Recruiting Update: February 4, 2013
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| Falcon (CO) Falcon running back Kalen Ballage (image via Denver Post) |
ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2014
Lewisville (TX) Hebron safety Jamal Adams was offered by Michigan. The 6’0″, 189 lb. prospect claims a 4.4 forty and is an early 4-star to Rivals and 247 Sports. He also has offers from Florida, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Texas, among others. As a sophomore in 2011, he had 60 tackles and 4 interceptions. He’s a big hitter with good ball skills who looks like a strong safety prospect.
Falcon (CO) Falcon running back Kalen Ballage was offered by Michigan. Ballage is a 6’2″, 215 lb. running back, slot receiver, and outside linebacker, but he looks like a future college running back. His season stats are incomplete on Maxpreps, but he had at least 245 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground; 13 catches for 193 yards and 5 touchdowns; 32 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 1 sack; 3 punt returns for 79 yards; and 1 kickoff return for a 92-yard touchdown run. Ballage also has offers from Boise State, Colorado, Colorado State, and Utah, among others.
Norcross (GA) Norcross defensive end Lorenzo Carter was offered by Michigan. Carter is a 6’6″, 232 lb. weakside end with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame, and Ohio State, and many others. 247 Sports has him ranked as the #1 weakside end in the nation and the #3 player overall. While the early leader appears to be the Crimson Tide, former Michigan offensive tackle Jeff Backus came from the same high school. Michigan has also pursued wide receiver Jason Croom (Tennessee) and center David Andrews (Georgia) in recent years.
Coppell (TX) Coppell defensive end Solomon Thomas was offered by Michigan. Thomas is a 6’3″, 263 lb. defensive lineman with offers from Clemson, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas A&M, among others. He looks like a strongside defensive end prospect or perhaps a 3-tech defensive tackle down the road.
OFF THE BOARD
Louisville (KY) Trinity defensive end Jason Hatcher re-committed to USC. For a split second, he de-committed to consider home state schools Kentucky and Louisville.
Charlotte (NC) Mallard Creek wide receiver Marquez North committed to Tennessee. Michigan was never really in the running, but this is the third year in a row that the Wolverines have offered a Mallard Creek product, following offensive tackle D.J. Humphries (Florida) in 2012 and quarterback Marquise Williams (North Carolina) in 2011.
Arvada (CO) Ralston Valley offensive tackle Dan Skipper changed his commitment from Tennessee to Arkansas. The 6’10”, 295-pounder was seriously considering Michigan at one point, but the commitment of Dan Samuelson ended Michigan’s search for offensive linemen. Skipper is particularly tall and struggles to stay low, so I think Michigan’s other linemen are superior prospects.
Cordova (TN) St. Benedict running back Jordan Wilkins committed to Ole Miss. Wilkins had previously been committed to Auburn.
COACHES ON THE ROAD
Here’s a partial list of whom the coaches have visited in the past week:
Ty Barrett – OT – Dallas (TX) Skyline
Jalen Brady – QB – Southfield (MI) Southfield
Ray Buford – WR – Southfield (MI) Southfield**
Shaun Crawford – CB – Lakewood (OH) St. Edward’s
Garrett Dickerson – TE – Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic
Tommy Doles – C – Grand Rapids (MI) Christian
Drew Dowding – LB – Michigan Center (MI) Michigan Center
Jalen Embry – CB – Detroit (MI) King
Carl Fuller – LB – Detroit (MI) King
Damien Harris – RB – Berea (KY) Madison Southern**
Drake Harris – WR – Grand Rapids (MI) Christian
Dewayne Hendrix – DE – O’Fallon (IL) O’Fallon
Dravon Henry – S – Aliquippa (PA) Aliquippa
Elijah Hood – RB – Charlotte (NC) Catholic
Tifonte Hunt – CB – Harvey (IL) Thornton
Jon Vea Johnson – WR – Gary (IN) West Side
Lonnie Johnson – WR – Gary (IN) West Side
Ronnie Larue – S – Dallas (TX) Bishop Dunne
Tyler Luatua – TE – La Mirada (CA) La Mirada
Lawrence Marshall – DE – Southfield (MI) Southfield
Quenton Nelson – OT – Red Bank (NJ) Catholic
Montae Nicholson – S – Monroeville (PA) Gateway
Edward Paris – S – Mansfield (TX) Timberview
Henry Poggi – DT – Baltimore (MD) Gilman*
Jovan Pruitt – OG – Dallas (TX) Bishop Dunne
Gelen Robinson – DE – St. John (IN) Lake Central
Brandon Simmons – S – Mansfield (TX) Timberview
Wilton Speight – QB – Richmond (VA) Collegiate
Dionte Sykes – WR – Chandler (AZ) Chandler
Dallis Todd – WR – La Mirada (CA) La Mirada
Nick Watkins – CB – Dallas (TX) Bishop Dunne
Kyron Watson – LB – East St. Louis (IL) East St. Louis
Jauan Wesley – WR – Harvey (IL) Thornton
Darius West – S – Lima (OH) Central Catholic
Parrker Westphal – CB – Bolingbrook (IL) Bolingbrook
Dwight Williams – LB – Gardena (CA) Junipero Serra
*2013 prospect
**2015 prospect