TVH Weekly: Jehu Chesson, Eric Olson, Jarron Jones, and More

Submitted by TomVH on

The evaluation period is over, which means no more off campus visits by the coaches. There is a quiet period from now until July 31st. A quiet period allows a coach to write or call a prospect and recruits can visit the school's campus.

So the next big events for Michigan will be unofficial visits and camp (June 19th-23rd). Here's a look at what could be happening in the near future, and where a few other prospects are at in their recruitment. As always you can follow me on Twitter at TomVH, and feel free to email me with tips or questions at [email protected].

Jehu ChessonJehu Chesson

6'3", 175 lbs.

Wide Receiver

St. Louis, Missouri


Chesson received an offer from Michigan this past week, and it was one that he thought would be coming in soon.

They had been looking at me for awhile, and they told me that I'm among eight kids that they were evaluating. Coach Hecklinski visited my school and they didn't offer right away, but he said to hang in there with them. He finally told me that the staff wanted me and they offered.

Jehu is an interesting prospect because he had been recruited by the old Michigan staff, and actually knew them better than the current staff.

We visited campus last summer. I kind of wanted to see it so we sacrificed a little and made the trip. They obviously have a different coaching staff from last year. Right now I just need to build that relationship with them. I know Coach Hecklinski. The number one thing for me is to have a role in the offense. I'm a receiver, I'm a little bias to having the ball in my hands. I can control how good I become, but they're the ones that choose how to use me.

Chesson plans to take his time with his recruitment, and wants to wait to see what schools offer before he makes any decisions.

I'll take all of my official visits. I would definitely consider Michigan for an official visit because it's not a place I can easily get to. Take an official to Michigan would make more sense than a place like Mizzou. I want to narrow my list down at the end of the summer. It should be a pretty long list still but at least I'll be getting it somewhere. After that I'll try to get a top five.

Michigan would obviously like to land a receiver in this class and it looks like this is one position that they'll have to wait to find out who they get. Chesson plans on waiting, Dwayne Stanford wants to announce later in his season, and Aaron Burbridge has some work to do in the classroom.

Eric OlsonEric Olson

6'6", 265 lbs.

Offensive Line

Cambridge, Massachusetts


I mentioned this past week that Olson would be visiting Michigan this Tuesday (the 7th). His Michigan offer came in recently and Michigan will be the last school he sees.

About two months back Coach Mallory said that the offensive line coach had watched my highlights and loved them. We kept in contact and I told him the interest was mutual. Eventually about three weeks ago they pulled the trigger and offered me.

Some prospects only say that academics are a big part of their decision but Olson's final list makes it clear he means it.

I really want a school that combines academics and athletics. It's something that's really important to me and I've told a number of schools not to waste their time recruiting me because of their academic standing. I have a 3.2 GPA, but I'm at a very rigorous private school and I scored a 1930 on the SAT and a 29 on the ACT.

So yeah, he's pretty serious about that. Olson says he's playing everything by ear, but he would like to have a decision made by mid summer. With Michigan being the last visit and a good combination of what he's looking for, they have a good shot.

Jarron JonesJarron Jones

6'5", 308 lbs.

Defensive Tackle

Rochester, New York


Jones has been committed to Penn State for some time, but has said that he will continue to visit schools. Michigan is one of the programs he and his family would like to see more of. I spoke with his mother about where he's at, and when he should be at Michigan.

If you asked Jarron he would say Penn State was the best place for him, but that was after visiting Rutgers and Pitt. Before talking to me and his dad he told a reporter that he was committed to Penn State. We said he should have talked to us first. He does feel he loves Penn State and Larry Johnson was the first person to critique Jarron. I loved that because I don't want someone to feed my son, he needs reality. Life is reality, and he needs a dose of that. It's not that we don't like Penn State, if that's still the best place for him then Penn State it is. We're going to discuss it as a family.

As far as what schools they're looking into now, his mother outlined some of the programs they like and how they feel about distance from home.

He told the Florida coaches he's not really interested in going that far, and we're not interested in him going to the west coast. I want to be able to get to him if something were to happen. Virginia Tech is a school he's loved since childhood so we'll be going there. We're going to Michigan in June when we visit Notre Dame at the end of June. At the end of July we'll go out to Louisville and maybe Ohio State.

The Jones family doesn't know too much about Michigan yet, but they're eager to learn more.

I called and talked to Coach Montgomery. We had a long talk and he seemed excited to get us up there. Me personally, I have no real knowledge of Michigan. I understand that they're a great institution. Jarron has some knowledge as far as the football side of things. I told Michigan that I would like to see their APR score for the last few years, too. I need to know the coaches are going to do a good job of being a mentor to him. It's very important for us to know what type of coaches they have.

These visits will help their family get to know everyone, and help them figure out where the best place for Jarron is. There obviously won't be a decision until after the visits are done, so they won't know anything at least until after July. [Ed: APR score should come with lots of explaining.]

Extra:

California OL Erik Magnuson is visiting on the 10th. I outlined this in the last Weekly Update, and he has Michigan as his number one team. This is a very big visit for Michigan, very big.

Massachusetts DB Armani Reeves told me that he has dropped Michigan from his list. He says he is no longer going to camp at Michigan, but will visit Notre Dame instead. His list is Penn State and Notre Dame now.

As you can see New York DB Wayne Morgan decided to hold off on making his announcement. There probably won't be room for him once he's ready to decide, since he wants to take his official visits now.

Ohio S Jarrod Wilson did visit Michigan last week, and now has Michigan in his top three with Penn State and Notre Dame. I should have more from his coach Ricky Powers this week. Wilson could potentially be making his visit in the near future.

I will outline a list of recruits that I think Michigan could get, or is in good shape with sometime this week. There's been a lot of people asking about that, so I'll post that soon. I'm trying to confirm a few visits, so I'll post those when I get them as well.

For everyone asking about DE Chris Wormley, he does have Michigan as number one right now, but still hasn't decided when he wants to make a decision. I'd imagine it won't go too long though.

Comments

megalomanick

June 6th, 2011 at 1:06 PM ^

Not trying to call you out personally Magnus, but food for thought for those of the opinion that Gant may have been a less than ideal pick-up: I remember people saying the same kinds of things about Woolfolk. Carr obviously saw something in him and was right. If a kid is going to play for Michigan only because he's a legacy, I would think it would be in a walk-on capacity.

Magnus

June 6th, 2011 at 1:54 PM ^

He could turn out to be an okay player, but these things ought to be kept in context.  Michigan needs safeties, and by my count, the coaches have offered 6 safeties.  (They've probably offered more than that, but we don't know about all of them.)  I really don't think Gant is one of the six best safeties in the country.  I doubt the coaches think he's one of the best six. 

If his name was Allen Schmoe, I'm betting the coaches wouldn't have offered him, or at least not this early.

turtleboy

June 6th, 2011 at 2:25 PM ^

I've loved every bit of this years class and then we land Gant and Morgan puts off his announcement and I think to myself "well, okay. I'm still happy about the rest!" It seems to me that if coach Hoke is the Joe Dumars of the Wolverines then Gant is our Darko Milicic. I really don't feel negativley about Gant but we were in contention for top 100 safeties and he isn't one of them. If we're expecting attrition to allow us to sign more kids in this class I was thinking we'd recruit kids who'd be a step ahead.

TESOE

June 6th, 2011 at 7:00 PM ^

former players were in town.  Legacy does mean something regardless of film.  It drove Kovacs to Michigan.  Brown is better than his film.  Who knows.

It's just the needs on both sides of the line are so severe...I don't get this offer with the class size begining to mean something.

There also could be news coming wrt transitions.

Blue in Yarmouth

June 6th, 2011 at 2:41 PM ^

and I find this portion needs context as well: "I remember people saying the same kind of things about Woolfolk. Carr obviously saw something in him and was right.".

Not to be too critical of Woolfolk, but I think some people's opinions of him have gotten a little out of touch with reality due to how badly our DB have been over the past few years and the fact that we haven't seen him play in over a year.

Don't get me wrong, I think TW is a decent DB but the way people talk they seem to suggest he is this pockdown corner. He was by far the best we had, but that isn't really saying much.

I have a feeling that when TW gets back on the field this year there are going to be some disappointed people who have developed fanatsies in his absence that he is another Charles Woodson, Ty Law, Leon Hall or Marlin Jackson type. I hope for TW sake I am wrong, but that is the impression I get around here.

megalomanick

June 6th, 2011 at 4:02 PM ^

I actually agree with you when it comes to Woolfolk. Many people are expecting Leon Hall to come back in that 29 and will be disappointed. Woolfolk is a fringe All Big Ten kind of guy, not an All American corner like Hall. I almost made reference to that  point in my original comparison of Gant to Woolfolk but thought it might muddy the point.  With that context now my assertion remains, if the coaches feel like Gant can be a 4th or 5th year fringe All Beg Ten defensive back - like Woolfolk - then I have no problem with "keeping it in the family" over getting a slightly higher rated guy.

Magnus

June 6th, 2011 at 9:46 PM ^

For the record, I don't think Woolfolk is on the level of Leon Hall and other former first-rounders.  But he did play really well at cornerback in 2009.  He's not a big play guy, but that goes both ways - he's not going to make 9 picks and return 3 of them for touchdowns, but he's not going to get torched, either.

(This is assuming he will have recovered fully from his ankle injury, which I hope he has.)

Magnus

June 6th, 2011 at 12:44 AM ^

Both.  I haven't been high on Morgan since the beginning.  I do like Reeves, but I think I like him more as a receiver prospect.  And not only do I like Standifer's game, but I also like having at least one big corner on the roster to match up with some bigger receivers.  Woolfolk will be gone after this year, and J.T. Floyd might be, too (depending on whether he gets a fifth year or not).  I think Standifer was a big-time sleeper prospect.  He's not going to be an all-time great or anything, but he should be solid in the Big Ten.  He reminds me of Donovan Warren.

Michigan248

June 5th, 2011 at 11:58 PM ^

But does anyone know it Jarron is related to Jon Jones the mma fighter, Im wondering because the jones family is from Rochester NY, Jons brother Aurther was a stud DT at Syracuse and now plays for the Ravens and his little brother plays DE at Syracuse.  Maybe a cousin or something?

the monarch

June 6th, 2011 at 12:23 AM ^

Apparently not brothers. From Arthur Jones Wikipedia page: His brother is Jon Jones, a mixed martial arts fighter that currently fights for UFC and is the Light Heavyweight Champion as of March 19, 2011, while his other brother Chandler is a defensive end for Syracuse.

jcorqian

June 6th, 2011 at 1:36 AM ^

Again, extremely impressed with Jone's mother's statements.  Seems this is a very smart woman who wants all the facts before making a decision.  How many moms bring up APR?  Wish all recruits had mothers like this.

Ironically, this is at a time when our APR is lower, not that I think that really harms Michigan's overall reputation as a great university to these recruits.

Rabbit21

June 6th, 2011 at 8:54 AM ^

While I agree that wanting to see APR scores is going kind of far. It's nice to see parents that come in with their bullshit detectors turned on. I'd say it's more that rather than helicoptering.

turd ferguson

June 6th, 2011 at 1:41 AM ^

Thanks, Tom.

In your (last) interview with Ricky Powers, he talked about Wilson's teammate Corey Smith, a WR that Powers really likes but wasn't sure would get a Michigan offer.  I just saw that Smith now has offers from the likes of Alabama, Notre Dame, Penn State, Georgia, and Tennessee.  Any chance that we offer him, too, and try to make it a package deal?

EDIT:  Oops... was looking at an old site from before he committed to Tennessee.

jerseyblue

June 6th, 2011 at 11:43 AM ^

Is Eric Olson's offer committable? Magnuson and possibly Thurston will decide before his mid summer decision date but Diamond and Banner will not. Then you have Dodson and Keenan. Not sure on them. I would like to see how things play out with these guys before they take an OT prospect that's not from that group.

ryebreadboy

June 6th, 2011 at 7:09 PM ^

I agree with this.  I want to see how things shake out with these top guys that plan to wait.  I know Hoke and Co. want to wrap the class fairly early, but I don't want to take lower-ranked guys for expediency's sake when we could land top guys a little later.

ryebreadboy

June 6th, 2011 at 7:09 PM ^

I agree with this.  I want to see how things shake out with these top guys that plan to wait.  I know Hoke and Co. want to wrap the class fairly early, but I don't want to take lower-ranked guys for expediency's sake when we could land top guys a little later.

M-Wolverine

June 6th, 2011 at 6:12 PM ^

I've been preparing 5 years worth of different references to Magnus for the boards, and it'll all have been for waste if he goes somewhere else....