills, but now I can’t find them. I believe Sills is a very polished quarterback prospect who is one of the top few players on the list at the moment. He runs a very pass-heavy offense, which is mostly a shotgun/pistol spread, but I think he has the mental acumen to make the adjustment to playing from under center when necessary. He has an overhand release, which helps make up for his average height. All that being said, I think Sills has pretty much maxed out his physical skills due to his refinement, and I’m not sure how much better he will get. He has a good but not great arm, and he’s decently mobile for a pocket quarterback.

11. Riley Neal – QB – Yorktown (IN) Yorktown: Neal is a 6’5″, 210 lb. prospect with no offers at this time. As a junior in 2013, he completed 188/292 passes (64.4%) for 2,751 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. If you watch Neal’s highlights, you may be reminded of former Michigan quarterback John Navarre. Neal is a tall guy who will probably play college ball around 230 lbs., but he’s a little bit slow of foot without much of an ability to create on his own. You will see a couple jump passes on his reel, which I don’t remember seeing out of Navarre. Neal has a strong throwing arm, and he does a good job of anticipating when his receivers are going to come open. With a strong offensive line, I think Neal could put up some good numbers, but it seems like Michigan’s coaches want a little more mobility.

12. Nick Johns – QB – Washington (DC) Gonzaga: Johns is a 6’3″, 215 lb. prospect with an offer from Virginia. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #26 pro-style quarterback, and the #551 player overall. He broke his collarbone halfway through his junior season and missed half the year. Johns is one of the more polished quarterbacks on this list, and he runs a pro-style offense that often puts him under center. He’s a good ball handler, has a good looking release, and delivers the ball on time. What Johns lacks is elite athleticism. He does not have a particularly strong arm, and despite solid mechanics, the ball often seems to sail high, which prevents his receivers from having much of an opportunity to run after the catch. He also lacks mobility and isn’t much of a threat to run or keep plays alive with his feet.

13. David Edwards – QB – Downers Grove (IL) North: Edwards is a 6’6″, 225 lb. prospect with offers from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Syracuse, Vanderbilt, and Wisconsin. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #42 athlete, and #399 overall. As a sophomore in 2012, he had 512 passing yards and 3 touchdowns, plus 719 yards and 9 touchdowns on the ground. Edwards looks almost comically large under center, and his highlights mostly include him running some form of option. However, he is not particularly nimble or fast and makes the option work by being very large. He has a questionable arm and poor feet for a quarterback, and I think he’s almost certain to change positions in college, likely to tight end.

27May 2013
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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.