Tag: Scott Nelson

The Fence the Mitten Project: Defensive Backs

I took a few days off from posting about this project, but it’s time to get back to it. So what would Michigan’s roster and recruiting look like if they signed the top 25 in-state prospects each year? Here’s the answer.

If you missed them earlier, there were posts about QB (LINK), RB (LINK), TE (LINK), OL (LINK), WR (LINK), DE (LINK), DT (LINK), and LB (LINK).

Hit the jump for the rundown of corners and safeties.

Preview of 2017 In-State Recruiting: #11-15

Flint (MI) Southwestern DE Deron Irving-Bey (image via MLive)

My ranking of the top players in the state of Michigan for 2015 continues. I already posted #1-5 (LINK) and #6-10 (LINK), but here’s a recap:

1. Donovan Peoples-Jones
2. Ambry Thomas
3. Antjuan Simmons
4. Ja’Raymond Hall
5. Joshua Ross
6. K.J. Hamler
7. Phillip Paea
8. Hunter Rison
9. Jaylen Kelly-Powell
10. Corey Malone-Hatcher

Hit the jump for #11-15.

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Visitors: April 1-3, 2016

Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy offensive lineman Robert Hainsey

Please consider helping the blog by purchasing items on Amazon (LINK) or donating via Paypal (LINK). Thanks for your support!

Here’s an early list of visitors for the 2016 spring game, which will take place on April 1. There will be lots of additions (and probably some subtractions), and I expect a good number of local recruits to visit Michigan Stadium for the event. However, local recruits are less vocal about these types of things, because they can hop in a car and drive an hour or two to the stadium, whereas players from far away have to make travel plans ahead of time. It’s shaping up to be a pretty good group so far.

2016 SIGNEES
Camaron Cheeseman
Kekoa Crawford
Nick Eubanks
Chris Evans
Devin Gil
Brad Hawkins, Jr.
Lavert Hill
Nate Johnson
Ron Johnson, Jr.
David Long
Elysee Mbem-Bosse
Eddie McDoom
Josh Metellus
Quinn Nordin
Michael Onwenu
Simeon Smith
Joshua Uche
Tru Wilson

2017
Jordan Anthony – LB – Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy: Anthony is a 6’0″, 220 lb. prospect with offers from Auburn, Clemson, Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #9 outside linebacker, and #133 overall. Anthony is now at IMG Academy with some other Michigan prospects – including Robert Hainsey – but he started off his high school career at Olney (MD) Good Counsel. He is a “maybe” for the spring game if he can arrange transportation.

Markquese Bell – WR – Bridgeton (NJ) Bridgeton: Bell is a 6’3″, 200 lb. prospect who released a top ten that includes Michigan and Rutgers, among others. He also has offers from Florida and Georgia. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #30 athlete, and #364 overall.

Corey Bolds – DE – Paramus (NJ) Catholic: Bolds is a 6’3″, 260 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, and Rutgers, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #18 defensive tackle, and #305 overall. He was a teammate of 2016 signee Rashan Gary and is a current teammate of 2017 linebacker Drew Singleton (see below) and 2018 quarterback Allan Walters.

Ellis Brooks – LB – Richmond (VA) Benedictine: Brooks is a 6’2″, 240 lb. prospect with offers from Duke, Michigan, North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Virginia Tech, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #25 outside linebacker, and #292 overall. As a junior in 2015, he made 117 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 6 sacks. He is expected to stay in ACC country to play ball, but shortly after being offered by the Wolverines, he said he would visit for the spring game. That indicates he does have some serious interest in Michigan. UPDATE: Brooks committed to Duke on Thursday, so this visit may not occur.

Hit the jump for several more visitors.
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Visitors: April 1-3, 2016

Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy offensive lineman Robert Hainsey

Please consider helping the blog by purchasing items on Amazon (LINK) or donating via Paypal (LINK). Thanks for your support!

Here’s an early list of visitors for the 2016 spring game, which will take place on April 1. There will be lots of additions (and probably some subtractions), and I expect a good number of local recruits to visit Michigan Stadium for the event. However, local recruits are less vocal about these types of things, because they can hop in a car and drive an hour or two to the stadium, whereas players from far away have to make travel plans ahead of time. It’s shaping up to be a pretty good group so far.

2016 SIGNEES
Camaron Cheeseman
Kekoa Crawford
Nick Eubanks
Chris Evans
Devin Gil
Brad Hawkins, Jr.
Lavert Hill
Nate Johnson
Ron Johnson, Jr.
David Long
Elysee Mbem-Bosse
Eddie McDoom
Josh Metellus
Quinn Nordin
Michael Onwenu
Simeon Smith
Joshua Uche
Tru Wilson

2017
Jordan Anthony – LB – Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy: Anthony is a 6’0″, 220 lb. prospect with offers from Auburn, Clemson, Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #9 outside linebacker, and #133 overall. Anthony is now at IMG Academy with some other Michigan prospects – including Robert Hainsey – but he started off his high school career at Olney (MD) Good Counsel. He is a “maybe” for the spring game if he can arrange transportation.

Markquese Bell – WR – Bridgeton (NJ) Bridgeton: Bell is a 6’3″, 200 lb. prospect who released a top ten that includes Michigan and Rutgers, among others. He also has offers from Florida and Georgia. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #30 athlete, and #364 overall.

Corey Bolds – DE – Paramus (NJ) Catholic: Bolds is a 6’3″, 260 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, and Rutgers, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #18 defensive tackle, and #305 overall. He was a teammate of 2016 signee Rashan Gary and is a current teammate of 2017 linebacker Drew Singleton (see below) and 2018 quarterback Allan Walters.

Ellis Brooks – LB – Richmond (VA) Benedictine: Brooks is a 6’2″, 240 lb. prospect with offers from Duke, Michigan, North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Virginia Tech, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #25 outside linebacker, and #292 overall. As a junior in 2015, he made 117 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 6 sacks. He is expected to stay in ACC country to play ball, but shortly after being offered by the Wolverines, he said he would visit for the spring game. That indicates he does have some serious interest in Michigan. UPDATE: Brooks committed to Duke on Thursday, so this visit may not occur.

Hit the jump for several more visitors.
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Recruiting Update: January 18, 2016

Olathe (KS) North safety Isaiah Simmons

DECOMMITMENT
Upper Marlboro (MD) Riverdale Baptist cornerback Sir Patrick Scott decommitted from Michigan (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
Winter Garden (FL) West Orange wide receiver Eddie McDoom decommitted from Oregon. McDoom is a 5’11”, 170 lb. prospect who had committed to the Ducks in December, but also has offers from Clemson, Florida, Miami, Ohio State, and Oklahoma, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #67 wide receiver, and #405 overall. He recently caught a touchdown pass in the Under Armour All-American Game. Interestingly, McDoom was one of a couple wide receiver commits who took an Oregon spot that could have gone to Dylan Crawford, who committed to Michigan two weekends ago. McDoom says that when he made it clear to Oregon that he wanted to take other visits – mainly to Michigan – the Ducks pulled his offer. Michigan fans are familiar with that policy, since it sounds similar to Brady Hoke’s approach. Now McDoom is scheduled to come to Ann Arbor next weekend, and it’s unclear whether this situation will affect Crawford or not. If Michigan is able to secure a commitment from McDoom and keep Crawford, that may sew up the receiver position before Donald Stewart and Pie Young decide to commit.

Olathe (KS) North safety Isaiah Simmons was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’3″, 212 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Louisville, Missouri, and Nebraska, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #16 safety, and #326 overall. Simmons is a large safety who also plays some wide receiver. He reminds me a little bit of Michigan cornerback Jeremy Clark, although Simmons is thicker at this stage in his career than Clark was. He has visits scheduled to Nebraska and Louisville for the next two weekends, so Michigan would likely have to bump one of those schools out of the way unless he decides to make a mid-week trip. If the name of Simmons’s school sounds familiar, Michigan recruited Jimmie Swain IV (Oregon) from there in the 2014 class.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017
Port Washington (WI) Port Washington offensive tackle Tyler Beach was offered by Michigan. Beach is a 6’8″, 270 lb. prospect with offers from Bowling Green, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, and Northern Illinois. He has not been offered by Wisconsin yet, but it’s often tough to pull players out of Wisconsin if the Badgers want them (Ben Bredeson is an exception).

Hit the jump for some more 2017 offers, a 2018 offer, some commitments elsewhere, and some random recruiting bits.

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