Michigan Football picked up a new commitment this weekend from in-state RB target Cole Cabana. The Dexter native had both Michigan and MSU among his top suitors, so nailing down this commitment is a definite win for Jim Harbaugh and Mike Hart. Let's give him a proper Hello: 

GURU RATINGS

Last row is Seth's conversion to a five-star scale. Links are to profiles

ESPN is mailing it in again and haven't gotten around to rating Cabana. The other three services are in pretty much common agreement, between 3.74 and 4.00 in terms of Seth's five star scale. It is quite possible that Cabana is going to rise over the next year because he only just started entering the radar of national recruiting guys after his junior year tape began to be passed around. Dexter is not a school that gets scouted heavily, so I assume we'll learn a lot more about where Cabana fits nationally in the next 12 months once he goes to camps this summer and then plays his senior year. But for now, he's a solid 3.5* type player. 

[AFTER THE JUMP: A speedy dreadnaught!] 

SCOUTING 

24/7 has provided us with a pretty thorough bit of scouting, but the part that sticks out the most is an excerpt discussing how Cabana's combination of speed and agility will allow him to be a very versatile piece on offense: 

Constantly shows burst and acceleration where he splits defenses for chunk plays and big gainers. He is willing to run behind his pads and run between the tackles, doesn’t just try and use his speed and attack the edge. He has good agility to make you miss with solid elusiveness. Very good in the receiving game where he has soft hands either catching the ball out of the backfield or lining up in the slot. 

If you think that profile sounds reminiscent of a certain superstar white running back from recent NCAA football past, don't worry, Cabana's high school coach already has that comp ready to roll: 

When he sees that hole, he puts his foot in the dirt and gets north and south. You’re not going to catch him on the football field. His skillset as a pass catcher is equally as impressive. He’s the high school version of (Christian) McCaffrey. He can run, he can catch and he’s pretty explosive

Obvious that there's a good deal of hyperbole going on there because A) it's his HS coach and there's probably some inherent bias, and B) he coaches Dexter, which causes coaches to overrate players they see in a place where the level of competition isn't as high as a football hotbed like Southern California. All that said, the coach is correct in describing the fundamental the mold of player we're looking at, talent level be damned. Cabana is an all-purpose running back who prides himself on raw speed and elusiveness. 

Touch the Banner concurs on the topic of speed: 

The most obvious strength for Cabana is his speed. He has very good acceleration and top-end speed. The only time anyone really seems to track him down from behind on film is when he’s running through the muck of a rain-soaked and muddy field. When he’s on turf (Michigan plays on turf!), he’s explosive. Cabana has good short-area lateral quickness and can make people miss by putting pressure on them with his speed. 

The speed is real, although I will reserve any discussion over his measurement times until the FAKE 40 section. You may be asking whether Cabana is Just A Spedster, or if there is actual vision in his toolbox too. 247 says yes: 

He has very good vision that allows him to make sudden shallow jump cuts to get into creases and past defenders. 

So if he's fast and sees the field well, what's the catch? Pretty predictable for a barely six foot speed demon: strength/physicality. The first note on the 247 scouting report is "can add another 10 to 15 pounds" and TTB is pretty direct in pointing out what elements of the game are missing from Cabana's profile: 

Cabana does not play with much power and does not drive his feet after contact. Especially if he gets his shoulder turned, he struggles to break tackles ...  I also do not see a great willingness to step up and help out in pass protection. Overall, I think Cabana is a pretty classic case of a finesse type of running back, a guy who can run real fast but will struggle with the physical aspects of the game. 

Hassan Haskins, Cabana is not. He's much more in the Blake Corum or (even moreso) Donovan Edwards mold. 

OFFERS

Cabana was just in the process of blowing up when he started to accelerate his commitment process, so the list of offers is not crazy impressive at this time. Michigan and Michigan State were the two primary suitors, but he also held P5 offers from BC, Kansas, Louisville, Pitt, Purdue, Syracuse, and WV, as well as Cincy, which isn't P5, but if we're being frank is a more meaningful offer than at least half the teams I just listed. There were also a handful of MAC offers too. 

HIGH SCHOOL 

As noted, Cabana plays at Dexter High School in Washtenaw County. The Dreadnaughts were horrendous when your author was in high school (2013-2017), winning one (1) game over that four year span (!!!). The team rapidly improved in 2018 and has become respectable, but is far from any sort of powerhouse. They went 5-5 in 2021, 4-3 in the league with a loss to Battle Creek's Lakeview in the playoffs. Dexter competes in Division 2 of MHSAA, but they are not known for being a terribly talent rich program. Cabana claims to have set seven school records, which feels very believable given the track record of Dexter as a football school. 

STATS 

As a junior in the 2021 season, Cabana rushed for 1,688 yards and 24 TDs, in addition to 32 receptions for 368 yards and four scores. 

FAKE 40 TIME 

Cabana reports a 4.34 on his Hudl page, which was reportedly laser timed at a Rising Stars camp, and the Dexter coach quoted in the scouting section reiterates the 4.3 time. There's also reports of a 4.44 time floating around from a West Virginia camp he attended. Everyone agrees Cabana's very fast, which has been the case since before he entered high school, but what his exact 40 time is seems to be a bit of a dispute. I would say it's probably closer to the 4.4 than the 4.3 but we're splitting hairs here. 

VIDEO 

Here's Cabana's junior year tape, which is what started to get him interest from major college programs: 

Zach Libby of Rivals got to see Cabana doing some drills at a recent event, with some footage here: 

Impressive lower body and quick off the whistle. 2023 APB Cole Cabana (@colecabana) is built to play early. @MaizeBlueReview pic.twitter.com/hWn9YXqgkI

— Zach Libby (@ZachLibby) January 17, 2022

ETC 

Attended a 2016 clinic (when Cabana was 11) run by JH and JH actually tweeted at the time that Cabana was the fastest "youngster" at the clinic. Grew up an MSU fan and was offered by the Spartans first, before being swayed by Michigan after the offer in mid-January. Hart led the recruitment. BFF with fellow 2023 Michigan commit (and Huron kicker) Adam Samaha. Also competes in track and field for Dexter. Boasts a 10.69 time in the 100 meter dash.

PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE 

There are a few pretty obvious Michigan comps here for Cabana. Donovan Edwards and Chris Evans fit stylistically, with Cabana being much closer to Evans in terms of caliber of recruit as opposed to the 4.5* Edwards. Both were/are multi-purpose backs, although we didn't see Evans used properly during his Michigan career (damn you, Pep/Drevno/Gattis/Harbaugh!).  Another comparable player is Drake Johnson, who fits the mold of "local speedster" that Cabana inhabits to a tee, though Johnson's career arc is probably not what Cabana wants to emulate. 

Gattis may be gone, but Cabana is a very good fit for the #SpeedInSpace offense. He's a lightning quick running back with lots of potential to be used as a rusher outside the tackles and a receiver out of the slot/in the screen game. The big question is whether he can be a rusher between the tackles. Part of that will require some degree of a body transformation once he arrives in Ann Arbor, but I can totally see him being used as a gadget piece to do end arounds as a true freshman. Speed plays at any level. 

Cabana will arrive in fall 2023. Corum will likely be off to the NFL by then but Edwards/Dunlap will be leading the RB room, with CJ Stokes as the third back with experience and as we discuss below, Cabana will very likely be coming into UM with a fellow RB recruit next to him. Cabana's services won't be needed right away and they can let him grow to be more than just a speed demon. Let him simmer a year and then see what you have beginning in 2024, because Michigan wants to avoid the scenario where Cabana tops out as a gadget RB who can't be trusted to carry a heavy load.  

UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS 

Michigan is looking to take two RBs in the 2023 class. Cabana is a good first back to take because he has one dynamite raw skill and now you'd love to find a way to pair him with an RB who is perhaps a bit burlier and also more of a blue chip prospect. Michigan is after a bunch of other high 4*/5* types which will require longer and more strenuous recruitments, but they got a good catch in their backyard to establish a foothold in the 2023 class, which is a win. Cabana is now the fifth commit in the 2023 class and the third on offense, joining TE Andrew Rappleyea and WR Semaj Morgan.