Hello: Matt Wile
Extremely positive articles over the past week leave this as no surprise, but Michigan has gained a commitment from CA K Matt Wile following his official visit to Ann Arbor.
INFORMATIVE PORTION
GURU RATINGS
Scout | Rivals | ESPN |
---|---|---|
NR K | 2*, 5.3, NR K | 2*, 73, #44 K |
Wile is a bit more under-the-radar than Michigan's previous few options at kicker; ESPN calls him the #44 kicker in the nation, while the other two services place him outside their "top kickers" rankings (Rivals ranks 20 and Scout only 11). ESPN on his game:
He has a field goal approach that is repeatable. The ball jumps off his foot and he has a smooth rhythm. He does need to finish down field more on his FG at times. There are times where he pivots and comes across his body slightly. His kick offs are solid for a high school kicker. He generally drives the ball into the endzone and gives his team good hang-time to run underneath his kicks... Matt should be able compete early in college.
So: reasonably strong leg, needs to refine technique to make sure his kicks are accurate. With excellent size (6-2, 200) he is also a big, athletic prospect who played several sports growing up. His coach talked up that leg strength to Sam Webb:
"I think he went to Northwestern camp this past summer and hit a 63 (-yarder) off the ground, and he did it again in San Antonio for the Army All American game just this two weeks ago. He hit a 58 off the ground. I've got some film of him putting kickoffs through the goalposts from the 40 off a 1-inch tee when he was a sophomore in high school."
He's been training in field goals without a tee (college-style) for the past two or three years, so the transition will hopefully be a smooth one. Wile kicked in the Army All-American Game, so he has been recognized by at least somebody as a top prospect:
Wile is a versatile player who could kick or punt equally well in college. He could see the field as a freshman due to his strong leg on kickoffs. Wile’s mechanics on field goals are picture-perfect, leading to consistent results.
All services mention that he's a candidate to punt at the next level as well (which is what he did in the Army Game), so as a senior or redshirt junior, he could replace Will Hagerup.
He is not listed on Chris Sailer's recruits list.
OFFERS
Rivals lists offers from Air Force, San Diego State, and Washington in addition to Michigan. Michigan's current staff offered him at SDSU, which makes sense as he's a local recruit for them. He also has a greyshirt offer from Washington.
He was planning to visit Nebraska next weekend ($, info in header), and he was likely to be offered by the Huskers at that time. However, the opportunity to be a 5th-generation(!) Michigan student was too much to pass up - although he hadn't planned to commit on the visit.
STATS
The Army website has junior stats:
Wile’s kickoffs ended in touchbacks an astounding 89 percent of the time in 2009, including four that went through the uprights. He also converted on 9 of his 12 field goal attempts, with a long of 48 yards. Wile also serves as his school’s punter, showing good consistency while averaging 42 yards per punt.
So there's that.
FAKE 40 TIME
Matt is a kicker, and therefore 40 times are irrelevant. I couldn't find one online anyway, though ESPN hints that he's good covering kickoffs. I give five FAKEs out of five.
VIDEO
Highlights (yes, kickers with highlight videos -- this is our world):
PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE
Michigan's pursuit of Wile shows that the coaching staff is not confident in Brendan Gibbons and Seth Broekhuizen going forward. This means that Wile is likely to start as a true freshman, and probably to be a four-year starter. However, if he can't beat out Gibbons or Broekhuizen as a freshman, he could redshirt then start for the following four years.
As a capable punter (mentioned above), he could also punt once Will Hagerup graduates. That means there's a possibility he punts as a senior or a redshirt junior.
UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS
The kicker is here! Since this was a position of need, the spot was almost certain to be filled, so it's already been accounted for in the commitment breakdown. Michigan still needs a defensive tackle, a safety, and a quarterback.
Any unused spots will either go to newly emerging prospects, or be banked for the excellent midwest class of 2012.
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:30 PM ^
Please
January 23rd, 2011 at 1:50 PM ^
.
yes
.
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:31 PM ^
Hoke is getting these guys in here at a rate i didnt think was possible. He really seems to get these guys attentions.
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:59 PM ^
Commit-a-minute Hoke, spiritual son of Point-a-minute Yost!
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:33 PM ^
If it were down to Wile or Dee, I'd go with Wile. Thank god for this kid.
Additionally: I think we still need a linebacker, no?
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:33 PM ^
Well like Tim said this isn't exactly a surprise, but it's certainly good news as a kicker was definitely needed. Welcome Matt!
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:33 PM ^
I think HS football should eliminate the tee to help these kids prepare for college. Is this a bad idea?
Welcome aboard Matt and thanks for practicing without a tee these past couple of years
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:34 PM ^
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:02 PM ^
Hell, Michigan (48169) Conditions & Forecast : Weather UndergroundGet Your Weather Sticker! Hell, MI. 15.0 °F. Haze. at 1:20 AM EST.
January 23rd, 2011 at 9:40 AM ^
Feels Like: 1° | ||||
Wind Chill: | 1° | Ceiling: | Unl | |
Heat Index: | 1° | Visibility: | 10mi | |
Dew Point: | 0° |
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:07 PM ^
Is this a record? We need an official MGoBlog record book. Most "Hello" posts in a row, most front page posts in a day, etc.
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:34 PM ^
In regards to our rapid recruiting pace, you might want to go ahead and start a Hello: Stefan McClure and Hello: Leilon Willingham post. You're doing an excellent job but I was just offering my opinion.
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:34 PM ^
Matt,
Very soon you will find out why the previous 4 generations of Wile's have attended the University of Michigan. Welcome!!!
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:38 PM ^
It is flat out astounding that four previous generations of his family attended U of M Medical School. And to think I thought being a 3rd generation Wolverine was impressive.
January 23rd, 2011 at 1:51 PM ^
Four generations, huh? That's pretty godlike, getting in to U of M medical is not easy.
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:38 PM ^
...about a kicker. Prayers answered!
January 23rd, 2011 at 9:42 AM ^
we're not quite through with this class yet.
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:39 PM ^
Welcome to Michigan Matt
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:39 PM ^
"Or as a redshirt junior." Ha, ha Tim you slay me! "Redshirt." I have to remember that one.
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:44 PM ^
I do love Kate Beckinsale.
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:40 PM ^
Thank you, Sir! May I have another?
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:41 PM ^
Welcome to the greatest football program in the country.
January 22nd, 2011 at 8:08 PM ^
What a nice play on words. Thank you.
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:43 PM ^
I know he is not ranked very high but doenst his selection to the Army All-American game give us a pretty good indicator of how good he really is? or maybe that doesnt tell us anything at all...?
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:15 PM ^
Beats me. Kickers are baffling. Which is baffling, since you'd think they'd be pretty easy to judge. They're the only players whose talent is 100 percent quantifiable.
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:49 PM ^
videos. He can kick. does it matter if he is a 5* or a 3*? As long has he can make a 50 yarder every single time is all that matters.
January 22nd, 2011 at 8:03 PM ^
5* kicker, that's rich.
January 23rd, 2011 at 1:54 PM ^
5* kickers can make field goals from inside their own 20 to the goal on the opposite end of the field. They have a >80% success rate with onside kicks (min. 10 attempts), and punting average is >50 yards. Oh yeah, and they have 6.0 GPAs.
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:44 PM ^
Anybody know why a kid not rated among the nation's top kickers played in the Army all-star game? How could he be both under-the-radar and coveted?
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:46 PM ^
Participants are selected by the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Committee, which consists of All American Games’ network of regional directors, Rivals.com and Tom Lemming. So since Rivals.com doesn't have him rated highly it must be either Lemming or the regional directors.
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:45 PM ^
Commit count! 1, 2, 3! We want, mooooooooooore commits!
January 22nd, 2011 at 8:14 PM ^
we want mooooooore of that too. +1 to you good sir.
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:45 PM ^
It's pretty awesome that he's playing against a team with exact Michigan helmets/jerseys in that video. Good to see the reach of our program.
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:48 PM ^
our unis are being used in seveal colleges and high schools.
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:56 PM ^
So hopefully we can retire our refrains of "STOP KICKING THE DAMN BALL"
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:57 PM ^
....hopefully Matt Wile will sign on to MGoBlog as "5thGenerationBlue".
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:02 PM ^
Another Hayden Epstein.
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:47 PM ^
powerful leg.
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:04 PM ^
ah the memories...
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:08 PM ^
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:10 PM ^
I shall have another one for this recruit. Awesome weekend thus far!
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:11 PM ^
And welcome, Matt.
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:56 PM ^
keep'em coming
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:54 PM ^
Thomas will make his decision on the 31st.
January 23rd, 2011 at 1:56 PM ^
Justice Hayes = M-Hero. If you're out there man, thanks for all your hard work and we look forward to seeing you in uniform.
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:17 PM ^
More commit tweeds from Justice this weekend?
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:24 PM ^
Matt,he hit a 63 yard field goal twice?I am seeing field goals going in from any where.GO BLUE!!!
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