Recruiting Update: July 31, 2014

Tag: Scott Bracey

31Jul 2014
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Recruiting Update: July 31, 2014

Washington (DC) Gonzaga Prep cornerback Marcus Lewis

COMMITMENT

Saginaw (MI) Heritage wide receiver Brian Cole committed to Michigan (LINK). 

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015

Washington (DC) Gonzaga cornerback Marcus Lewis decommitted from Florida. Lewis visited Michigan for the BBQ at the Big House last weekend and had a great time, according to all parties. It looks like the Wolverines might be on top in his recruitment, but he is also considering Florida (still), Miami, and Oregon. Lewis was attempting at one point to transfer to Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy, but those plans fell through and he will stay in D.C. for his senior year.

Destrehan (LA) Destrehan wide receiver Kirk Merritt was offered by Michigan. Merritt is a 5’11”, 206 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, LSU, and Notre Dame, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #3 all-purpose back, and #138 overall in the class. He recently won the SPARQ national championship at The Opening, which included a 4.46 forty and a nearly 46″ vertical jump. Michigan is recruiting him as a wide receiver even though he’s built like a running back or safety.
  


ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
O’Fallon (IL) O’Fallon running back Kentrail Moran was offered by Michigan. He’s a 5’10”, 192 lb. prospect with offers from Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, and Syracuse, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #18 running back, and #226 overall. As a sophomore in 2013, he had 1,140 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. Moran is built like a power back and has decent speed. The Wolverines have long seemed like a favorite for Moran, so he could be Michigan’s back for the 2016 class.

Shreveport (LA) Calvary Baptist quarterback Shea Patterson decommitted from Arizona. Patterson was committed to Arizona prior to receiving a Michigan offer, and then pegged the Wolverines’ as a dream offer. He never visited and Michigan got a commit at his position in the form of Ohio’s Messiah DeWeaver. Patterson is more of a pocket guy than I would expect Rodriguez to truly want, though he does have some running ability. This may turn out as a positive for both parties, but Patterson is a quality prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Notre Dame, and Texas, among others.

Fort Wayne (IN) Wayne defensive end Auston Robertson was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’5″, 230 lb. prospect with offers from Indiana and Notre Dame, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #14 weakside end, and #207 overall. Robertson camped at Michigan in June, where the coaches had a chance to evaluate him. He visited for the BBQ this past weekend and was told that he had an offer, and while Michigan is currently looking at him as a defensive end, he could play tight end, too. His childhood favorite school was Ohio State.


Huntersville (NC) Southlake Christian Academy running back Robert Washington was offered by Michigan. He’s a 5’10”, 210 lb. prospect with offers from Florida, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Stanford, and UCLA, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #15 running back, and #174 overall. As a sophomore in 2013, he had 219 carries for 2,512 yards and 28 touchdowns. He also claims a 4.47 forty. Washington was previously committed to Mississippi State, but that ended in July 2013; he has visited Michigan unofficially numerous times, both before and after that commitment ended. Washington has developed a good relationship with area recruiter Roy Manning, but there are a lot of schools in play.

New London (NC) North Stanly running back Antonio Williams was offered by Michigan. He’s a 5’10”, 210 lb. prospect with offers from Florida and Wisconsin, and he decommitted from North Carolina earlier this month. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #10 running back, and #123 overall. As a sophomore in 2013, he carried the ball 239 times for 2,401 yards and 22 touchdowns. Williams is another guy who has developed a strong relationship with Manning.

OFF THE BOARD
Detroit (MI) Cass Tech defensive tackle Joshua Alabi committed to Ohio State. Alabi held an early offer from the Wolverines, but the coaches have since taken the stance that defensive tackle is not a need in this class. He never seemed to be high on Michigan, and they never seemed to be too high on him, but it still hurts some perceptions that another Cass Tech kid would choose the Buckeyes. They do have a bit of history with Cass Tech players, with the likes of Vernon Gholston and Damon Webb.
Richmond (VA) Benedictine wide receiver Scott Bracey, a 2016 prospect, committed to Duke. Bracey is a superstar compared to what Duke normally gets. His teammate is defensive end Clelin Ferrell, another Michigan offeree, but one who committed to Clemson already.
Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary’s linebacker Daelin Hayes, another 2016 prospect, committed to USC. Hayes was considered a Michigan lean until recently, and he had previously set an announcement date for late April, when he was presumably going to choose the Wolverines. A strange thing happened when Hayes did not receive an invitation to the BBQ at the Big House, which frustrated him a little bit. It was reportedly an honest mistake on the coaches’ part, but it may or may not be a coincidence that he visited Southern California and committed to the Trojans at roughly the same time he should have been attending the BBQ.

Houston (TX) Cy Falls defensive tackle Du’Vonta Lampkin committed to Texas. He had previously been committed to Oklahoma and never showed much interest in the Wolverines.

Tampa (FL) Sickles running back Ray-Ray McCloud III committed to Clemson. He was expected to commit to Florida for a long time until the tide started to turn in favor of the Tigers recently.

MISCELLANEOUS
Rivals released their top 100 (LINK) and top 250 (LINK) lists for 2016.

ESPN updated their top 300 prospects for 2015 (LINK).

Here’s a list of the BBQ at the Big House visitors (LINK). Some names were added late while I was on vacation, so not all names are partnered with write-ups.

17Feb 2014
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Recruiting Update: February 17, 2014

Richmond (VA) Benedictine defensive
end Clelin Ferrell

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015
Richmond (VA) Benedictine defensive end Clelin Ferrell was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’5″, 225 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Miami, Ohio State, Penn State, Virginia, and Virginia Tech, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #6 weakside end, and #76 overall. As a sophomore in 2012, he had 60 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, and 11.5 sacks. He plays some linebacker, but he looks like a future weakside end and shows nice burst off the edge. Ferrell is teammates with 2016 wide receiver offeree Scott Bracey and plays in the same league as Michigan freshman quarterback Wilton Speight.

Gardena (CA) Junipero Serra defensive tackle Rasheem Green was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’5″, 280 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Notre Dame, UCLA, and USC, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 5-star, the #6 defensive tackle, and #17 overall. Michigan went after two of Green’s teammates in the 2014 class, but came away empty on cornerback Adoree’ Jackson (USC) and linebacker Dwight Williams (UCLA). The favorite for Green appears to be USC, too.

Dallas (TX) South Oak Cliff safety Prentice McKinney, Jr. was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’2″, 180 lb. prospect with offers from Arkansas, Boise State, Maryland, Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma, among others. He claims a 4.48 forty, a 240 lb. bench, and a 275 lb. squat. As a junior in 2013, he had 5 interceptions. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #37 safety, and the #589 player overall.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius offensive guard Liam Eichenberg was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’5″, 275 lb. prospect whose only other offer is from Ohio State. Eichenberg has stated that he is very likely to stay in the Big Ten. Fifth year senior linebacker Jake Ryan is also from St. Ignatius.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017
Miamisburg (OH) Miamisburg offensive tackle Josh Myers was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’5″, 255 lb. prospect with offers from Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. Myers represents the Wolverines’ first offer in the 2017 class. He has a brother who’s a redshirt sophomore center at Kentucky and a father who played for the Wildcats, so they’re a major player in his recruitment. Of course, as a member of the 2017 recruiting class, his brother will be graduated from UK before Josh arrives.

OFF THE BOARD
Warminster (PA) Archbihop Wood offensive tackle Ryan Bates committed to Penn State. He was just offered by the Wolverine a couple weeks ago and is the #166 player in the class, according to the 247 Composite.

Gaithersburg (MD) Gaithersburg athlete Kamonte Carter committed to Penn State, too. Along with Bates and a defensive back named Jarvis Miller, they became the first three commitments in the 2015 class for the Nittany Lions. Before this past weekend’s Junior Day in Happy Valley, Carter previously visited PSU for their overtime win against Michigan, so that had to be a positive game day experience. Carter is a do-it-all high school player, the rare quarterback/defensive end combo. Michigan originally offered him as a SAM linebacker, but at 6’4″ and 235 lbs. already, he will likely be a defensive end at the next level.

Washington (DC) H.D. Woodson cornerback DuWayne Johnson committed to Virginia Tech. Johnson had 75 tackles, 4 interceptions, and 18 pass breakups last season.

Virginia Beach (VA) Ocean Lakes athlete Jaason Lewis committed to UCLA. Lewis plays a little bit of everything for his high school team, but at 6’3″ and 235 lbs., I have doubts about whether he can stick at wide receiver, which is where some people project him. He looks more like an H-back to me, or perhaps a linebacker. It will be interesting to see how UCLA uses him, and they’re not averse to playing players at multiple positions, as they showed with Myles Jack.


MISCELLANEOUS
Here’s a list of the 2015, 2016, and 2017 visitors who were on campus Saturday to watch Michigan play Wisconsin.

Lakewood (OH) St. Edward cornerback and current prize of Michigan’s 2015 recruiting class Shaun Crawford went to the Nike camp this past weekend, ran a laser-time 4.5 forty, ran a 4.03 shuttle, jumped 36.3″ vertically, and earned an invite to The Opening.

28Nov 2013
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Recruiting Update: November 28, 2013

Downers Grove (IL) South offensive tackle Erik Swenson

COMMITMENT
Downers Grove (IL) South offensive tackle Erik Swenson committed to Michigan.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2014
Sugar Land (TX) Fort Bend Austin running back Vic Enwere was offered by Michigan. He’s currently committed to the Cal Golden Bears – who are 1-10 – but will officially visit Michigan the weekend of December 13th. I wrote up a scouting report on Enwere last week.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015Monaca (PA) Central Valley cornerback Jordan Whitehead was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’0″, 180 lb. prospect with offers from Ohio State, Penn State, Pitt, and West Virginia, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, #14 cornerback, and #155 overall. Most people expect him to become a Buckeye, but Alabama came in and stole elite wide receiver Robert Foster from the school in the 2013 class.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
Richmond (VA) Benedictine wide receiver Scott Bracey was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’3″, 195 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, South Carolina, and Virginia Tech, along with several others. Bracey plays in the same league as 2014 Michigan quarterback commit Wilton Speight.

Pittsburgh (PA) Woodland Hills running back Miles Sanders was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’0″, 186 lb. prospect with offers from Pitt, Temple, and Toledo. In eight games as a sophomore this year, Sanders had over 1,000 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns. Also, his nickname is “Boobie.” If that seems confusing, you should read Friday Night Lights.

OFF THE BOARD
Woodbridge (VA) Senior defensive end Da’Shawn Hand committed to Alabama. Most prognosticators had him going to the Wolverines, but the combination of Michigan’s subpar season and his interest in Alabama’s engineering program led him to choose the Crimson Tide.

Berrien Springs (MI) Berrien Springs defensive end Jhonathon Williams flipped from Missouri to Notre Dame. Michigan offered Williams in the aftermath of Hand’s decision, and while he seemed briefly interested, he was more enamored with the Fighting Irish. Williams did not grow up in Michigan, so that somewhat mitigates the loss of an in-state prospect.

MISCELLANEOUS
Paramus (NJ) Catholic cornerback Jabrill Peppers announced this week that he will take visits after his high school season because of concerns about rumors that Brady Hoke will not return to Michigan next season. I am almost 100% sure that Hoke will return, no matter what happens in the next two games.

Here’s the most detailed visitors list in the blogosphere for The Game.