jordan diamond

This is my final post on mgoblog (aside from the remaining opponent previews, which are already written and should be published in the next week or so), so I'd like to thank everyone for reading, and of course Brian for the great opportunity over the past couple years. Congratulations and good luck to Ace and Heiko.

On to the recruiting...

Wide Receivin'

We already knew that Michigan was likely to take two wideouts in the 2012 class. The departure of Je'Ron Stokes changes that to a certainty, and even opens the door to taking a third.

Who are the main prospects on the board?

IA WR Amara Darboh finally has a highlight video on Youtube, thanks to 24/7 Sports:

Darboh has narrowed to a final five ($, info in header). Given that he's visiting Michigan for the season opener against Western, it's safe to say the Wolverines are in good position for him.

For those who were expecting a commitment from OH WR Monty Madaris at the BBQ and dismayed he didn't make it in, fear not, as Michigan's "stock is on the rise" ($, info in header) with him.

OH WR Dwayne Stanford participated in a chat with Rivals readers last week, and had a few things to say about Michigan:

Q: Will you take an official to Michigan?

Stanford: I don't know if Michigan will be one of my officials yet ... I only know Alabama and LSU so far.

Q: Since LSU isn't recruiting Adolphus does that move Michigan high on your list?

Stanford: Yes, it does ... it's something we've talked about ever since I started getting recruited. Michigan does have a chance .... especially with me and Adolphus both liking them. They made the short list. They're right there in the mix

Q: Has Michigan's 2012 recruiting class caught your attention?

Stanford: Yes, it has ....

Q: How important are academics to your decision, and do Michigan's strong academics help them?

Stanford: 1. They're important but college is what you make of it
2. Yes, it does ... I know they're a great academic school

Q: What was your favorite school as a kid?

Stanford: I would say it was Miami & Michigan when I was a kid ...

Conventional wisdom has Michigan outside his top group right now, but if the staff can get him on campus, they stand a chance. Stanford has eliminated Miami (YTM) thanks to their impending doom.

CA WR Jordan Payton is the other hot name on Michigan's board right now, and he'll visit Ann Arbor for the night game against Notre Dame.

Other Positions

IL OL Jordan Diamond is sticking to his plan of waiting until after his senior season to commit:

Diamond simply will not allow college recruiting to interfere with a high school season in which he hopes the Wolverines [ed: not those Wolverines] "finish the job" with a state title. "I'm not going to bring recruiting here to Simeon," Diamond said. "I'm not going to use that as a distraction to my teammates. I'm not even going to deal with it during the season, it's going to be after the season."

Though Michigan's coaches would love to have him, if the class fills up before he's ready to commit, Michigan won't be the choice. He's OK with missing out on opportunities by waiting:

Diamond doesn’t fear schools will rescind his scholarship offers as time passes. If some do, that’s fine with him. “Whoever wants me at the end,” Diamond said. “It’s going to be a dog fight. Anything is possible. The main thing is holding out and seeing where the real coaches are. The real coaches who stick there with you. That’s what I’m looking for.”

With Michigan's loss of Tony Posada, they may be more willing to wait on an elite lineman like Diamond. It probably means they'll take at least one more lineman.

Speaking of the offensive line, Duane Long ranks OH OL Commit Caleb Stacey as the #48 overall prospect in the Buckeye State:

The most underrated offensive lineman in Ohio. This kid is just a solid football player who has been well schooled. Ohio players get so much more exposure if the Buckeyes showed interest but Stacey is a guard, a very good guard. The Buckeyes have been offering tackles this year. I am sure we will see him in the Michigan starting lineup in three years time.

Go Caleb, go. Long's employer, Bucknuts, has ranked Caleb's fellow Michigan commit, OH DE Chris Wormley, as the top prospect in the Buckeye State.

Michigan is still on MI TE Ron Thompson's list, though it's unlikely that he could join Michigan's class.

NJ S Elijah Shumate has trimmed his list to six ($, info in header), and a quick glance at his profile page shows that Michigan is among the programs making the cut.

Happy Trails, GA WR Jason Croom, who committed to Tennessee. Michigan tossed him an offer in June, but he always seemed SEC-bound.

CA S Shaq Thompson doesn't include Michigan in his top 5, the schools to which he'll take official visits.

2013

24/7 Sports throws down the gauntlet in the race to be the first service to rate prospects, with their initial 5-stars for 2013, along with the Top247 prospects in the class. Of note, MI OL Steve Elmer was one of the prospects close to 5-star status.

Last week's Sam Webb recruiting column in the Detroit News covered MI LB Jon Reschke. He sounds just about as Green-and-White as they come, but Michigan is making a move:

A return trip to Ann Arbor a month later for the "Barbecue at the Big House" also earned significant praise. "I went down there with my good friends Shane Morris and Wyatt Shallman," Reschke said. "It was great. We got to see the whole campus, the whole Big House, the locker room — everything. It definitely made me want to go to Michigan a little bit more."

He says Michigan coaches are waiting to see film of him playing linebacker (he was a defensive end for Brother Rice last year) before they'll extend an offer. He wants to make a commitment prior to his senior season.

Duane Long continues to wonder why Ohio State hasn't offered OH S/RB Dymonte Thomas:

His offer list is better than most seniors to be and he has not even stepped on the field as a junior. His grades are outstanding. He is know to be a high character kid. His measurables are legit. The argument that the Buckeyes are so deep at running back carries no weight. Thomas may be a better safety than he is a running back. I think he is, and he could not care less which position he plays. Baffling non-offer.

He seems like a Michigan lean, and the longer it takes for OSU to offer, the more the Wolverines can build that lead. Additionally, if it takes the Buckeyes too long to offer, Thomas could help sway his cousin, 2012 OH RB Bri'Onte Dunn, to Michigan.

Duane Long runs through some more 2013 prospects of interest.

Summer recruiting has wound down with the arrival of fall camp, especially for teams with a commit list as close to full as Michigan's. There's still information to go around, but unofficial/official visits (starting with the Western Michigan game) should see the return of action.

Recruiting Action

IA WR Amara Darboh (pictured at right) will be visiting Ann Arbor for the Western Michigan game, after a strong visit a couple weeks ago.

CA WR Jordan Payton will be in attendance for the Notre Dame game.

IL OL Jordan Diamond is in no hurry to commit, so it's possible that Michigan's class fills up before he wants to commit. There's only one spot available along the offensive line, and WA OLs Josh Garnett and Zach Banner are planning early-season visits. Garnett is trying to arrange his Michigan visit for the Notre Dame game, the same as Banner.

For all the talk of those other linemen, don't forget about PA OL Adam Bisnowaty, who is still considering Michigan. He's the other primary option for that final OL spot in the 2012 crop.

Saginaw fluff on expatriate MO DT Commit Ondre Pipkins, who grew up in the area:

In the end, it was one of those Saginaw High connections that helped cement Ondre Pipkins’ commitment to Michigan. [Roy] Manning, the former Saginaw High star who played at Michigan before a three-year NFL career, is back in Ann Arbor as a first-year graduate assistant on Hoke’s staff.

Manning is friends with Ondre's dad Al, who still lives in Saginaw.

Pipkins's commitment left MI DT Danny O'Brien wondering where he stands with the Wolverines. He planned to call Michigan's coaches on Monday, but no word on how it went.

IL CB Anthony Standifer is solid in his commitment, in case you were worried about his status.

Lists!

ESPN Rise has released their All-Midwest team, and though I'm more apt to ignore a squad with three(!!!) first-team QBs, it's kind to Michigan, so linky, here we go. Commits in bold; other targets in regular.

First Team

• OH RB (OSU Commit) Bri'onte Dunn
• OH WR Dwayne Stanford
• OH OL Commit Kyle Kalis
• IL OL Jordan Diamond
• OH DE Adolphus Washington
• MI LB Commit Royce Jenkins-Stone
• MI LB Commit James Ross
• OH S Bam Bradley
• MI CB Commit Terry Richardson
• IL CB Commit Anthony Standifer

Second Team

• OH WR Monty Madaris
• MI DT Danny O'Brien
• MI DE Commit Mario Ojemudia
• OH DE/DT Commit Chris Wormley
• OH LB Commit Joe Bolden
• OH S Commit Jarrod Wilson

Elsewhere in "ultimately meaningless lists," Scout's new midwest state rankings are out, with six of Michigan's top ten committed to the Wolverines, but only three from Ohio's cream of the crop.

Happy Trails

Happy Trails, MA CB Armani Reeves, who picked Penn State. That brings Michigan's DB hotboard back down to one uncommitted prospect, NJ CB Yuri Wright.

A couple DBs that had Michigan interest or offers a while back are off the board. DC CB Kenny Crawley and TX S LaDarrell McNeil both committed to Tennessee on Monday.

2013

With the 2012 class mostly complete, it's no surprise that focus shifts more heavily to rising juniors.

MI OL Cameron Dillard may receive a Michigan offer after sending coaches early-season junior film.

MI OL Steven Elmer has set up a few visits this fall, including two to Notre Dame (and one to Michigan for the Notre Dame contest). It seems like the Irish are going to be one of the strongest contenders for his services.

Tom talked with MD DT/DE Henry Poggi following a visit to Ann Arbor last week:

I've taken a few visits down south and decided to go to Ann Arbor before camp starts for us... I would say Michigan is up there, I really like the people down there and the education they have.

I would rather not prolong my commitment. I don't know the exact date, but I'd like to take a couple official visits. If I know before I can take visits then I would just commit, I don't really have to take the officials.

Poggi's offer list already includes the likes of Alabama and Ohio State, so building a favorable impression of Michigan early is a strong start with one of 2013's top prospects.

Keep an eye on IL DE Devante Lee ($, info in header). He's a teammate of IL OL Jordan Diamond (and former teammate of Wolverine freshman Chris Bryant).

Michigan is "turning up the heat" on MI DE/LB Luke MacLean.

Sam Webb's Detroit News column this week focuses on OH LB Ben Gedeon, primarily explaining why he's called "the freak":

"I was just always a little bit bigger than everybody, so my family called me that."

That's... not as interesting as I was expecting. Gedeon does a little bit of everything on both sides of the ball in high school, and Allen Trieu talks about his physical skills:

"He was excellent when we saw him in camp settings and his film verified what we had seen in shorts and T-shirts," Scout.com midwest regional manager Allen Trieu said. "He is a well built kid at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds and moves very well at that size."

Gedeon says Michigan is currently atop his list, but he plans to evaluate all of his options before making a decision. He attended the BBQ at the Big House, where he connected with Michigan commits like James Ross and Kyle Kalis. He tells Tom that Michigan was his first offer - a big deal - and he'll try to visit campus for the Notre Dame game this fall.

GA CB Shaquille Wiggins is trying to visit Michigan for an early-season game.

Tim provides the day-to-day but we haven't had a 1000 foot view of Michigan's recruiting in a while. Here's that.

Ondre Pipkins, Kyle Kalis, James Ross

With the addition of Ondre Pipkins Michigan is down to about four open scholarships and one vast gaping hole that really needs filling, wide receiver. In the opinion of the internet, nose tackle has a fairly large hole that still needs a good bit of filling, too.

Let's dig up UFR alter ego for a quizzing:

How many players will end up in the class and how will they get to that number?

Michigan's current roster features 18 players with junior eligibility, including Stonum, 20 with sophomore eligibility, and 26 with freshman eligibility. That's 64 players, leaving Michigan with 21 spots for next year.

Michigan will have the option of bringing back the following players for fifth years, or more to the point, not bringing them back: Mike Cox, Roy Roundtree, Terrance Robinson, Brandon Moore, Patrick Omameh, Ricky Barnum, Elliot Mealer, Rocko Khoury, Kenny Demens, JT Floyd, and Jordan Kovacs.

Most of those guys are contributors. Cox, Robinson, Floyd, Mealer, and Moore could be offered a firm handshake if needed. A couple of those guys will emerge into guys Michigan needs to keep around. Moore will be the only upperclass TE on the roster other than Ricardo Miller, who's going to need a lot of bulk if he's going to contribute. Michigan needs upperclass OL, the RB situation is unsettled, and any warm body in the secondary is something to latch onto with claws. It seems like they'll get two, maybe three of the necessary spots by not offering fifth years.

The other two will resolve themselves in the next six months. Losing two or three guys between now and Signing Day would be somewhat low amount of attrition for anyone, let alone a team radically changing its offense and defense.

What do they do with the last four spots?

IA WR Amara Darboh – via Public Paul & Media

They clearly need at least one WR after taking none last year and seeing the previous year's class whittled down to just Jerald Robinson and Drew Dileo. One of the other three spots appears ticketed for a sixth OL.

The last two are wild cards. It seems like they've thrown in the towel on acquiring another quarterback and the only running back they're seriously involved with is Bri'onte Dunn, an Ohio State commit. They've stepped up the chase for cornerbacks Armani Reeves and Yuri Wright recently. Even if that has something to do with Terry Richardson's wandering eye, both Wright and Reeves have said Michigan had a change of heart and wants another corner in the class.

And then there's NT, which currently has Ondre Pipkins but is still desperately thin. In-state prospect Danny O'Brien is a consensus four star who has all manner of folk working on him; if there's a spot still he's at least 50-50 to take it.

So your final four or five spots:

1. WR. As of two days ago this was a murky area with some vague options, but now Michigan appears to lead for IA WR Amara Darboh and CA WR Jordan Payton, both four stars. So let's make this one of them.
2. WR. Probably the other. If not, a generic three star we haven't heard about yet.
3. OL. With Jordan Diamond getting a little fuzzy about things this could be any one of a half-dozen guys, all of whom are highly rated. Likely to be another tackle but Josh Garnett, one of the top ranked guards in the country, is moving up his visit.
4. DT/CB. Everyone wants the DT, I think, but Michigan is apparently recruiting corners again. Michigan's in the top two for Wright and top three for Reeves, though Reeves is set to announce and it looks like Penn State. Complicating factor: Wright wants to announce at the AA game.
5. DT/CB/RB. If they get a fifth or sixth spot chances are they'll focus on skill position players, a second NT (if they did not already acquire one), or another corner.

What class rank will Michigan end up with?

This will vary by site, as it appears Scout and 247 are higher on the class than Rivals and ESPN. Michigan's currently #1 in Scout's rankings, fourth in Rivals's and fifth in ESPN's. (ESPN's does not reflect the addition of Pipkins. ESPN thinks Pipkins is meh, though, so if they got a bump it wouldn't be a huge one.)

We can actually calculate Michigan's final score if they close out the class with Darboh, Payton, Diamond, and O'Brien, which is realistic. Scout assigns points like so:

Team Rankings are a math formula that based on a player's rating and his rankings. 5-Star is a rating, No. 1 quarterback is his ranking.

5 Star = 200 points
4 Star = 120 points
3 Star = 40 points
2 Star = 20 points

The No. 1 player at a position is worth 100 points, counting down to the last ranked player at his position to 0.

For Example, assuming Scout ranks 100 quarterbacks.

5-Star, No. 1 QB = 300 points
4-Star, No. 10 QB = 210 points
3-Star, No. 50 QB = 90 points
2-Star, No. 75 QB = 45 points

The Team Rankings are compiled of the Top 25 players per class. Some teams will over-sign, but only 25 count towards the Team Rankings.

Diamond is a five-star and the #10 OT. The rest are four-stars. O'Brien is the #13 DT, Darboh the #23 WR, and Payton the #12 WR. Collectively they're worth 902 points. Some guy with three stars worth around 90 points will get the boot because of the 25-per-class limit. This would give Michigan about 5800 points. Last year this would have been good enough to tie for second with Florida State. (Previous comparisons are probably not valid since scores seem much lower overall.)

Other services will probably be a bit less generous but if they finish strong it's easily a top five class, which will spur yet another round of Brady Hoke grape peeling in the media, which will help recruiting down the line unless those pesky game things get in the way.

Ondre Pipkins Goes Blue

Michigan gained a big (literally and figuratively) commitment in MO DT Ondre Pipkins on Monday. The Wolverine Blog takes a look at Big Pee-Wee's game:

He needs to develop consistency in his technique, to the point where he maintains quality leverage and hand use after the initial contact... Should he get these little technical kinks sorted out, he looks very much like a future NFL prospect to me.

Go Blue Michigan Wolverine chimes in:

Combines outstanding size and power with surprising quickness. Ondre is super strong at the point of attack. He gets off the ball well and is almost impossible to single block. Unlike many big guys, he shows a good motor and overall athletic ability.

Touch the Banner:

The first thing I see that I like about Pipkins is his stance. He puts a lot of weight on his front hand and sticks his butt slightly up in the air. With his weight distributed that way, he has no choice but to fire off low and fast. Beyond that first step, he continues to stay low, moves his feet well, and uses a variety of moves to rush the passer.

UMGoBlog:

“When he wants to be Ondre has the potential to be a top 5 defensive tackle prospect in the 2012 class. Pipkins is very explosive, strong and has very quick feet for a kid that is 320ish pounds.

With three defensive line coaches on Michigan's staff, hopefully his technique can be coached up. For more on Pipkins, check out the Hello: Ondre Pipkins post.

The Number

Though Darryl Stonum is redshirting the 2011 season, I asked Brady Hoke if his presence will reduce the 2012 scholarships available from 26, and the coach said there is no change to the available number.

With 22 current commits and 26 spots in the class, that means there is room for four more commits. With 22 spots currently available, that means attrition of four more players going into next year will open up those spots. [Ed: With two or three redshirt juniors looking like marginal contributors at best, Michigan should easily make it without hijinks. They could get a 27th or 28th scholarship.]

QB

NJ QB/S Devin Fuller has a final 11 without Michigan in the mix. I imagine that ends the possibility of landing a signal-caller in the 2012 class, especially with such a small number of available scholarships.

RBs

Ohio State soft commit Bri'Onte Dunn seems to be the main option at this position (unless the staff thinks they can try to get in with another super like NC RB Keith Marshall). As the situation unfolds, we'll see if Dunn is a realistic possibility, and if the coaches focus on other runners if he's off the table.

WR

Does Darryl Stonum's return change WR recruiting plans? As mentioned above, it probably takes the two-wideout minimum to a two-wideout preference (though Michael Spath of The Wolverine seems to disagree ($, info in header)), as Darryl will be around for one more season in 2012.

CA WR Jordan Payton has Michigan and Cal as his top two (audio), with the Wolverines alone at the top ($, info in header). He says he's "going through the process," but don't be surprised to see a visit early in the fall. Payton's junior highlight reel:

IA WR Amara Darboh is setting up an official visit to Michigan ($, info in header). [Ed: The new scuttlebutt is that Michigan leads and that official may end his recruitment.]

I mentioned last week that MD WR Stefon Diggs is back on the table, including Michigan in his top 15.

OH WR Dwayne Stanford is high on LSU ($, info in header). His relationship with Michigan has been hot-and-cold.

Happy Trails, NJ WR Leontae Caroo, who chose Rutgers. This is probably more notable for its effect on his teammate, NJ CB Yuri Wright, who is back in play for Michigan (more on that in a moment).

OL

CA OL Commit Erik Magnuson received a USC offer last week, but maintains a solid commitment to the Wolverines ($, info in header).

IL OL Jordan Diamond stopped by Michigan as his team toured Eastern Michigan, visiting former teammate Chris Bryant.

WA OL Joshua Garnett will visit Michigan for the Notre Dame game. Garnett's friend Zach Banner is one of the few other realistic prospects for Michigan remaining on the board, as well.

Sounds like CA OL Kyle Murphy is no longer considering Michigan, focusing on West Coast schools along with Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Florida.

DTs

Michigan's off-again, off-again recruitment of IL DT Tommy Schutt took a bizarre turn last week when he was spurned by Notre Dame, and immediately tried to schedule a visit to Michigan - and was denied. Brian already covered the approximate timeline, and the way it shook out sure makes a whole lot more sense with Ondre Pipkins' commitment.

What Big Pee-Wee's commitment might draw into question is the Wolverines' recruitment of MI DT Danny O'Brien (right). Conventional wisdom has held that the coaches are taking only one DT, so does that mean O'Brien is off the board, or that the staff will make an exception for him?

DE

Elsewhere on the defensive line, there may be a spot available for an elite prospect, particularly one who, for example, is teammates with an elite wideout.

Other options are falling off the board, be it UT DE Troy Hinds who committed to BYU, or PA DE Noah Spence whose final seven does not include the Wolverines.

DBs?

With MI CB Commit Terry Richardson going back-and-forth on taking visits, Michigan's sudden re-focus on defensive backs could be a search for replacements (should he decide to go elsewhere) or simply more players along the back line. So who are some of those players?

Michigan is back in play for NJ CB Yuri Wright. The consensus four-star tells Tom that the Wolverines are right near the top for him:

I would say Michigan is in my top two, I've always liked Michigan. I haven't really cut my list down yet, but they're in the top somewhere. Just the tradition that's at Michigan, the winningest program, the coaches, and the whole experience of going to school there. Coach Mallory has been telling me it's just about getting a chance to come to Michigan and getting better when I get there, and hopefully make it to the league.

Wright grew up wanting to go to Michigan, so a good visit could start winding down the recruiting process.

MA CB Armani Reeves is also back on the board, but he's announcing this Friday at 10AM, and as Brian says, with no in-person contact since he and Michigan have been back on each others' boards, it's unlikely he picks the Wolverines.

2013

With the 2012 class damn-near wrapped up, we're starting to get a slightly better idea of what the 2013 class will look like. Your departing seniors following the 2012 season:

• Denard Robinson
• Michael Cox
• Vincent Smith
• Darryl Stonum
• Je'Ron Stokes
• Roy Roundtree
• Terrance Robinson
• Brandon Moore
• Patrick Omameh
• Ricky Barnum
• Elliott Mealer
• Rocko Khoury
• William Campbell
• Craig Roh
• Kenny Demens
• JT Floyd
• Brandin Hawthorne
• Jordan Kovacs

That's 18 spots, but there's also a chance that some of those guys who have redshirted in the past might not get offered fifth years for the 2012 season, either on account of ineffectiveness or lingering injuries. Those slots would likely be filled in 2012 recruiting. With a couple possibilities for early entry and/or transfer, 18 is a good starting point, with a likelihood of swelling to about 20 spots. How might those spots be filled?:

• QB: 1-2 (Shane Morris)
• RB: 1-2 (Depends on filling 2012 class)
• WR: 1-2 (Depends on filling 2012 class)
• TE: 0-1
• OT: 2
• OG: 1
• DT: 2
• DE: 1
• LB: 2
• S: 2
• CB: 1-2
• Other: 1-2

With that brief primer out of the way, on to the information:

Michigan made a good first impression with IL RB Ty Isaac ($, info in header).

IL WR LaQuon Treadwell (teammate of 2012 CB Commit Anthony Standifer) tells Tom that Michigan is on top, but he's a long way off from a decision.

Tom has a video interview with AZ WR/TE Jake Roh, the younger brother of current Wolverine DE Craig. Jake says he hasn't heard much from Michigan yet.

IL OL Kyle Bosch visited Michigan over the weekend, and came away impressed:

We met with Coach Funk, talked to him for about half an hour. After that they took us around the campus, showed us the facilities, the locker room, and the stadium. I feel really good about Michigan, I really liked it. I didn't know much about them going into it, but I was really impressed.

He plans to narrow his list of schools after his junior season, so it sounds like he has a slightly accelerated decision timeframe.

OH S Dymonte Thomas will be one of Michigan's top targets in the 2013 crop, and the cousin of 2012 RB Bri'Onte Dunn enjoyed himself at the BBQ at the Big House, but will take his time:

I just want to wait for my colleges to offer and take some visits to all the schools though. I'll probably be up for the Notre Dame game and the Michigan-Ohio State game too. I really like Michigan, I think they're at the top. Michigan State isn't very far behind, I like their coaching staff too.

He's said in the past he plans to commit this February to whichever school Dunn signs with.

Since this week in Michigan recruiting revolves around the BBQ at the Big House, Wednesday Recruitin' will follow suit. Since I don't want to shortchange new commit Sione Houma (or the visit of IA WR Amara Darboh), expect full coverage in next week's update.

The Commits

Since there's unlikely to be a lot of action surrounding these guys (duh, they're already committed), a simple list will suffice:

• MI TE Devin Funchess. He plans to bring along his teammate, WR Aaron Burbridge (see below).
• OH OL Caleb Stacey
• OH OL Kyle Kalis. He's solid in his Michigan commitment.
• MI OL Ben Braden
• MI DE Matt Godin
• OH DE Tom Strobel
• MI DE/LB Mario Ojemudia. Speaking of Mario, he looked impressive at the Rivals Elite Big Man Camp, as highlights just appeared on Youtube:
  I'm not sure how many (if any) of the guys he was facing are D-1 or BCS prospects - though I'm guessing not many - but he dominated most every rep shown. Ojemudia is a watchlist member for the Butkus Award.
• OH LB Joe Bolden. He's a on the watchlist for the high school Butkus Award, along with...
• OH LB Kaleb Ringer, and also...
• MI LB Royce Jenkins-Stone, and...
• MI LB James Ross. Five Michigan commits means a whole 10% of the watchlist is headed to Ann Arbor.
• OH S Allen Gant
• MI CB Terry Richardson. We should know after this visit if Michigan's coaches are OK with him taking trips to other schools.
• IL CB Anthony Standifer. Attending, and bringing his 2013 teammate LaQuon Treadwell.
• 2013 MI QB Shane Morris. Shane, as you may have heard (or even seen) impressed at the Gridiron Kings 7on7 tournament in Florida last weekend. He came in for some fluff from ESPN.

  "I have a strong arm," Morris said. "I have an accurate arm as well. I can move in the pocket although I am more of a pro-style quarterback that can run a little bit, too. I bring leadership to Michigan and I want to be the best we can be and bring championships to Michigan."

  Morris is also active on the recruiting front. He is working social media and other outlets hard. "I am already working my tail off for [the] 2012 class," Morris said. "I am trying to get the top players in [the] nation to help us win championships. I am hitting up kids every day on Facebook, linemen all across [the] nation. I am looking for the best players and people to come to Michigan."

  I'm sure video will surface soon enough, as the event itself appeared on ESPNU.

As you may note, that's the majority of Michigan's 2012 commits (plus a bonus from the 2013 class). The only committed players not confirmed to make it are:

• UT FB Sione Houma
• OH TE AJ Williams. "Not sure" if he's coming.
• TN OL Blake Bars
• CA OL Erik Magnuson
• OH DE Pharaoh Brown
• OH S Jarrod Wilson
• 2012/13 KY S Jeremy Clark. He will try to make it up.

A couple of those guys are maybes who haven't firmly committed one way or the other yet. The rest likely have football two-a-days, other commitments, or no transportation.

Uncommitted 2012s

That brings us to the category where there may be a bit of action: uncommitted rising seniors.

• OH DE Chris Wormley. He's been maintaining Michigan as his leader and inching toward a decision lately. Might he finally be ready to make a move?
• MI WR Aaron Burbridge. Tom confirmed with commit Devin Funchess that Burbridge is joining him at the event.
• IN DT Sheldon Day. According to Sam Webb this morning, he'll be in attendance.
• MI DT Danny O'Brien
• MO DT Ondre Pipkins
• MO WR Jehu Chesson
• OH WR Monty Madaris
• OH RB Bri'Onte Dunn

There are also a maybe in this group:

• IL OL Jordan Diamond. He's one of the candidates for the final OL spot.

Aside from Wormley, defensive tackle seems to be the most likely position to pick up a new commit, though there's no indication yet that Pipkins or O'Brien is quite ready.

OH DE Adolphus Washington and WR Dwayne Stanford will be playing AAU hoops in Florida, and unable to make it. Last week, their coach told Tom that they probably won't be able to take any more visits until the season rolls around.

2013s

You can bet your ass that MI QB Shane Morris wants to convince a healthy group of juniors to join his class (along with 2012 greyshirt Jeremy Clark). A few prospects of interest:

• MI OL Steven Elmer. Morris's main competition for tops in state next year.
• MI RB/DL Wyatt Shallman. He was the subject of Sam Webb's most recent recruiting column in the Detroit News, and it sounds like Michigan is in strong position:

  "My parents are both crazy Michigan fans," Shallman reported. "It is like a dream come true for them. My mom cried (when Brady Hoke extended a scholarship offer back in May). She's loved Michigan for so long. My mom is crazy fanatical. She loves Bo (Schembechler). She loves everything about Michigan. On our outdoor fridge she has an 'Oh, how I hate Ohio State' sign. My dad went to one of the first Michigan camps back with Bo. His whole claim to fame at the camp was he ran a good route and made a one-handed catch. Bo came up to him and said, 'Good catch son!'"

  He also has existing relationships with a couple Michigan commits in Shane Morris and Matt Godin:

  "They are both (recruiting for Michigan) little bit, but not too hard because they are getting ready for the season, too."

  I wouldn't expect a commitment at the BBQ, as it's explicitly stated that Wyatt's parents want to ensure that he gets a chance to see what other colleges have to offer. On the other hand, if the visit blows him away, who knows? He seems to be taking an open approach to a decision.

• MI LB Jon Reschke
• IL WR LaQuon Treadwell. Tagging along with his teammate, 2012 CB Commit Anthony Standifer.

I would be stunned if any commitment-like substanced happened from any of these guys but Shallman, and even that would be unexpected.

The Curious Case of the Cass Tech Commits

There was a minor hullaballoo late last week over the status of M commits Royce Jenkins-Stone and Terry Richardson, after a couple tweets indicated they'd like to take other visits:

Mr2012RJS i want to take my visits to Oklahoma Miami Florida Alabama and Iowa and get a feel for every school.

Terry_Rich Me n Royce both still taking visits are recruitment process not over till feb 2 we solid but still looking nothing personal

Royce backtracked within a couple of days:

great advise my coach gave me. T wilcher.

no visits 4 me . i will wait till i get to AA to get wined n dined =DD

So it sounds like Mr. Jenkins-Stone's commitment is as solid as they come, thanks to Coach Wilcher. Terry hasn't said anything about canceling his visits, but he tweeted:

People make newspaper articles on my tweets and royce tweets they outta hand with this recruiting stuff we are still in HIGHSCHOOL People!!!

So it sounds like he's upset that his words were made out to be more than he intended. ...But, in personal e-pinion, when you're a public figure, you have to expect attention based on your words.

Wide Receivin'

Michigan has offered OH WR Monty Madaris, he tells TomVH:

Coach Smith said they liked my film and they are looking forward to getting me up there for a visit soon. I'll be up for the BBQ on the 31st. Michigan is near the top of my list [now] for sure. They are one of the schools that I'm evaluating more than others. I have no idea when I want to make my decision but I would like to make it soon.

The Wolverines are certainly looking for a wideout in this class, and it sounds like they won't have to wait too long to hear Madaris's decision. He ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash at Michigan State last weekend.

Speaking of wideout needs, CA WR Jordan Payton has scheduled his official visit to Michigan for the Notre Dame Game on September 10th.

MO WR Jehu Chesson has scheduled a Michigan visit ($, info in header).

Michigan State and Michigan are on the mind of MI WR Aaron Burbridge ($, info in header).

Tom talked to the coach of OH WR Dwayne Stanford and DE Adolphus Washington, who says the highly-touted pair won't be in Ann Arbor any time soon:

I don't think they'll be taking any more visits because of AAU basketball. I know they go away next week and when they come back we'll be in two a days so it will be tough for them to make it to places. As of now they have nothing else scheduled.

Coach Martin points out that Michigan is one of the few mutual schools on their top five lists, but they're softening their stance on being a package deal.

Etc.

The Crimson Quarry breaks down the recruitment of IN QB Gunner Kiel, noting that Oklahoma and Missouri's recent pickups at the position may reduce their chances of landing the nation's top signal-caller.

Of course, AJ fails to mention Michigan, reducing the competition to a head-to-head battle between Indiana and Alabama. That could either be prescient (CBS's Eye on Recruiting blog also omits Michigan) or foolhardy, but I'm guessing the Wolverines are unlikely to land Kiel at this point.

IL OL Jordan Diamond will cut his list to 10 schools soon, but it seems like he has a top 5 within that number:

Diamond said Iowa is among five schools that would definitely make the cut, the others being Michigan, Wisconsin, Auburn and Tennessee.

Ohio State sounds like his sixth school, pending a decision from the NCAA (which could be a long way off if Michigan's timeline (in a less serious case) is any indication). Diamond plans to take all five visits before deciding.

PA OL Adam Bisnowaty likes Michigan, but is not going to hurry a decision just because the Wolverines' class is starting to fill up.

CA DT Aziz Shittu will take his time coming to a(nother) decision on college ($, info in header).

Tennessee and Notre Dame lead for OH DE LaTroy Lewis ($, info in header).

MLive's Kyle Warber interviews OH S Commit Allen Gant, who - shocker - wants to beat Ohio State and play in Rose Bowls.

Is the door still open between Michigan and NY CB Wayne Morgan? It sure sounds like it:

Morgan currently holds offers from Alabama, Miami, Rutgers, Syracuse and UConn, among others. Michigan offered him and wanted him to commit in June, but the decision was made to go on visits first and find the perfect fit. Morgan said he is still in touch with Wolverines coaches, so they are not completely off the board.

His coach's version of events (Wayne thought he was moving too fast) differs from the internet consensus of events (the coach wanted Wayne to consider Rutgers, so he made him delay a decision), but either way the door is still open a crack. Regardless of which is true, I would assume that Wayne's place in the 2012 class is no longer available, barring any changes in Michigan's commit list.

The Big House BBQ recruiting event is still over a week away, but Tom is already hard at work putting together a guest list of known visitors. He'll update with the latest info when it becomes available, so keep checking back. There are a couple big uncommitted names planning to be there, including OH RB Bri'Onte Dunn and OH DE Chris Wormley.

The Detroit News's Bob Wojnowski talks about Michigan and Michigan State recruiting success in Ohio.

Happy Trails

NY DT Jarron Jones has narrowed his list of schools to North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, and Penn State. The Penn State decommitment is not considering Michigan.

Happy Trails, TN WR Drae Bowles, who committed to Tennessee.

Happy Trails, OH RB Alden Hill, who also committed to Tennessee.

2013

Duane Long runs down the three "must-have" players in Ohio next year. QB/WR/Ath Jalin Marshall sounds like he's all Buckeye, but CB Cameron Burrows hails from Trotwood-Madison, which has been kind to the Wolverines in recent years, and RB/S Dymonte Thomas has openly named Michigan his leader. Long on Burrows:

Burrows is the complete package. He can cover like an elite corner and he brings the hurt like a safety. He dazzled this spring at Ohio State with his feet and hips. Athletes Burrows size are not supposed to move like that.

...and on Thomas:

As great a back as Thomas is, make no mistake he is a great back, he may be a better safety. If you held a gun to my head and said choose a position I would say safety. He is a relentless kid with great speed and instincts. He is a great tackler and ferocious competitor. He has an ideal safety frame at 6-2 and about 190.

Thomas, as you may recall, is a cousin of 2012 RB Bri'Onte Dunn.