Tuesday Recruitin' Is Flush With Linebackers Comment Count

Ace

Today's recruiting roundup eagerly awaits Mike McCray's decision (and Ben Gedeon's, too?), looks at the other linebackers strongly considering Michigan, and goes over a recent offer plus several interested visitors.

Good Problems: Linebacker Edition

We've been over this before, but Michigan has more linebackers strongly interested in the school than they know what to do with; filling the 2-3 (likely 3) spots at LB could very well come down to who commits the fastest.

If that's the case, Trotwood-Madison (OH) SLB Mike McCray (right) will probably be the first to drop; he could commit as soon as today, and likely no later than tomorrow. McCray told Tremendous that he actually has already made his decision, and his only other move will be to inform the coaches of his choice—there will be no hat game or press conference. He narrowed down his decision to Michigan, Arizona, Oklahoma, Tennessee, South Carolina and Illinois; while the Vols appeared to be in a strong position for him quite recently, the latest message board scuttlebutt—even among Tennessee partisans—has him pledging to Michigan.

Hudson (OH) MIKE/WILL Ben Gedeon may not be far behind after visiting Ann Arbor last weekend. Sam Webb caught up with Gedeon after his visit, and it's clear the junior is well aware of the scholarship situation at linebacker ($):

“I’m not sure if they want (where things currently stand with linebacker recruiting numbers) out there.”

“I won’t be making a decision tonight, but (the numbers crunch) definitely will be taken into account and could speed (my making a decision) up.”

Gedeon won't name a leader, but it isn't too difficult to read between the lines in this situation.

One linebacker who Michigan will have to wait for—and likely will, given his talent—is Woodbridge (MD) C.D. Hylton's E.J. Levenberry, who confirmed yesterday that the Wolverines are his leader, holding an edge over Florida State. Steve Wiltfong talked to Levenberry last night and got the latest on his timetable ($):

“I’m 100 percent sure I won’t announce until the Army Bowl.”

Alabama and Florida round out the 6-foot-3, 227-pound Levenberry’s top four.

Levenberry plans to visit Michigan for the Wolverines spring game on April 14. He will also try and get to Alabama and Florida State for spring practices.

E.J.'s father told Wiltfong that the coaches have made it clear to him that there will be a scholarship available to the potential five-star prospect; if the Wolverines lock up two linebackers in the near future, they'll likely reserve that last spot for Levenberry.

Oh, but there's more. Four-star Olney (MD) Good Counsel LB Dorian O'Daniel has Michigan in his top group with Clemson and Tennessee, and he'll be visiting Ann Arbor—along with five-star CB teammate Kendall Fuller ($)—for the spring game on April 14th ($). Four-star Matthews (NC) Butler LB Peter Kalambayi, meanwhile, has already visited Michigan once and now has the Wolverines near the top of his list with plans to check out the school again in the near future ($). In the race to grab the two spots not reserved for Levenberry, however, these two blue-chip recruits just might be too late. We'll know much more after this week.

New Offer, Planned Visits, Etc.

There's one recent offer I don't think I've noted here yet, and that went out to Charlotte (NC) Zebulon B. Vance LB Larenz Bryant. Just to be clear, (1) yes, another linebacker, and (2) the school's name is "Zebulon B. Vance," not the player's. Bryant is a four-star and the #86 overall recruit to 247, and he holds most of his offers from SEC and ACC schools.

Massilon (OH) Washington CB Gareon Conley told Sam Webb that Michigan is his leader, and he's scheduled to visit this weekend ($, info in header). Conley is a big—6'1"—corner who's currently rated as a three-star recruit on 247. Another weekend visitor will be College Station (TX) A&M Consolidated OL Christian Lacouture, who just decommitted from Texas A&M, though he still has a lot of interest in the hometown Aggies ($, info in header). He won't be the only offensive lineman in Ann Arbor, as New Lenox (IL) Lincoln Way West four-star Colin McGovern will also be on campus, despite knowing that Michigan doesn't currently have a spot for him ($).

A pair of cornerbacks are also planning future visits. Solon (OH) four-star Darian Hicks will be in Ann Arbor on March 27th, and he says that the Wolverines would vault to the top of his list if he receives an offer ($). Jersey City (NJ) St. Peter's Prep CB Tre Bell, who does hold an offer, is looking to set up a summer visit ($).

Three more prospects want to take visits but haven't set dates yet: Baltimore (MD) Gilman DT Henry Poggi, who's already been to Ann Arbor twice but wants to visit again either this month or next ($); Matthews (NC) Butler WR Uriah LeMay—high school teammate of Peter Kalambayi—has Michigan among the schools he'd like to see this summer ($); and Peoria (IL) High School DE Josh Augusta, who's recently talked to the Wolverines about a potential offer ($).

One player who did visit recently is Crete (IL) Monee LB Nyles Morgan, a class of 2014 teammate of Laquon Treadwell, who told 247 he'd "have to seriously consider [Michigan] when [he] start[s] considering colleges."

Quickly: Happy trails to blue-chip running back Keith Ford, who committed to Oklahoma over the weekend. The Sooners offered Ty Isaac last week (we'll see how the Ford commitment affects his interest), and SoonerScoop has a free article on Michigan's top running back target. MnB's Zach Travis looks at recent offensive line recruiting and tries to project future two-deeps. Black Shoe Diaries's Cari Greene puts together an early team rankings list for the Big Ten; Michigan, as you'd expect, is well out in front for now. I'll start the Big Ten Recruiting Rankings back up when Scout releases their top 300, which should be coming soon.

Comments

Magnus

March 6th, 2012 at 1:55 PM ^

According to 247 Sports, Josh Augusta already has an offer.  But I've started to notice that 247 Sports lists lots of guys with "offers" who don't really seem to have offers.

Wolverine 73

March 6th, 2012 at 2:24 PM ^

did I ever think Hoke would show up at Michigan, and 14 months later we would be coming off an 11-2 season, a Sugar Bowl win, a top 10 recruiting class, and be 60% of the way to a top 5 recruiting class 11 months from now.  And that Hoke and all his coaches would seem always to say the right thing and act the right way.   Incredible.  Just incredible.  Add the success of the basketball program after years of wandering in the desert, and the upgraded facilities,and this is the best I have felt about Michigan sports in a long, long time.

Noahdb

March 6th, 2012 at 3:01 PM ^

Former governor of NC (twice) and Senator. And Civil War hero. And fairly progressive for his time. 

Both Vance County and the Town of Zebulon are named after him. 

 

RLS-Jr

March 6th, 2012 at 4:14 PM ^

... best.  Add in the buzz from the first ever night game (which happened to be one of the most thrilling comebacks in MIchigan or CF history); hockey righting the ship and to continue it's record string of NCAA tournament appearances (as a potential #1 seed); basketball recruiting (the incoming Classes of 2012 and 2013 are the highest ranked in 20 years); lacrosse becoming a D-I sport etc.  All of these things help each other in further building the Michigan brand and exposure.  But most importantly, we have great coaches for each of these sports who are also GREAT people who get what makes Michigan special (along with an AD who is passionate about sports but also understands politics and business).  We are in outstanding hands and the future looks very bright.  Even the FREEP will have trouble arguing against this (except maybe Drew Sharp who has never had anything positive to say about anyone or anything in his lifetime as far as i know)...

EDIT:  I meant to add that even this year's SI Swimsuit cover star Kate Upton is a big Michigan fan! 

cigol

March 6th, 2012 at 4:15 PM ^

Big big mistake.  Even if for some reason he had a couple of linebackers slightly higher on his list, not bringing a legacy into the program is foolish.  I bet Hoke would lower his standards to bring in a legacy, knowing the fire they would bring to the rivalry.  Meyer has an in-state kid, likely a life long Buckeye fan, who is a 4 star across the board, and just leaves him out.  You know this guy holds some resentment towards Meyer and will likely lay some crushing blows on Dunn & Co. over the next few years.

UofM626

March 9th, 2012 at 12:23 AM ^

Hawkins from Rancho Cucamonga w be announcing this Sat. His school. Down to Cal UCLA Michigan Stanford ND and Oklahoma. I see this kid play weekly and he is a STUD! But I think he ends up at Stanford Cal UCLA

Let's see!!