Hello From The Future: Giovanni El-Hadi
Michigan picked up their first commit of the 2021 class last night when instate lineman Giovanni El-Hadi pulled the trigger days after Michigan offered him. As per usual with very early commits, particularly on the OL, there's not a lot out there on him. What can be gathered follows.
GURU RATINGS
Rivals | ESPN | 247 | 247 Comp |
NR | NR | NR | NR |
Well that's simple then. El-Hadi will probably start getting rankings in the late summer when the first comprehensive 2021 lists start coming out.
[Hit THE JUMP for scouting, video, and the rest.]
SCOUTING
El-Hadi popped up out of nowhere, as kids who have just completed their sophomore year often do, when he attended a Rising Stars camp. Allen Trieu was present and picked El-Hadi out as the name to watch:
- The biggest emerger from the night was Utica (Mich.) Stevenson sophomore offensive tackle Giovanni El-Hadi. A 6-foot-6, 280-pound young prospect, he is very athletic, bends and re-directs well, and already shows good strength. He has no offers, but he seems like he will be a kid where we blink and he has several major offers.
Ding: a week later El-Hadi had five offers, including Penn State. A month later he's a Michigan commit. Trieu remains the only analyst to see him in person and put up a scouting report that's highly encouraging:
- Outstanding athlete. Elite-level bender with great flexibility and footwork. Re-directs and moves laterally very well. …
- Young, so still filling in and getting stronger, but did well against older players at the Rising Stars workout. Technique, leverage and size allow him to compete against top-level kids.
… -Great get for Michigan this early.
He's listed at 285, which is remarkable given the picture that leads this post, and should end up projecting to left tackle. He could be ready early in his career since he's probably going to enter at close to his ideal playing weight if he adds ~20 pounds over the course of the next two years.
OFFERS
Penn State, Iowa State, Purdue, and Indiana had already offered El-Hadi at this early stage.
HIGH SCHOOL
The Sterling Heights version of Stevenson sent Tom Berishaj to Michigan in 2002 and Carl Davis to Iowa in 2010.
STATS
Is OL.
FAKE 40 TIME
Is OL.
VIDEO
Sophomore:
The D Zone has clips from the camp performance that got his recruitment rolling:
PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE
Flimsy indeed this early but the instant offer trigger from a variety of Big Ten schools bodes well, as does El Hadi's height and weight. He'll probably be a top 5 instate prospect and is almost certain to be a four star of some variety.
UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS
El-Hadi is Michigan's first 2021 recruit, so the upshot is "good start, has no impact on any specific recruits."
March 20th, 2019 at 11:54 AM ^
Hard to believe he’s 285. I’m guessing 265-270, but he’s an incoming junior so it really doesn’t matter. Welcome Giovanni
March 20th, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^
Also hard to believe he's 6'6" from that photo next to Jim H. (who is 6'2"). Unless the coach was wearing his high-heeled cleat that day. And a full beard on a HS sophomore.
He is a legit 6'6". Saw him play basketball. He looked like he was 35 with two kids but he can definitely move. He is the real deal. (insert Mississippi State "Your a Baller")
To be fair, they correctly spelled it ("You're a baller").
As if Jim Harbaugh doesn't puff his chest out and try and look as tall as possible next to every OL recruit ever. The man loves to compete, whether it's football, checkers, or looking tall.
March 20th, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^
yeah who knows. i wouldve guessed like 6'4" 250 - regardless though he looks like a nice prospect at this point
plus if he's 285, Harbaugh is 290
Might well be.
My coworker's son was the QB for him this year and is 6'4/6'5 and he says his height is legit.
We were watching his film from the camp and were watching his hands stay low before he engaged. Is this a technique so the defenseman can't move you with your arms?
March 20th, 2019 at 12:21 PM ^
For guy his size (definitely not 280, but 260 seems more realistic at the moment), he is super athletic. His footwork could get better, but he's got huge upside. Sam Webb said this morning on WTKA that he will probably be a big time prospect when all said and done
March 20th, 2019 at 12:30 PM ^
the footwork is very nice, but watch his hands, they are every bit as good. like his center of gravity and strength, too. only a sophomore? looks like he's 25 yrs old. go blue.
March 20th, 2019 at 12:47 PM ^
Judging by the info and clip provided, he looks like a tall dude in shorts protecting a flag against really mediocre pass rushers. Hard to tell how he'll translate to the college game in about 5 years without journalists placing him on their 3-point scale of stars.
Game tape looks like he has a mean streak to add. He is almost always pancaking or driving some poor kid 20 yards down field. This was his first camp. I heard his family is newer to football and didn't know how important camps were to recruitment.
March 20th, 2019 at 12:59 PM ^
280-285? Is he made out of Owenu infinitely dense material? That number is shocking based on the picture; he looks built and muscular, without much bad weight, but not that big. Built more like a small forward than an offensive lineman. That said, good frame to bulk up , and sounds like a high upside prospect. Welcome aboard!
recent 247 article has him as 6'5.5" and 274 lbs. Seems like a measurement and accurate for sophomore OL.
I am not a scout but to my untrained eye he has the following strengths:
- he has a really low, bendy, athletic stance pre-snap
- he moves his feet really quickly yet far apart
- his arms are the last thing to participate in the block. it's all movement and stance and butt cheek power until he actually puts his hands out
overall, as far as I can tell, he has excellent technique and lower-body strength.
Agreed. He seems to have excellent footwork, which you don't often see in such young o-line prospects.
Welcome aboard. Go Blue!!!
Safe bet he'll be a 4*-5*.
I’m no recruiter but this young man looks like he is going to be a dude
That drill they show in the video -- where guys run at you and you try to keep them from touching the flag -- does that look like fun? I'm on the fence about it.
is fun. can get a bit chippy from time to time though.
Those drill suck ass as the OL. It's a no win situation.
Most awesomest name ever. Also, will be a 5*.
Despite the lack of stars, I approve of this commitment.
Welcome Giovanni. GO BLUE ?
Anytime you take an instate recruit this early on,it means they're gonna be good.
Lol 2021 means he was born in 2003. I'm not old enough to feel this old.
March 20th, 2019 at 10:13 PM ^
Welcome to the Michigan family, Giovanni!
You are going to love it here.
March 20th, 2019 at 10:32 PM ^
He looks better than a 4 star in that video..... crazy athletic. Looks better than any of the five star guys this year.
Has the looks of an early Dude. Crazy hips for his age, good feet too
Comments