Monday Recruitin' Doesn't Watch Sportscenter
Spring Visits Taking Shape
The Spring Game won't just be the first opportunity to see Michigan playing under Jim Harbaugh; it'll also be a major recruiting weekend for the program. The stakes got a little higher last night when Top-150 ILB Dontavious Jackson and three-star S Chris Brown, both M offer recipients from Houston (TX) Alief Elsik, booked their flights for a three-day visit that weekend, per Steve Lorenz.
While Jackson is one of the top targets for the likes of Texas, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma, Michigan is the highest-profile school to offer both him and Brown, which may give the Wolverines an edge. Securing an unofficial visit is a good sign they'll at least be a major factor going forward.
Four-star FL ILB Devin Bush Jr., who recently said Michigan was one of a handful of schools sticking out to him, told Sam Webb that he's looking to visit for a spring practice at the end of the month ($). An FSU legacy, Bush said he's been learning about the school from DJ Durkin, who's spearheading his recruitment.
Another four-star linebacker, California offeree Darrian Franklin, told Scout's Greg Biggins that he's also looking to visit this spring, and with a summer decision looming Michigan is among his top schools ($):
"Right now, the main schools I'm really feeling are USC, Michigan, UCLA, Arizona, Oregon and LSU. I haven't decided if I'll still take some official visits after I commit or not. I kind of want to for the experience and see some places but I haven't really thought about it too much yet. I still need to make a decision first and then I'll go from there."
USC is his stated leader; we should find out soon if a visit can change that.
GBW's Josh Newkirk reports that Michigan is "comfortably within" four-star Cass Tech S Demetric Vance's top five, and Vance plans to visit for a spring practice ($). M's made positive strides with Vance since offering him last month.
[Hit THE JUMP for the rest of the roundup.]
Another QB To Monitor?
This could be a significant development:
Top50 QB Dwayne Haskins RT @dh_simba7 Bro & I tryna head up to Michigan @NaseirUpshur
— Steve Lorenz (@TremendousUM) March 9, 2015
Haskins, the #5 pro-style QB on the 247 Composite, hasn't shown a great deal of interest in Michigan since getting an offer from the last regime; a visit would obviously change that.
Making it even more intriguing is the possibility of him visiting with four-star PA TE Naseir Upshur, one of M's top targets at a position of need. Upshur has shown increased interest in Michigan lately; if Haskins follows suit, that could be quite the package deal. Before getting too excited, of course, we'll have to see if such a visit actually materializes.
New Offers
Michigan offered three-star NC CB Mark Gilbert last week, and given what he told The Wolverine's Brandon Brown it sounds like they're in good shape to eventually push for a commitment ($):
"For starters, with Coach Harbaugh, coaching in the NFL and then coming back to college you just expect him to be more experienced," Gilbert explained. "He has a lot more knowledge than the average coach.
"Michigan itself just has such a history. I know they have a great alumni base. I know about Ty Law and Charles Woodson so the legacy of great corners is there too. The corners that have come out of Michigan over the years are some of the great ones."
Gilbert called it his "biggest offer" so far and added Michigan to a spring visit lineup that also includes Pitt, Penn State, and West Virginia.
After he received an offer Thursday night, three-star TX OLB Alton Robinson spoke to Steve Lorenz and pretty much confirmed that he doesn't read MGoBlog ($):
"I follow the NFL somewhat closely but not too much," he said. "The 49ers have always been my favorite team and Aldon Smith has always been my favorite player. It was really awesome to hear that Coach Harbaugh is at Michigan now (laughs). I don't know how I didn't really know that already."
Robinson also holds offers from Houston, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech.
A handful of other offers have gone out to players whom the recruiting sites haven't caught up with to discuss Michigan yet:
- Top-150 CA ATH Mique Juarez, a USC commit, added an offer but hasn't indicated he's looking around, per The Wolverine's Tim Sullivan.
- Top-150 TX DT Jordan Elliott, a Baylor commit, was offered this week, per 247's Clint Brewster.
- Four-star TX WDE Brandon Bowen added Michigan to an offer sheet that already includes all the major Texas schools save A&M, per Brandon Brown.
- FL TE Nick Eubanks can now put Michigan on one of the more impressive offer lists for a three-star prospect, per Sullivan. Alabama and Miami (YTM) have early picks on his Crystal Ball.
- Michigan offered brothers Austin Anderson and Riley Anderson, both three-star OT prospects from Texas, per Sullivan. As Sullivan notes, the heavy academic bent to their offer lists—Northwestern and Vanderbilt also feature—could be a plus for Michigan's chances.
More 2016 News
Per 247's Luke Stampini, top-50 GA TE Isaac Nauta—a longtime FSU commit and top Michigan target—plans to use an official visit to see Ann Arbor ($):
“I never want to close any doors to anything, because in recruiting anything can happen at anytime,” Nauta said. “My commitment to Florida State is 100-percent firm.
“I’m going to take all of my official visits, because that’s one thing guys in college have told me, don’t make the mistake of not taking them. So I’m going to do those and have fun with the recruiting process. Michigan will get one, Florida State will definitely get one, South Carolina, Southern Cal and maybe UCLA.”
It won't be easy to pry Nauta away from the Noles; if a program can, though, it's probably Michigan.
Four-star CA DB CJ Pollard told Scout's Greg Biggins that he will use one of his officials on Michigan ($). Pollard's father played for USC, so it's no surprise experts expect the California prospect to end up with the Trojans.
Michigan should get either a summer unofficial or fall official visit from four-star FL SDE Jordan Woods, who also told Sam Webb that M is one of a handful of programs sticking out early ($).
The Wolverines are sixth in the ordered top six for top-100 NJ WR Ahmir Mitchell, per Scout's Sam Hellman:
Mitchell, who hails from Egg Harbor City (N.J.) Cedar Creek announced a top six schools Friday via social media. In order, Mitchell lists Rutgers, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Mississippi and Michigan.
I bet a dollar Rutgers doesn't get him, because that's just how it goes.
Three-star SC CB Troy Pride Jr., a Virginia Tech commit, is fielding interest from Michigan and told GBW's Josh Newkirk that he'd "love" to get an offer from them ($):
“If there was an offer on the table, I would try to get up there sometime,” Pride said. “Everyone knows about Michigan. They are a great school, like I said. I need to be touched up on it. I have heard good things about it. But I don’t know all the details about Michigan. I would love to go up there for a visit.
If Michigan comes through with one, it sounds like he's a serious flip candidate.
Have you heard anything about Harbaugh's policy regrading visits post-commitment (a la Hoke for example)? Thanks.
Also, good to see some LB interest.
I am not questioning the recruiting preferences for the staff, but I do wonder about the likelihood of being able to pull so many kids from California given what seems to be a strong pull from the Cal schools. It is very early in the next cycle, but it seems like there are lots of strong USC/UCLA commits Michigan is going after, which feels like a low rate of return.
Still, nice to see the staff going after linebackers and tackles.
I think that this is taking the short view. It seems like Harbaugh is targetting California and Texas especially hard with his early offers. Even if we don't get those kids right now, the contact with the coaches, school administrators, and even the reccruits we don't land will help in the future.
It sounds like he is trying to build inroads with the talent producing regions. Even if he misses on every recruit over the next few years, he's doing himself favors for the future.
is correct. And I'll add to your point that with the number of offers going out to those kids, the odds are that Michigan will get at least one or two. If that kid has success at Michigan his HS coach will be more likely to steer kids here in the future.
March 10th, 2015 at 12:14 PM ^
I think he will get a couple. But he obviously can't put all his eggs in the CA/TX/FL basket. It will be intreresting to see when he pivots to the midwest and northeast to fill out the class.
Sure, it is. That's why so many offers are going out. It's also compatible with having the expanded support staff.
Having been a big name in California football for the last 8 years, it makes sense to try and capitalize on that and build some pipelines in the state.
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Man, that kid has a sweet throwing motion for, what, a 16-year old?
Would find his enrollment at The University of Michigan pleasant. File under "want."
Great footwork, strong arm, excellent touch. Harbaugh!
"Right now, the main schools I'm really feeling are USC, Michigan, UCLA, Arizona, Oregon and LSU. I haven't decided if I'll still take some official visits after I commit or not. I kind of want to for the experience and see some places but I haven't really thought about it too much yet. I still need to make a decision first and then I'll go from there."
I think you should take the visits kid, and then decide.
Try this site: www.anastasiadate.com
Bodog & UMfan21 = old farts with no influence whatsoever on the youth of today...
That being said, all of us reading recruiting updates get a chuckle out of your wit & wisdom!
How many Recruiting Coordinators are teams allowed to have ?
If there is no limit, then why don't teams have multiple R.C.'s set up strategically thoughout the country, such as, one in California, one in Texas, one in Florida, one in the South, one in the Mid-Atlantic, one in the Northeast, one in the Big Fourteen,and one in the West, and have them all coordinate with the Head Recruiting Coordinator, almost like a spy ring, but with recruiting ?
This would free up the Assistant Coaches for coaching, and have full-time dedicated recruiters in the talent rich areas trying to get an advantage on rival schools.
Teams like Alabama do have multiple recruiting coordinators and other support positions that operate as scouts.
The only problem with your plan is that these administrative positions are not allowed to be on the road recruiting. They might be on the road to scout, but the coaches are the ones who are allowed to visit schools and recruits.
Let's do that then. We'll use our Recruiting Coordinator as the hub of a wheel of scouts spread out throughout the nation, the scouts can identify and scout the kids in their territory that fit the Michigan criteria, and steer the R.C in A.A. to the best, and most suitable, for further examination, and he can send out the coaches to recruit them to Michigan.
It would be mostly watching film, and maybe going to a few games, looking into grades, and just mostly doing the legwork for the R.C. allowing him to cover more ground in a more timely manner, and who wouldn't want a job like that?
but then I'm a highly sought-after hand model, so . . .
I thought you were a Llama? Never Mind.
Hoof model.
I read Egg Harbor, NJ and I'm immediately thinking The Great Gatsby...
Me too.
Glad to see Harbaugh and Co. ramping up recruiting out West and in Texas. His name will obviously carry a ton of weight in California, and its likely that a lot of relationships are still there from his Stanford and San Diego days.
Still, though, I don't expect Harbaugh to land a ton of top recruits right away. Harbaugh is still playing catch up on the recruiting trail, and Michigan as a program still unfortunately has a bit of a perception problem. Harbaugh helps a lot of that go away, but having one good season in the last 8-9 years is hard to overlook.
As long as Harbaugh gets the players that fit his system (which he will), and coaches them up (which he will), we'll be just fine.
I ws also going to say that and you are exactly right.
at the lack of activity in Ohio. That has long been a fertile recruiting ground for us over the years. I wonder if we will see a pickup in that area. I'd hate to see us lessen the importance of the Ohio kids given how vital that pipeline has been over the last 50 years.
Bo's teams used to be 1/2 Ohio kids. Let's keep in mind that Dantonio and Meyer work together to see that MSU gets the players that OSU doesn't want. Now Tressel is coaching at MSU. It is just possible that the Ohio pipeline has dried up for UM, and the new coaches see that as part of the problem. Having PSU and UK hitting Ohio hard just adds to the competition.
March 10th, 2015 at 12:27 PM ^
Brandon Brown provided insight about Brandon Bowen, alliteration all around for $2,000 Alex!
http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2015/03/auburns_gus_malzahn_battling_m.html
Still sounds like it'll be tough to beat Auburn since he's visited it so much already, but the article says he was born and grew up in Michigan and has family there and didn't move south until 2011.
http://michiganrecruiting1.blogspot.com/2015/03/ej-price-film-evaluatio…
IDK if he could start as a true freshman like Auburn has been ptching him because he is raw techinque wise but his upside is tremendous
How the hell could that kid not know Harbaugh was the coach here? Especially as a four star recruit and proclaimed 49ers fan. Harbaugh is on the news almost every single day for something as well. It seems like it would actually be difficult not to know Harbaugh is at Michigan.
March 10th, 2015 at 12:37 PM ^
Maybe he's a four star because he spends all his time working really hard and not following coaching moves (unlike me!)
One of Bo's early teams was compared to the Vikings who where tearing it up in the NFC at the time. He had no idea what the reference meant. He says he guesses they must have been pretty good. But he had no idea, despite the fact that they were all over the media at the time. He was too busy with his team.
March 10th, 2015 at 12:30 PM ^
. . . pretty much confirmed that he doesn't read MGoBlog
Do not want.
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