Thursday Recruitin' Lives On The Field Or Dies Trying

Today's recruiting roundup covers Cass Tech's Hell Week, the latest on the Technician juniors, Maurice Hurst's surprising versatility, and more.

All Cass Tech Everything

Dick's Sporting Goods was on hand during Cass Tech's "Hell Week" to chronicle their preparation for the season. Part one is above and you can find the rest of the videos at their YouTube page. Jourdan Lewis features briefly in episode one. Head coach Thomas Wilcher does not seem like the type you'd want to cross, to say the least.

The star of Cass Tech's opening week victory, junior corner Damon Webb, currently has a top four of LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State (no order), according to ESPN's Jared Shanker ($). Webb will check out the Michigan State-Boise State matchup this weekend and plans to head to games at each of his top schools; expect him to visit the Big House multiple times this year.

Matt Pargoff continues to compile highlights from last weekend's action, and junior LB William White's tape is well worth a watch. White is #6 in, er, white, though you won't have to look hard find him—he's the heat-seeking missile:

White got a little too focused on laying big hits in the middle there, trying to lay guys out with his shoulder instead of wrapping up, but that's an easy fix. If he can learn to play more controlled, Big Ten offers await. According to Tim Sullivan, White is already hearing from Michigan State and Ohio State ($)

Pargoff also has highlights of junior LB/RB Deon Drake from Saturday; he did most of his work on offense and was a load to bring down, even for MSU commit Jon Reschke.

[Hit THE JUMP for Maurice Hurst Jr. doing things no 300-pound man should be able to do.]

Request: Maurice Hurst 7-on-7 Film

:20 mark. Trust me.

The Boston Herald featured commit Maurice Hurst Jr. this week, and if film of this exists I really need to see it [emphasis mine]:

According to his coach Charlie Stevenson, the 6-foot-3, 285-pounder made the summer 7-on-7 games at Clapboardtree Street his own personal sandlot league.

“Summer passing league, he’s playing cornerback, he’s playing safety, he’s playing linebacker,” said Stevenson. “He played quarterback for two of our passing league games. He threw like four touchdown passes against BC High.

“In fact, he did run down the seam (as a wide receiver) a couple times and catch the ball, and you can hear the little safeties out there say, ‘What am I supposed to do? I can’t get around him.’ ”

Stevenson also mentions that Hurst's recruitment really took off when his junior highlights (above) were released. While Hurst's defensive exploits stand out, it was his 75-yard touchdown run that convinced at least one coaching staff to extend an offer:

“Then you’re watching (Hurst’s) tape and, boom, here comes this 75-yard run where he’s outrunning people, stopping and making a move and dragging people into the end zone. And (Boston College assistant coach) Billy McGovern said to (his fellow assistants), he said, ‘Stop, stop, stop. Do we have anybody that can do that?’ And they went, ‘No.’ They go, ‘We’re offering him.’ ”

Anybody else want to see Hurst get some goal line carries at Michigan? It's the least they can do if MAC teams continue to populate the non-conference schedule.

Etc.

In case you can't tell, it's a slooowwww time for recruiting right now, what with Michigan almost full for the 2013 class and taking their time to evaluate the 2014s. Things should pick up with the season starting, however, as players set up official visits. VA RB Derrick Green already has one set and a few more in mind, via ESPN's Dave Hooker ($):

Auburn, Michigan and Tennessee seem to be in the best position. The prospect has said he'll take official visits to all three schools and has planned an Oct. 20 visit to Ann Arbor for the Michigan State game. He has yet to set dates for Auburn and Tennessee. His last two official visits will be to two of his last three other finalists: Georgia, Ole Miss or Oregon. Green will travel this weekend to Atlanta to see Auburn play Clemson in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game.

As he said this past weekend, Green plans to make his commitment in October. It still looks like his choice will come down to Michigan and Auburn, with Tennessee as the dark horse right now. If Green's recruitment to this point is any indication, those official visits will go a long way towards determining his final selection.

2014 four-star corner Jabrill Peppers tweeted out a top ten yesterday—Michigan currently sits in third behind Stanford and USC. It's way too early for 2014 top tens, but have I mentioned it's been really slow lately?

Name to watch: 2014 KY CB Donald Styles, who's been hearing from Michigan($) and is named Donald Styles.