delonte hollowell

Previously: CB Greg Brown, CB/S Tamani Carter, CB Blake Countess.

Delonte Hollowell is archetypical in many ways. He committed to Michigan before anyone else in his class (doing so before the previous signing day), he's a cornerback best described as "beyond tiny," and he comes from Thomas Wilcher's Cass Tech program. He is the median Cass Tech recruit.

This time around the recruiting sites were less enthusiastic, at least eventually. Though Hollowell started off in the Rivals 250 by the end of the season he'd dropped to a three star everywhere save ESPN, which tends to rate 'em and forget 'em unless you show up at the Under Armor game.

It's hard to fault that assessment. Hollowell really is tiny—he measured in at 5'8.3" at the Army combine a year and a half ago—and of late Cass Tech recruits have proven a bit overrated. Since his early commitment prevented everyone save Central Michigan from offering we don't have much to dispute those fairly mediocre rankings. What's more, the Army combine performance that landed him on the All-Combine team and got him an early fourth star was frankly underwhelming. While he benched a lot of weight and jumped high he also ran a 4.88 40, which tied for 40th amongst participants. (If that sounds awful, the top time was a 4.55. Subtract at least two tenths to get a FAKE equivalent.) His shuttle was in the same range. Those seem like more important indicators than a bench press for a high school corner.

It's not all bad, though. Though Rivals dropped him to a three star it was by the smallest possible margin. The guy one slot ahead of him got that star. ESPN did think well enough of him to give him a fourth star. And it seems like he's got the intangibles down:

During his presentation, Rodriguez told the story of deciding which of two unnamed prospects to offer last year.

“I said, 'I want to take him,'” Rodriguez said. “The coaches said, 'Why do you want him?' I said, 'I was at the Sound Mind, Sound Body camp and I watched the one-on-ones and that guy was trying to get in the front of the line and that guy was trying to hide in the back.' I want the guy that wants to take every rep against every guy, who’s not afraid to compete.

“So we took that guy, and I’m glad we did because he’s going to be a great player.”

Hollowell was at the SMSB camp last year, and those who know him say that sounds like him.

Of course, Justin Feagin also had the intangibles down, caveats, etc., etc. An assessment of that camp says Hollowell "regularly stepped up" to battle eventual Vol DeAnthony Arnett but did not come out on top often.

The median Hollowell scouting report reads "Despite his size, Delonte Hollowell's size despite should be taller his size Y U NO taller despite his size." Delonte Hollowell is not a large person. Examples from Rivals($)…

"Delonte Hollowell has a lot of upside and athleticism despite being small for a cornerback."

…from the Army Combine…

Delonte Hollowell may have not been the biggest corner, but he was one of the strongest competitors. Hollowell benched more than his body weight 19 times, while posting a 33 inch vertical.

And from ESPN($):

Has a well-defined, deceptively strong body but does have marginal height and could struggle to defend the jump-ball versus today's taller college receivers.

You get the idea.

At this point we've got a very small corner who's not that fast or quick at this one combine and you might be wondering WTF. Well, maybe that combine was a bad day or something because every subjective assessment says he's not quite as quick as Dior Mathis but there's no shame in that. Rivals scouted a game of his and came away calling him a "taller, thicker" version of the even more diminutive Mathis..

When not talking about his height ESPN sounds generally impressed($):

If Hollowell had a bit more size he would likely be considered a top national cornerback prospect. ... Has a tight, fluid pedal and transitions smoothly in and out. Sharp and direct out of his breaks with good burst; can decrease receiver separation quickly. Does a good job reading the quarterback and jumping routes in zone schemes and can mirror tightly with his fluid hips and turns in off-man coverages. Very effective in press and bump-and-run coverages as well.

A lack of top-end speed is their other main complaint; they figure that combined with his height limits him to a nickelback and underneath corner. That assessment was echoed by Sam Webb($) when he saw Hollowell at the Army combine:

This aggressive youngster is at his best when he can get his hands on receivers.  … At this stage of development he isn’t as adept at playing off of receivers as he is up on them.  A few times he stayed in his back pedal too long, giving the receivers too much of an advantage.  By the time he decided to turn and run the receiver had achieved far too much separation for him to make up.  As a mid 4.5 to 4.6 guy he won’t make a living hawking guys down from behind.  That said, when he could get up on guys and bump them a bit, he had no problem staying with virtually everyone he covered. 

Similarly, Cass Tech coach Thomas Wilcher praises his jam:

"He's a good pressure cornerback," coach Thomas Wilcher said. "He has good feet and hands, and he jams the receiver."

Touch The Banner also knocks Hollowell's lack of "elite athleticism and speed" but likes his hands and adjustments when the ball is in the air. The chorus is in harmony.

Etc.: Photo gallery. Rivals checked him out as a junior($) they said he does "a good job of turning and running with receivers down the field, and appears to be an aggressive tackler." Another Wilcher quote: "He's aggressive, tough. He's smart, good head on his shoulders."

Why Brandon Harrison? Like Hollowell, Harrison was a super-quick, tougher-than-you-think 5'8" guy who lived on the 3-4 star borderline as a recruit. If you ignore the Army combine numbers in favor of the scouting assessments, Hollowell is also that guy.

Why not Cissoko? Hope about his situation, mostly. There are small cornerbacks and then there are the Cissokos and Harrisons and Hollowells of the world. By the time Cissoko saw the field it was clear that whatever his recruiting rankings were they were too high—put him up against a 6'3" guy and he might as well not be on the field. Harrison, on the other hand, had the luxury of playing inside as a nickelback. This largely protected him from downfield doom against the Michael Floyds of the world.

With three other cornerbacks in his recruiting class, two in front of him, and a couple more guys coming in next year Michigan should be able to protect Hollowell from a Cissoko-like fate. Michigan has also moved back to a 4-3 under with a dedicated nickelback for spread teams and passing downs—they've revived the Brandon Harrison spot just in time for this YMRMFSPA.

Guru Reliability: High-ish. Heavily scouted player who attended a bunch of camps and was healthy. Only "-ish" because of a significant spread in rankings.

General Excitement Level: Meh. I can't get over Hollowell's obvious physical limitations and the parade of Cass Tech guys who need a ton of coaching before they can be effective in college, if they ever get there. He's got a role, but it will be a limited one achieved only after a few years in the program.

Projection: Almost certain to redshirt and will probably sit on the bench for another couple years as Avery and Countess and maybe a couple other guys suck up the available snaps at corner. As a significantly more polished but probably no taller upperclassmen his best bet is to replace fellow Cass alum Thomas Gordon as the nickelback three years from now.

For live updates of the games I'm attending, follow me on Twitter @varsityblue. If you can help out finding articles on any of the commits, @reply me on Twitter or e-mail me, and I'll try to include your contribution.

MI DE/LB Brennen Beyer

Last week: Plymouth defeated Adrian 48-7. I was there, so enjoy some MGoBlog original video:

Beyer had 2 catches for 50 yards (and another 29-yarder, a would-be touchdown, called back on an illegal formation penalty). Defensively, he had 3 QB hurries, 3 tackles (1 for loss), and a pass deflection.

For scouting purposes, the video is only semi-useful. Adrian mostly stayed away from Beyer defensively until the game was out of reach, running to the opposite side of the field and rolling their quarterback out in that direction. On the other side of the ball, Plymouth was having no problem moving on the ground, so they didn't pass a whole lot.

The effort shown in the video is sometimes underwhelming, but the vast majority of the clips are from when the game was already in hand, so Beyer was taking it a little easier to avoid injury.

One thing that I noticed in this game (that I hadn't noticed last time I saw Brennen play) is that he has a pretty odd physique, with short legs but a very long torso. I'm no scout, so I can't tell you how that translates to defensive end at the next level (I would guess it's a good thing), but it does make him look a little funny running routes as a WR.

This week: The 7-2 Wildcats host Saline in Round 1 of the State Playoffs on Saturday at 1pm.

FL RB Demetrius Hart

Last Week: Dr Phillips beats Oak Ridge 56-28.

Dee Hart scored four touchdowns for the Panthers (7-0, 3-0 in 6A, Dist. 6) and Nick Patti threw for two touchdowns and ran for another. Hart finished with 120 yards on 20 carries.

That rushing performance takes Hart over 1,000 yards on the year. The article also included video:

Stats below from the Dr. Phillips website.

This week: Dr. Phillips travels to Gateway on Friday at 7:30.

MI WR Shawn Conway

Last Week: In the season finale, Seaholm defeated rival Groves 21-7.

No mention of Conway in the game article, and Misopogon reported that Seaholm didn't even throw his way. [Ed-M: In the first half, during plays when a gaggle of teeny boppers weren't trying to shove past each other in front of me -- I missed plenty of plays]

This week: Seaholm's season is over, with a 4-5 record. Conway finished the year with about 22 catches for 375 yards, and 11 kick/punt returns for 393 yards.

OH OL Jack Miller

Last week: St. John's defeated Toledo Waite 42-6.

This week: 8-1 St. John's travels to Toledo Central Catholic on Friday at 7.

FL OL Tony Posada

Last week: Plant defeated Alonso 34-7.

Plant offensive tackle Tony Posada sat for the first quarter on what Weiner termed a "coach's decision," and then was pulled from the game at halftime for precautionary reasons after tweaking the MCL in the right knee he recently came back from.

No word on the nature of the "coach's decision," but from the sounds of things it may have been injury-related.

This week: 6-2 Plant has a bye week. They'll face Chamberlain in a couple weeks.

MI OL Jake Fisher

Last week: In the regular season finale, TC West bested rival TC Central 51-42.

"What a redemption," defensive end Jake Fisher said. "It feels really good."

Video. Fisher also scored an interception in the game. The win lands TC West in the playoffs after a loss to Central in last year's finale left them with a sub-.500 record.

This week: 6-3 Traverse City West travels to (heavy favorite) Rockford in Round 1 of the State Playoffs on Friday at 7pm.

OH DE Chris Rock

Last week: DeSales falls to Cincinnati LaSalle 30-33. Rock got on the scoresheet by blocking a punt:

In the first half, DeSales leaned on its special teams. Midway through the first quarter, Chris Rock blocked a LaSalle punt, giving DeSales the ball on the 11-yard line

This week: 5-5 DeSales travels to Cleveland Benedictine on Saturday at 7pm.

TX LB Kellen Jones

Last week: St. Pius X beat Kelly 35-7 in a rematch of a game from earlier this year. Jones had 9 tackles, 2 for loss, and a sack, his coach tells Tom. Kellen's dad also e-mailed Tom a local news feature from earlier this season:

This week: St. Pius rematches Houston Christian on Friday at 7:30.

OH CB/S Greg Brown

Last week: Fremont Ross defeated Lima Senior 28-3. Brown caught a touchdown:

Ross would get the ball back once again, as Kori Campbell would recover a fumble, and the Little Giants would cap the scoring with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Wolf to Greg Brown to put the game away.

The Fremont Ross Forum Blog has no mention of Brown.

This week: Ross hosts Sandusky Friday at 7:30.

MI CB Delonte Hollowell

Last week: Pregame fluff. Cass Tech blasted Detroit Crockett 41-7. Hollowell mention (for the first time this year?):

Crockett (8-1) threw a scare into Cass on its first play when it completed a double pass for 59 yards. Defensive back Delonte Hollowell, who committed to Michigan, caught receiver James White from behind.

“We had to ball up after that,” Hollowell said. “We were expecting them to give us competition but we came back hard.”

Next Week: The Technicians host Detroit Southeastern in Round 1 of the State Playoffs on Friday at 5. Cass Tech won the teams' previous meeting this season 42-0.

FL QB Kevin Sousa

Last week: Lake Nona had a bye week.

This week: Lake Nona visits Tenoroc on Friday at 7:00.

For live updates of the games I'm attending, follow me on Twitter @varsityblue. If you can help out finding articles on any of the commits, @reply me on Twitter or e-mail me, and I'll try to include your contribution.

Performance of the Week:

MI DE/LB Brennen Beyer

Last week: Plymouth pasted Salem, 48-0. Beyer - from the start of the second quarter through the end of the game - had 2 receiving touchdowns for 43 yards, and a blocked punt, which he returned for a touchdown, to go along with several tackles. HD video highlights:

Seemed like a "man amongst boys" situation for the most part. Beyer is the standout performer this week.

This week: Plymouth takes on Howell on Thursday at 7pm.

FL QB Kevin Sousa

Last week: Lake Nona lost to Citrus, 0-14. This "Kickoff Classic" was a preseason game, not the start of the regular season. MGoReader Bob took in the game, and gave his impressions:

Even though half of the game was played in the rain, Sousa didn't look very sharp. Frankly, Lake Nona is not a very good football team. Citrus was equally as bad. Kevin had zero O- line blocking and was tackled many times for losses. His passes had zip but the wet conditions made them nearly uncatchable. I'm glad he fared well at the camps because the team he plays with is pretty sad.

Tom got in touch with Sousa's high school coach, and Kevin's approximate stats were: 15/34 for 136 yards and a pick, and 54 yards on 12 carries on the ground. The weather was a big factor as well.

This week: Lake Nona hosts Harmony at 7:30pm.

MI WR Shawn Conway

Last Week: Seaholm defeated North Farmington by a score of 26-6. Conway, predictably, was the star of the show:

Shawn Conway's 74-yard return on the opening kickoff proved to be a sign of good things to come for Birmingham Seaholm in their high school football season opener Thursday against North Farmington.

Conway added touchdown receptions of 6 and 15 yards, as Seaholm built a 26-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Maples held on to win by a score of 26-6 in the Oakland Activities Association game.

He finished with 169 all-purpose yards, and given his 4 catches for 32 yards, he his other returns totaled 63 yards. One more article. You can see video highlights from the game here, and Conway looks very impressive (the quarterback... not so much).

This week: The Maples take on Bloomfield Hills Andover on Thursday at 7pm at Seaholm High School.

OH OL Jack Miller

Last week: Paul and I were there (for the first half) as Miller's St. John's Jesuit team pasted an overmatched Toledo Scott squad 49-7, after holding a 49-0 halftime lead. Miller only played sparingly on either side of the ball after a couple offensive and defensive series. Here's the HD video:

By my count, Miller had 3 tackles, including two for loss, and nearly came up with a fumble recovery on defense. Offensively, he had pancake blocks on nearly every running play. I was more impressed with him on that side of the ball.

This week: St. John's travels North to take on Birmingham Brother Rice on Saturday at 1:30 PM at Farmington Hills Harrison. Alas, it is during the UConn game, so I'll be missing it.

MI OL Jake Fisher

Last week: Traverse City West fell to Grand Haven by a 48-28 score. No mention of Fisher in the article. Video highlights.

This week: TC West welcomes Grandville to the Great North at 7pm on Thursday.

FL OL Tony Posada

Last week: Plant got killed by Manatee 10-48 in their preseason game on ESPN.

From what I saw, the criticisms we've heard on Posada are accurate. He will have to get into much better shape if he's going to be a contributor at the next level. At this point, he's much better as a mauler than a pass blocker, as well. He did get a little nicked up during the game, but nothing seemed serious. He showed off his versatility by playing both tackle positions, as well as guard.

This week: Plant heads to Tampa Bay Tech (the only team to beat them last year) on Friday at 7:30.

OH DE Chris Rock

Last week: St. Francis DeSales beat Gahanna Lincoln 28-14. No word on Rock's stats.

This week: DeSales welcomes New Albany at 7:30 on Friday.

TX LB Kellen Jones

Last week: St. Pius X defeated Trinity Christian Academy 33-7. I couldn't find stats, or even a game article.

This week: St. Pius X travels to Sealy on Friday at 7:30.

OH CB/S Greg Brown

Last week: Ross shut out Toledo Start 17-0. Brown had 45 yards on 19 carries. The Fremont Ross Forum's thoughts:

Also very workman-like last night was Greg Brown. The future Wolverine was hammered by Spartan defenders every time he got near the ball. Greg kept his wits about him, got up, walked back to the huddle and played ball.

This week: The Little Giants take on Toledo Whitmer on Friday at 7:30.

MI CB Delonte Hollowell

Last week: Paul and I were at Eastern Michigan as Cass Tech escaped Ann Arbor Pioneer by a score of 44-42. Here's the HD video:

Hollowell had a handful of tackles and a pair of pass breakups. He didn't play on offense, and looked like he may have been dinged up, which could explain his "meh" performance (also explaining it - Pioneer's gameplan placed an emphasis on avoiding his side of the field). His younger teammates 2012 LB Royce Jenkins-Stone and CB Terry Richardson also impressed, with Jenkins-Stone pounding away as a fullback (though he was inconsistent at linebacker), and Richardson playing well at both corner and receiver. Richardson returned a fumble 60-pluys yards for one of Cass Tech's scores.

Next Week: Cass Tech plays Detroit Central at 6pm Friday at Cass Tech.

Chris Rock

Columbus, OH
St. Francis DeSales
HS projection: Tight End/Defensive End
Projects as: Defensive End/Defensive Tackle

Last year, St. Francis De Sales went 7-3 in the regular season, making the playoffs. Once they got there, they pounded through 4 rounds to the state championship game. There, they lost to Ray Vinopal's Youngstown Cardinal Mooney team. Rock finished with about 50 tackles and 11.5 sacks despite struggling with illness through most of the season.

This year, DeSales expects to make the playoffs yet again (as they have for the past 17 years), and they have intentions to win it this time. They boast senior starters at many positions, and a number of talented players, including 2012 RB Warren Ball, who many suspect is silently committed to Ohio State. However, they have only 8 starters back off last year's team. Rock will play both defensive end and tight end for the Stallions, and look for an improvement on his numbers from last season with a healthy year.

Rock has switched from No. 88 to 54 so he can play on the line in addition to taking snaps at tight end.Rock has been a standout at defensive end since coming to the school for his sophomore year, and should continue to lead the sack parade this season.

If Rock can stay healthy and put a good product in the field this year, he could see his rankings improve. Prior to last year, he was considered a top prospect in Ohio's class of 2011.

I might be able to catch a game or two of Rock's, though they play in Orchard Lake during a Michigan game, so I'll have to head to Ohio to do it. DeSales streams audio from all their games on their website, and typically has highlight videos as well.

Brennen Beyer

Plymouth, MI
Plymouth High School
HS position: Tight End/Defensive End
Projects as: Defensive End/LB

Last year, Beyer's Plymouth team went 6-3, making the MHSAA playoffs. However, they were pasted in the first round by Canton 40-17 to finish 6-4. That was actually a vast improvement over their regular season loss to the Chiefs, in which they went down 49-7. Over the course of the season, Beyer accumulated 9 sacks and 9 tackles for loss. On offense, he had 6 touchdown receptions.

This year, the Wildcats are looking to make it back to the playoffs, and break their three-year streak of earning six wins. Beyer's offensive stats might suffer, as the team is replacing its starting quarterback, and one of the options is a dual threat. Defensively, I'm not sure if Beyer will stay at defensive end or move to linebacker in anticipation of playing that position at the next level. If Beyer has a huge year statistically, he could move up in the rankings, but he's probably at his peak right now.

With Plymouth's proximity to Ann Arbor, I should be able to check out a few of Brennen's games this year, and will have highlights to post on mgoblog.

Kellen Jones

Houston, TX
St. Pius X
HS position: Linebacker
Projects as: Linebacker

Last year, St. Pius went 8-2 in the regular season, making the playoffs. Once there, they defeated San Antonio Central Catholic 42-28 and winning a district championship before being knocked out in a 28-36 Loss to Temple Nolan Catholic. Jones was one of the stars of his team, with 75 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, six sacks, and three fumbles forced/recovered in nine games played. he also added an interception in his first-team all-state campaign.

The Panthers expect to make the playoffs, as they have in each of the past seven seasons. Jones will be a key player defensively. It is important to note that their success does not come against some of the best teams in Texas, as they compete in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools, and don't see the big public schools. That factor will probably keep Jones ranked where he is now.

I won't be seeing Jones in person this season, but still expect to fill you in on his stats each week.

Greg Brown

Fremont, OH
Ross High School
HS position: Safety/Receiver
Projects as: Cornerback/Safety

Last year, Ross struggled to a 5-5 record, missing the state playoffs. For a traditionally strong program, this was a serious letdown. Greg Brown was one of the stars of last year's team, however, and since he was committed for so long, I covered him in last year's Friday Night Lights feature. He finished with about 26 receptions for 440 yards, and 24 carries for 133 yards on offense (where he was named 2nd team All-district at wideout). I couldn't find defensive stats for him.

The year, Ross expects to make a return to the playoffs, and a much-improved record. Brown has moved from corner to safety on defense.

"We want to put him in a position where he can make plays," Kidwell said of Brown. "At corner you can run away from him or you can throw away from him. We put him at free safety and he'll be in the middle of the field and he should be a great run supporter for us and he should be a great pass defender for us."

His attitude is reportedly much better than it was last year, which might mean more stats. He'll still be a versatile threat for the offense, maybe more on the ground this year, as Ross graduated QB Cody Foos. If Brown can prove himself on the field this fall, he might be in for a rankings bump.

I'm not sure if I'll get a chance to see Brown in person this season.

Delonte Hollowell

Detroit, MI
Cass Tech High School
HS position: Corner/Wide Receiver
Projects as: Cornerback

Last year, Cass Tech went 5-3 in the regular season, making the MHSAA playoffs. They squeaked by Dearborn Fordson in the first round, before Detroit Southeastern knocked them out with a 41-0 pounding. They finished with a 6-4 overall record. Through five games, Hollowell had 3 interceptions and 25+ tackles, but I couldn't find stats for the second half of the year.

Cass Tech, like most of the Detroit Public Schools, struggles against suburban schools. They are consistently one of the top teams in the PSL, though Detroit Southeastern has whipped them a few times in a row. Hollowell will be one anchor of a strong secondary, and be a speedy, big-play receiver on the other side of the ball. Hollowell is unlikely to see his rankings go up, as it's his size that's keeping him ranked where he is.

This Saturday, Cass plays Ann Arbor Pioneer at Eastern Michigan's Rynearson Stadium at 8pm, part of the Big Day Prep Showdown. I'll be there getting highlights of Hollowell (and his junior teammates Royce Jenkins-Stone and Terry Richardson). There are conflicting schedule on the internet for the Technicians, so I'm not sure which game is accurate for the 10th.

Programming note: for the rest of the offseason, Recruitin' will shift to Thursdays, since it makes the schedule work out a bit better. We'll re-evaluate the scheduling in the build-up to the season.

All-time updates can be found on the Michigan Football Recruiting Board.

Jack Miller And Kevin Sousa Go Blue

Local fluff on Jack Miller's Michigan commitment, from the Toledo Blade. Jack plans to redshirt in his first year on campus, though he aims to make the travel squad. His commitment came on what would have been his father's 42nd birthday on Tuesday. More video on him, this coming from the Michigan Football Showcase.

His agility look great, given the... unflattering photo of him from his Junior Day visit this winter. MGoBoard's own Magnus breaks down his film on Touch The Banner. GBMWolverine does the same.

The Orlando Sentinel covers the commitment of Kevin Sousa. Kevin says he's not concerned about playing early in his career, and will get time on the field once he earns it. If quarterback doesn't work out in Ann Arbor, he's willing to switch positions. I doubt that situation will arise. Scout also talks to Sousa in a free article. Here's Kevin's performance in the Lake Nona spring game:

That's even more impressive than his junior highlight. If he can put up the numbers this fall, Sousa is might end up as a four-star prospect to the recruiting sites. He's already impressed them in camps, now just needs to carry it over to the field. Now that he and his team have both moved past their respective first years playing football, that seems like to occur. He's attened a zillion Elite 11 camps this summer and is getting talked about as a potential selection there, too. Film breakdown from Touch The Banner.

Happy Trails

Some of this will be a bit of housekeeping, eliminating guys that aren't really on Michigan's radar anymore, or guys who committed elsewhere that I haven't removed yet.

• MI QB Jake Thompson. He won't ever get an offer. Maybe Michigan's golf coaches should look at him, though.
• SC WR Charone Peake. Clemson commit.
• FL WR Ja'Juan Story committed to Florida.
• FL RB/Slot Javares McRoy. Switched from a soft Texas Tech pledge to a firm Gators commit.
• FL RB Chevelle Buie committed to Rutgers.
• MD OL Cyrus Kouandjio has not been mentioning Michigan.
• FL OL Trey Pettis. I hadn't realized that I failed to remove him from the board. He's a Florida State commit.
• AZ OL Andre Yruretagoyena. Committed to Oregon.
• OH OL Matt Skura committed to Duke.
• IN OL Kiaro Holts committed to North Carolina.
• DC DT Kevin McReynolds has a top 12 without Michigan.
• VA DE/DT Corey Marshall committed to Virginia Tech.
• OH DE Bryan Baird committed to Ball State a ways back.
• FL S Alex Dixon. No mention of Michigan lately (or at all, really).
• SC S Pat Martin. Top/final four ($, info in header) doesn't include Michigan.
• MD S Brandon Phelps committed to Virginia.
• OH S Eilar Hardy committed to Notre Dame.
• OH CB Charles Perdue. Not in either database, and there's only been one story about him that I've seen.

TE Ray Hamilton committed to Iowa, and OH S Ron Tanner is expected to commit to Ohio State tomorrow, but I'll leave them both on the board for now. I'll go into more detail on Hamilton in next week's recruiting update. With Michigan's class starting to take shape, I'll be just a bit more willing to remove guys that aren't getting a ton of attention.

Visits Past

NC LB/WR Kris Frost made it to Ann Arbor last week, after many other planned trips fell through. Tom interviewed him, so I'll get to the big story first:

With Auburn, it's pretty close. Michigan is a school that I love a whole lot, and I always have. Auburn has put a lot of work in to recruiting me. Both of those schools seem closely related in how the visits went, and they're almost identical.

Those two sound like a very very solid top two, and he'll get a chance to visit the Wolverines several more times, to catch them up with the Tigers:

We're all planning on coming back another time before the season starts, this summer... With Michigan, we didn't really get the chance to get up to as much, so we're really trying to make up for that. I'm definitely going to try to make it up to two games during the season, too.

Now that we have that out of the way, let take a look at how he actually enjoyed the visit itself:

My family and I went out and looked at everything, it was great... [My parents] were worried I would get lost in the excitement. My mom and dad talked about that, and they said everything was great and more. They saw it wasn't too crowded, and that the attention on the football players is great... They really feel like learning is a top priority there, and it's not all about football to them. Obviously we all want to win football games, but there's more than that... Michigan really came off as a great place to live.

Very positive overall, I'd say. With at least three more visits before the end of the season, the Wolverines will have a serious chance to build up a lead for Frost's services. He also plans to visit some of his other suitors, as well. For the full update, check out Tom's interview.

GA S Avery Walls took a two-part visit to Ann Arbor last week - sandwiched around a quick trip to East Lansing - and came away impressed with the Michigan program. Sam Webb dropped the details in last week's Detroit News column.

"We discussed what the program was going through with a new AD coming to the school (in addition to) some of the stuff about him staying (at Michigan). It came out really positive. He really informed us on things that are going on because the news perception is different than what is actually going on... They have limited spots, but they said I was one of their top people so they said that they are going to keep my spot open for me."

He was also impressed with the facilities and - of course - Mike Barwis. Though his mother is an Ohio State alumna, it sounds like Michigan has a great shot. He plans to commit by the fifth game of his high school season. How does the kid describe his game?

"When coaches see me they say, 'He is not one of those big 6-2 safeties -- he is 5-11, 190, but he loves to hit,'" Walls said. "I grew up playing hockey, so I love contact. But I'm also fast. I ran a 10.65 100 meter, and we had the state champion 4x100 team than ran 42.39. So I can play corner or safety. At corner I like to get up on guy and get in their heads and be physical with them. At safety I like to come in from 10 yards out, punish the ball carrier."

Sounds like the Wolverines have an excellent shot, and I'd be willing to wager that they made his recent cut ($, info in header). In other news out of Georgia, GA DE Ray Drew is giving the Wolverines a hard look ($, info in header). I would imagine that the UM recruit he has a friendship with is Walls. Drew is a major longshot, though if Michigan has a good season, they'll stand a chance, as he doesn't plan to decide until signing day.

Added OH TE Frank Clark, who impressed at Michigan's summer camp ($, info in header). The Wolverines are definitely looking for a tight end in this class, so he might get an offer if they don't feel particularly good about their chances with anyone else. FL OL Tony Posada visited last week, and now has Michigan back atop his list ($, info in header). OH OL Ray Ball "has a good time" at Michigan ($, info in header). IL DE James Adeyanju visited Ann Arbor once more last week. KY LB Lamar Dawson took a three-day visit to Michigan last week ($, info in header).

Visits Future

Local fluff on NJ TE/DE Taques Franklin, who will officially visit Michigan.

AZ OL Cyrus Hobbi will visit Michigan in the next couple weeks ($, info in header).

IN OL Nick Martin should be visiting sometime in the future ($, info in header). He holds a Michigan offer.

TX LB Kellen Jones has set a timeframe for a decision ($, info in header). He was recently impressed by a visit to Arkansas, though The Recruiting Guy is notorious for making every kid seem like a lock for the Hogs, so take his article with a grain of salt.  Jones also headlines Tom's weekly update, including visit and timeframe ideas:

Kellen originally wanted to commit before the season, but the offers started to come in, more and more, so we decided that it would be in the middle of the season. He's going to try to make it up to Michigan, but we're not sure when.

For more on Jones, as well as PA CB Kyshoen Jarrett, GA S Avery Walls, FL OL Tony Posada, and FL QB Kevin Sousa, check out Tom's update. Tom also published a full interview with Jones, who many presume to be a Michigan lean. When an interview starts with

I grew up a Michigan fan through my dad, and he grew up a Michigan fan, so yeah. He was a big fan when Jim Harbaugh was playing quarterback for Michigan. He loves the maize and blue, and he passed that on to me. I know The Victors song, and everything.

and ends with

Ok, make sure to tell the Michigan fans that my Dad and I say, Hail to the Victors!

it's probably going to be fairly positive. Michigan is still presumed to be the favorite, and he plans to visit sometime this month ($, info in header), and Tom confirms that it's July 29th.

Etc.

Now that Sousa is officially Blue, I've added his teammate, FL RB Jarius Pace, to the recruiting board. Pace is a transfer to Lake Nona, and has to sit out the first two games of the year. His presence on the field will hopefully open things up for Sousa, allowing him to have a big year.

LA CB Daren Kitchen has been effusive about Michigan in the past, and he's still waiting on them to offer ($, info in header). Conventional wisdom says that it wouldn't take him very long to accept that offer.

The situation seems to be similar with IL OL Chris Bryant, according to a particularly revealing Scout header. The Wolverines are in his top six, and he talks about how cool it would be to be able to play for Michigan. Should Michigan offer, they stand an excellent chance to land him. He was impressive at the Sound Mind Sound Body Camp, as well as the Michigan Football Showcase earlier this spring, so an offer isn't out of the question.

In a free Scout article, OH OL Ryan Kelly places Michigan in his top five. He hadn't heard from Michigan for a while, but they've re-emerged on his radar. No decision is imminent.

AnnArbor.com fluff on MI CB Commit Delonte Hollowell (and an updated highlight video). MD DT Darian Cooper is... an anime fan?

The Distant Future. The Year 2012.

OH S Allen Gant, son of former Wolverine Tony Gant and a cousin of a guy you may have heard of called "Charles Woodson," recently visited Ann Arbor, and enjoyed what he saw ($, info in header). FoxToledo.com followed up on his recruitment:

Gant grew up an Ohio State fan, but his family is split down the middle between Ohio State and Michigan. One of those family members, cousin Charles Woodson of NFL fame, won the Heisman Trophy with the Wolverines.

Overall, Gant lists no favorites. He lists education and opportunity as his main priorities, hoping to make an impact sooner rather than later. However, his decision will come at just the opposite: later rather than sooner. Gant hopes to take time to evaluate all of his options before making a decision on the next step in what he hopes will be a bright future.

Michigan should have a good shot as long as they can perform on the field this year.

IL OL/DT Dan Voltz is interested in hearing from Michigan.

Michigan has verbally offered FL WR Avery Johnson. He favors a host of Southern schools, unsurprisingly, but there is plenty of time for Michigan to catch his attention. He's a big outside wideout, and Michigan will probably be looking to take only one in next year's class, depending on how 2011 shakes out. He is the younger brother of onetime Michigan target (and current LSU safety) Patrick Johnson.

All-time updates live on the 2011 Michigan Football Recruiting Board.

POW!

At about the 0:55 mark, that's FL WR Sammy Watkins gettin' his crush on (good pad level, that). If football and school don't work out, there's a future in stunt acting, no doubt.

Camps And Visits

The annual Sound Mind, Sound Body Camp took place at Wayne State over the weekend, drawing many of the midwest's best prospects. Sam Webb previewed the event in his Detroit News column last week:

Thanks to additional help from sponsors like Powerhouse Gym, the U.S. Army, and Scout.com, Sound Mind-Sound Body has reached farther beyond Michigan's border than ever before. As a result, before the first whistle is blown at this year's camp, it will have already surpassed last year's mark of hosting 55 prospects that eventually earned scholarship offers.

"Seventy kids already have Division I scholarship offers," said Blackwell. "We have kids coming from as far as Arizona and Minnesota. It is astounding. I'm just in awe really. This is more of a regional event now."

Prospects of interest for Michigan fans were many, and included OH OL Aundrey Walker, IL OL Chris Bryant, MI WR Commit Shawn Conway, MI WR DeAnthony Arnett, MI CB Valdez Showers, and MI CB Commit Delonte Hollowell. The Class of 2012 was represented as well, with MI LB James Ross (pictured above), MI LB Royce Jenkins-Stone, and IL OL Jordan Diamond leading the way.

Michigan's summer camp also started over the weekend (and ended yesterday). Tom ran down some of the participants, and is updating that Diary as he gets new information. Check back for the latest updates, and to know who you should keep on commitment watch.

OH OL Ray Ball was in town for camp, though he didn't work out. He raved about the visit to Tom:

"I know the top schools I have on my list are Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, and UCLA, but this definitely puts Michigan in a better spot than before. "

In a class that will end up with many offensive linemen, that's a positive sign.

MI OL Jake Fisher did work out, on the other hand, and left Ann Arbor with an offer in hand ($, info in header).

NC LB/S Kris Frost was (is?) in town, and Michigan and Auburn lead LSU, Cal, and Clemson. for him.

Moving on to non-camp visit news, PA DT Delvon Simmons will be visiting Michigan eventually.

IL DE James Adeyanju visited Ann Arbor last week, and may be making a return visit soon ($, info in header).

GA S Avery Walls visited Michigan last week. Twice! ($, info in headers). MGoRecruit reports that he enjoyed his time there:

Safety prospect Avery Walls had a great visit to Ann Arbor last week, even his mother (an OSU grad) was impressed. Michigan really rolled out the red carpet, with virtually all the coaches greeting Walls in Schembechler Hall, and it paid off. He also visited MSU whilst he was up here, but UM probably has the better chance.

Walls would be a huge grab for Rodriguez and co., but don't expect a decision any time soon.

Michigan makes the top 5 for FL S LaQuentin Smith, who is visiting with his teammate, FL RB Demetrius Hart, for the Iowa game:

"I would say that right now my top five is Arkansas, South Carolina, South Florida, Ole Miss and Michigan," Smith said. "And I still have love for Colorado State because they were the first to offer me."

Smith also hinted in the article that both Smith and Hart are considering a Michigan commitment during the visit. Hart also came in for some spring fluff:

Top RB - Dee Hart, Dr. Phillips. Hart was wiped out after playing two ways for almost 15 games over the weekend as the Panthers had to fight their way back through the losers' bracket. He rarely showed that fatigued on the field, however, and he was DP's go-to-guy, as usual, helping them reach the championship game.

The Panthers were runners-up in the USF 7-on-7 Tournament.

Happy Trails

• IN RB Remound Wright. He held a (non-committable, I think) Michigan offer, but has committed to Stanford.
• TX RB Jarrell Oliver. He committed to Utah, where he'll be in the Utes' first recruiting class as a BCS program. Michigan seemed to cool on Oliver due to interest in other RBs (and teammate, TX S Sheroid Evans, coming off the board to Texas).
• IL WR DaVaris Daniels. He was going to choose between Miami and Notre Dame yesterday, but has pushed back the announcement. Michigan still appears to be out of the picture.
• OH WR Devin Smith. He received his Ohio State offer last week and, as expected, joined the Buckeyes' class of 2011.
• OH TE Nick Vannett, though he holds a Michigan offer, is not considering the Wolverines at this time. Conventional wisdom has him picking the Buckeyes.
• VA DE Corey Marshall. He committed to Virginia Tech.
• Future happy trails to TX CB Charles Jackson, who is deciding soon ($, info in header). He holds a Michigan offer, but hasn't really mentioned the Wolverines since receiving it.
• MI CB/Ath Raymon Taylor committed to Indiana. I, for one, will be shocked if he's still a four-star by the end of the process. The local BCS programs have had tons of opportunities to see him play, and neither considered him worthy.

Still With The Quarterbackin'

Michigan might not be dead for NC QB Marquise Williams, as he claims to not have made a decision yet, but VT or North Carolina (where he took a recent unofficial) is the presumptive choice. With his decision coming this week, we're approaching a "Happy Trails" moment for him.

That means FL QB Kevin Sousa (right) may finally be getting close to that coveted Michigan offer:

I called coach (Rod) Smith today, and they are going to recruit me. He is meeting with coach Rodriguez tomorrow as to a possible offer. He said that the guys they were recruiting are no longer interested in Michigan, and they have opened it up again as far as looking for a QB.

Should he receive that Michigan offer, don't forget he's said it would be hard to turn down in the past. He did tell Tom that he would visit Ann Arbor before making a decision for the Wolverines, but he may have that opportunity soon. He's roadtripping with his coach to several midwest schools, and if a Michigan offer is imminent, that schedule could probably be adjusted for a stop in Ann Arbor.

I've made it no secret that I think Sousa would be a great pickup for the QB in this class. If you want a little more on him, he has a variety of highlight videos available, including one from his spring game back in May:

Other

Michigan, Pitt, and Florida are the leaders for NJ TE/DE Taques Franklin.

“My top schools that I’m looking at right now are Florida, Cincinnati, Michigan, Pittsburgh and North Carolina. Those are the top ones I’m looking at. I know a little bit about each one of them. From talking to college scouts I like what those (schools) have had to say. They’ve been telling me how good their school is for sports and education.

He may visit Ann Arbor sometime this summer.

Michigan, USC, and Oregon had been a pseudo-top 3 for AZ OL Andre Yruretagoyena, but the sanctions against the Trojans may have affected that. He talked to Tom:

I asked him what his reaction was, and he said, "I want to say it doesn't affect me, but it does. It's two years, which would end after my first year, so I would be there for it. I don't know if there's anything more, but if the NCAA finds more, then who knows what else they'll do. You never know with the NCAA."

Yruretagoyena recently released a top 7, including all three of those schools, along with Arizona, Arkansas, Oregon State, and Washington. It may be notable (and discouraging) that Michigan is one of only two non-PAC10 schools on the list.

FL OL James Elliott has received a Michigan offer.

PA OL Paul Gaughan has also received the Michigan offer ($, info in header) that he's been waiting for.

LA DT Mickey Johnson tells Tom that UCLA and Nebraska lead Michigan, Tennessee, and LSU for his services.

Coach Rodriguez is a cool guy. They're going through some things right now, but I believe that they're going to get through it. Coach Fred (Jackson) is good friends with my dad now, too. They've developed a good friendship through this recruiting process, so that's pretty cool. Plus, they play in the Big House. I've seen pictures of the stadium, and campus online, and I just can't wait to see all that.

If (when?) Michigan gets him on campus, it could be a huge boon to Michigan's chances to land him.

Shortly after Michigan offered, they were the heavy favorite for MI LB Ed Davis. However, the Wolverines have fallen off slightly, thanks to some new offers and negative recruiting.

Added SC LB Dexter Staley, who includes Michigan in his top 5.

Michigan is showing renewed interest in OH LB Antonio Poole ($, info in header).

Tom talked to MI CB Valdez Showers, who recently received a Florida offer. Michigan is in his top group, and his friendship with MI WR Commit Shawn Conway could help the Wolverines recruit him.

2012 Note: Michigan is "courting" OH RB Warren Ball ($, info in header).