Tag: Zach Sheffer

7-12-17 Recruiting Update: The White Whale is Gone

Cameron McGrone (image via Indy Star)

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2018

Miami (FL) Central running back James Cook decommitted from Florida State. He’s a 4-star, the #3 running back, and #33 overall. At 5’11” and 181 lbs., he runs a 4.51 forty. The brother of Dalvin Cook, he was expected to continue the Cook legacy at FSU, but now it appears he’s likely to end up signing with Georgia.

Ontario (CA) Colony tight end Michael Ezeike was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’5″, 210 lb. prospect with offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, UCLA, and USC, among others. He’s a 3-star, the #17 tight end, and #413 overall. This appears to be a wide-open race right now, but Michigan does need a tight end or two in this recruiting class.

Valdosta (GA) Lonwdes offensive tackle Jalen Goss was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’5″, 250 lb. prospect with offers from Florida, Maryland, Mississippi State, and Oregon, among others. He’s a 3-star, the #66 offensive tackle, and #781 overall. He’s a teammate of 2018 running back Michael Barrett, whom Michigan is recruiting as a running back and Wildcat quarterback.

Hit the jump for a couple more new offers, along with several players who committed elsewhere.

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Visitors: Michigan vs. Indiana

Brooklyn (NY) Poly OT Isaiah Wilson (image via Bleacher Report)

2017

Cam Akers – RB – Clinton (MS) Clinton: The 5’11”, 213 lb. prospect has offers from Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, and Ohio State, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 5-star, the #2 running back, and #5 overall. The U.S. Army All-American was previously committed to Alabama, but now Ohio State has a slight lead with 30% of the Crystal Ball picks. Michigan would have a pretty solid class with the players who are already committed at running back, but Akers and Najee Harris are too good to pass up if it’s possible to get them. This is his official visit. UPDATE: Akers is no longer visiting.

Tory Carter – FB – Leesburg (GA) Lee County: Carter is a 6’2″, 255 lb. prospect who is committed to LSU. He’s a 3-star, the #1 fullback, and #1186 overall. He’s a teammate of 2017 DT Aubrey Solomon (a former Michigan commit) and 2018 safety Otis Reese (a current Michigan commit). Fullback/linebacker Chase Lasater decommitted from Michigan and fullback/linebacker Ben Mason might start off on defense, so Carter is perhaps Michigan’s best shot at a fullback in this class. This is his official visit.

Noah Harvey – LB – Hartland (WI) Arrowhead: Harvey is a 6’3″, 210 lb. prospect with an offer from Buffalo. He’s a former teammate of Michigan freshman offensive lineman Ben Bredeson.

Brad Hawkins, Jr. – WR – Camden (NJ) Suffield Academy: Hawkins is a 6’2″, 195 lb. prospect who signed a National Letter of Intent to Michigan in February. However, academic issues prevented him from enrolling at Michigan, so he is attending prep school at Suffield Academy, where he played football this fall. According to recent reports, he and Michigan plan for him to enroll at Michigan, so he is essentially a 2017 commit.

Hit the jump for several more 2017 and 2018 visitors.

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2018 Recruiting Update: May 19, 2016

Jacksonville (FL) Trinity safety Tyreke Johnson (image via Youtube)

The new-ish regime at Michigan is running me ragged with new offers. I used to do a pretty concise roundup each week of all the new offers to have gone out, but that appears to no longer be possible. Brandon Brown from The Wolverine tweeted out that Michigan has offered 42 prospects in the month of May, and while I don’t keep track by month, that sounds . . . low. The Wolverines have offered a record 276 prospects in the 2017 class, and they’re already up to 99 in the class of 2018 before those players even wrap up their sophomore year of high school. Because of that fast pace, I may continue to break up these recruiting roundups into classes, rather than doing 2017-2019 prospects all in one update.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2018
Pensacola (FL) Pine Forest wide receiver Jacob Copeland was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’0″, 188 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, and Georgia, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #2 wide receiver, and #38 overall. He claims a 4.44 forty. He has good speed, excellent body control, and can go up and make tough, acrobatic catches. Florida State has 80% of the Crystal Ball picks.

Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha defensive tackle Austin Fontaine was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’3″, 318 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Georgia, Maryland, Ohio State, and Penn State, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #6 defensive tackle, and #28 overall. I don’t really understand the high ranking, because he doesn’t show a lot of athleticism, explosiveness, etc. But there are still a couple years for those things to improve or for the rankings to change. He’s a teammate of 2017 RB Anthony McFarland, Jr. and DE Chase Young.

Jacksonville (FL) Trinity linebacker Eriq Gilyard was offered by Michigan. He’s a 5’11”, 225 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Duke, LSU, and Virginia Tech, among others. He’s a compact, hard-hitting linebacker with a quick first step. Gilyard is a teammate of 2017 FB Chase Lasater (Michigan) and 2018 safety Tyreke Johnson (see below).

Hit the jump for a lot of new offers in the 2018 class.

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