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Don't forget, The 2011 Michigan Football Recruiting Board is your headquarters for recruiting updates.

Your Weekly Breathless Dee Hart Update

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The Gridiron Kings event in Florida last weekend brought out a ton of big-name talent, including top Michigan target FL RB Demetrius Hart (with an enormous HT to MGoShoe, who was all over this topic). ESPN's Jamie Newberg:

Hart, a small and compact running back who is ultraquick and explosive, was impressive in each game for the Southeast. He made a ton of big plays and some great catches.

"It was a couple of great days," Hart said. "I think the key was that we, as a team, bonded early. I was just happy I got to contribute the way I did."

The Orlando Sentinel says:

Hart, who earlier in pool play had nine receptions in one game for 99 yards and six receptions for 91 yards in another, had a 15-yard touchdown reception in the championship game.

Hart merely fell in SoFlaFootball's "Other Players to Catch My Eye" category:

Running back Dee Hart (Dr. Phillips) excels catching the ball out of the backfield and has some shake to him with the ball in his hands. I can see him being very versatile running back lining up both in the backfield and in the slot at the next level.

For more on Hart's performances, check out MGoShoe's stream-of-Twitter-consciousness on mgoboard. In recruiting updates, Hart has now dropped Auburn from consideration, and is willing to go on the record that Michigan leads for his services. A neutral party putting that in writing is a big deal:

"I would say Michigan is 75 percent," Hart said. Leaving the possibility that he might commit to Alabama at 25 percent. "I like the area at Michigan," Hart said. "You know I'm from Florida, so I've never really had all four seasons and I like that. I like the fans. They have a great fan base up there. They also have great programs up there, like their business program and that's what I want to go into is business management."

A decision on his visit for the UConn or Iowa/Michigan State is possible. Dee was recently interviewed by local news. The most important quote:

"Football means the most. Girls gonna come and go, but football, that's something forever. Football; hands down."

So I guess that's what Rich Rodriguez means when he says he wants guys who "love football." Dee also gives a shoutout to FL QB commit Kevin Sousa in the interview.

Other Camp and Combine News

A bunch of other targets, some of them surprising, were also in attendance. FL S Karlos Williams may visit Michigan, potentially with Hart (and Clinton-Dix?!), which would be a major coup for the Wolverines. FL S HaSean Clinton-Dix still maintains that he is solid to Bama:

"Still 100 percent. I'm committed to that," he said. "I respect the fact they still recruit me and I give them my full attention when they call. You never know what can happen and I might need something back on."

Though Clinton-Dix says he's solid, you never know what can happen if you get these kids on campus. MI WR DeAnthony Arnett, who has dropped Michigan, also impressed at Gridirion Kings.

In other camp/combine/competition news, Florida's annual Friday Night Lights summer camp happened over the weekend as well. FL QB Commit Kevin Sousa showed up to compete, and the Gainesville Sun's Edward Aschoff says he looked good:

Yeah he looked real sharp liked him a lot RT @varsityblue @EdAschoffGSUN Did you see#Michigan commit Kevin Sousa at FNL? How did he look?

Victors_Valiant and Scout.com's Chad Simmons also liked Sousa's performance. VV noted that his footwork was good, and Simmons said he threw some good passes.

Visits and Decisions

MI RB Justice Hayes announces tomorrow at 11am, as I told you in last week's Recruitin' post. Michigan and Notre Dame are the top contenders, but I think he'll pick the Irish.

IL OL Chris Bryant had a positive visit to Ann Arbor over the weekend, as he told Tom. Tom predicts that a commitment may be coming soon, so keep an eye out for Hello: Christ Bryant. IN OL Nick Martin was on campus at the same time, though no commitment is expected.

FL OL Tony Posada should be announcing a college choice soon, along with his teammate, FL QB Phillip Ely, and possibly FL RB James Wilder.  Posada blew off FNL camp last weekend, and the Gators picked up a couple linemen, so the Florida offer that he covets won't come. Michigan should to be Tony's choice:

The word is you really like Michigan.

They're one of my top four but I haven't made my final decision on them yet. Right now, until about two weeks from now, it's going to be an open game, an open game for anyone.

He claims to be open-ish, but his preference for Michigan shines through.

In upcoming visit news, TX LB Kellen Jones should be hitting campus this weekend. He's a top Michigan linebacker target, and a lifelong fan. If the visit goes well, there's a chance he'll commit to the maize-and-blue. Either way, he'll make a commitment before September.

Etc.

conway.jpg The Oakland Press's Kosmo says that MI WR Commit Shawn Conway's Seaholm team should be vastly improved this year - if he's eligible to play. Hopefully he'll get to play some high school ball for the Maples this fall. Brian talked a bit about Conway (and his disciplinary issue this spring) yesterday.

FL WR/S Sammy Watkins has been spending lots of time at Clemson lately, but he's still feelin' the Wolverines:

[Watkins's coach Grant Redhead] expects Watkins to take his official visits from the group of Clemson, Miami, Florida, LSU, Alabama and Michigan. "I know he loved Michigan when he went up there. I’m thinking mid season he’ll commit. He’ll probably take at least three officials to his favorites. If not mid-season, then after the season."

An official visit before his decision would be a very good thing, especially if the Wolverines can get his teammate, FL CB Dallas Crawford, in town at the same time.

Michigan is in the top two for FL WR Prince Holloway ($, info in header).

Local fluff on PA OL Paul Gaughan, who Michigan has looked at.

Michigan has offered NJ OL Josue Matias.

GA S Avery Walls enjoyed his Michigan visit a while back, and now, thanks to California Golden Blogs, we know how much:

"Yes sir, because I'm talking to a couple players that are being recruited by Michigan, like Avery Walls. I've had a chance to befriend him. We've been talking about them and he's been talking about how Michigan is a place I need to check out, and maybe set up an official with him so we can get up there at the same time. We're good friends now and we talk on the phone. He's trying to recruit me there I guess (laughing)."

That's elite GA DE Ray Drew. It sounds like Avery Walls is likely to end up in this class as long as the year goes according to plan, and he'll do everything in his power to get some other top prospects to commit. Drew said he'll be receptive to Walls's overtures should he commit to Michigan (H/T touchdown chad henne).

I've added FL LB Ramik Wilson to the board, as GBW finds him relevant enough to post his Youtube highlight:

He's a run-stuffer, but he doesn't look his listed 6-3, 220 on the tape.

I forgot to mention this last week, but according to ESPN, CA CB/RB DeAnthony Thomas, a USC commit, plans to visit Michigan and Ohio State. Tom confirmed that he'll take on official if Rich Rodriguez offers, and once you get a kid on campus etc etc.

VA CB Demetrious Nicholson holds a Michigan offer.

Mini-Happy Trails

Though he said last week that he hasn't eliminated any schools, SC DE Gerald Dixon wants to stay in the Southeast.

FL WR Tacoi Sumler narrowed to a top 5 that does not include Michigan and then picked Oregon.

2012

Dorial Green-Beckham isn't the only wide receiver Michigan's looking at in Missouri. MO WR Jehu Chesson is also "high on Michigan" ($, info in header).

Local fluff on MI OL Kelby Latta, who already holds offers from Michigan State and Wisconsin.

MI CB Terry Richardson has received offers from Alabama and LSU ($, info in header). The hometown Wolverines have yet to offer the Cass Tech prospect, because he didn't make it to Michigan's summer camp. Once the coaches get the chance to evaluate some junior film, don't be surprised if he get an offer.

The 2011 Recruiting Board lives here.

Shawn Conway Goes Blue

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Setting off an mgofirestorm of sorts, MI WR Shawn Conway committed to the Wolverines at Junior Day on Saturday. Conway is the third commitment in the 2011 class.

According to Scout, his junior stats were 79 receptions for 800 yards and 10 TDs, 500 yards in kick/punt returns, and two interception returns. His stats are not, as reported incorrectly here earlier, 11 receptions for a couple hundred yards or so (makes sense, as there are 12 receptions for exactly 300 yards in his highlight video):

Since the commitment (and resulting uproar), news has come out that Conway was drawing interest from schools like Florida prior to his commitment, sure to please Michigan fans. Local commit article.

New Offers

FL RB Andrew Buie should be one of the top running backs nationally, and the Wolverines have offered, along with the likes of Ole Miss, and North Carolina, while Florida ha shown some interest. He sounds like a great fit for Michigan's offense:

"Andrew is more shifty. He is better in space and more versatile..."

Scott believes that a versatile player like Buie is of high value, given the versatile nature of offensive schemes in college football.

"With the way the game is going as far as the spread offenses go, it's good for a player not to get locked into only being able to do just one thing," he said. "It's good to not just say he's a single-back guy or a spread-type guy. You need to be able to do it all."

Buie, who attends the same high school as 2010 Michigan target and Rutgers signee Rashad Knight, was named 1st-team All-State in Florida's Class 1A at running back.

Michigan has offered OH WR Devin Smith. He hails from Massillon Washington High School, the alma mater of Shawn Crable and Justin Turner. According to Cincinnati.com (which confirms the offer), the 6-2, 175-pounder runs a 4.4-second 40-yard dash, and also holds offers from the likes of Cincinnati and West Virginia. Michigan and Michigan State are Smith's current top two.

Michigan offered IN OL Tony Springmann a while back, but I forgot to mention it. The Rivals story entitled "Rodriguez offers junior offensive lineman" redirects to Springmann's profile. He took a junior day visit and is a decent possibility.

Though we already knew about the offer to his teammate, WR Dondi Kirby, it looks as though PA LB Armstead Williams from Monroeville Gateway has also received an offer from the Wolverines. Both are participating in the ESPN Rise Nike football combine at Pitt.


Michigan has offered VA LB Curtis Grant, and he plans to visit Ann Arbor during the recruiting process ($, info in header). Tom posted junior highlights of Grant and his teammate Brendan Riddick on mgoboard.

Per the Twitter of TomVH, FL DB Dallas Crawford has received a Michigan offer.


Visit News

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OH QB Cardale Jones (pictured at right) plans to head up to Michigan for the next junior day, which I believe is the Night of Champions on March 13th ($, info in header). He hails from Cleveland Glenville, so it will be tough for the Wolverines to land him, but if Ohio State is focused on Braxton Miller there's a chance. Tom also reported on Twitter that Jones has his own website, though it's a little bare right now. It will be interesting to see if some content goes up on it over the course of his recruitment. 

NC QB Marquise Williams "like[s] coach Rich Rodriguez" and intends to visit Michigan at some point in the recruiting process ($, info in header).


OH TE Ray Hamilton was at the junior day last weekend, as ($ info in header). Though I brought this up last week, I should give this article its fair due in this space:

“Michigan is very well known, not in the past couple years but the program itself and how dominant they are. I think Coach Rodriguez is doing a good job on getting them back to where they need to be. It was definitely a special offer."


Rodriguez played at West Virginia with Hamilton's father, and was one of the prospects tat was getting the most attention from the coaches (to my eye at least) at Junior Day, which he enjoyed ($, info in header). Hamilton will take his time making a decision.

In other news out of Michigan's Junior Day last weekend, OH DT Kevin Williams told Tom that Michigan still leads, despite Spartanmag.com reports to the contrary.  Williams's coach thinks he's kind of good:

"Being a former college coach and NFL coach, I knew he was going to blow up when I put his film out there and started making the calls," Marrow said. "My belief is that Kevin Williams is not just the top D-tackle in the Midwest, he is one of the top D-tackles in the country. I'm talking top five."

That's from Sam Webb in the News and contains many more quotes like that.

CA DE Charles Burks plans to visit Ann Arbor this spring.

Burks was among the top pass-rushers in the state last year. He had 52 tackles and 14 sacks during the regular season but broke his leg in the Chargers' first-round game and had to sit out the rest of the playoffs.

He doesn't have any offers yet, but the Night of Champions might be a good opportunity for him to land one from Michigan. Despite growing up a Buckeye fan, Michigan is one of his favorite schools.

OH CB/WR Cheatem Norrils was in attendance for Michigan's Junior Day (Scout freebie). His only scholarship offer to this point is from Toledo, but he is very interested in Michigan. If the Wolverines decide they want him, his relationship with Kevin Koger could help land him.


Other 2011 Recruiting

Sam Webb talks to TX RB Jarrell Oliver (who holds a Michigan offer), about whether the Wolverines are at the top of his list ($, info in header). The question about whether UM is the team to beat is the type that is always answered with some version of "yes."


TomVH reports that MI FB/LB Joey Kerridge enjoyed Michigan's junior day, and may get news of an offer sometime this week. The link has a highlight video embed, as well.

Though GA OL David Andrews received a Michigan offer last week ($, info in header), he has already committed to Georgia.

Landing Demar Dorsey in the class of 2010 has gotten Michigan's foot in the door at Boyd Anderson High School, which boasts a hell of a lot of Division-1 talent each year, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Aside from LB Kent Turene from the class of 2011, there are a few guys in this class that might get onto the radar later, and even more underclassmen.

Removed FL S Karlos Williams, who has committed to Florida State. This was probably a long time coming, as he was always a Florida State lean, and his brother is a 'Nole.

Fluff on FL S Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix and FL CB Nick Waisome.

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OH CB Doran Grant should be one of the top prospects in the state of Ohio for the 2011 class, and Sam Webb profiled him in the Detroit News last week. He has a lot of connections to Michigan State, but that won't prevent him from considering the Wolverines:

"(Last week) I talked to (Rich Rodriguez) and he said he was really excited now that he got the 2010 class signed," Grant recalled. Now he was going to start on 2011 and he said I was one of the main targets. I'm going to go up there for junior day, talk to him in the office, sit down and learn more about the school, and just check out the facilities and maybe some players."

I'm not sure if Grant made it in for Junior Day, but it sounds like, at the very least, he'll give the Wolverines a fair shake.

Michigan fans were hoping for commitments from MI OL Anthony Zettel and/or MI DE Brennen Beyer at Junior Day, but that didn't happen. Both probably going to take another couple visits (such as Zettel's upcoming Notre Dame trip) before making decisions, but the Wolverines still seem to lead for both. According to Tom, Beyer wants to return to Ann Arbor later this week, which is certainly a good sign.

2010 Walkon Update

MI OL Kristian Mateus, from Forest Hills Central (alma mater of yours truly) will be a preferred walkon this fall, according to the Grand Rapids Press, which apparently has copy editors who approve ledes like this:

Kristian Mateus, a standout football player at Forest Hills Central, has joined the list of University of Michigan football recruits even if his name isn’t on a list just yet.

FAIL. Anyway, Mateus is huge (6-8, 285), and cites the opportunity presented by Michigan's walkon program in particular, as Rodriguez was a walkon himself and likes to see them emerge as contributors.

[Editor's note: the Press might not have copy editors anymore and by criticizing like so we are doomed to make a similarly dumb mistake in the near future.]

The Distant Future. The Year 2012

2012 MI LB James Ross from Orchard Lake Saint Mary's has received a Michigan offer ($, info in header) to go along with his scholarship from Michigan State. Coach Schuman from the National Underclassmen Combine Blog says Ross took home a numbers of honors from the combine this year:

James was the Top LB of the Class of 2012 and was U100 MVP at LB and Top Prospect Camp LB MVP. Expect 20 plus offers from James when all said and done.

More on the 2012 class as news comes out, but I won't cover it in any depth until the 2011 class is closer to completion.