2010 Michigan Football Recruiting Board

Be sure to read the official mgoblog recruiting philosophy before committing suicide over anything you read here.

A Note on "Stars": These are my guesstimates. Players don't have stars associated with them yet. When the recruiting services add them I'll adjust my ratings. Half-stars appear to provide some additional accuracy. Generally a 4.5 star is a guy solidly in the top 100 on Scout/Rivals/ESPN and really highly rated by one. A 3.5 star is either a guy who is is a 3 on one site and a 4 on the other or a four-star that no one seems particularly excited about.

A Note on Premium Info: No illicit sharing of said material will appear on this site. Players are listed with interested schools in their profiles; this information is public. Commitments are by definition public. Any assertions as to schools in the mix, decision dates, or leaders I will back up with links to public information.

Projected Class Size:

Total: Michigan has 17 to give right now and will probably see that swell to around 20 with normal attrition. More detail on the scholarship situation can be found at the depth chart by class.

The Board

Legend:

Icon	Name	Meaning
	Sad Josh	The genre of player with unrequited interest in Michigan. Unlikely to receive offers; most will eventually fade off the list and go to Duke or Michigan State or something.
	Nefarious Eduardo	Player is a longshot. Either they've declared someone else a leader publicly or popular opinion holds that they're likely to go to another school.
	Data	Either no opinion or Michigan is one of a fairly even group of chasing schools. Players in this category maintain no leader or change their leader frequently. The default category for players that we don't know much about yet.
	Happy Teeth	Players who have Michigan in a small leading group or have Michigan as a tenuous favorite. Should be regarded as a good shot, not a slam dunk.
	Mr. Blue	Player is either a verbal or is expected to be one sooner or later. Players with this designation are 65%+ to be Michigan commits.

Additional note: (EE) next to a Michigan commit indicates the player intends to enroll early.

Quarterback

Needs: Major. Steven Threet's transfer leaves Michigan with two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster, which is one more than last year if you discount the Coner (and you should) but still dangerously short. Michigan is already pursuing a half-dozen prospects heavily and will definitely take two. They'd probably take three if they could get three.

Status: Michigan has a half-dozen offers out and looks good for a couple of guys you'd like to see as the second QB in the class. Devin Gardner is the big fish, and he's kept it close to the vest outside of very publicly dropping Ohio State.

Projected Commits: 2.

Quarterback

Commitments
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Devin Gardner	MI	****.5	Michigan (EE)		Inkster(Cam Gordon). Dropped OSU recently. Preliminary top prospect in state. Commit article. Highlights. Helmholdt article. "Ideal fit." Webb article. More highlights. Combine MVP. Yet more highlights. Faces off with Bolden, Boisture. Another article on that. Nike Combine one. Interview. Runnin' video. Smokin' it at camps. 7-on-7 video. More camp video. Lemming eeeee. Elite 11. Elite 11 performance reviews: one two three four. E11 awards. Interview. Freep fluff, featuring photo gallery. Lemming's #1 combo-passer. Likes Tate's game. Willing to compete for playing time. Not wavering.
Conelius Jones	SC	***	Michigan		M his first big offer. Will wait for Signing Day. Recruited as ATH. M still leads. Commit article. Fake 40 here. Fluff. Video. Rivals AMP video.
Offered Prospects
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Unoffered Prospects
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes

Running Back / Fullback

Needs: Major. Three players graduate this year and two transfers have stripped the depth considerably. There were three commits in the last class, but no blue-chippers. Michigan doesn't need a ton of quantity but one OMG shirtless recruit would be good.

Michigan might be in the market for a fullback, too. Rodriguez used Mark Moundros extensively last year and by the time this class arrives he'll be a senior. Vince Helmuth got moved to defense, so there's no heir apparent. Michigan might try to find a thick-necked walk-on to fill the spot (Moundros was a walk-on), but if they find a fullback sort who they like enough to offer you might see one in the class.

Status: Michigan has chucked a ton of offers out and is now waiting to see who sniffs at the bait. It's of note that they appear to be targeting some pounders this year.

Projected Commits: 2 RB, 1 FB.

Commitments
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Tony Drake	TX	***	Michigan		Dallas Skyline. Scout article. Commit article. MGoBlog on Drake. Good day at combine. Lemming's #25 tailback-slotback.
Stephen Hopkins	TX	***.5	Michigan (EE)		Offer. TomVH interview. Michigan leads. Commit article. Board poster talked to him. Best RB in North Dallas-Fort Worth? Lemming's #6 big back.
Austin White	MI	****	Michigan		Two brothers at MSU; some disciplinary issues; may or may not get heavily recruited by the instate powers because of it. Offer. ESPN article. Offered by LSU. Combine MVP. "Heavy" M lean. Indiana offer. Highlights. Commit article. Athlon profile. Interview. Lemming's #23 tailback-slotback.
Offered Prospects
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Brennan Clay	CA	****	Oklahoma, Oregon, M		Scripps Ranch (Tate Forcier). Michigan trails various West Coast schools. Tate working him though. More positive Helmholdt article. Argh WTF make your mind up. Many offers. Visiting for EMU. Michigan lead(?!?) Likes Rod Smith. Webb article. Oklahoma commit? Seems like the OU commitment will stick. He's not long for this board. Until he decides to take a Michigan official.
Brandon Gainer	FL	****	M, FSU, UGA, Tenn		Michigan top two.
Cassius McDowell	FL	***.5	M leads WVU, Miami, Florida		Deerfield Beach (Witty, Robinson). SoFlaFootball. Broke fibula, now waiting. Will visit M. Video.
Jamaal Jackson	DE	***	M lead		Offer. Things cooling off. Sort of doubt he could actually commit.
Unoffered Prospects
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Demetrus Johnson	OH	***	M, UNC, LSU, others		FB prospect; ATH LB. Teammate of OH DE Derrick Bryant.
Corvin Lamb	FL	***	LSU leads Miami, M, WVU, Ole Miss.		Supposedly was very pro-M at the Army combine (at which he was All-Combine). BP thread. Offer. Rivals AMP. Scout article. Article.

Wide Receiver

Needs: Moderate. Michigan picked up Je'Ron Stokes late and Jeremy Gallon early, filling holes on the outside and at slot. Cameron Gordon also signed up, though he may get moved to linebacker. But the spread requires at least three WRs at all times and the talent level at WR is still pretty low.

Status: Miller, Jackson, and Robinson are an excellent trio on the outside; they're still looking for a slot. And they're still recruiting a number of other outside WRs; acquiring one might mean Robinson ends up a safety.

Projected Commits: 3… well, four, I guess, since they've already got three and don't appear to be done.

Wide Receiver

Commitments
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Ricardo Miller	FL	****	Michigan (EE)		Ninja awesome. Interview. Moving to MI this fall. Rivals AMP. More fluff on the move. Brief interview. Lemming's #13 wideout.
Jeremy Jackson	MI	***.5	Michigan		Son of RB coach Fred Jackson. Florida and LSU offers. Some youtubery. Changing HS positions? Lemming's #19 wideout.
Jerald Robinson	OH	***.5	Michigan (EE)		ATH S. TomVH interview. SI blurb. BP thread. Video. Offer article. Video interview. Picked up a bunch of offers. Scouting report.
DJ Williamson	OH	***	Michigan		Offer. Manningham fan. Video. Lifelong M fan. Commit article. Fast 100 time. Track ninja. OH 100M champ as junior. Scouting report. Had ankle surgery.
Drew Dileo	LA	***	Michigan		Offer(?!). Slot guy. MGoBlog on Dileo. Jim Stefani on Dileo. Freep article; commit article. Tiger Rag rankings. Fluff. More fluff.
Offered Prospects
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Kenny Stills	CA	****			Considering Mich. Maybe taking an official? Yes, official for the OSU game.
Kenny Shaw	FL	****	FSU leads M		Teammate of Ricardo Miller. A slot guy. Offer. Interview. Highlights. M and FSU out front; offers from the big 3 instate(!) FSU pulling ahead? Yep. Camp MVP. Still heavy FSU lean but will wait it out. Might take official. Official for OSU game.
Prospects
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Nick Jones	SC	***	SoCar leads PSU, M		Offer. Byrnes (Lattimore).

Tight End

Needs: Minimal? Michigan didn't pick anyone up last year but has four underclassmen in Kevin Koger, Steve Watson, Martell Webb (all sophomores) and Brandon Moore (a redshirt freshman). They might take a guy this year, or they might not.

Status: Eh.

Projected Commits: 0.

Tight End

Offered Prospects
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Alex Smith	OH	****	Cincinnati, M, SoCar, others		Offer. Video. Committed to Cincinnati, but what the hell he's the only TE so let's leave him on the board. BBQ visit and now visiting other places. Officially decommitted. ESPN article. Has favorites. M fading. Cincy decommit, decision soon.
Unoffered Prospects
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes

Offensive Line

Needs: Moderate. Michigan will have nine freshmen on campus this fall, but Moosman, Ortmann, and McAvoy graduate and Michigan should endeavor to keep the numbers on the line at about the current level. Two or three are likely; only one tackle is needed so there might be a slight emphasis on the interior.

Status: They're being considerably pickier with the offers here; with no slam-dunk sorts in-state there aren't a whole lot of guys high on the radar yet.

Projected Commits: 3-4.

Commitments
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Christian Pace	OH	***.5	Michigan (EE)		Offer. Rivals AMP. Interior prospect. "Very interested." BBQ visitor. Freep article. Great AMP video. Early enroller. Fluff. Lemming's #20 guard.
Offered Prospects
Seantrel Henderson	MN	*****	M, OSU, MN, USC, UF, others		Offer. #1 national prospect. Visited. Especially impressed. Will visit officially. Article. Webb article. Not narrowing it down soon. Fluff. Rivals AMP. Farrell speculates. Down to 10-ish. Trieu article. Gopher tracking. Officials not to include M? UF, OSU, USC lead? OSU, USC lead? Fluff. Dad says it's Seantrel's decision. Local fluff. Tim Brewster GETS TO THA CHOPPA to visit him. Needs to focus on academics. Maybe he's too nice to tell Michigan to get lost? Post-OSU visit fluff. Enjoyed visit to Columbus.
Torrian Wilson	FL	****	Stanford, M, Miami, Bama.		Probably favors Miami. Michigan involved. RP thread. Video. Rivals AMP. Visited for spring game, says M leads(!?!). Reiterates M lead. Tenn article. Miami back in. Drops Tenn for FIU. lolz. Wait WTF? Stanford commit, What the hell?
Skyler Schofner	OH	***	open		Impressive combine performance. Offer. OSU visit didn't come off. Kansas fluff. Scout article.
Matt James	OH	***	OSU, ND, Cinci lead		Offer. AMP video. Dad played for Cinci.
Jake Kaufman	NJ	***	open		Offer.
Arie Kouandjio	MD	****	M, PSU, others.		DeMatha. Kid brother is bigtime 2011 OL prospect. Article. OSU offer. M not in top 8.
Prospects
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Jarhaur Jackson	MI	***	M leads.		Inkster (Gardner, Gordon). No offers yet.
Andrew Schofield	IL	***	open		Brother of 2009 OT commit Mike Schofield.

Defensive Tackle

Needs: High. No one graduates but there are just four DTs on the roster, one of them a converted fullback.

Status: Yikes. Hankins is a guy who grew up an M fan but may or may not end up offered; other than that the board is bare. It's a bad year for DTs.

Projected Commits: 2.

Committed Prospects
Terry Talbott	OH	***	M, MSU, UW,UCLA, OSU		Offer. Scouting Ohio video. Possible OSU offer coming? Not close to a decision. Scout article. Visited unofficially. Tom VH interview. Visit reaction.
Offered Prospects
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Sharrif Floyd	PA	****.5	PSU, BC, M, others		Offer. No mention in this article. Good combine performance. MaxPreps article. Interview. Florida offer. Rivals AMP. M top 6. BC and PSU are 2 of 3 officials. Likes Michigan (video interview). Shaking up visit plans. Still considering M. Florida, UNC, PSU, SoCar, and USC visits.
Richard Ash	FL	****	UF leads FSU, Miami, M, others		Offer. Pahokee. Likely to stay in state. Speculation is UF leads. Webb on Pahokee. Visiting for OSU game.
Louis Nix	FL	****	Miami, UF, FSU, ND, others including M		Michigan recruiting him but 1) soft Miami commit and 2) Michigan "may be" in contention for his last official visit. No idea why I even bothered to put him on the board. Wavering from Miami, considering an M visit.
Mike Thornton	GA	***	M, UGA, GT, Aub, others		Offer. Official visit.
Beau Allen	MN	***	Minn, ND, UCLA, M, others.		Receives a Michigan offer. Receptive to Michigan's overtures, but are the Wolverines too late?
Prospects
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Jonathan Hankins	MI	***	M, OSU, OK		Detroit Southeastern (Gholston). BP thread. Video. Florida offer? Fluff article. Childhood M fan. OSU offer($). Illinois combine. Camped… but didn't get his offer. M not in top 4.

Defensive End

Needs: High. Michigan picked up two last year to replace an outgoing two; they'll need two again with Brandon Graham and Greg Banks on their way out.

Status: Michigan looks good for OH DE Derrick Bryant and is chucking out offers to national prospects otherwise.

Projected Commits: 3.

Defensive Ends

Commitments
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Ken Wilkins	PA	***.5	Michigan		Offer. Up to 27 offers now. Deciding soon between M and Pitt. TomVH interview; second one. MGoBlog on Wilkins. Helmholdt commit article; local commit articles. More commit articles.
Jordan Paskorz	PA	***	Michigan		Offer. Older brother @ ND. Commit article.
Offered Prospects
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Wayne Dorsey	MS	****	M, UGA, Miss, others.		JUCO. Offer(?).
David Perry	FL	***	M, Bama, UF, others		Michigan in pursuit.
Clarence Murphy	FL	***	M, Wisconsin, Maryland, FIU		Teammate of CB prospect Tony Grimes. M offers. They're near the top of his list. OSU game visit.
Prospects
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Tremondae Branch	MI	***	M, LSU, others		No offers yet. Article.

Linebacker

Needs: Michigan picked up three outside linebackers and maybe a fourth depending on the final disposition of MI WR Cameron Gordon, but middle linebacker went unfilled and will be a priority.

Status: the most prominent target right now is TX MLB Caleb Lavey, who's already got offers from Oklahoma and most of the rest of the Big 12.

Projected Commits: 2.

Commitments
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Antonio Kinard	OH	***	Michigan		Youngstown Liberty (Bell, Toussaint). Offer. BP thread. Video. Article. MGoBlog on Kinard. Vindy profile. Deathbacking? Lemming's #24 inside 'backer.
Offered Prospects
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Josh Furman	MD	****	M, OK, UCLA, VT, MD		ATH S, WR. Offer. Did well at camp. WVU interested. Scout article. Blowin' up. Will visit M officially. Webb says M is in a good spot. Visiting M for ND game. Visit confirmed. Furman-as-RB fluff. ND visit. Might decide in October. M-ND visitor.
Justin Wilson	FL	***	open		Offer.
Prospects
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Austin Gray	MI	***.5	Iowa, M, MSU		Supposedly a longtime M fan. Iowa commit.
Jewone Snow	OH	***	open		Son of Garland Rivers. Plans return visit. Doesn't seem likely to get offered. Visited MSU for the M game.
Ishmael Thomas	MI	***	IU, MAC, others		Detroit Ren.

Cornerback

Needs: High. Two corners in last year's class but one might end up at safety and the other was a two-star.

Status: Fortunately, Michigan looks to be in good shape with four different prospects, two of whom have declared Michigan their outright leader.

Projected Commits: 2.

Commitments
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Courtney Avery	OH	***	Michigan		Stanford decommit got camp offer. MGoBlog on Avery. Commit article. Another one, another one.
Terrence Talbott	OH	***	open		Offer(?) [ed: no]. Brother of Terry Talbott. Now offered. Wants to go to school with brother. Visit and offer ">">reactions.
Offered Prospects
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Cullen Christian	PA	****	M leads Ill, Minn, Pitt		Offer. Ifill's teammate. Video; part 2. Webb article. UCLA offer. M at 85%. M still leading. Moved into the Rivals 100. M still leads. Likes Michigan still. Will only visit M and UCLA. September visit with teammate Ifill. Still favors M.
Dior Mathis	MI	****	M, Miami, MSU, OSU, USC, UF		Offer. Cass Tech (Jones, Campbell, etc). BP thread. Sam Webb article. M prohibitive favorite? Plans visits. M team to beat. Oregon and MSU on top, Michigan and MIami trailing.
Rashad Knight	FL	****	M leads Ill, UL, GT		Offer. M leads. More on M lead. TomVH interview. OSU Game visit.
Tony Grimes	FL	***	Miss, Wisc, M		Offer. Highlights. Miami lead? Sun-Sentinel article. Fluff. Plans official. Michigan "tough to beat"!? Rivals AMP. Still likes M, as do two of his teammates. Final 3 of M, Wisconsin, Ole Miss. OSU Game visit.
John Fulton	SC	*****	SoCar, FSU, M, others		Likely to stay in the South. Considering M.
Travis Williams	FL	***	Michigan heavy lead		Offer. Committed? TSN thinks so. Long time, no hear from.
Prospects
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Jeremy Davis	FL	***	open		M in pursuit($).
TC Robinson	FL	***	M leads		Cousin of Marvin Robinson. Much interest, no offers.

Safety

Needs: Moderate. Two in the last class and only one outgoing this year.

Status: Hopefully Marvin Robinson doesn't do a 180—though at this point it would be a 170 or so—and leave us hanging; get him and picking up one other good prospect probably won't be too hard.

Projected Commits: 2.

Safety

Commits
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Marvin Robinson	FL	****.5	Michigan (EE)		BP thread; OSU fans are still resigned that he will commit to M. UNC supposed to be coming on. M still leads. Has reconfigured his list; Michigan still leads. Foregone conclusion. Rivals AMP. "Stood out." Highlights. Lemming's #4 safety.
Carvin Johnson	LA	**.5	Michigan		Commitment post.
Offered Prospects
Name	State	Stars	Schools	Y/N	Notes
Sean Parker	CA	****	M, ND, others		Offer. Planning officials to M and ND.
LaTwan Anderson	OH	****	M, MSU, WVU lead		Offer. BP thread. Transferring schools… to Glenville. Rivals AMP. 7-on-7 video. OSU offer not coming? WVU lead. Some video. The best, according to him. Receives the OSU offer he wanted.
Dietrich Riley	CA	****	USC, UCLA, M, others		Offer. ATH RB. TomVH interview. Likes Michigan. Options and such. Didn't verbal to UT, duh. Big performance at Rising Stars. Will visit M. Still plans a Michigan visit.
Marquis Flowers	AZ	****	M, UCLA, USC, ASU, Arizona		Offer. Army AA. Skipped Rising Stars; will take visits.
Lorenzo Waters	MD	***	Wake slight lead		Offer. Dematha.
Michael Coley	MD	***	open		Offer. Dematha. (Not typos: all three are from the same HS)
Bobby Swigert	OH	***	Wisc, Neb, UL, M, BC, others		Offer. Scouting Ohio video. Many, many wrong instances of his name here. Scout article. Michigan in his final 4.
Ray Vinopal	OH	***	M, MAC school offers, other interest.		M Offers.

Kickers

Needs: Zoltan the Inconceivable graduates, so Michigan will be in the market for a punter if they don't have any walk-ons they think can handle the job. Freshman Brendan Gibbons will take over the kicker duties, so they should be set there.

Projected commits: 1 punter.

Projected Commits: 0, though if someone wants to walk on they'll take him.

A reminder: the Star Scale for Rumor Credibility.

• 0-star: incoherent ravings.
• 1-star: clearly biased speculation without backing.
• 2-star: Some guy saying something on some board that claims insider info due to a chance occurence.
• 3-star: Information from someone less established as an insider but a frequent poster who seems sane and useful.
• 4-star: recognized insider-type person with no ax to grind who has established his bonafides on past recruits.
• 5-star: actually verified by an article and a quote from the player, a family member, or a coach.

So. Cutoff is two stars... sometimes three. Played by feel. In the future there will be denotations as follows:

UV: the information in sum(star rating).

Links will be provided so you can judge for yourself; posts that will fall into the memory hole will be copied for posterity.