Tuesday Recruitin'

Update 11/25: Linked to articles on FL CB Jayron Hosley, FL QB Denard Robinson, AZ OL Taylor Lewan, MD LB Jelani Jenkins, FL K commit Brendan Gibbons, PA WR Jeron Stokes, FL CB Josh Robinson. Moved FL S Vlad Emilien to committed. Here's video of FL RB Vincent Smith, Gibbons.

Removed OH DE Tank Carradine (Illinois).

Added AL LB Tana Patrick.

Should I add OH OL Marcus Hall back? He's visiting Michigan officially… and last!

2010 stuff: article on FL WR commit Ricardo Miller. As always, some links from Varsity Blue. Gibbons video via Michigan Sports Center.

Editorial Opinion

Recruiting board lives here.

Upon consideration there is definitely not a joke about plantations anywhere in here.

Yesterday Michigan picked up a commitment from Plantation safety Vlad Emilien, which is a boost to a secondary in need of some fresh blood. And, call me crazy, but I think there's been a sea change in available information on his teammate, FL CB Josh Robinson, in the past couple days. Much of it is in premium articles locked away from from the plebes, but this one's out in the open. In it, Robinson notes he's not taking an official visit to South Florida:

“USF is still in contention. It has kind of had an affect on my decision because they want me to come for my official after I’ve already made my choice.”

“I was thinking the other day, ‘Alright, if you really want me then why not let me come in and see the school before I make my decision.’ But I talked with the coaches and I feel good about it."

Sounds like USF is out, which leaves Michigan battling UCF for Robinson's commitment, with FIU inexplicably still under consideration. I always assumed USF was the likely destination because it's, you know, not part of Conference USA. Is Robinson really going to eschew any chance at being on a powerhouse team or making a BCS bowl when he's got an offer from Michigan?

Maybe. Robinson's always made a huge deal about wanting to stay in-state. However, he's backed off that stance in recent articles. I'm beginning to get the feeling this one is going to go Michigan's way.

FWIW, Robinson on the two presumed finalists:

Michigan: The history and tradition speaks for itself. I think they have a strong foundation with their coaching staff, and I know they’ll be for at least the next 4 years.
UCF: I’ve always liked UCF, I like the campus and the overall environment. I have a relationship with the coaching staff and early playing time is a big factor with them as well.

Before anyone fires off a "how good can this guy be" comment based on the other schools recruiting him, note he's a four-star on Rivals; ESPN gives him a 79—equivalent to a low four-star—and says this($):

Robinson is simply an electrifying athlete with elite speed … Bottom line, Robinson possesses some of best top-end speed we have seen in this class, and his versatility as an athlete should see his recruiting start to heat up nationally. Great prospect who should blossom at the next level when he concentrates on one position.

I think we could use that guy, yes?

FWIW: I've got him on the board as a corner but recent articles have suggested Michigan is recruiting him at either receiver or tailback(?!); most likely they'll just get him on campus and decide where he goes later if they're fortunate enough to get him.

Lewan!

Michigan's hard after Craig Roh teammate and AZ OL Taylor Lewan, and Lewan is reciprocating the interest:

“I like Michigan a lot. I love Michigan. They’re a great school. Not the best year this year but that doesn’t have any effect on my decision at all. If anything, from playing wise, it’s probably better for me. I like Michigan a lot. But at the same time I like a lot of schools, so I haven’t narrowed anything down yet.”

Though he "hasn't narrowed anything down" officially, it kind of seems like he has unofficially, with visits scheduled to Oregon, M, and Minnesota (which he just took to see a 55-0 beating at the hands of Iowa, FWIW) and then a hazy intent to take the last two to somewhere, I guess.

The general feeling is that Lewan's decision will come down to Minnesota and Michigan, so that Minnesota visit (and the Gophers' late season slide) probably help our chances. Also helpful: Minnesota's offensive line coach just resigned.

Later today I'll front page Tom VanHaaren's article on Lewan from a couple weeks ago, if you missed it in the diaries the first time around.

Inside bits.

No link on this one, but a reliable source indicates NC OL Travis Bond is basically down to Michigan and UNC. UNC is leading, though.

FLORIDAAAAAAAA.

Staying in the state that is going to provide like half of our recruiting for the foreseeable future: new guy on the board is four-star FL CB Jayron Hosley, who's had a super weird recruitment in which he has done nothing whatsoever until right now. As of a week ago he picked up offers from Michigan and Ohio State.

SoFlaFootball.com's Luke Stampini on Hosley's state of mind:

Hosley doesn't know much about either school or the Big Ten conference and hopes to sort things out on visits.

He will not take any more official visits (Louisville in Sept)until after his season is over. When talking to him you get the sense he has no idea where he wants to go, but knows things will certainly clear up after seeing more schools campuses.

…After talking to him this past weekend about the offers he seems intrigued by OSU the most right now. He remembers Dillard's Chris Gamble playing for the Buckeyes a handful of years ago. After seeing he could start for Michigan RIGHT NOW, should only help their cause. I also got to think the fact Michigan has/is getting a handful of kid from the same county as Jayron will add to their case as well.

Ohio State continuing to pursue defensive backs is really strange since even with the McDougald decommit they've got five, but I guess spread bler bler.

(A side note for the 2010 class from Stampini. Someone asked if FSU was the destination for Pahokee WR De'Joshua Johnson:

They lead for sure, but it's not a done deal with him. I think the Michigan offer intrigues him.

So there you go.)

FL QB/ATH Denard Robinson still sounds like he's headed to Florida:

The school that is recruiting Robinson the hardest is in-state favorite Florida. "They call my coaches and talk to me a lot," he said. "They send the most mail and emails and are in contact with me all the time."

Michigan should get an official, and then we'll see.

New Guys

A couple additions or sort of additions: Cleveland Glenville OL Marcus Hall has again rearranged his visit plans:

"I'm going out of town Dec. 5 on a family vacation thing, so I'm going to visit Ohio State Dec. 12," Hall said. "I scheduled Illinois Jan. 9, LSU Jan. 16, Miami Jan. 23 and Michigan Jan. 30." …

"I don't have a favorite, but as I take my visits I think some favorites will come out," Hall said.

Michigan had been dropped from consideration twice before, I think. This guy changes his list like whoah. Last visit for a top-100 tackle sounds exciting, but the guy is from Glenville and has an Ohio State offer; I'm not even going to put him back on the board until something more committal comes down.

The other new guy is an SLB from Alabama named Tana Patrick. He's just getting started with his recruiting and seems likely to go somewhere in the SEC, but:

"Michigan is playing a lot of young guys this year and I think I could play early there," he said. "I know they haven't done well, but I think that coach Rich Rodriguez will get things going once he's gets some more guys in.

"It would definitely be great playing for a program with such great tradition," Patrick said.

With Emilien's commitment Michigan now has two pure safeties and that will likely see both Isaiah Bell and Mike Jones move to OLB. With Jordan Barnes wavering (a little; I'm considerably less concerned about him than Peace or Jones), though, and spots opening up on the regular Michigan will at least stay involved with Patrick as long as he's interested.

Zippin'.

I can't embed this, but Rivals' All The Way To Friday took a look at a game between Pahokee and Vero Beach a few weeks ago; Vincent Smith is featured making several impressive runs.

Fair and balanced.

In case you ever find yourself reading something put out by Bill Kurelic that's unexpectedly negative about Michigan's chances for some guy, you should keep this in mind: he's a rabid Ohio State fan. Here's a fantastic example; he works for an independent OSU recruiting site and has posted the following things over the past couple days:

• Michigan Target Opts To Go Elsewhere. (The target in this case is SC DE Chris Bonds, who OSU never recruited and had obviously been looking south already.)
• DB Leaving Michigan Program. (Chambers.)
• More Bad News For Michigan (Bryce McNeal, who everyone knows is not coming to Michigan anymore, said he's not considering Michigan.)
• Illinois Still Recruiting Justin Turner (…and Justin Turner has zero interest.)
• Rich Rodriguez vs Brian Kelly (The entire text of which reads: "When Michigan was looking for a new coach one of the names that came up was that of Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly. Kelly certainly has gone on to a very good season with the Bearcats.")

Five things, one of them even slightly newsworthy, all of them negative. When you read something from him that does not jibe with the conventional wisdom (and he writes a recruiting blog for ESPN), consider the source.

HERE COMES THE BOOM.

Our kicker commit has a little Neinberg in him:

Oh, snap.

Etc: MD LB Jelani Jenkins isn't deciding soon, profile of FL K commit Brendan Gibbons, Mmmmm that's good Ricardo Miller fluff.