vincent valentine

2012 Offer/Recruiting Board lives here.

Visits Past

MI TE Devin Funchess was on campus, and he has a sister who attends Michigan.

MI OL Ben Braden was on campus Sunday, and received a Michigan offer.

IN DT Sheldon Day grew up a Michigan fan ($, info in header), and was on campus over the weekend. Day's highlight video:

WI LB Vince Biegel spoke with Tom about his Michigan visit last weekend:

He's going out to BYU in a few weeks and then he'll probably make his decision after taking in a few spring practices. After this visit Wisconsin is still the leader, but he said that he will definitely be back in Ann Arbor for a spring practice to see how the coaches coach.

Tom gets the feeling Wisconsin still leads, but the more times he hits campus, the better the Wolverines' chance to shake him free.

OH S Allen Gant didn't receive a Michigan offer when he was on campus last week. He plans to make it back to campus March 26th, but likely won't receive an offer until summer camp.

Visits Future

OH OL Caleb Stacey will visit Ann Arbor tomorrow.

MA LB Camren Williams will be here this weekend, along with his teammate, CB Armani Reeves, and a host of other prospects:

• OH TE AJ Williams (not yet set in stone).
• OH OL Kyle Dodson. He grew up a Buckeye fan, but is warming up to the Wolverines ($, info in header).
• OH DE Pharoah Brown.
• MI LB Royce Jenkins-Stone.

Tom will post an updated visitors list as the weekend grows nearer. For his part, Williams is interested in academics - particularly kinesiology - which is a huge boost to Michigan's chances. He wants to decide by June.

MI WR/TE Ron Thompson will visit Michigan this spring ($, info in header).

OH QB Austin Appleby talked to Tom last week:

"In a perfect world, [I will decide] by the end of June or early July. I am planning on attending a few camps and I don't know what doors may open. I know it will be by August 1st for sure."

Appleby will visit Michigan April 2nd.

IL DT Tommy Schutt will visit Michigan this spring.

MI OL Chase DeBack has been invited to Michigan's March 26th Junior Day. With a name like that, why oh why isn't he a defensive end or linebacker.

New Offers

Michigan has offered TN RB I'Tavius Mathers.

IA WR Amara Darboh has been on fire lately, picking up offers from the likes of Michigan. Michigan State, and Florida.

MN OL Jonah Pirsig has picked up a Michigan offer.

MO OL Evan Boehm has a Michigan offer.

Local fluff on FL OL Ty Darlington, who is aiming to be his class valedictorian. He is a recent Michigan offeree. He hails from the same high school as Jeremy Gallon.

UT DE Troy Hinds has picked up a Michigan offer.

Happy Trails

MD OL Mike Madaras, one of the Good Counsel contingent, has committed to Maryland. And he was willing to talk Michigan as recently as last week ($, info in header). We hardly knew ye. No word on whether that will affect the recruitments of Stefon Diggs (a newly-anointed five-star), Wes Brown, et al.

IL OL Dan Voltz committed to Wisconsin last night. He had been planning to visit Michigan this weekend, so that's a downer for the Wolverines.

TX DE Mario Edwards is a top national prospect who had some Michigan interest, but he has committed to Florida State.

UPDATES

CO QB Cyler Miles is getting interest (but no offer yet) from Michigan. If the Wolverines want a shot at the kid, they may have to offer pretty soon, because he plans to decide over the summer ($, info in header). If he doesn't get a couple of the offers he wants by then, he might extend the process longer.

Might a snub by Ohio State motivate OH QB Maty Mauk to become a Wolverine? KY QB Zeke Pike wants to decide by his senior season "or somewhere around there."

CA WR Bryce Treggs may be close to a Cal commitment. His father was a Golden Bear in the '90s. However, he plans to be at Notre Dame April 16th, so don't expect him to commit before then.

Michigan is showing the most interest in MI TE Matt Doneth:

Doneth also admitted that he lives in a firmly "Spartan household" but with Michigan showing him the most love recently, he would be willing to "Go Blue" if they offer.

The article mentions that he's most interested in Ivy League schools, so a scholarship offer from the next best thing might be hard to resist.

Michigan is in the top four for IN TE Pierre Aka ($, info in header).

FL OL Avery Young has been invited to the US Army All-American Game.

IL DT Vincent Valentine holds a Michigan offer, and will take his time with the recruiting process:

He wants to take some unofficial visits this spring and summer to get a feel for some of the schools he hasn't yet seen. "I'll probably take my officials after my football season so I can stayed focused on the season for us," he said. "I think I'll get my decision in by January or December."

There's still a long way to go in his recruitment, but he talks about his game as well:

"[coaches] were just saying they liked my tenacity, they liked my aggressiveness, they liked the way I get to the ball and my hustle," Valentine said....

"I just love to hit people, most of all," he said. "I love hustling to the ball, getting there and making plays for my team. If you're on the O-line, you don't really get that much shine. I love getting the shine by playing defensive tackle."

He's a likely 5-star player, but there's plenty of competition: Iowa signed his teammate, RB Rodney Coe, last month.

MI DT/DE Matt Godin might make a decision "any day" - or could extend the process ($, info in header).

PA DE Noah Spence is very interested in Michigan, but won't make a decision any time soon. He plans to visit Ann Arbor with his dad this summer.

Michigan is in the top 7 for GA DE Jarontay Jones, along with Florida, Auburn, Virginia Tech, Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Florida State. Per the linked message board post, Florida and Auburn are the top two.

IL LB Antonio Morrison is interested in Michigan.

Etc.

Last week's Sam Webb column breaks down the top talent in the state, March Madness-style. MI LB James Ross has a USC offer.  Rivals fluff on WA OL Zach Banner. NC OL Brock Stadnik will participate in the 2012 Under Armour Game. CA S Shaquille Thompson decommitted from Cal ($, info in header), so Michigan may get another shot at him before his Army Game announcement. NJ LB Kaiwan Lewis may be getting a Michigan offer soon.

The 2011 class is over, so it's time to look ahead to next year. But first...

...A Denouement

As you may recall, Michigan signed 19 talented high schoolers last Wednesday, including a signing Day surprise(ish) in TX TE Chris Barnett. Yes, I mostly just wanted an excuse to use this picture again.

Of course, OH S Greg Brown was already enrolled in Ann Arbor, and didn't need to fax his LOI.

As for the other prospects who were still on the table:

• MI OL Jake Fisher signed with Oregon. The former commit switched to the Ducks.
• MD DT Darian Cooper signed with Iowa. He had been favoring the Hawkeyes for some time, and a late push by Michigan (courtesy of defensive coordinator Greg Mattison) couldn't sway him to be blue.
• CO LB Leilon Wilingham signed with UCF. He committed to Texas A&M without ever visiting, and then had reported silent commitments to Colorado and Michigan before switching to the Knights on Signing Day. He's a loss for Michigan's class, but sounds like a kid who can't make up his mind, either.
• For those who can't stop asking about FL WR Prince Holloway despite repeated claims he wouldn't come to Michigan, he signed a letter of intent to a Junior College in Kansas.

The Wolverines' 2011 recruting class may not be completed yet, as IL OL Graham Glasgow will visit Ann Arbor this weekend. As Brian noted yesterday, he seems more like a preferred walkon-type.

Tom expands on Touch the Banner's exploration of where Michigan offerees signed.

On to the Next One

Since I've been actively neglecting the 2012 class in favor of in-depth coverage of 2011 for the past couple weeks, updates from rising seniors should be hectic throughout the month of February. Things should settle down by the end of the month, and look for a recruiting board (with revamped format) by that time.

First, let's look at a list of 2012 recruits with offers:

Michigan offered FL QB Bennie Coney in the fall, and they're currently in his top 6. As I said at the time, he has character question marks, so we'll see if his offer from the Wolverines holds up with the new staff.

KY QB Zeke Pike has a Michigan offer ($). He's one of the top QBs in the country, a mobile pro-style guy.

Michigan has offered ($) IN QB Gunner Kiel. Offer confirmed by a free source. ESPN's Chris Pool says he may be one of the top quarterbacks in the nation.

Michigan - along with the rest of the country - has extended an offer to MO WR Dorial Green-Beckham. He has a good shot at being the #1 overall recruit in the 2012 class, so he's a definite longshot.

OH WR Dwayne Stanford holds a Michigan offer ($), along with Ohio State and a number of other top programs.

MD WR Stefon Diggs - a teammate of 2011 CB signee Blake Countess - has an impressive highlight reel:

He was named MVP of the Army Combine, and has already been invited to next year's Army All-American game. He told Rivals that he wants to hear from Michigan, and though the Wolverines took a while to offer, he sees himself as a "Charles Woodson type" at the next level, which certainly doesn't hurt Michigan in his mind.

Michigan has offered ($, info in header) OH TE Sam Grant. He's a big tight end who could be a devastating blocker at the next level.

FL TE Sean Price also has a Michigan offer.

OL Jordan Diamond - one of 2011 signee Chris Bryant's good friends - may be a package deal with his teammate, QB Robert Gregory (more about him below). Diamond already holds an Ohio State offer, and will be on Michigan's campus next weekend. I don't have confirmation yet, but it's sounding like that may be the Wolverines' first junior day. Diamond will decide early(ish) in the process ($, info in header).

Michigan has an offer out to WA OL Zach Banner, who has already committed to participate in next year's Army All-American Bowl. He's one of the top prospects in the nation, and is probably a longshot for the Wolverines.

Scout's Allen Trieu says it'll probably boil down to Michigan or Tennessee for MI DT Danny O'Brien - whom he thinks is the top prospect in the state at this point. Tennessee has the slight edge at this point.

Michigan has an offer out to IN DT Sheldon Day, and it sounds as though he really likes the Wolverines.

IL DT Vincent Valentine, who holds a Michigan offer, was recently profiled by STLToday.com.

Jim Stefani gets back on his blogging game, and shared that Michigan has offered OH DT Greg Kuhar.

DC DT Eddie Goldman, one of the nation's top defensive linemen, holds a Michigan offer, but is probably a longshot.

Ohio State-centric recruiting experts are already conceding OH DE Chris Wormley to the Wolverines. His reasoning gets a little muddled, but if Ohio State will give up Wormley in order to land Adolphus Washington and Greg McMullen, more power to them.

Yes, I want Wormley. No, I am not going to lose any sleep over his decision to go to Michigan should be choose to do so. Great kid and I wish him all the best should that be where he chooses to spend the next four or five years of his life.

Wormley is going to be a solid 4-star or borderline 5-star guy, so Michigan's recruiting class should get a great early boost should he decide for the Wolverines.

Looks like the Wolverines are pounding the pavement on defensive ends from Ohio. OH DE Ifeadi Odenigbo recently received a Michigan offer. Ohio State fans don't think he'll receive a Buckeye offer, and they're terrified about the prospect of facing him in coming years. Michigan has offered OH DE Tom Strobel. Another Michigan offer is out, to OH DE Pharoah(!) Brown.

MI LB James Ross wants to play in next year's Under Armour All-American Game with his friend, MI CB Terry Richardson, who's already been invited. Ross is intrigued ($, info in header) by the hiring of Greg Mattison.

There may be a couple more offers out there, but this is (almost) all of them that I'm aware of. A couple guys are already committed to other schools - such as FL WR Avery Johnson to LSU - so I haven't included them.

The Unoffered

Before expressing worry about "Hey, this kid loves Michigan and we're slipping because we haven't offered him yet," keep in mind that the Michigan staff wants to evaluate prospects on film before extending an official offer. Some of them may even be close to committing if they held a Michigan offer, and the coaches want to know for sure whether it's a prospect that they really want before the kid potentially joins the Class of 2012. Offers should be coming soon for a lot of these guys, so it's not a huge delay, especially for a new coaching staff. Here are some of the guys for whom that possibly applies:

• MI CB Terry Richardson's favorites list reads like 2010's final top ten list - plus Michigan. Michigan State has offered ($, info in header). TheRinger scouts his game, and he'll be on campus for tonight's basketball game.
• Richardson's teammates, LBs Royce Jenkins-Stone and Laron Taylor, both came home from Iowa with Hawkeye offers ($, info in header). Scout's Allen Trieu says that Michigan's hefty lead for Jenkins-Stone is diminishing as more teams offer, including Michigan State. Terry (and possibly Royce) is expecting to talk to Greg Mattison today, which could mean a Wolverine offer is on the way.
• MI DE Matthew Godin attended several Michigan home games and the Big Chill ($, info in header). If Michigan wants him badly enough, it sounds like they should be able to wrap him up early. Michigan State has offered him, but Michigan may be waiting to evaluate him before offering.
• Michigan is among the favorites for OH RB William Mahone (they'd probably be the favorite if the former coaching staff was still in town), and he impressed at the Under Armour combine ($, info in header).

IL QB Robert Gregory has Michigan near the top of his list. However, they weren't in his top five in mid-January, as Iowa, Notre Dame, Oregon, Miami (YTM), and Northwestern got the honor. Gregory has dual-threat ability, but is looking to play in an offense that's primarily pro-style. Michigan's newfound pro-style offense with room for a dual-threat (hello: Denard Robinson) is a huge benefit there, as is their pursuit of Jordan Diamond.

OH WR Monty Madaris has the Wolverines near the top of his list.

Michigan's increased presence in California may give them a boost with CA TE Taylor McNamara, one of the nation's top recruits at the position.

Michigan's coaches have been in to visit CO OL Shane Callahan. Probably convenient as they were heading out to check on 2011 LB Leilon Willingham, though Leilon ended up siging with UCF.

IL DT Tommy Schutt already has a decision timeline in mind ($, info in header). As he's just a junior, "before his senior season" is a good bet.

OH DE teammates LaTroy Lewis and Greg McMullen from Akron Hoban are hearing from Michigan. Lewis's father briefly attended Michigan, but it seems as though Ohio State leads for him.

Michigan has "shown interest" in OH LB Mason Monheim.

NJ LB Elijah Shumate doesn't mention the Wolverines to Palmetto Sports's Eric Guimaraes, and his top five is South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, Rutgers, and LSU.

WI LB Vince Biegel plans to visit Michigan.

TheRinger.com profiles OH S Bam Bradley (pictured at right):

A safety with that size and instincts, a sound tackler who is comfortable in both the run and pass is going to be a big time recruit. Should be a prospect that can come in and player earlier than later. The weaknesses we see are nothing that can’t be corrected with solid coaching and a willing learner, which Bradley is.

Bradley's from Trotwood-Madison, one of Michigan's favorite schools of late.

Happy Trails (already!) to AZ QB Connor Brewer. One of the top pro-style QBs in the country committed to Texas.

Other Lists!

Offensive and Defensive hotlists from MGoUser JC3, and Tom has a huge list of prospects to keep an eye on in his Weekly Update. We'll look at it in more detail next week, when we're not crunched for space. Scout's Allen Trieu has a preliminary list of top in-state prospects. Some top prospects from Lakewood (OH) St. Edward. Michigan has already offered a couple of them, and OL Kyle Kalis is already committed to Ohio State. On today's Recruiting Roundup, Sam mentioned that Brady Hoke has dropped by the schools of a few top juniors, including Wormley and Diamond.

Remember, all-time updates can be found on the 2011 Michigan Football Recruiting Board. If you have any recruiting tips or questions, you can e-mail them to me at [email protected] or tweet @varsityblue. For game updates on Wolverine commits, check out the Friday Night Lights series.

The past couple weeks have been heavy with updates on official visitors, but with MIchigan taking on a couple lesser opponents i the next two weeks, important visits are likely on hold until the Michigan State game. Stay tuned later for a visitor's list for that game.

NC QB Marquise Williams (at right) is committed to North Carolina, but that won't stop him from officially visiting Michigan ($, info in header). No word on how serious the interest is, or whther Michigan is even in a position where they can use a second scholarship on a quarterback.

FL RB Demetrius Hart (whom you may have heard of) still favors Michigan over Auburn and Alabama, but has added Arkansas to his list as well. He's officially visiting the Tigers this weekend, but is expected to pick Michigan sometime soon. He will enroll early at his school of choice, so a decision will be coming soon.

NJ TE Jack Tabb will take his time finishing up the recruiting process. Michigan, North Carolina, and the Florida schools seem to be out front for him at this point.

According to WTKA, MI DE/OL Anthony Zettel skipped out on an official visit to Iowa... to watch Michigan play on TV. That sounds pretty positive for the Wolverines' chances of landing him. He intends to visit both Michigan and MIchigan State on Saturday. He now plans to wait until the end of the season to make a decision.

MGoBlog's own TomVH runs down a list of recruits who may be swayed toward Michigan with the strong start to the football season. Anthony Zettel and IL OL Chris Bryant are just a couple of the prospects who have taken notice of the Denarding. Click through to the Diary to see who else is being convinced. Tom's weekly update contains more information on several prospects.

TN OL Antonio Richardson might try to visit Michigan at some point this year.

Recruiting fluff on MI DT Eric Crume. With Michigan's need for DTs, they probably aren't interested in him if they haven't offered by now.

IL DE James Adeyanju has narrowed his list to five schools ($, info in header), and Michigan isn't among them.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution runs down the recruitment of NC LB/WR Kris Frost:

Auburn, Cal, FSU, Michigan, North Carolina and Southern Cal are all supposed to get visits. So there are plenty of takers out there.

Michigan's strong season may be helping convince him that Ann Arbor is a place he can come to win championships.

FL S Ha'sean Clinton-Dix (pictured at right) is about "85 percent" committed to Alabama. Despite softening up his commitment status, MIchigan is not one of his top schools. Florida, Florida State, and USC are his top non-Alabama suitors.

FL CB/S Jonathan Aiken currently favors Rutgers and Illinois.

Despite his commitment to Florida State, FL S Karlos Williams is still interested in a few schools, including MIchigan:

"I'm committed to FSU, but I'm still watching FSU, Miami, USC, Michigan, and Ohio State," he said. Karlos had previously stated that he may take some of his official visits, if the schools he's monitoring are having good seasons, and if he has the time.

Though he sounds likely to stick with FSU, the Wolverines' chnces will improve dramatically if he takes a visit to Ann Arbor.

LA CB Daren Kitchen is thinking about visiting for the Michigan State game ($, info in header). Though he doesn't hold an offer from the Wolverines yet, Michigan and Texas A&M are his top two.

The Distant Future. The Year 2012

Local fluff on FL OL Abraham "Nacho" Garcia, including a list of top schools:

"I'm looking at LSU, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan and UM. I've visited a lot of colleges. For right now, those are the top [ones]. So until I see other colleges that's how it's going to stay for a while."

He's' previously said SU leads for him, but there's plenty of time to sway him.

MIchigan is among the suitors for IL DT Vincent Valentine. He'll take his time making a decision (which means there's a looooooong way to go in his recruitment).

OH DE Chris Wormley visited Michigan for the UConn game ($, info in header), as did MI LB James Ross ($, info in header).