Tag: K.J. Costello

If I Had My Druthers . . . 2020 Transfers

Michigan is rumored to have some interest in various potential transfers. I will address some of those rumored players here. I cannot claim to have watched all of these players play – especially in college – but I will do my best to evaluate how they would fit on Michigan’s roster.

NOTE: I am only looking at players that Michigan has been tied to in one way or another, because otherwise, obviously this would be way too overwhelming.

Hit the jump for the list.

Recruiting Update: March 30, 2015

Hallandale (FL) Hallandale wide receiver Joshua Hammond (image via MiamiHerald.com)

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COMMITMENT
Cornerbacks coach Mike Zordich confirmed that Wayne Lyons will be joining the team this season, so I wrote up a commitment post (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015(?)
Concord (CA) De La Salle safety Je’Vari Anderson is still a possibility to join Michigan. He’s a 6’1″, 200 lb. prospect who’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #63 safety, and #902 overall. I talked about him a couple weeks ago as a guy who was talking about joining the Wolverines but needs a qualifying test score. He has listed offers from Cal, Oregon State, and Utah, but his Twitter account still says “THE MISSION IS GOO!! BLUE!!” with a giant picture of the Michigan banner (LINK). I mention him again this week because the deadline to sign a National Letter of Intent is Wednesday, April 1. He could still end up playing for Michigan without the NLI, but he would not be able to practice with the team until the first day of classes. For his sake – and for the team’s, since I think he’s a better prospect than his rankings/offers indicate – I hope he gets good results and can fax in his NLI before the deadline. It might also help with Michigan’s recruitment of two of Anderson’s 2016 teammates, tight end Devin Asiasi and center Boss Tagaloa.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
Tyrone (GA) Sandy Creek wide receiver Korey Banks, Jr. was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’0″, 170 lb. prospect with offers from Arkansas State, Colorado State, and Western Michigan, among others. He visited this past weekend with a couple Lawrenceville (GA) Archer prospects for 2017, Isaiah Pryor and Jamyest Williams, who already held Michigan offers. Banks claims a 4.26 forty and is a track guy. Some teams are looking at him as a corner, but Jedd Fisch was the one to offer him, which implies that Michigan wants him at receiver.

Hit the jump for several more 2016 prospects, some 2017 prospects, an offer for 2018, and some miscellaneous bits.

Rancho Cucamonga (CA) Los Osos offensive tackle Cohl Cabral was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’5″, 250 lb. prospect with offers from Arizona State, Cal, Utah, and Washington State, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #20 offensive tackle, and #203 overall. Cabral has good feet and could play either tackle or guard at the next level. He has also been recruited by some schools as a defensive end, although I think that’s a stretch unless he would be in a 3-4 system.

Gordo (AL) Gordo linebacker Ben Davis was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’4″, 230 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Miami, and numerous others. He’s a 247 Composite 5-star, the #4 outside linebacker, and #22 overall. He claims a 4.6 forty. He is widely expected to attend Alabama.

Pembroke Pines (FL) Flanagan safety Devin Gil, a Miami commit, was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’1″, 205 lb. prospect who also has offers from Louisville and Marshall, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #76 safety, and #1202 overall. As a junior in 2014, he made 64 tackles and 3 interceptions. Depending on how his body develops, he could end up as an outside linebacker at the next level. He is a teammate of fellow offeree Devin Bush, Jr., who visited Michigan this past weekend, although Gil was not on campus. Gil committed to Miami back in January, but he is still open to being courted by other schools, so there’s a chance to pull him away.

Hallandale (FL) Hallandale wide receiver Joshua Hammond was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’1″, 180 lb. prospect with offers from Florida, Florida State, Nebraska, and Washington, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #59 wide receiver, and #343 overall. As a junior in 2014, he caught 25 passes for 413 yards and 6 touchdowns. He received an offer early in the week and immediately scheduled an unofficial visit, since he was going to be in the midwest visiting Notre Dame and Ohio State, anyway.

Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary’s offensive guard Cameron Kolwich was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’5″, 270 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan and Missouri, among others. He is currently unranked. Back in February I ranked him as the #13 prospect in the state (LINK), which was higher than several prospects with more offers. He plays tackle in high school, but he projects to offensive guard, where I think he has the potential to be a pretty solid lineman at the BCS level. He’s a teammate of 2017 linebacker Joshua Ross, who also has a Michigan offer.

Farmington (MI) Farmington linebacker David Reese, a Louisville commit, was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’1″, 235 lb. prospect whose other offers are from Indiana, Pitt, and some MAC schools. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #23 inside linebacker, and #685 overall. I was not expecting Reese to get an offer from Michigan, at least not this early. There has been some chatter about him moving to defensive end in college, since some think he might not have the quickness to remain at linebacker; however, it’s not often that 6’1″ defensive ends make an impact in college. There is a possibility that he is being recruited for the fullback position, since Michigan loses two fullbacks after this season (Joe Kerridge, Sione Houma) and does not have any other experienced players at the position. Reese is a teammate of fellow Michigan offeree (and Louisville commit) Desmond Fitzpatrick, a wide receiver. Both have visited Michigan numerous times, and it would be somewhat surprising if they did not choose to stay home.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017
Mansfield (OH) Madison safety Tyrell Ajian was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’0″, 180 lb. prospect with offers from Miami-OH and Toledo. He claims a 4.4 forty and a 35″ vertical. Also a standout receiver, Michigan wants him to play free safety. Ajian does have very good speed and will certainly pick up some other big-time offers before long.

Paramus (NJ) Catholic defensive end Corey Bolds was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’3″, 260 lb. prospect whose only other offer so far came from Rutgers. He does not have particularly impressive film, so this offer surprises me a little bit so early in the process. Bolds is the teammate of 2016 defensive tackle Rashan Gary, and both of them visited this weekend (see below for visitors list). Their former high school coach, Chris Partridge, is now a recruiting coordinator for Michigan.

Stafford (TX) Stafford wide receiver Hezekiah Jones was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’0″, 185 lb. prospect with offers from Baylor, TCU, and Texas A&M, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #11 wide receiver, and #61 overall. As a sophomore in 2014, he caught 28 passes for 551 yards and 6 touchdowns, plus a kickoff return score. He claims a 4.4 forty and a 32″ vertical. Jones is a crafty runner who does a good job of breaking tackles, catches passes while defensive backs interfere, and has good speed in the open field.

Akron (OH) Hoban running back Todd Sibley, Jr. was offered by Michigan. He’s a 5’11”, 205 lb. prospect with offers from Kentucky and Ohio State. He claims a 4.51 forty. As a sophomore in 2014, he averaged 8.2 yards/carry on his way to 1,576 yards and 17 touchdowns. He’s not a true blazer, but he has the stout build of Michigan State’s recent running back standouts, guys who are built low to the ground and are tough to take down. Hoban’s quarterback, 2017 prospect Danny Clark, used to attend Massillon (OH) Washington with Michigan freshman kicker Andrew David; Clark is now committed to Ohio State. The Buckeyes and Wolverines are at the top of Sibley’s list.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2018
Indianapolis (IN) Cathedral offensive guard Emil Ekiyor was given his first offer by Michigan. Ekiyor is a 6’3″, 285 lb. prospect who claims a 5.1 forty. He is the son of Emil Ekiyor, a Nigerian immigrant who played defensive end at Central Florida and then in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons.

OFF THE BOARD
Rancho Santa Margarita (CA) Rancho Santa Margarita quarterback K.J. Costello committed to Stanford. The writing was on the wall that he would pick Stanford or perhaps USC over Michigan once his repeated promises to visit Michigan fell through. He had visited Michigan last summer and was reportedly close to committing at the time, but Brady Hoke convinced him to take his time, allowing Messiah DeWeaver to commit first.

Temecula (CA) Great Oak running back Demetric Felton committed to UCLA. Felton is a very speedy, surprisingly tough runner who could also play receiver at the next level. He expressed initial interest in visiting Michigan but never planned a visit.

Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy defensive end Rahshaun Smith committed to Clemson. Smith is originally from Maryland and initially had Michigan high on his list, but a mid-year transfer to Florida seemed to alter his recruitment a little bit. By the time he was ready to commit, Michigan was no longer on his list.

MISCELLANEOUS
I posted a huge list of visitors from this past week/weekend (LINK).

I also posted an early spring game visitors list (LINK). And speaking of the spring game, I also did a mock draft of the two teams (LINK).

Notre Dame center Matt Hegarty has been granted a full release from the program to transfer as a fifth-year graduate. There have not been strong indications that Michigan is in the mix, but it’s a possibility for a team that lost its starting center (Jack Miller) and whose backup (Graham Glasgow) is going through some legal issues. Hegarty visited Florida State last weekend, and the Seminoles are in a better scholarship situation (80 right now, whereas Michigan is at the limit of 85). The Wolverines recruited Hegarty as part of the 2011 class out of Aztec (NM) Aztec, where he was a Rivals 4-star, the #6 offensive tackle, and #70 overall.

Over on Recruiting Season, I added/updated profiles for:

• Macomb Dakota RB Kaiser Carleton
• West Bloomfield CB Justin Clark
• Orchard Lake St. Mary’s OG Cameron Kolwich
• St. Joseph DE Corey Malone-Hatcher
• Farmington LB David Reese

Recruiting Update: March 23, 2015

Mililani (HI) Mililani running back Vavae Malepeai

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ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
Montgomery (AL) Carver defensive end Marlon Davidson was offered by Michigan. Davidson is a 6’4″, 260 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, and Georgia, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 5-star, the #3 strongside end, and #27 overall. He claims a 4.9 forty. Davidson looks like a 3-4 defensive end or perhaps a defensive tackle at the next level. His technique is inconsistent, but he’s a big boy who can run and shows some good aggression. His brother, Kenneth Carter, was a former defensive tackle at Auburn from 2010-2013, and Davidson is widely considered to be a shoo-in for the Tigers.

Camden (NJ) Camden defensive end Ron Johnson, Jr. was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’4″, 240 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, and Rutgers, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #17 weakside end, and #270 overall. He claims a 4.6 forty. Johnson is a kid who shows a really good motor and some good athleticism. A teammate of wide receiver Brad Hawkins, who already held a Michigan offer, the two visited Michigan this past weekend, but Johnson got news of the offer a couple days before making the trip.

Wichita (KS) East defensive end Xavier Kelly decommitted from Kansas State. The 6’5″, 230 lb. prospect committed to the Wildcats last November, but offers from Arkansas and Michigan in recent weeks have caused him to reopen his recruitment. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #20 weakside end, and #326 overall.

Mililani (HI) Mililani running back Vavae Malepeai was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’0″, 195 lb. prospect with offers from Cal, Colorado, Hawaii, and Washington, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #53 running back, and #731 overall. He claims a 4.44 forty. As a junior in 2014, he had 1,337 rushing yards, 205 receiving yards, and 24 total touchdowns. Hawaii doesn’t have the best competition in the country, so highlights should be taken with a grain of salt. However, Malepeai does have some impressive vision, an innate ability to slither out of tackles, and decent speed. He does a really good job of following his blockers, staying right on their hip for the added protection. He is the cousin of Michigan offeree Boss Tagaloa and is coached by former NFL special teamer Maa Tanuvasa. Michigan has only had two players from Hawaii in the history of the program (in 1925 and 1945), and the program only makes rare forays into the state for offers. The last time they went after an Aloha State player was in 2013 for defensive tackle Scott Pagano (Clemson).

Montgomery (AL) Carver linebacker Lyndell Wilson was offered by Michigan. Wilson is a 6’2″, 220 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, LSU, and Ohio State, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 5-star, the #2 outside linebacker, and #8 overall. He claims a 4.64 forty. As a junior in 2014, he made 86 tackles, 9 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, and 2 interceptions (1 returned for a touchdown). Do yourself a favor and watch his highlights, because he has one of the most impressive highlight reels I’ve seen in the 2016 recruiting class. You’ll even see a couple highlights against incoming freshman Keith Washington and 2016 running back offeree Kingston Davis. Unfortunately for Michigan, it looks like an Alabama vs. Auburn battle for Wilson.

Cuyahoga Falls (OH) Walsh Jesuit center Jack Wohlabaugh was offered by Michigan. Wohlabaugh is a 6’3″, 280 lb. prospect with offers from Cincinnati, Kentucky, Minnesota, and Purdue, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #15 offensive guard, and #334 overall. He is also the son of Dave Wohlabaugh, who played center for Syracuse before moving on to the NFL to play for the Patriots, Browns, and Rams. Jack plays left guard for his high school team, and he shows quick feet with a good initial punch. However, with his size, pedigree, and quickness, he probably projects to center at the next level.

Hit the jump for lots of miscellaneous bits.

MISCELLANEOUS
Rancho Santa Margarita (CA) Rancho Santa Margarita quarterback K.J. Costello announced he will be announcing his college decision on the afternoon of Thursday, March 26. He visited Michigan last summer and was thinking about committing at the time, but despite saying he’s down to Michigan, Stanford, and USC now, it looks like it will be one of the two California schools. Costello had been saying that he would visit Michigan this spring, but that visit never materialized. At one time it was thought he and a small group of Californians might come to Michigan (though package deals, especially of more than two players, are always huge long shots), but wide receiver Theo Howard already committed to Oregon. Costello’s teammate, wide receiver Dylan Crawford, is probably a long shot for Michigan now, and cornerback David Long, Jr. is also part of that group of friends.

Weber State punter Blake O’Neill from Weber State has spurred Sam Webb into announcing a gut feeling for Michigan. O’Neill is a graduate transfer prospect. Last year for Weber State, he averaged 44.1 yards/punt. Out of his 62 punts, 25 of them landed inside the 20-yard line and 18 of them were 50+ yards. Michigan lost both specialists last year in the forms of kicker Matt Wile (who had punted at times in his career) and Will Hagerup. Class of 2015 signee Andrew David is not expected to factor into the punting duties, so Michigan is looking at O’Neill or walk-on Kenny Allen to be the punter this season.

Lawrenceville (GA) Archer offensive tackle E.J. Price named Michigan his leader. The coaches are pitching early playing time for him, which makes sense considering Michigan’s lack of a solidified pecking order at offensive tackle. Price grew up in the Grand Rapids area. Two of his offered teammates – cornerback Jamyest Williams and safety Isaiah Pryor – are 2017 prospects who will be visiting Michigan this coming weekend, although Price will not be with them.

Huntersville (NC) Southlake Christian running back Robert Washington named Michigan to his final six schools. The former Mississippi State commit has visited Michigan four times, all during the Brady Hoke era. He will decide in April, and the Bulldogs are not part of the final group.

Here’s a list of visitors from this past weekend (LINK).

Michigan picked up a couple preferred walk-ons this past week:

• Jersey City (NJ) St. Peter’s Prep outside linebacker/defensive end Cheyenn Robertson
• Saline (MI) Saline linebacker Chris Terech

Over on Recruiting Season, I added/updated profiles for:

• Farmington safety Jakkar Jackson
• Detroit Cass Tech safety Jaylen Kelly-Powell
• Warren De La Salle linebacker Eric Rogers

Scouting Report: 2016 Quarterbacks

Shreveport (LA) Calvary Baptist quarterback Shea Patterson (#1)

Every year I put together a list of potential quarterbacks from Michigan and rank their desirability. This year’s list includes only players Michigan has offered, since more offers have gone out than in the past. Brady Hoke was very stingy with quarterback offers and generally didn’t offer guys until National Signing Day of the preceding class, but he went a little crazy with 2016 guys and offered some of them early. Jim Harbaugh has reaffirmed some of those offers and added one name to the list (Brandon Peters), plus he has gotten in the ear of Georgia commit Jacob Eason, whom I also included. Remember that this is a look at which players fit Michigan’s personnel, coaching staff, and system best, not necessarily who will be the best college football player overall.

If additions to the list are needed later, I’ll do a separate post at that time. Otherwise, these are the guys Michigan has offered and pursued at one point or another for the 2016 cycle. Enjoy!

1. Jacob Eason – QB – Lake Stevens (WA) Lake Stevens: Eason is a 6’5″, 205 lb. quarterback who committed to Georgia last summer; he also holds offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Washington, and Washington State, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 5-star, the #1 pro-style quarterback, and #4 overall. As a junior in 2014, he completed 197/287 passes for 2,829 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. Eason is a tall kid who can easily see over the line, and he does a good job of standing in the pocket and finding his man. He keeps his feet active and is always in a position to throw, which is helped out by the fact that he has the arm strength to make all the throws. I believe he has an NFL arm as a high schooler, and he can put the ball on a line even when he’s running and can only use his arm. In that way he reminds me a little bit of some throws I saw Jameis Winston make this past year, but overall, I see Sam Bradford when I look at Eason. Eason can put some nice touch on the deep ball, and he can find small windows in the secondary. He also gets rid of the ball quickly and seems in command of the offense, understanding where to go with the football and when. He gets through his reads in a hurry and can scan the whole field, which is impressive for a high schooler. There’s not much to criticize, but he is not a dynamic runner, lacking great speed or elusiveness but with enough athleticism right now to keep the chains moving. Also, when he has to hold onto the ball, he starts to drop his throwing arm and he can be a little careless by keeping only one hand on the ball at times, which might lead to turnovers. He also appears to operate exclusively out of a shotgun spread, which means that playing from under center might be a tricky adjustment.

Hit the jump for seven more quarterback breakdowns.

2. Shea Patterson – QB – Shreveport (LA) Calvary Baptist: Patterson is a 6’2″, 195 lb. prospect who’s a 247 Composite 5-star, the #3 pro-style quarterback, and #18 overall. He has offers from Alabama, Arizona, Auburn, Baylor, Clemson, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and Texas, Texas A&M, and USC, among others. As a junior in 2014, he completed 129/199 passes for 2,428 yards, 38 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. Right off the bat, I get a Johnny Manziel type of vibe from Patterson when watching his film. He has somewhat of a nondescript frame, and neither his speed or his arm strength jump off the screen. However, he is someone who seems to be good at just about everything. The most impressive thing about him is his pocket awareness, ability to move within the pocket, and ability to find throwing lanes. He also shows nice touch on some deep throws. He can be careless with the football, carrying it one-handed when scrambling and dropping it to waist level, and those habits will eventually lead to fumbles if not corrected. Manziel did the same thing and got himself a Heisman trophy, so it’s not a death knell for a quarterback’s career. Patterson is not the quickest decision maker of this group, but he does seem to have a good grasp of what the defense is doing and finds his receiver fairly quickly. Mechanically, Patterson does a good job with his footwork getting himself ready to throw, and other than dropping his throwing hand when scrambling, he is pretty polished. Patterson runs a shotgun passing spread offense that does not see him dropping back from under center, which may be a significant adjustment if he goes into a pro-style offense in college.

3. K.J. Costello – QB – Rancho Santa Margarita (CA) Catholic: Costello is a 6’4″, 213 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Michigan, Stanford, and USC, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #4 pro-style quarterback, and #41 overall. Costello is a tall kid who looks like he’s hit a bit of a growth spurt since his sophomore season. When he steps into his throws, he has a cannon for an arm and throws with a nice, high elbow. Otherwise, he tends to fall off to his left side and drop his arm slot, which can cause the ball to sail a bit. His standard delivery is somewhat Phillip Rivers-like. Also like Rivers, Costello throws a very good deep ball and can place it where only his receiver can catch it. He sometimes shows a hitch in his delivery where the ball drops too low and takes too long to come out, but that’s not a consistent problem and seems to be something he can correct. On short throws, he is quick to identify blitzes and attack the area the blitzer vacated, which often gives his receiver time to make the catch and gain some additional yardage. He often releases the ball on outs or hitches before they come out of their break, so he has developed a good rapport and good timing with his guys. He can slide around in the pocket well, and he keeps his eyes downfield when rolling out of the pocket. Costello shows some nice touch on the run, and he can get out and move a little bit to scramble for first downs, but he won’t be much of a threat to break long runs or have plays designed for him to keep the ball. Costello runs mostly a shotgun spread offense, and he does not look particularly adept at dropping back from under center or handling play fakes where he turns his back to the defense. One thing to note is that Costello seemed to have a favorite receiver, who is #5 in the highlights and appears to have been Kyle Sweet, a 2015 prospect who signed with Washington State. Also, while not wildly successful last season (RSM Catholic went 6-5), they played against some excellent programs in California.

4. Dwayne Haskins, Jr. – QB – Potomac (MD) Bullis: Haskins is a 6’2″, 185 lb. prospect with offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Maryland, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Texas, and UCLA, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #5 pro-style quarterback, and #64 overall. As a junior in 2014, he was 159/259 (61.4%) for 1,953 yards passing and 24 total touchdowns. Haskins is one of the shorter guys Michigan is pursuing, but he still has decent height. He appears to be rather polished with his ball handling, play fakes, etc., even on the few occasions where he is lining up under center. He has a nice, compact delivery and releases the ball up high where it will be tougher for defenders to bat down. He stands nice and high with a proud chest and on the balls of his feet, so he is always ready to throw. He does a good job of throwing when rolling to his right, but he could use some work going to his left, as he tends to fall off to the side and not square his shoulders. Haskins is fully in command of the offense and knows where to go with the ball, so there’s not a whole lot of wasted time in the pocket looking for guys to come open. His arm strength is good, and he can push the ball down the field, but he also shows nice touch on short and intermediate throws. He’s not afraid to work the middle of the field, either, which is something a lot of high school quarterbacks (and coaches) avoid. Haskins is just a so-so athlete on the move, and he probably will not be a dynamic runner at the next level, but he has the speed to keep defenses honest and move the chains.

5. Malik Henry – QB – Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy: Henry is a 6’3″, 180 lb. prospect who transferred from Westlake Village (CA) Westlake to IMG Academy after his junior season. IMG Academy has become a haven for burgeoning prospects and produced quarterback Deondre Francois (FSU) in the 2014 class. Henry himself committed to Florida State in November 2014 and also held offers from Arizona State, Auburn, Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas, and UCLA. He’s a 247 Composite 5-star, the #2 pro-style quarterback, and #9 overall. His Michigan offer came from the Brady Hoke regime, and that offer has not been reaffirmed by the new coaching staff, as far as I know. Henry has decent height and a slight build, so he will need to get stronger. Somewhat like Haskins as an athlete, he won’t wow you with his running ability but has enough speed and escapability to be effective at moving the chains and can keep a defense honest with the occasional option play. Henry has a live arm and can really sling the ball when he sets himself up properly. His throwing motion is reminiscent of Denard Robinson to me with the way he follows through, and I’m not sure if that’s a compliment. Henry seems to be a split second late on a lot of his throws, which negates his receivers’ ability to run after the catch. Some of his completions are also high, which has the same effect. This is another quality that reminds me of Robinson, who was not known for his pinpoint accuracy. Henry does a nice job of reaching back with his right foot to gain depth, and he remains balanced in his drop.

6. Messiah DeWeaver – QB – Huber Heights (OH) Wayne: DeWeaver is a 6’3″, 202 lb. prospect with offers from Duke, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, and others. He was at one time committed to Michigan. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #12 pro-style quarterback, and #325 overall. After his junior season, he transferred from Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison to Wayne High School. DeWeaver has good enough size to be successful, although he needs to add some weight in order to absorb the physical nature of the college game. He shows good pocket awareness and generally keeps the ball at chest level and ready to throw when scrambling. He can shuffle left or right and still keep his eyes downfield. One of his best qualities is his ability to get the ball out on time, which reduces the chance of sacks, fumbles, batted down passes, etc. That also seems to be somewhat out of necessity because of an inability to really push the ball down the field. Mechanically, DeWeaver does a nice job when he throws downhill, and he has a short, compact delivery on all of his throws. However, corner routes, out routes, go routes, etc. are potentially troublesome. The ball tends to flutter and does not have much zip, which suggests that he’ll be more of a short-to-intermediate thrower. Athletically, DeWeaver has decent speed but is not an adept or physical runner. He can take what the defense offers on the ground, but he’s not going to run through tackles or beat many guys to the edge. Overall, DeWeaver is a decent prospect but not the best one Michigan can find.

7. Brandon Peters – QB – Avon (IN) Avon: Peters is a 6’5″, 205 lb. prospect with offers from Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and Virginia Tech, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #10 pro-style quarterback, and #305 overall. The first vibe I got from Peters was that of Steve Threet, whom you might remember from the 2008 Michigan team. Those memories are not positive, although Threet was a square peg in a Rodriguez hole (that sounds dirty). Anyway, despite that reminiscence, I tried to push it out of my mind for objectivity’s sake. Peters has a good frame for a pro-style quarterback, the frame of Michigan quarterbacks of yesteryear – Tom Brady, Elvis Grbac, John Navarre, etc. He runs fairly well for a quarterback that size, but that should be taken with a grain of salt, because guys like him generally get slower as they pack on weight. However, he will be a load to bring down and is a physical runner, so he could end up being a guy who won’t break the huge runs but can run through arm tackles of linebackers often enough to get you some first downs. As far as throwing goes, Peters is a little bit deliberate in his motion and sometimes looks like he’s trying to guide the ball rather than throw it. He can throw from different arm slots, but he can be a little sloppy when it comes to mechanics overall. On the plus side, he has a strong arm and throws a good deep ball. He also runs a pro-style offense that plays him under center at times. His highlight film is one of the few that shows his receivers dropping balls, which might be indicative of not only the talent on his team, but the talent in Indiana overall. Indiana is not a football hotbed, and the cream of the crop from the Hoosier state includes names like Jay Cutler, Rick Mirer, Rex Grossman, and Jeff George. Talent-wise, that’s not a terrible group, but it’s not an inspiring list, either.

8. Jarrett Guarantano – QB – Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic: Guarantano is a 6’4″, 200 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #6 pro-style quarterback, and #98 overall. The offer from Michigan popped up during the Brady Hoke regime, and I have not heard whether the new staff continues to recruit him or not. Either way, I will include him here. First of all, Guarantano has good height but is very skinny at this point, and on the run, he almost looks like a Devin Gardner or Terrelle Pryor – long strides that make him look a gliding runner. That running ability might be his best asset, as he show the speed, nifty feet, and toughness to be a consistent threat on the ground. In fact, I’m very surprised he’s listed as a pro-style quarterback, because I think he’s the definition of a dual-threat guy. As a dropback passer, however, his feet are a little bit questionable mechanically, and he does not always seem to be in rhythm. He has a very strong arm, despite often throwing off his back foot. Guarantano can push the ball down the field, and he can also fit short throws into tight spaces. I question his ability to make passes requiring touch, because his highlights don’t showcase that skill. My big question mark about Guarantano is the slowness of his decision making. He  often makes throws late and he holds onto the ball too long in the pocket, which will be tougher to get away with in college. In my opinion, he looks like the quintessential Ohio State quarterback, a guy who probably requires a running element to the offense and some simple reads.

Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section.

2014 Michigan Summer Camp Attendees

Rancho Santa Margarita (CA) Santa Margarita Catholic quarterback K.J. Costello

The following players have been reported to be visiting at various times, although these types of plans are hard to nail down. Some of these players might not make it, and numerous others will surely roll into town. This summer camp mostly gives rising juniors, sophomores, and freshmen some exposure to coaches from U of M and other in-state programs; however, the Wolverines’ coaches have also discovered rising seniors who made a splash and earned offers, such as Freddy Canteen and Brandon Watson in the class of 2014, 2013 cornerback Channing Stribling, and 2012 safety Jeremy Clark.

NOTE: New additions to the list will be placed at the top of each player’s respective class, rather than continuing to place them in alphabetical order.

2015

Tyler Green – S – Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha: Green is a 6’3″, 195 lb. prospect who committed to Ohio State in early June; he also has offers from Indiana, Maryland, and North Carolina State. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #31 safety, and #471 overall.

Jon Runyan – OG – Philadelphia (PA) St. Joseph’s: Runyan committed to Michigan in June 2013 (LINK).

Leeward Brown – OG – Hollywood (FL) Miramar: Brown is a 6’3″, 338 lb. prospect who committed to Miami in February; he also has offers from East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, South Florida, and Temple. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #41 offensive guard, and #575 overall. He’s lining up several visits to score more offers, so it does not appear he’s 100% solid to Miami.

Cole Chewins – TE – Clarkston (MI) Clarkston: Chewins is a 6’7″, 225 lb. prospect with offers from Ball State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, and Miami-OH. He’s currently unranked.

Cory Contini – WR – Dover (OH) Dover: Contini is a 6’1″, 175 lb. prospect with an offer from Air Force. As a junior in 2013, he caught 88 passes for 1,468 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Cario Davison – S – Galion (OH) Galion: Davison is a 6’2″, 190 lb. prospect with no offers at this time. He’s the younger brother of 2014 athlete Dareian Watkins, who was on Michigan’s radar but was never offered and ended up signing with Wisconsin. Davison is not the same level of a prospect as Watkins was, but he could earn some offers with a good summer camp circuit.

Austin Dorris – TE – Shadyside (OH) Shadyside: Dorris is a 6’5″, 220 lb. prospect with offers from Kent State, Marshall, Ohio, Toledo, and Western Michigan. He is currently unranked. He plays quarterback and outside linebacker for his high school team, but he will likely become a tight end at the next level. He also visited Michigan back in March.

Jack Dunaway – DE – Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice: Dunaway is a 6’3″, 212 lb. prospect with no offers at this time. He’s the son of former Michigan tight end Craig Dunaway. He claims a 4.68 forty. As a junior in 2013, he made 67 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 19 quarterback hurries.

Wesley French – OG – St. Joseph (MI) St. Joseph: French is a 6’4″, 300 lb. prospect with offers from Ball State, Buffalo, Central Michigan, and Western Michigan.

James Hill – RB – Livonia (MI) Clarenceville: Hill is a 6’1″, 215 lb. prospect with no offers at this time.

Alex Malzone – QB – Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice: Malzone committed to Michigan last mont (LINK).

Grant Perry – WR – Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice: Perry is a 5’11”, 170 lb. prospect with offers from Ball State, Central Michigan, and Eastern Michigan. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #140 wide receiver, and #1151 overall. He is 2015 Michigan quarterback commit Alex Malzone’s top target.

John Reid – CB – Philadelphia (PA) St. Joseph’s: Reid is a 5’10”, 180 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Rutgers, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #11 cornerback, and #109 overall. He claims a 4.43 forty. Reid is also the teammate of 2015 Michigan offensive guard commit Jon Runyan, Jr.

Justin Tranquill – S – Fort Wayne (IN) Carroll: Tranquill is a 5’11”, 175 lb. prospect with offers from Cincinnati, Illinois, and Indiana, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #20 safety, and #329 overall. As a junior running back, he ran the ball 178 times for 1,475 yards and 18 touchdowns, caught 26 passes for 312 yards and 1 touchdown, and made 17 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 11 pass breakups. His brother Drue will be a freshman safety/linebacker at Notre Dame this fall.

Hit the jump for 2016 and 2017 prospects.

2016
Tobias Gilliam – CB – Huber Heights (OH) Wayne: Gilliam is a 6’0″, 182 lb. prospect with no offers right now. He claims a 4.51 forty.

Tru Wilson – S – Warren (MI) De La Salle: Wilson is a 5’11”, 178 lb. prospect with no offers at this time. As a sophomore in 2013 (and the safety mate of incoming freshman Jared Wangler), he had 52 tackles and 3 interceptions.

Marcus Mosley – CB – Youngstown (OH) Ursuline: Mosley is a 5’11”, 165 lb. prospect with no offers at this time.

Demetric Vance – WR – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Vance is a 6’1″, 170 lb. prospect with no offers at this time.

Jesse Johnson – S – Detroit (MI) King: Johnson is a 5’11”, 190 lb. prospect with offers from Illinois and Toledo. He attends the alma mater of junior receiver Dennis Norfleet and is teammates with 2015 linebacker Tyriq Thompson, who holds a Michigan offer.

Mikale Washington – QB – Detroit (MI) King: A teammate of Jesse Johnson (above), Washington is a 6’4″, 180 lb. prospect with no offers at this time. He moved to Detroit from California this offseason, but he has performed well at a couple camps this spring and is likely to be a desired prospect as it gets closer to National Signing Day.

Messiah DeWeaver – QB – Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison: DeWeaver is a 6’3″, 202 lb. prospect with offers from Cincinnati, Kentucky, and Louisville, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #13 pro-style QB, and #309 overall. DeWeaver has visited Michigan numerous times and was a teammate of redshirt freshmen Reon Dawson and Mike McCray.

Jake Heinrich – OG – Urbandale (IA) Urbandale: Heinrich is a 6’4″, 275 lb. prospect with offers from Iowa and Iowa State. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #10 offensive guard, and #276 overall. He claims a 350 lb. bench press and a 550 lb. squat.

Sean Rattay – C – Toledo (OH) St. John’s: Rattay is a 6’2″, 278 lb. prospect with an offer from Toledo. It’s unclear whether Michigan will pursue centers in the 2016 class, partly because they’re exploring the center position in the 2015 class. Rattay attends the alma mater of redshirt junior center Jack Miller.

Malik Bramley – WR – Fort Wayne (IN) Snider: Bramley is a 6’2″, 170 lb. prospect with no offers at this time. He claims a 4.54 forty

Kyree Campbell – DE – Woodbridge (VA) Freedom: Campbell is a 6’5″, 250 lb. prospect with offers from Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio State, and a few others. He was just offered by the Wolverines in mid-May but still intends to visit for camp. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #7 strongside end, and #116 overall in his class.

Jonathon Cooper – DE – Columbus (OH) Gahanna-Lincoln: Cooper is a 6’3″, 215 prospect with offers from Illinois and Kentucky. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #11 weakside end, and #138 overall. Cooper visited Michigan for a basketball game in March.


K.J. Costello – QB – Rancho Santa Margarita (CA) Catholic: Costello is a 6’4″, 213 lb. prospect with offers from Cal, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Tennessee, and Virginia. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #5 pro-style quarterback, and #139 overall. Costello is perhaps the most likely of the 2016 offered quarterbacks to commit to Michigan.


Liam Eichenberg – OT – Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius: Eichenberg is a 6’5″, 275 lb. prospect with offers from Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Tennessee, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 5-star, the #3 offensive tackle, and #7 overall in his class. Michigan is in his top three along with the Buckeyes and Fighting Irish, but Ohio State is considered the strong leader. Eichenberg attends the alma mater of Michigan linebacker Jake Ryan.

Luke Farrell – TE – Perry (OH) Perry: Farrell is a 6’6″, 219 lb. prospect with an offer from Illinois. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #9 tight end, and #290 overall. He claims a 4.95 forty.

Desmond Fitzpatrick – WR – Farmington (MI) Farmington: Fitzpatrick is a 6’1″, 185 lb. prospect with offers from Cincinnati and Indiana. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #43 wide receiver, and #247 overall.


Darrian Franklin – LB – Downey (CA) Downey: Franklin is a 6’0″, 202 lb. prospect with offers from Arizona State, Miami, UCLA, and USC. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #15 outside linebacker, and #217 overall. He benches 265 lbs., squats 415, and claims a 4.71 forty.

Lawrence Gordon – DE – Saginaw (MI) Arthur Hill: Gordon is a 6’6″, 260 lb. prospect with no offers at this time. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #13 weakside end, and #149 overall.


Jarrett Guarantano – QB – Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic: Guarantano is a 6’4″, 200 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #3 pro-style quarterback, and #92 overall. As a junior in 2013, he was 39/80 for 449 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. He also claims a 4.59 forty.

Khaleke Hudson – S – McKeesport (PA) McKeesport: Hudson is a 6’0″, 200 lb. prospect with offers from Akron, Cincinnati, Pitt, Temple, Toledo, and West Virginia. Already a big kid as a sophomore, I think he will probably grow into a linebacker for college.

Michael Jordan – OT – Plymouth (MI) Plymouth: Jordan is a 6’7″, 275 lb. prospect with no offers at this time.


Khalid Kareem – DE – Farmington Hills (MI) Harrison: Kareem is a 6’4″, 225 lb. prospect with no offers at this time. Harrison has sent defensive end Mario Ojemudia and tight end/wide receiver Devin Funchess to Michigan in recent years.

Austin Mack – WR – Fort Wayne (IN) Bishop Luers: Mack is a 6’2″, 205 lb. prospect with offers from Cincinnati, Indiana, and Ohio State. If Michigan decides to offer, they would probably be launched into his top one or two schools.


Kameron Martin – WR – Port Arthur (TX) Memorial: Martin is a 5’10”, 170 lb. prospect with offers from Arizona State, Arkansas, Baylor, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Missouri, Oklahoma State, and Wisconsin, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #15 running back, and #188 overall. As a sophomore in 2013, he carried the ball 140 times for 1,060 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also claims a 4.39 forty.

Demario McCall – RB – North Ridgeville (OH) North Ridgeville: McCall is a 5’11”, 180 lb. prospect with offers from Bowling Green, Ohio State, and Pitt. He claims a 4.5 forty, but at Ohio State’s camp last week, he won the “Smokehouse” contest as the fastest player there. As a sophomore in 2013, he had 156 carries for 1,562 yards and 25 touchdowns.


Richard Merritt – OG – Washington (DC) Friendship Collegiate: Merritt is a 6’5″, 345 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #5 offensive guard, and #86 overall.

Michael Onwenu – OG – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Onwenu is a 6’2″, 310 lb. prospect with offers from Illinois and Ohio State. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #8 offensive guard, and #135 overall.

Kalebb Perry – WR – Mt. Pleasant (MI) Mt. Pleasant: Perry is a 6’2″, 180 lb. prospect with offers from Central Michigan and Western Michigan. As a sophomore in 2013, he had 28 catches for 543 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Kaezon Pugh – RB – Aliquippa (PA) Aliquippa: Pugh is a 6’2″, 207 lb. prospect with an offer from West Virginia. The last Michigan player to come from Aliquippa was cornerback Ty Law.

David Reese II – LB – Farmington (MI) Farmington: Reese is a 6’1″, 235 lb. prospect with a offers from Akron, Ohio, and Toledo. He claims a 320 lb. bench and a 350 lb. squat. As a sophomore in 2013, he made 117 tackles and 9 sacks. He’s a teammate of Desmond Fitzpatrick.

Max Richardson – LB – Atlanta (GA) Woodward: Richardson is a 5’11”, 222 lb. prospect with no offers at this time. He claims a 4.8 forty, a 280 lb. bench, and a 465 lb. squat. He’s a teammate of Elijah Holyfield.

Auston Robertson – DE – Fort Wayne (IN) Wayne: Robertson is a 6’5″, 230 lb. prospect with an offer from Indiana. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #3 weakside end, and #89 overall.

Emmanuel Rugamba – WR – Naperville (IL) Central: Rugamba is a 6’0″, 170 lb. prospect with an offer from Illinois. He claims a 4.78 forty.

Jimmy Seewald – QB – Dearborn (MI) Divine Child: Seewald is a 6’4″, 190 lb. prospect with no offers right now.

Tyrece Speaight – CB – Akron (OH) St. Vincent-St. Mary’s: Speaight is a 5’10”, 173 lb. prospect with no offers right now. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #15 athlete, and #165 overall. Michigan has not had a great deal of success in St. Vincent-St. Mary’s, where top prospects typically go to Ohio State. The Wolverines have not offered yet, but I would be surprised if they don’t offer him at some point.

Erik Swenson – OT – Downers Grove (IL) South: Swenson committed to Michigan last November (LINK).

Devin Taylor – CB – Lansing (MI) Sexton: Taylor is a 6’0″, 170 lb. prospect with no offers right now.

Andrew Vastardis – OG – Ashburn (VA) Stone Bridge: Vastardis is a 6’4″, 295 lb. prospect with no offers at this time. He’s a big, strong mauler of an offensive lineman, and offers are surely coming down the road.


Noah Wezensky – QB – Fort Wayne (IN) Bishop Luers: Wezensky is a 6’3″, 190 lb. prospect with an offer from Akron. One of his receiver is Austin Mack (above)..

2017
Marcus Minor – OT – Hyattsville (MD) Dematha: Minor is a 6’4″, 283 lb. prospect with no offers at this time.

Carter Dunaway – TE – Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice: Dunaway is the brother of Jack (above) and the son of Craig Dunaway. He has some potential as a prospect down the road, and there’s video of him dunking a basketball as an 8th grader (LINK), so he’s got that going for him, which is nice.

Blake Gallagher – LB – Needham (MA) St. Sebastian’s: Gallagher is a 6’1″, 220 lb. prospect with an offer from Nebraska.

Robert Hainsey – OT – Monroeville (PA) Gateway: Hainsey is a 6’5″, 245 lb. prospect with no offers at this time.

Mac Hippenhammer – WR – Fort Wayne (IN) Snider: Hippenhammer is a 5’11”, 164 lb. prospect with no offers at this time. He claims a 4.55 forty.

Todd Sibley, Jr. – RB – Akron (OH) Archbishop Hoban: Sibley is a 5’10”, 195 lb. prospect with no offers yet. He already benches 250 lbs. and squats 325 lbs., and he claims an 11.1 time in the 100 meters. He should be one of the top running backs in the midwest by the time his high school career is finished.

Justin Weller – WR – LaGrange Park (IL) Nazareth Academy: Weller is a 6’0″, 175 lb. prospect with no offers yet. As a freshman in 2013, he caught 35 passes for 750 yards and 10 touchdowns, along with 35 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble as a safety.

Jamyest Williams – CB – Lawrenceville (GA) Archer: Williams is a 5’9″, 170 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, and Wake Forest, among others. He claims a 4.4 forty.