te'cory couch

Michigan's 2019 recruiting class is down a player, as Hollywood (FL) Chaminade cornerback Te'Cory Couch announced his decommitment from the program this morning on Twitter:

Officially de-committing from the university of Michigan

— T©️(MD)⚠️ (@TecoryC_16) June 9, 2018

Couch's initial commitment, shortly after the cancelled spring game, certainly caught me off-guard, and now it appears he'll do the more expected thing and stay close to home. 247's Steve Lorenz:

The four-star was a somewhat surprise commitment in April when he chose the Wolverines over Miami (FL) and Tennessee among others. With his recruitment now open again, the Hurricanes will likely become the heavy favorite to keep Couch closer to home as he's been on campus multiple times since his original pledge to the Wolverines.

Lorenz reports five-star Florida State commit Akeem Dent and high-three-star Georgia native D.J. Turner are among the top cornerback targets left on Michigan's board. Couch was the only corner in the class, so even after 2018's large defensive back haul, expect the coaches to push for a replacement and likely more.

Michigan's 2019 class now has ten total commits. Couch's decommitment drops the Wolverines to 14th overall and second in the Big Ten (behind #12 Ohio State) in the composite class rankings.

Lanky to the point of deception. [Andrew Ivins/247]

Despite a cancelled spring game, Michigan gained its first defensive back commit of the 2019 class over the weekend when they flipped four-star Hollywood (FL) Chaminade-Madonna Prep cornerback Te'Cory Couch from his prior pledge to Tennessee. The news broke yesterday and Couch confirmed it on his Twitter account last night. Miami (YTM) had been seen as Michigan's biggest competitor to pull Couch from his UT pledge, but one strong official visit to Ann Arbor was enough to sway him.

Couch is the eighth commit in Michigan's 2019 class, which now ranks fifth nationally and first in the Big Ten.

GURU RATINGS

Rivals	ESPN	247	247 Comp
4*, 5.8, #20 S	3*, 75, #25 CB, #272 Ovr	4*, 90, #32 ATH, #330 Ovr	4*, #27 ATH, #292 Ovr

While ESPN docks Couch a star, all three services have him in a relatively tight grouping. Rivals' #16 safety made their top 250, so he's probably lingering around 300th there, which would split between his ESPN and 247 rankings.

Despite the Rivals listing, Couch should come to Michigan as a cornerback/nickel. He measured in at a slight 5'9.5", 145 pounds at the Opening Miami regional, which puts him in the Jourdan Lewis/Lavert Hill cornerback category (as opposed to Channing Stribling/Jeremy Clark types, which entirely comprised the last secondary class). While short and slight, Couch has the frame to add a lot of weight and he plays taller than his listed height because of his long limbs. As you'll see, he fooled at least one scout into thinking he's a six-footer.

[Hit THE JUMP for scouting, video, and the rest.]

The lack of a spring game and some ugly weather couldn't put a damper on a big recruiting weekend for Michigan, as today they gained a commitment from four-star Hollywood (FL) Chaminade-Madonna Prep cornerback Te'Cory Couch, who entered the weekend as a soft Tennessee pledge.

Couch is ranked 292nd overall on the 247 Composite. He's the eight commitment for Michigan in the 2019 class and the first in the defensive backfield. If the class calculator is correct, his pledge vaults M's class from eighth to fifth in the country and first in the Big Ten.

Today is my personal last-minute Tax Day, so a full Hello post will hit the front page tomorrow.