2016 Recruiting Update: June 15, 2015

Tag: Will Fries

15Jun 2015
Uncategorized 4 comments

2016 Recruiting Update: June 15, 2015

Norco (CA) Norco quarterback Victor Viramontes (image via Press Enterprise)

If you would like to donate to the site redesign drive, please use Paypal (on the left sidebar) or do some shopping on Amazon (LINK). Thanks for your support!
—————
COMMITMENTS
Delray Beach (FL) Atlantic cornerback Antwaine Richardson committed to Michigan on Friday (LINK).

Cooper City (FL) Cooper City defensive end Rashad Weaver committed to Michigan on Sunday (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
Carson (CA) Calabasas safety Marquel Dismuke decommitted from Cal. He’s a 6’1″, 180 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan and Nebraska, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #10 safety, and #246 overall. Dismuke was an early offer by the Jim Harbaugh staff, and he committed to Cal surprisingly early when Michigan thought they had a chance. The Wolverines still might be able to pull him in, but the decommitment came a couple weeks after Nebraska offered, and the Cornhuskers have 89% of the Crystal Ball votes.

Norco (CA) Norco safety Troy Dye was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’3″, 200 lb. prospect with offers from Colorado and Oregon, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #41 safety, and #634 overall. He earned his offer at the satellite camp in Mission Viejo. Listed as a safety, he moves like a linebacker and should probably be reclassified by 247 Sports. Regardless, he has some upside as an outside linebacker and still probably slots in as a 3-star prospect. Michigan was his favorite school growing up. His father was born in Michigan and played football at San Jose State (so why not go play for Al Borges and Greg Robinson?), where he also had a baseball career that led to the Houston Astros organization.

Cartersville (GA) Cartersville tight end Miller Forristall was offered by Michigan and then committed to Alabama. He’s a 6’5″, 220 lb. prospect who’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #20 tight end, and #486 overall. As a junior in 2014, he caught 32 passes for 600 yards and 8 touchdowns. The home state Bulldogs never stepped forward with an offer.

Hit the jump for a couple more 2016 offers, some guys who committed elsewhere, and some random bits and pieces.

Pembroke Pines (FL) Flanagan safety/linebacker Devin Gil decommitted from Miami. He’s a 6’1″, 205 lb. prospect who also holds offers from Colorado, Louisville, and South Florida, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #63 safety, and #941 overall. Gil visited Michigan with a couple teammates this past weekend, and he decommitted from the Hurricanes during the visit, saying he wanted to see who else would show interest in him. He plays safety and that’s where 247 Sports has him pegged, but he looks like he’ll be a linebacker at the next level. His Crystal Ball is 100% in favor of Michigan right now.

Pembroke Pines (FL) Flanagan safety Josh Metellus decommitted from Georgia Southern. He’s a 6’0″, 187 lb. prospect with offers from Florida International, Miami-OH, Middle Tennessee State, and South Alabama. He’s a 247 Composite 2-star, the #139 safety, and #1957 overall. He is a teammate of Gil and 2016 linebacker Devin Bush, Jr. and visited Michigan this past weekend.

Norco (CA) Norco quarterback Victor Viramontes was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’2″, 220 lb. prospect with offers from Colorado, Nebraska, Washington State, and Wisconsin, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #48 athlete, and #676 overall. A teammate of Dye’s, Viramontes attended the second California satellite camp, in Fresno, and earned his offer after Harbaugh saw him run and throw. As a junior in 2014, he was 123/228 passing (53.9%) for 1,784 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions; more impressively, he ran the ball 214 times for 1,757 yards (8.2 yards/carry) and 18 touchdowns. Even better is that his nickname is “Vicious Vic,” so if he ever decides to pursue MMA, he’s got a pretty nice, alliterative name for it: Vicious Vic Viramontes. (You can hear Michael Buffer saying that name, can’t you?) Anyway, Viramontes is a veritable virtuoso on the field who has various valuable skills, like vision and a vibrant arm, to victimize a defense on his way to taking a viselike, victorious grip on a quarterback job. (That’s my way of saying that Vicious Vic can probably go somewhere and be The Man at quarterback in this class, rather than possibly playing second violin fiddle to Brandon Peters.) If quarterback doesn’t work out for him, he could probably play running back, fullback, H-back, linebacker, or maybe strong safety at the college level.

Fort Lauderdale (FL) Cooper City tight end Rashad Weaver was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’4″, 245 lb. prospect with offers from Illinois and Syracuse, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 2-star, the #112 defensive tackle, and #1803 overall. He claims a 4.9 forty. Weaver has decent speed but has a lot of technical holes in his game; he’s also a big body who could project anywhere from tight end to defensive end to defensive tackle to perhaps even offensive tackle. He reminds me of New Jersey athlete Jake Pickard from the 2015 class, who was committed to Wisconsin, earned a late offer from Michigan, and ended up signing with Syracuse. Weaver almost immediately named Michigan his top school. The Wolverines are recruiting him as an “athlete” but saying he can play tight end to start his career.

OFF THE BOARD
Manor (TX) Manor defensive end Erick Fowler committed to LSU. He initially showed some interest in the Wolverines, but nothing had transpired in recent weeks between the two parties.

Cranford (NJ) Cranford offensive tackle Will Fries committed to Penn State. He had recently visited Michigan and put the Wolverines in his top group, but that seemed like a formality before a looming commitment to the Nittany Lions.

Mechanicsville (VA) Atlee safety Jaqui “J.J.” Givens committed to South Carolina. The co-defensive coordinator at South Carolina is Jon Hoke, the older brother of former Michigan head coach Brady Hoke.

Converse (TX) Judson defensive end Alton Robinson committed to Texas A&M.

Byesville (OH) Meadowbrook offensive guard Josh Sills committed to West Virginia.

New Orleans (LA) Brother Martin tight end Irvin Smith committed to Texas A&M on an unofficial visit. He is the son of former Notre Dame and NFL tight end Irv Smith. He is also a teammate of 2016 tight end Peyton Aucoin and 2017 linebacker Bruce Jordan-Swilling, both of whom have Michigan offers.

Chesapeake (VA) Indian River linebacker Jaquan Yulee committed to Alabama. Despite listing Michigan early as one of his top schools, he never visited. Recently, the Wolverines dropped out of his top five, and then he became a Crimson Tide. Which sounds weird.

MISCELLANEOUS
Here’s a list of some (but not nearly all) of the participants in Michigan’s Exposure U camp (LINK).

Here are the notable prospects who took part in Michigan’s 2015 Summer Swarm tour, which ended last week (LINK).

Here’s yet another list, this one of visitors from this past weekend and Sound Mind Sound Body campers (LINK).

Scout released a new top 300 for 2016 (LINK).

Houston (TX) Aldine MacArthur defensive end Isaiah Chambers named Michigan to his top ten.

Abbotsford (BC) Abbotsford tight end Chase Claypool named Michigan to his top three.

Rancho Santa Margarita (CA) Rancho Santa Margarita wide receiver Dylan Crawford named Michigan to his top ten.

Los Angeles (CA) Loyola cornerback David Long, Jr. named Michigan to his top ten. The guys at 247 Sports have said at times that Long is the staff’s top cornerback target.

Avon (IN) Avon quarterback Brandon Peters, a Michigan commit, was named a finalist for the 2015 Elite 11.

Florence (AL) Florence fullback/linebacker Erroll Thompson named Michigan to his top five. Michigan is recruiting him to play both positions. He is believed to be a strong Alabama lean, however.

Over on Recruiting Season, I updated profiles for:

27Apr 2015
Uncategorized no comments

Recruiting Update: April 27, 2015

Brooklyn (NY) Poly Prep offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson (image via Scout)

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
Lakewood (OH) St. Edward cornerback Tony Butler, a Pitt commit, was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’2″, 195 lb. prospect who also holds offers from Arizona State, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, and Rutgers, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #56 cornerback, and #600 overall. As a junior in 2014, he made 27 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 10 pass breakups. He’s a big corner who might project best to safety. Butler played for Michigan’s new director of football operations, Rick Finotti, who was head coach at St. Edward through last season. Despite maintaining a hard commitment to Pitt, Butler is expected to at least put some thought into attending Michigan, a school he visited in early April.

Cranford (NJ) Cranford offensive tackle Will Fries was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’6″, 270 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Maryland, Miami, Penn State, Pitt, Rutgers, and South Carolina, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #38 offensive tackle, and #392 overall. Fries is a big, lean body who’s aggressive and bends well, but his footwork needs a lot of refinement. The Nittany Lions appear to be the favorite.

Hit the jump for a new 2017 offer, some guys who committed elsewhere, and some random tidbits.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017
Brooklyn (NY) Poly offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’6″, 310 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Miami, Penn State, and Rutgers, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #14 offensive tackle, and #82 overall. I have been unable to find actual game highlights of Wilson, but here are some clips from a recent camp (LINK) that also include Rashan Gary, Ron Johnson, and Michael Menet, all of whom are Michigan targets. Lineman drills in camps are tilted toward the defense, but Wilson looks a little out of his element in pass protection. He is probably a right tackle or a guard.

OFF THE BOARD
Huber Heights (OH) Wayne quarterback Messiah DeWeaver committed to Michigan State. Shortly after Jim Harbaugh was hired at Michigan, he informed DeWeaver that the coaching staff would like to keep him in the class but that they would continue recruiting other quarterbacks. DeWeaver then chose to decommit, and his likely destination for the past couple months had been East Lansing.

Arlington (TX) Lamar offensive guard Chris Owens committed to Alabama. His choice was somewhat expected, and he never gave Michigan much of a look.

Huntersville (NC) SouthLake Christian running back Robert Washington committed to Florida . . . and then Syracuse. In an interesting turn of events, Washington recorded an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report in which he committed to Florida. Bleacher Report went live with the video about 20 minutes before Washington announced himself, but Washington’s official announcement was for Syracuse. It’s unclear whether Washington was just messing with Bleacher Report or if he really changed his mind, but that’s what Bleacher Report deserves for trying to get the drop on Washington’s official announcement. Aside from the announcement thing, it seems odd that Washington would choose Syracuse when he also held offers from Alabama, LSU, Miami, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, USC, and Wisconsin, among others. However, his recruitment has long been a bit funky, and the one-time Mississippi State pledge, who visited Michigan several times during the Brady Hoke regime, may not have made his final choice. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he changes his mind again before February.

MISCELLANEOUS
Salt Lake City (UT) Brighton wide receiver Simi Fehoko announced a top five that includes Michigan.

Camden (NJ) Camden defensive end Ron Johnson, Jr., who visited a few weeks ago, named Michigan his leader with South Carolina #2. He’s teammates with wide receiver Brad Hawkins, who also has Michigan and South Carolina high on his list.

Here’s a list of visitors from the past few days, along with one for tomorrow (LINK).

ESPN updated their top 300 prospects for 2016 (LINK).

I wrote up a scouting report for Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha offensive guard Terrance Davis (LINK).