Hello: Demar Dorsey Comment Count

Tim

You think we'd let one of the more controversial Wolverines in recent history go without getting the full treatment? Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to meet speed-demon, head-hunter, swag-dancer Demar Dorsey.

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GURU RATINGS

Scout Rivals ESPN
4*, #19 S, #203 overall 4*, #13 S, #162 Overall 5*, 85, #2 S, #12 Overall

Dorsey burst onto the scene when he blew up as a junior at the Under Armor combine:

Despite being committed to Florida for more than two months, little else was known about the 6-foot-1, 175-pound prospect.

That all changed with his appearance at the combine. Dorsey wowed observers by first running a 4.31-second 40-yard dash before bettering that on his second attempt with an unbelievable 4.25. The ultra-athletic junior also vertical jumped 39.5 inches, recorded a 4.1-second shuttle and broad jumped 10 feet 1 inch to show that his abilities stretch far beyond just speed.

Those testing numbers are très impressionnant, and Dorsey was tabbed as a future star. The Palm Beach Post certainly thought so:

Rivals and Scout have not yet released their 2010 prospect rankings, but expect Matt Elam, Demar Dorsey and Dowling to be five-star prospects.


Miami Herald ranked him #9 in Broward County before the summer of his senior year, and bestowed some praise upon him:

Having watched this gifted athlete play a number of times, you continue to see why some schools like him as a safety, while others love his speed and cover skills enough to put him at the corner position.

Same thing as everyone else.

In case you were wondering why ESPN thinks he's the #12 player - at any position - in the country, check out their evaluation of Dorsey, which is positively glowing:

Dorsey is a remarkable athlete that has a great combination of athleticism and toughness.

As a defensive back he is the entire package; a great blend of skill and natural talent. Very fast on run support with excellent closing speed. Gets to the ball carrier in a hurry and delivers the wood when he hits. Really explodes on contact and drives the legs throughout he tackle; really punishes the ball carrier.

So, yeah, it's fair to see, with an evaluation like this, why ESPN considered him the #12 prospect in the nation. They love the kid, and can't say enough positive things about him. They even mention that he'd be an excellent player on the other side of the ball, as well.

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For those questioning his speed, he ran a 10.60-second 100m dash at a track meet as a junior, finishing second only to some guy you may have heard of, who just so happens to be his cousin*:

"I was kind of disappointed in myself to run a 10.44, but I will accept that,'' [Denard] Robinson said. "Running the No. 2 time in the nation is pretty good. I was trying to run a 10.3, but there was strong wind. I'm working harder on it and expect to hit a 10.3 by states.''

Boyd Anderson's Demar Dorsey finished second in 10.60.

That's speed to burn, folks, and he's shown it translates to the football field. He would go on to run a 10.55 time later in the year.

Early in the process (and apparently late in it as well, according to Rich Rodriguez), Dorsey was thought of primarily as a corner, who may be able to move to safety in the future.

Dorsey’s speed has coaches everywhere drooling. His coverage skills may be a little raw, but scouts believe he has the ability to play safety if he bulks up a little. Dorsey also had offers from FSU, Miami, UNC, and Wisconsin.

SoFlaFootball took in some 7-on-7 action by Dorsey's Boyd Anderson team, and came away impressed with his ability to play the deep safety role:

Dorsey is flanked by one of the best cornerback tandems in South Florida with Cliff Coleman (2010) and Harmon Brown (2011), and Dorsey is able to roam the middle of the field and make plays. He came away with two interceptions that were tipped by teammates as he came swooping in.

...and you bet your ass I added Harmon Brown to my 2011 watch list. What does Dorsey say of his own abilities?

"I can cover very well and I like to come up and hit," said Dorsey. "I am a very aggressive corner. I'm long and tall so I like to be aggressive jamming."

In addition to having all of the physical attribute required to be an elite player, Dorsey also hates losing and works hard to avoid it.


"Whenever we lose I try to come back harder and practice harder," said Dorsey. "I just try to better myself and help carry the team."   

That second part speaks to something that Rich Rodriguez has talk about over and over again. He wants guys on his Michigan team to love football and love winning, and they have to be willing to put in the work to achieve their goals.

*(Maybe? It's unclear whether or not Robinson and Dorsey are actually related even though Dorsey has claimed so.)

OFFERS

Dorsey originally committed to Florida during his junior football season, and his final selection was between Michigan, Florida State, and USC. That's basically a who's-who of programs who have excellent secondaries (coughcough and Michigan coughcough), so this kid had the best offers you can possibly get. I could run down some of the other programs who really wanted the kid, but don't the Florida and USC offers say it all, really?

STATS

Dorsey's teammate Cliff Coleman, on the Boyd Anderson secondary going into last season:

"We call ourselves the no-fly zone,'' said Coleman, an electric kick returner who took back three punts and two kickoffs for touchdowns last year. "Teams are not going to get anything through the air. All of us can cover and we can tackle. We believe we have the best secondary in the state. Now we have to go out and prove it.''

Despite all the hooplah, Boyd Anderson struggled in the 2009 season, going 6-6 with a loss in the second round of the Florida 5A State Playoffs. So that didn't work out, but "No Fly Zone" seems to be an emerging nickname for Dorsey.

As far as individual stats, this site is incomplete, but credits Demar with the following:

31 rushing attempts for 203 yards (6.55 ypc) and 1 touchdown (add at least 1 carry, 65 yards, and another touchdown), 8 receptions for 142 yards (17.75 ypc) and two touchdowns, 5 punts for 124 yards, and no stats defensively or in the return game.

The Detroit News says he racked up 75 tackles and 4 interceptions, to go along with 540 receiving yards.

FAKE 40 TIME

Brian said on the radio yesterday that Dorsey's reported times automatically get five FAKES out of five, with a 4.35 on Scout and an Under Armour Combine-verified 4.25 to ESPN (as noted above).

I take issue with Mr. Cook here. but this kid was the fastest at every combine he went to, and was anointed the "Fastest 2010 Football Recruit in the Country" by one source. I'll bump it down a notch, and give him merely four FAKES out of five.

[ed: sub-4.3s are 5/5 FAKES guaranteed.]

VIDEO

There's as much video of Dorsey dancing and singing things that I think white people aren't supposed to understand as there is of him playing football:

PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE

This kid is one hell of a player. He will get extensive special teams duty as a true freshman (including as a potential return man), and even has the opportunity to challenge for a starting position in his first year on campus. He has elite speed, something that Michigan is really lacking on defense outside of Troy Woolfolk.

If Dorsey can keep his nose clean at Michigan, and progresses with the mental aspects of the game to compliment his physical talent, he should be able to challenge for All-American honors in his final year or two on campus.

UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS

This class is completed, and Dorsey was the last person to join. As the 2010 class had 6 DBs in it, including Dorsey, the 2011 class doesn't have as much of a pressing need, and Greg Brown and Delonte Hollowell have both already signed up. Any secondary positions left in the 2011 crop will probably be reserved for elite talents with the needs at linebacker, nose tackle, and offensive line.

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