Name: Deondre Buford
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 265 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) King
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: 2020
Offers: Akron, Auburn, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kent State, Kentucky, LSU, Maryland, Miami, Michigan State, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Syracuse, Tennessee, West Virginia, Western Michigan
Commitment: Uncommitted
Name: Grant Toutant
Height: 6’7″
Weight: 300 lbs.
High school: Warren (MI) De La Salle
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: 2020
Offers: Duke, Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Pitt, Toledo, Wisconsin
Commitment: Penn State on 11/24/18
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Name: Maliq Carr
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 215 lbs.
High school: Oak Park (MI) Oak Park
Position: Wide receiver
Class: 2020
Offers: Boston College, Central Michigan, FAU, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Kent State, Kentucky, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Missouri, Nebraska, Northern Illinois, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Pitt, Purdue, Syracuse, Texas A&M, Toledo, Western Michigan, Wisconsin
Commitment: Uncommitted
Notes: Claims 4.72 forty, 4.32 shuttle, 29.7″ vertical…Also a standout basketball player…Son of Missouri assistant basketball coach Cornell Mann…Teammate of 2020 offensive lineman Justin Rogers and defensive back Enzo Jennings…247 Composite 3-star, #73 WR, #11 in-state, #405 overall as of 2/20/19
Stats: 21 catches for 815 yards and 9 touchdowns as a junior in 2018…Averaged 21.2 points/game, 12.4 rebounds/game, and 7.9 assists/game in basketball as a sophomore
Strengths: Excellent size…Thick lower body that indicates future growth…Excellent leaping ability…Shows ability to high-point football…Does a nice job of adjusting body to the football in mid-air…Powerful runner after the catch…Good but not elite speed
Weaknesses: Needs to improve quickness in and out of breaks…Needs to learn to sink hips…Needs to sell routes better
Overall: Carr insists that he’s a wide receiver and has no intention of playing tight end, but he may want to rethink that position. Similar statements have been made in the past (see: former Oklahoma Sooner Mark Andrews, who now plays tight end for the Baltimore Ravens) when the writing was on the wall. I don’t see Carr being an in-line, blocking tight end, but I think he would be best served as a flex tight end, which is how Andrews was used at Oklahoma and how Evan Engram was used at Ole Miss. If he accepts that future, his athleticism will carry him through to a successful career. If he insists on playing wide receiver, he will have to improve his game quite a bit, because he won’t create much separation if he doesn’t improve his route running.
Highlights:
Name: Bryce Austin
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 260 lbs.
High school: Southfield (MI) A&T
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: 2020
Offers: Akron, Ball State, Boston College, Buffalo, Indiana, Iowa State, Kent State, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Pitt, Purdue, Rutgers, Syracuse
Commitment: Undecided
Notes: Claims a 4.7 forty…315 lb. bench press…455 lb. squat…27″ vertical…Teammate of 2020 QB Anthony Romphf…247 Sports 3-star, #23 DT, #10 in-state, #320 overall as of 2/7/19
Stats: N/A
Strengths: Above average first step explosiveness…Solid frame to add weight…Good quickness and speed…Changes direction well…Very solid roll tackler…Loose in hips with good bend…Flashes good motor when chasing plays down from behind
Weaknesses: Inconsistent hand strike coming off ball…Can get overpowered at times…Tentative at times when tackling in traffic…Limited height puts a cap on overall mass
Overall: I see a player similar overall to former Michigan defensive end/defensive tackle Jibreel Black. Black was a tweener who played some at both positions, but was never a real standout at either spot. It will be interesting to see how Austin’s body develops, because he could be anywhere from a strongside end to a 3-tech tackle or even a one-gap nose tackle.
Flint (MI) Beecher WR/S Earnest Sanders (#11, image via Endless Motor)
Name:Â Earnest Sanders
Height:Â 6’2″
Weight:Â 190 lbs.
High school:Â Flint (MI) Beecher
Position: Wide receiver/safety
Class: 2020
Offers:Â Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Kentucky, Toledo
Commitment:Â Undecided
Notes:Â 247 Sports 3-star, #62 WR, #8 in-state, #315 overall…Also a high-level basketball player with hoops offers from Oakland and Southern Mississippi
Stats:Â N/A
Strengths:Â Catches ball well with hands away from body…Very good straight-line speed…Good size with solid frame…Strong runner…Shows ability to plant foot and make 90-degree cuts…Takes short, choppy steps with good change-of-direction skills
Weaknesses:Â Does not come off ball hard on every play…Needs to improve route running
Overall:Â I had seen Sanders’s name come across on Twitter and a couple websites, but I had not checked out his film previously. After having checked it out, though, I came away extremely impressed. Sanders has physical skills on par with almost any receiver to come out of the state of Michigan in years, and yes, I’m including Donovan Peoples-Jones. He is not as refined as Peoples-Jones, but they have similar size, and I would give Sanders the edge in short-area quickness. It will be interesting to see how his recruitment develops and whether he leans toward basketball or football. I also like Sanders as a safety prospect and think he has the frame to bulk up to play that position in college, as well.
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