Juwann Bushell-Beatty, Wolverine

Tag: Juwann Bushell-Beatty


30Apr 2013
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Juwann Bushell-Beatty, Wolverine

Paramus (NJ) Catholic offensive tackle
Juwann Bushell-Beatty (image via Rivals)

Paramus (NJ) Catholic offensive tackle Juwann Bushell-Beatty committed to Michigan on Monday.  He picked the Wolverines over offers from Boston College, Florida, Florida State, Massachusetts, Miami, Michigan State, Rutgers, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

Bushell-Beatty stands 6’7″ and 310 lbs.

RATINGS
ESPN: 4-star, 83 grade, #10 OT, #120 overall
Rivals: 3-star, #29 OT
Scout: 3-star, #45 OT
247 Sports: 4-star, 90 grade, #17 OT, #215 overall

Bushell-Beatty was offered in February, just a couple weeks after National Signing Day.  He visited Penn State and Boston College in the meantime, and he also stopped by Ohio State on the same trip in which he visited Michigan.  After that midwest trip, he declared Michigan his leader; many presumed that he would commit to the Wolverines, but Michigan hasn’t recruited New Jersey very successfully over the past few seasons.

When watching Bushell-Beatty’s highlights, they started off well.  I think he shows some pretty impressive footwork for such a large guy, and he moves his feet very well in both the pass and run game.  He shows a nice kick set, keeps a wide base, and stays well balanced while sitting back in his pass set.  He also flashes the ability to show a good punch and control a rusher’s inside number.  He has a thick lower body, which should allow him to develop a strong power base and anchor well against inside pass rushes.

I also thought his highlight-worthy plays ran out fairly quickly.  Regarding his pass blocking, Bushell-Beatty sometimes opens up his hips and outside foot too early, which could make him susceptible to defensive ends spiking inside.  While he shows a good hand punch at times, it’s not consistent enough and he needs to work on keeping his hands inside.  In the run game, he shows decent footwork but he tends to stand up too high; despite his heft, he doesn’t appear to have the strength to drive defensive linemen off the ball.  At times he gets stoned by players who are smaller than him, partly because of pad level but also partly due to some apparent lack of functional strength.  He needs to play lower and get in the weight room.  And while several of Michigan’s recent offensive line recruits look like solid overall athletes, Bushell-Beatty is a little less so and will have to work on his balance and flexibility.

I think Bushell-Beatty projects best as a left tackle at the next level, because he has a pretty good feel for pass protection.  His run blocking needs the most work, in my opinion, so offensive guard and right tackle are a bigger leap.  He has a good deal of mass and probably doesn’t need to add weight (if he is indeed 310 lbs.), but he will need to turn some of that current weight into muscle.  I do not think he has the athleticism to be a great offensive lineman, but there is some potential for him to be a starter at some point, a guy like Mark Huyge.

Bushell-Beatty is the eighth commitment in the class of 2014 and the second offensive lineman, joining Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake’s Mason Cole.  If the recruiting class remains at the size of 16, then I would expect Michigan to take three total linemen; the third could be a guy at any of the offensive line positions, because I think Michigan has built enough depth at every spot to take the “best player available.”  Meanwhile, Bushell-Beatty’s teammate is cornerback Jabrill Peppers, widely considered to be the best cornerback prospect in the country.  Michigan has not pulled in a player from Paramus (NJ) Catholic before, and he is the first from the Garden State since Anthony Lalota in the 2009 class.  However, Michigan did have a short run of success recruiting the state in the 2000s with guys like J.B. Fitzgerald, Victor Hobson, and Brandon Smith.

TTB Rating: 68 (ratings explanation)

Highlights can be found on Hudl.

6Apr 2013
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Visitors: First week of April 2013

#73 Juwann Bushell-Beatty and #5 Jabrill Peppers (image via Northjersey.com)

Due to Easter and spring break, lots of kids will be off this week, too, and have a chance to stop by Michigan’s campus throughout the week.

Trey Barksdale – LB – Clinton (MI) Clintondale: Barksdale is a 6’0″, 190 lb. linebacker prospect with no offers at this time.  As a junior in 2012, he had 30 solo tackles, 1 interception, and 1 fumble recovery returned for a touchdown.  He looks like a player who would be a ways down in the pecking order for a scholarship offer, and Michigan is reportedly looking for just one more linebacker (in addition to Michael Ferns III) in the 2014 class. UPDATE: Barksdale did not make it to campus on Tuesday but may visit later in the week.

David Beedle – DT – Clarkston (MI) Clarkston: Beedle is a 6’5″, 250 lb. defensive tackle with no offers at this time.

Ray Buford – WR – Southfield (MI) Southfield: Buford is a 6’0″, 170 lb. wideout from the class of 2015.  He has no offers at this time.  As a sophomore in 2012, he had 52 receptions for more than 500 yards and 5 touchdowns.  Buford also visited Michigan for the game against Northwestern back in November.  Michigan’s coaching staff seems to want him as a cornerback.

Juwann Bushell-Beatty – OT – Paramus (NJ) Catholic: Bushell-Beatty is a 6’7″, 310 lb. prospect with offers from Florida, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, and Rutgers, among others.  The 247 Composite rankings place him as a 3-star, the #35 offensive tackle, and the #456 player nationally.

Cole Chewins – TE – Clarkston (MI) Clarkston: Chewins is a 6’7″, 210 lb. tight end for the class of 2015.  He has no offers at this time.  Some sites talk about him as if he’s a linebacker, but he looks too long and lanky to be a linebacker; I think he will likely end up at tight end or defensive end.

Rob Dowdy – OT – Westerville (OH) South: Dowdy is a 6’7″, 250 lb. prospect from the class of 2015.  He has offers from Indiana and Kentucky so far.  He visited Michigan a couple weeks ago, so he appears to be strongly interested in the Wolverines.  Westerville South is the high school of Marcus Ball (Arizona State), whom Michigan offered in the 2013 class.

Lawrence Gordon – DE – Saginaw (MI) Arthur Hill: Gordon is a 6’5″, 230 lb. defensive end from the class of 2016, so he just finished his freshman year.  He has no offers at this time, but he has recently visited Michigan State and Ohio State.

Jamarco Jones – OG – Chicago (IL) De La Salle: Jones is a 6’5″, 290 lb. prospect with offers from Florida, Florida State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Tennessee, among many others.  He has expressed mild interest in Michigan and seems likely to stay somewhere in the midwest, but he does not seem to be very close to committing anywhere.  His 247 Composite ranking (which combines the rankings of Rivals, Scout, and 247 – along with ESPN whenever they rank players) puts him at the #4 offensive tackle and the #53 overall player in the 2014 class.

Evan Mallory – OG – Brownsburg (IN) Brownsburg: Mallory is a 6’4″, 285 lb. prospect for the class of 2015.  He has no offers at this point.  Mallory has good size but is a little slow afoot, but if he can improve his foot speed, he has a chance to become a legitimate prospect.

Lawrence Marshall – DE – Southfield (MI) Southfield: Marshall is a 6’3″, 215 lb. weakside end prospect with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State, among others.  He was committed to OSU for a few days, but that ended quickly.  In 247’s Composite ranking, he’s the #13 weakside end and the #198 player overall.

Malik McDowell – DE – Detroit (MI) Loyola: McDowell is a 6’7″, 290 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, USC, and a host of others.  He is a 5-star or high 4-star caliber prospect.  Michigan and Notre Dame seemed to be neck and neck, but recent info suggests Michigan might be taking a lead.

Sam Mustipher – OG – Olney (MD) Good Counsel: Mustipher is a 6’4″, 285 lb. offensive guard prospect with offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Maryland, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and West Virginia, among many others; his father played football for the Mountaineers.  Good Counsel is the alma mater of Michigan cornerback Blake Countess, as well as the home of several other Michigan targets in recent years, including Stefon Diggs (Maryland), Wes Brown (Maryland), Dorian O’Daniel (Clemson), and Kendall Fuller (Virginia Tech).  The 247 Composite ranking places him as the #8 offensive guard and #119 player overall.

Brady Pallante – DT – Naples (FL) Barron Collier: Pallante is a 6’1″, 270 lb. prospect with a scholarship offer from Appalachian State and a greyshirt offer from Michigan.  He was very close to committing to Michigan’s greyshirt offer when it happened several weeks ago, but he has decided to wait out the process – at least for a little while – to see what other opportunities arise.

Jabrill Peppers – CB – Paramus (NJ) Catholic: Peppers is a 6’1″, 200 lb. prospect with a top group of schools that includes Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Stanford.  The 247 Composite rankings put him at the #1 athlete prospect (he could also play running back, wide receiver, or safety) and the #5 overall player in the nation. Peppers is the teammate of Bushell-Beatty, mentioned above.

Blaise Stearns – WR – Ann Arbor (MI) Gabriel Richard: Stearns is a 6’2″, 202 lb. receiver from the class of 2013.  He will be a student at Michigan in the fall, so it looks like he might be a walk-on in the future.  As a senior in 2012, he had 25 receptions for 540 yards and 7 touchdowns.  He also had 3 rushing touchdowns, 4 interceptions, and 1 defensive touchdown.  I don’t often say this about walk-ons, but based on his film, I think Stearns would have a chance of contributing to the team as a slot receiver or on special teams down the road.

Jared Wangler – LB – Warren (MI) De La Salle: Wangler is a 6’2″, 215 lb. linebacker prospect with offers from Bowling Green, Ohio, Toledo, and Western Michigan.  As a junior in 2012, he had 76 tackles, 15 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1 interception, which was returned for a touchdown.  Wangler is the son of former Michigan quarterback John Wangler and the brother of wide receiver Jack Wangler, who will enroll at Michigan in the fall and walk on to the football team.

Maurice Ways – WR – Detroit (MI) Country Day: Ways is a 6’3″, 195 lb. wideout with offers from Iowa, Kansas, and some MAC schools.  He’s a 3-star, the #76 wide receiver, and the #591 overall player in 247’s Composite rankings.  As a junior in 2012, he had 51 receptions for 957 yards and 9 touchdowns.  Ways also visited Michigan last week.  He has supposedly struggled with drops at times, but athletically, I like Ways and think he might be headed for some big offers down the road.

K.J. Williams – WR – Bethlehem (PA) Liberty: Williams is a 6’2″, 190 lb. prospect with offers from Arizona, Michigan, Pitt, Rutgers, South Carolina, and UCLA, among others.  As a junior in 2012, he had 59 catches for 986 yards and 11 touchdowns.  He also plays safety on defense, but Michigan appears to want him as a wideout.  His 247 Composite ranking places him as a 4-star, the #15 athlete, and the #184 overall player.

25Feb 2013
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Recruiting Update: February 25, 2013

Naples (FL) Barron Collier defensive tackle Brady Pallante (right, making the tackle)

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2014
Paramus (NJ) Catholic offensive tackle Juwann Bushell-Beatty was offered by Michigan.  He’s a 6’6″, 310 lb. prospect with offers from Florida, Florida State, and West Virginia, among others.  He’s the #25 offensive tackle to 247 Sports.  His teammate is big-time cornerback prospect Jabrill Peppers, who also holds a Michigan offer.

River Ridge (LA) John Curtis wide receiver Malachi Dupre was offered by Michigan.  Dupre is a 6’2″, 190 lb. wideout with offers from Clemson, Florida State, LSU, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, and UCLA, among others.  He claims a 4.55 forty and is the #59 overall player to 247 Sports.  As a junior in 2012, he had 36 catches for 816 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Greensboro (NC) Page defensive end Lorenzo Featherston was offered by Michigan.  Featherston is a 6’7″, 220 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Florida State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, South Carolina, and Tennessee, among others.  As a junior in 2012, he had 58 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks.  He’s the #21 overall player to 247 Sports and #108 to Rivals.

Naples (FL) Barron Collier defensive tackle Brady Pallante was offered a grayshirt scholarship by Michigan.  Pallante is a 6’1″, 275 lb. prospect with no other offers at this time.  A grayshirt is a scholarship in which the player pays his own way through school for a semester before getting a scholarship once some current players graduate.  For example, as a part of the 2014 class, Pallante would pay his own way through school and not join the football team until January 2015, at which time he would join Michigan’s football team for spring practices and be on scholarship (potentially) from the 2015-2019 seasons.  Despite the lack of a great recruiting profile, Pallante is a solid nose tackle prospect.  What he lacks in size and athleticism, he makes up for in strength and technique.

New Orleans (LA) St. Augustine cornerback Jermaine Roberts was offered by Michigan.  He’s a 5’11”, 175 lb. prospect with offers from Florida State, LSU, Texas, Texas A&M, and UCLA, among others.  As a junior in 2012, he had 47 tackles, 9 interceptions, 13 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery touchdown, and 2 interceptions returned for touchdowns.  Roberts has good speed and change of direction, and he also shows an ability to play physically.  His teammate is fellow Michigan offeree Leonard Fournette, one of the top running backs in the country for 2014.

Westlake (LA) Westlake tight end Jacory Washington was offered by Michigan.  Washington is a 6’5″, 210 lb. prospect who is committed to LSU, and he also has offers from Auburn, Alabama, Texas A&M, and UCLA, among others.  As a junior in 2012, he had 35 catches for 476 yards and 7 touchdowns.  Washington is keeping an open mind despite being committed to the Tigers.

Bethlehem (PA) Liberty wide receiver K.J. Williams was offered by Michigan.  Williams is a 6’2″, 190 lb. wideout with offers from UConn, Pitt, Rutgers, and South Carolina, among others.  As a junior in 2012, he had 59 receptions for 986 yards and 11 touchdowns.  He’s a big, physical kid with good speed who could also play safety at the next level.

River Ridge (LA) John Curtis linebacker Kenny Young was offered by Michigan.  Young is a 6’2″, 215 lb. prospect with offers from Florida, LSU, Texas A&M, and numerous others.  He’s a 4-star prospect to both Rivals and 247 Sports.  John Curtis is the alma mater of former USC star Joe McKnight and former Michigan target Robby Green (Alabama).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015
Manlius (NY) Fayetteville-Manlius tight end Tyrone Wheatley, Jr. was offered by Michigan.  Wheatley is a 6’6″, 235 lb. rising junior who is the son of former Michigan (and New York Giants and Oakland Raiders) running back Tyrone Wheatley.  This is the younger Wheatley’s first offer.  His father is the running backs coach for the Buffalo Bills.

MISCELLANEOUS
Here’s a list of Michigan’s weekend visitors.