2023 Recruiting Grades: Offensive Line

Tag: recruiting grades


10Feb 2023
Blog, homepage no comments

2023 Recruiting Grades: Offensive Line

LaDarius Henderson (image via Twitter)

Previously: QUARTERBACK, RUNNING BACK, TIGHT END

2023 DEPARTURES: 2 (Ryan Hayes, Olu Oluwatimi)

2023 NEEDS: 1

2023 COMMITMENTS: Cumming (GA) South Forsyth OT Nathan Efobi, Arizona State transfer OG LaDarius Henderson, West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield C Amir Herring, Stanford transfer OT Myles Hinton, Washington (DC) Gonzaga OT Evan Link, Stanford transfer C Drake Nugent

NOTEWORTHY 2023 OFFERS

  • Kade Eldridge – Lynden (WA) Christian: USC
  • D.J. Chester – McDonogh (GA) Eagle’s Landing: LSU
  • Cole Dellinger – Clarkston (MI) Clarkston: Michigan State
  • Spencer Fano – Provo (UT) Timpview: Utah
  • Cayden Green – Lee’s Summit (MO) North: Oklahoma
  • Landen Hatchett – Ferndale (WA) Ferndale: Washington
  • Logan Howland – Princeton (NJ) The Hun School: Oklahoma
  • Caleb Lomu – Gilbert (AZ) Highland: Utah
  • Luke Montgomery – Findlay (OH) Findlay: Ohio State
  • Paul Mubenga – Buford (GA) Buford: LSU
  • Dylan Senda – Dearborn (MI) Divine Child: Northwestern

GRADE: A

REASON FOR THE GRADE: Despite losing just two players to the NFL, the starting offensive line appeared to be in pretty good shape going into 2023. Of course, having a good offensive line is typically predicated on experience, so we have to look at what players are behind them and how ready they will be in 2024 and beyond. Michigan’s numbers were solid enough that they didn’t have to snag too many linemen in the class of 2023 to maintain a healthy overall number at the position (~15), but they hit it out of the park in the transfer portal, if not the high school ranks.

Starting with the transfer portal guys, Michigan landed Arizona State offensive guard/tackle LaDarius Henderson, Stanford center Drake Nugent, and Stanford right tackle Myles Hinton. All three are starters, and in particular, Henderson was a captain and Nugent was a Rimington Award finalist. While offensive guards Trevor Keegan and Zak Zinter return, Henderson could end up playing left or right tackle, depending on who steps up at those positions. Nugent should slot in as the starting center, and Hinton will probably be in a battle to start at one of the tackle spots, as injuries and inconsistency have hampered him a little bit so far. However, Hinton was a top-100 prospect and has great potential if he can put everything together.

Link improved as a senior to the point where I think he can be a solid player at the next level, especially in the run game; he has limited pass pro reps on his senior highlights, but there’s potential if he can stay consistent with his technique. Efobi still plays too high for my liking, and he doesn’t really win enough blocks even on his highlights. Meanwhile, interior lineman Herring could play guard or center – some think center is his best spot because of a lack of height – and is the type of kid who should be a good locker room presence while he waits for his opportunity for a few years, and he could step in as an upperclassman and start for a couple years.

Overall, Michigan did a good job of not only plugging a hole at center, but creating immediate competition at the tackle positions. Link, Herring, and Efobi are all guys with potential down the road, though I don’t think any of them are headed for stardom in college. If the Wolverines can maintain their solid offensive line play and use the transfer portal to their advantage on a yearly basis, this could be a recipe for great annual success even if the high school recruiting is so-so.

8Feb 2023
Blog, homepage no comments

2023 Recruiting Grades: Tight End

Deakon Tonielli

Previously: QUARTERBACK, RUNNING BACK

On Saturday I covered the quarterback position, followed by the running backs on Tuesday. Now for a look at the tight ends.

2023 DEPARTURES: 4 (Erick All, Louis Hansen, Joel Honigford, Luke Schoonmaker)

2023 NEEDS: 2

2023 COMMITMENTS: Carlsbad (CA) Carlsbad TE Zack Marshall, Oswego (IL) Oswego TE Deakon Tonielli

2023 OFFERS

  • Kade Eldridge – Lynden (WA) Christian: USC
  • Cooper Flanagan – Concord (CA) De La Salle: Notre Dame
  • Jaden Hamm – Eudora (KS) Eudora: Kansas
  • Nyckoles Harbor – Washington (DC) Archbishop Carroll: South Carolina
  • Luke Hasz – Bixby (OK) Bixby: Arkansas
  • Chico Holt – Houston (TX) Strake Jesuit: Northwestern
  • Jaxon Howard – Minneapolis (MN) Robbinsdale Cooper: LSU
  • Matthew Klopfenstein – Scottsdale (AZ) Horizon: Baylor
  • Ty Lockwood – Thompson’s Station (MO) Independence: Alabama
  • Walker Lyons – Folsom (CA) Folsom: USC
  • Mac Markway – St. Louis (MO) DeSmet: LSU
  • Brett Norfleet – St. Charles (MO) Francis Howell: Missouri
  • Andrew Rappleyea – Milton (MA) Milton: Penn State
  • Jelani Thurman – Fairburn (GA) Langston Hughes: Ohio State
  • Riley Williams – Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy: Miami
  • Preston Zinter – Cambridge (MA) Buckingham Browne & Nichols: Notre Dame

GRADE: C+

REASON FOR THE GRADE: Michigan needed to restock the tight end position in the class of 2023 after suffering heavy losses from the group following the 2022 season. Not only did Erick All (Iowa) and Louis Hansen (UConn) transfer, but second string tight end Luke Schoonmaker departed for the NFL, blocking tight end Joel Honigford ran out of eligibility, and a decent walk-on in Carter Selzer also graduated. All, Schoonmaker, and Honigford all played a ton. Tight end is a position where players typically need at least one season of strength and conditioning development before being relevant, so it’s important to keep a steady string of players coming.

Unfortunately, the Wolverines whiffed on most of their top targets, which is surprising considering how often tight ends are used in Michigan’s offense. Tonielli (4-star, #20 TE, #411 overall) was the tenth highest ranked guy at the position that Michigan offered, and Marshall would be the thirteenth highest ranked offeree if he were listed as a tight end (he’s an “athlete” according to the 247 Composite). Tonielli is really a big receiver being converted to tight end, and Marshall does not look like much of a difference maker when it comes to his athleticism.

Overall, Michigan supplemented its numbers decently at the position, but the talent level drops off. All and Schoonmaker are both NFL-caliber tight ends and Hansen was a well regarded 4-star recruit, though he hadn’t made an impact on the field during his first two seasons; Marshall is not on their level as an athlete, and Tonielli has good upside even if he doesn’t have the body and skills to play immediately. Michigan did take a strong swing at 5-star Nyckoles Harbor, but ultimately, NIL drove Harbor to South Carolina. Massachusetts product Andrew Rappleyea was committed to the Wolverines at one point, but he flipped to Penn State.

7Feb 2023
Blog, homepage no comments

2023 Recruiting Grade: Running Back

Cole Cabana (image via Twitter)

Previously: QUARTERBACK

On Saturday I covered the quarterback position, so here’s a look at the running back spot.

2023 NEEDS: 2

2023 COMMITMENTS: Dexter (MI) Dexter RB Cole Cabana, Kennesaw (GA) North Cobb RB Benjamin Hall

2023 OFFERS

  • Jaden Booker – Naples (FL) Palmetto Ridge: Undecided
  • Dalton Brooks – Shiner (TX) Shiner: Texas A&M
  • Jeremiah Cobb – Montgomery (AL) Catholic: Auburn
  • Mark Fletcher – Fort Lauderdale (FL) American Heritage: Miami
  • Justice Haynes – Buford (GA) Buford: Alabama
  • Sedrick Irvin, Jr. – Miami (FL) Columbus: Stanford
  • Kaleb Jackson – Baton Rouge (LA) Liberty: LSU
  • Christopher Johnson – Fort Lauderdale (FL) Dillard: Miami
  • Jaquez Keys – Ironton (OH) Ironton: Wake Forest
  • Jayden Limar – Lake Stevens (WA) Lake Stevens: Oregon
  • London Montgomery – Scranton (PA) Prep: Penn State
  • Samuel Singleton, Jr. – Orange Park (FL) Fleming Island: Florida State
  • Daylan Smothers – Charlotte (NC) West: Oklahoma
  • Dijon Stanley – Granada Hills (CA) Granada Hills: Utah
  • Darius Taylor – Walled Lake (MI) Western: Minnesota
  • Treyaun Webb – Jacksonville (FL) Trinity: Florida
  • Richard Young – Lehigh Acres (FL) Lehigh: Alabama

GRADE: B+

REASON FOR THE GRADE: Michigan needed at least one running back in the class of 2023 to bump up its scholarship backs from four to five. As we saw this past season, four scholarship running backs leaves Michigan precariously thin at the position. When Blake Corum hurt his knee and backup Donovan Edwards hurt his hand, Michigan was stuck with redshirt freshman Tavierre Dunlap, true freshman C.J. Stokes, position switchers, and walk-ons. That led to an array of plays in which more talented backs would have made Michigan’s season a little easier, such as walk-on Isaiah Gash’s dropped pass against Illinois and converted linebacker Kalel Mullings’s fumble against TCU. Michigan should have at least five scholarship backs on its roster at all times.

So Michigan needed at least one, and then a lot of people expected Blake Corum to leave for the NFL after a highly productive season, bumping up the need to two. Indeed, Michigan landed speedster Cole Cabana (4-star, #10 RB, #161 overall), who might be more of a scat back who can split out wide. And they also took a fairly early commitment from Benjamin Hall (3-star, #55 RB, #781 overall). Hall is the bigger question mark of the two, not only because of his lower ranking, but also because he didn’t start for most of his senior season. Hall is a bigger back (5’10”, 225 lbs.) and lacks great speed. One might expect to see him be a bruising downhill runner, but he bounces a lot of his runs outside and tries to reverse field, which he will not have the speed to do in college.

Michigan tried to get in late on in-state Minnesota commit Darius Taylor, but it was too late to get much movement there. So obviously the coaching staff wanted a third back – or perhaps to replace Hall in the class – but that didn’t happen. That not only solidifies my confidence that Michigan wanted at least two backs, but it makes me question how much confidence they have in the guys they brought in.

Right now the Wolverines are in a good position with Corum, Edwards, Dunlap, and Stokes all returning (for now), plus Cabana and Hall entering the program. Even if someone like Dunlap or Stokes transfers following the spring, Michigan would still have five scholarship guys on the roster.

4Feb 2023
Blog, homepage no comments

2023 Recruiting Grade: Quarterback

UCLA signee Dante Moore (image via Bleacher Report)

I’m going to start something that I haven’t done in a few years, and that’s handing out recruiting grades. As Michigan’s recruiting has dropped off a little bit in 2023 to the low teens, I want to share how I feel about Michigan’s efforts overall.

I’ll start off with the most important position on the football fied: quarterback.

2023 NEEDS: 1

2023 COMMITMENTS: Indiana transfer Jack Tuttle

2023 OFFERS

  • Arch Manning – New Orleans (LA) Isidore Newman: Texas
  • Dante Moore – Detroit (MI) King: UCLA
  • Malachi Nelson – Los Alamitos (CA) Los Alamitos: USC
  • William Watson III – Springfield (MA) Central: Virginia Tech
  • Creed Whittemore – Gainesville (FL) Buchholz: Florida

GRADE: F

REASON FOR THE GRADE: First and foremost, Michigan completely whiffed on the quarterback position in the class of 2023 unless you count sixth year senior Jack Tuttle, who is a one-year backup rental. Technically, Michigan offered superstar recruits Arch Manning and Malachi Nelson, but both were extreme longshots and the Wolverines never really had a chance. Meanwhile, Watson and Whittemore are both undersized QB/ATH recruits who are probably likely to play a different position in college.

So really, Michigan put all of its eggs in the Dante Moore basket. Unfortunately, Moore had a desire to play immediately, and the presence of J.J. McCarthy blocked Moore at Michigan for at least the 2023 season, if not 2024. Moore is a 5-star prospect and could perhaps be the best quarterback in the class when all is said and done, and it hurt to lose him. It stings a little bit less since he didn’t end up at Michigan State or Ohio State, two programs he was also considering. But Michigan had a lot of connections and still couldn’t close the deal. Moore committed to Oregon initially, and when his future QB coach left for Arizona State, Moore flipped to UCLA. Personally, I think UCLA is an odd fit because head coach Chip Kelly does not have a strong record of developing pro-style quarterbacks.

Regardless, Michigan tried to land a quarterback in 2023 and failed. They could have potentially earned a commitment from Warren (MI) De La Salle’s Brady Drogosh (4-star, #20 QB, #317 overall) if they moved on him earlier, but they waited too long and burned that bridge. That leaves the cupboard relatively bare, since beyond McCarthy for the future, the Wolverines have only walk-on Davis Warren and projects Jayden Denegal and Alex Orji. That puts a lot of pressure on the staff to land a very good 2024 quarterback and/or explore the transfer portal for a future starter.

17Dec 2020
Blog, homepage no comments

2021 Recruiting: Early Signing Day Grades, Defense

Junior Colson (image via Freep)

Check out last night’s post for the offensive side of the ball (LINK).

DEFENSIVE TACKLE: D-
Need: 2
Signed: 1
Michigan only signed one player at a position of need. That player is Dominick Giudice (3-star, #102 WDE, #2007 overall). No offense to the young man, but he was so far off 247’s radar that they left him ranked as a weakside end despite the fact that he’s already 6’4″ and 260 lbs. Michigan should be able to land higher-profile recruits at the position. There were several defensive tackles that Michigan just seemed to stop recruiting (Victory Vaka, Anthony Hundley, Tywone Malone, etc.). Of course, insiders will often say that some players aren’t a fit for the Wolverines, but you know what else doesn’t suit the culture in Ann Arbor? Losing. Michigan still has a shot to sign Rayshaun Benny (verbally committed to MSU but not signed) or George Rooks (reportedly leaning toward PSU), but the staff may need to look to the transfer portal to shore up the interior.

Hit the jump for more.

read more