Signing Day 2020 Primer
Our annual Signing Day Livepod will be at 5pm this evening. Tune in wherever Youtubes are played, or catch the podcast version after. The 2021 Recruiting Board lives here or you could use 247's much better one. Please do not share paywalled info.
LETTERS IN
This section will be updated throughout the day.
- QB JJ MCCARTHY (IMG via IL, 5*)
- RB DONOVAN EDWARDS (West Bloomfield, 4.5*)
- RB TAVIERRE DUNLAP (TX, 3.5*)
- TE LOUIS HANSEN (MA, 4*)
- WR CRISTIAN DIXON (CA, 4*)
- WR ANDREL ANTHONY (MI, 3.5*)
- OT GIOVANNI EL-HADI (MI, 4.5*)
- C GREG CRIPPEN (IMG via MA, 4*)
- C/G RAHEEM ANDERSON (Cass Tech, 4*)
- OT TRISTAN BOUNDS (CT, 3*)
- DE KECHAUN BENNETT (MA, 4*)
- DE TJ GUY (MA, 3*)
- DT DOMINIC GIUDICE (NJ, 2.5*)
- LB/Viper JUNIOR COLSON (TN, 4.5*)
- LB TYLER MCLAURIN (IL, 3*)
- Safety ROD MOORE (OH, 3*)
- K/P TOMMY DOMON (OLSM, 6*)
TARGETS SIGNED ELSEWHERE
CB OMARION COOPER (FL, 4*) was a promising FSU flip opportunity until Michigan's season went belly-up. He signed with FSU.
LB BRANDEN JENNINGS (FL, 4*) was committed to Michigan but couldn't be assured the staff will still be around and had longstanding connections to Maryland.
DE QUINTIN SOMERVILLE (AZ, 4*) flipped to UCLA today. He's a longtime family connection for Shaun Nua, so this is likely a sign that Michigan's DL coach won't be back next year.
ANNOUNCEMENT TIMES OF INTEREST
COMMITTED TO MICHIGAN (1:40 PM): RB DONOVAN EDWARDS (MI, 4.5*). Michigan's long pursuit of the dynamic back out of West Bloomfield looks to close in the right direction. There's a small chance Georgia could pull a late one, if you want to add some late drama to a recruitment that's been completely devoid of it.
4:00 PM: WR XAVIER WORTHY (CA, 4.5*). Worthy took a trip to Alabama when it looked like Gattis might not be retained, but the guy we quietly comp to Anthony Carter seems to have had his doubts quelled and is expected to sign with Michigan.
5:00 PM: (MGoBlog Signing Day Livepod)
8:00 PM: CB JA'DEN MCBURROWS (FL, 3.5*). Michigan's only cornerback commit was solid the entire process then turned into a coinflip to switch to Miami (YTM) in the last few days.
ANNOUNCEMENTS TODAY, TIME UNKNOWN:
OG DREW KENDALL (MA, 4*) is deciding between BC and Stanford, possibly today. Michigan was in heavy pursuit before this year but that petered out before the season. They recently revived contact but it's unlikely to affect him.
TARGETS NOT COMMITTING TODAY
DT RAYSHAUN BENNY (MI, 4*, MSU commit). Benny was a longtime Michigan lean who committed to MSU after the loss. Lately Michigan seems to have made up ground and convinced him not to sign just yet.
DT GEORGE ROOKS (NJ, 4*). Rooks is visiting Penn State tomorrow. Recently BC joined M and PSU atop his recruitment, which has been quiet. The hope is he waits until after the New Year.
LB commit JAYDON HOOD (FL, 4*, commit). Still hasn't visited Michigan, plans to get up to Ann Arbor, still talks to other schools but currently expected to sign with Michigan in February if all goes well.
CB CEYAIR WRIGHT (CA, 4.5*). He's a USC lean with ND #2 after a visit there, but Wright has a couple of friends on Michigan's team and visited for that self-organized Wisconsin get-together the class made. Wright plans to make his announcement when the Army Game would have been played, January 2, when hopefully things will be more stable.
December 16th, 2020 at 10:56 AM ^
Good luck to folks who want to follow this by the hour.
December 16th, 2020 at 10:59 AM ^
Man, if this plays out as suggested in this post I will be very happy and frankly surprised.
December 16th, 2020 at 11:07 AM ^
Andrel Anthony official signed with Michigan. Good get out of East Lansing
December 16th, 2020 at 11:17 AM ^
DTs, CBs, where are thee?
December 16th, 2020 at 11:29 AM ^
I just posted this in the open thread on the board. It is extremely concerning to me that these are the two weakest position groups on the team, and the best case scenario right now is to sign one player in this class (McBurrows, CB).
December 16th, 2020 at 12:02 PM ^
If they were making a defensive change, as it looks to be. It may of behooved them to have done it sooner rather than later. Depending on potential replacements, I would hope that *any* replacement would be able to bring at least a couple of DTs/CBs instead of... (1) 2.5*.
This is just flat out, again, unacceptable roster management on the defensive side.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:03 PM ^
This is the cost of punting Don Brown. We’ll not know if it was worth it for a few years. Just how these things go.
December 16th, 2020 at 11:17 AM ^
the fact that Michigan only has one CB and now no DT is pretty surprising
December 16th, 2020 at 11:22 AM ^
Other way around. One DT (Giudice) is signed, and they're 50-50 to sign a CB today.
December 16th, 2020 at 11:53 AM ^
thanks.
forgot about Giudice - i was thinking of the preliminary verbals list, which would have been 2 DTs and 1 CB...
December 16th, 2020 at 11:21 AM ^
Amazing if they can keep Worthy , he will almost certainly play meaningful snaps next year.
December 16th, 2020 at 4:05 PM ^
If he is Anthony Carter reincarnated he better play a lot
December 16th, 2020 at 11:21 AM ^
Honestly, we are doing better than I thought at this point. I was prepared for a mass exodus with the uncertainty.
December 16th, 2020 at 11:25 AM ^
Given what is going on with our program, this is actually shaping up to be a really strong class. Only problem, as discussed at length, is the lack of DT and CB. WE are looking at the possibility of zero CB and a single - 2.5 star - DT. While the staff should be commended for keeping a very solid class together during these insane times, the failure to stock up on players at these positions - which are already dire - is coaching malpractice.
December 16th, 2020 at 11:54 AM ^
The fall-off on DT and CB recruiting is really bizarre. I think the entire defensive staff is going to go, and hopefully we can find a diamond in the rough or two through the transfer portal.
Couple questions:
Any chance the DB from MSU (Barnett?) is coming to Michigan?
Also, is Aidan Hutchinson eligible for the NFL now and if so what are the chances he returns to improve his stock since he lost basically the whole (half) season?
December 16th, 2020 at 11:33 AM ^
https://mgoblue.com/sports/football/roster/dominick-giudice/21935
I didn't know Rocky Balboa was committing today!
December 16th, 2020 at 11:36 AM ^
Need to hit the portal very hard for some immediate impact DT/DE's next year. With Paye and (probably) Hutchinson gone. DLine is looking extremely young and not very productive.
SDE- Upshaw/Newburg/Mike Morris/McGregor
DT- Hinton/Jeter/Welschof/Giudice
NT- Mazi/Kris Jenkins
WDE- Vilain/Ojabo/Harrell
Thats.... not ideal.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:02 PM ^
Looking at the defensive personnel we should have next year I have no idea what the best use of the talent will be. There's personnel for 4 down lineman but the ends feel like 3-4 edge players but the 3tech and the nose aren't the type to play in a 3 man front. Colossal mess. But hey, maybe we can outscore folks next year with the talent on that side of the ball.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:09 PM ^
I don't know, if you squint there's reason for hope there, especially with a competent defensive staff.
I know this year has made us decide to hate all things Michigan and have no faith in development, but maybe with a more normal year and smoothed out coaching these guys come good. There's potential with this line-up.
December 16th, 2020 at 2:41 PM ^
Getting an 'impact' player through the portal is probably a pipe dream. Most of the players who go into the portal are going there because they are usually unhappy at their school and that, more often then not, is due to lack of playing time. Dline is a position where teams usually rotate multiple guys in a game.
It'd be nice if they could get a DT who is servicable, possible solid, but getting a DT in the portal who is going to make an impact is probably wishful thinking.
December 16th, 2020 at 11:39 AM ^
Unexpectedly strong class? Maybe, in the abstract. But this year has taught us all that there's no such thing as a strong class that's missing DTs and CBs. No matter who the DC is next year, we'll have at least two more years of terrible defense.
December 16th, 2020 at 11:49 AM ^
Dixon signed
https://mgoblue.com/sports/football/roster/cristian-dixon/21931
This offense better be putting up 40+ ppg going forward. They're going to need to with our defense.
December 16th, 2020 at 3:05 PM ^
Big 12 numbers-50s, at least.
December 16th, 2020 at 3:34 PM ^
I was going to go with 50, but OSU only scored 46.6 ppg this year. Let’s meet in the middle and say 45+.
December 16th, 2020 at 11:49 AM ^
Question for signing mavens:
For the kids who are solid 3 stars (I assume they and their parents look themselves up on the boards) and want to go X college/university, what happens on signing day? Do they wait and see if X fills up and hope they get a phone call?
December 16th, 2020 at 12:14 PM ^
I hope a stack of CB's and DT's arrives by New Year's Day.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:52 PM ^
A 6-star kicker? Yes!
Looking for a 7-star LS now
December 16th, 2020 at 10:41 PM ^
User# checks out.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:53 PM ^
we could use a couple grad transfer hogs for the DL next year.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:55 PM ^
I kinda gave up following recruiting closely a few years ago, but it seems bad that two of our obvious weakpoints - DT and CB - have no reinforcements coming in.
December 16th, 2020 at 1:25 PM ^
DT RAYSHAUN BENNY (MI, 4*, MSU commit). Benny was a longtime Michigan lean who committed to MSU after the loss. Lately Michigan seems to have made up ground and convinced him not to sign just yet.
Still don't get how that one game seemed to swing his recruitment 180 degrees, but looking at the fact that our entire defensive staff is getting shifted it's hard to blame him. But, looking at MSU I'm also not sure why he'd opt to go there. If I were him I'd wait and see what happens to UM's staff and sign later in Feb.
December 16th, 2020 at 1:42 PM ^
Always had the feeling Benny was looking for a reason to not sign with Michigan, you don't buy that ludicrous "build your personal brand at MSU" line they were feeding him otherwise. The game just gave him the cover to do what he wanted to do anyway. We'll see what the new defensive staff does with him if they can keep him from signing over the next couple of days.
December 16th, 2020 at 1:59 PM ^
We'll see what the new defensive staff does with him if they can keep him from signing over the next couple of days.
Are you under the impression we'll have new defensive staff hires in the next few days? That would also mean JH would have to have already extended his contract most likely.
December 16th, 2020 at 1:49 PM ^
A 5 star QB is really nice.
December 16th, 2020 at 4:15 PM ^
FWIW, Michigan's official Signing Day page does not show Donovan Edwards as a signee (they have a graphic and a fancy video for all of the other commits).
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