2014 recruit to watch out for

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October 15th, 2012 at 2:22 PM
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robbyt003
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2014 recruit to watch out for

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Chicago (Ill.) Hales Franciscan junior offensive tackle prospect Denzel Ward (6-foot-9, 285 pounds) was able to add an offer from the Michigan Wolverines over the weekend when he was an unofficial visitor in Ann Arbor. Ward talks about adding his latest offer from one of his dream schools and much more in this update.

 

The article discusses a possible early commitment and calls Michigan one of his dream schools.  I'm not saying buckle up, but don't be surprised if he pulls the trigger and commits early.  

MANBALL

“When your team is winning, be ready to be tough, because winning can make you soft. On the other hand, when your team is losing, stick by them. Keep believing” - Bo Schembechler

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October 15th, 2012 at 2:25 PM | He (Score:5 Normal)
aquaman2342
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He may visit again for the MSU game. If he does, I think a commitment is possible. 

Recruit Files: Robert Foster

October 15th, 2012 at 2:27 PM | (No subject) (Score:5 Normal)
gwrock
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October 15th, 2012 at 2:28 PM | Ya, he's been interesting (Score:5 Normal)
sundaybluedysunday
Joined: 01/07/2009
MGoPoints: 382

Ya, he's been interesting already. He visited Purdue last weekend against Michigan and got his first offer from them and then decided he loved it so much that he was going to go back there this weekend for the game vs. Wisconsin. Then, the Michigan coaches called him and probably hinted that if he visited they would offer and he really should come check it out, so he visited and got the offer before the game. Then he spent all Sunday hanging out with LTT and he's been enamored with Michigan ever since and says he'll be back for the State game this weekend.

In other news, Twitter is a hell of a drug.

October 15th, 2012 at 2:30 PM | I (Score:4 Normal)
aquaman2342
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I noticed that too; he's signaled to other commitments that he might pull the trigger soon. I'm wondering if maybe he didn't expect an offer from Michigan and that's why he contemplated revisiting Purdue on Saturday. 

Recruit Files: Robert Foster

October 15th, 2012 at 2:38 PM | I actually hope he takes more (Score:5 Normal)
sundaybluedysunday
Joined: 01/07/2009
MGoPoints: 382

I actually hope he takes more time and sees a few more schools before he commits. Dawson committed within minutes of getting his offer and then continued to receive offers and attention from other schools. Better he does due process before committing than to feel trapped by the no visit policy (which I like, I'm not criticizing it). 

October 15th, 2012 at 2:45 PM | Not everyone is like Dawson.  (Score:5 Normal)
ken725
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Joined: 10/26/2008
MGoPoints: 4552

Not everyone is like Dawson.  There are kids who commit early and stay committed to schools.

Shane and Dymonte committed in 2011.

There were about 7 commitments in Feb and only one has decommitted. 

Greetings from Bolivia.

"It's special how the real true people hang together. And if you don't support the program you're not a true Michigan guy. It's that simple."  - Gary Moeller

October 15th, 2012 at 3:13 PM | So you like the Treadwell model? (Score:5 Normal)
JeepinBen
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Because people hate that he hasn't comitted yet.

My point is this: college football fans are idiots.

"Over? Did you say, over? Nothing is over until we decide it is!"

October 15th, 2012 at 3:18 PM | If Michigan truly is his dream school then (Score:4 Normal)
SanDiegoWolverine
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Joined: 02/03/2009
MGoPoints: 1317

spending two weekends getting to know the coaches, the players, and the school should be enough for him. Look, everyone is different. Some people make up their minds quickly and stick to that decision and some people need time. I think the situtation we had last spring was unique in that so many recruits were committing at the same time that it's possible a few of them committed before being 100% sure. 

T

October 15th, 2012 at 2:33 PM | Speaking of 2014 recruiting, (Score:1 Normal)
artds
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Speaking of 2014 recruiting, does anyone have a good link to a list of in-state 2014 prospects?

Every time an MGoBoard poster complains about a thread topic, God kills a baby panda.

October 15th, 2012 at 2:36 PM | Malik McDowell Damon Webb Get (Score:5 Normal)
Michael Scarn
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Malik McDowell

Damon Webb

Get those 2 and go hunting in Ohio and elsewhere, please.  

October 15th, 2012 at 2:42 PM | 2012 Rivals State of Michigan (Score:5 Normal)
sundaybluedysunday
Joined: 01/07/2009
MGoPoints: 382

2012 Rivals State of Michigan Rankings:

6. Dennis Norfleet

8. Ben Braden

9. Devin Funchess

12. Mario Ojemudia

I would say Michigan usually has more than two talented players.

October 15th, 2012 at 3:05 PM | It usually does, but early (Score:1 Overrated)
WolvinLA2
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It usually does, but early returns suggest it won't be that deep this year.

October 15th, 2012 at 2:51 PM | Tommy Doles (OT, Grand (Score:5 Normal)
ken725
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Tommy Doles (OT, Grand Rapids)

*Jake Khoury (DT, Traverse City)

*Gary Hosey and Will White (LB, Detroit/Cass Tech)

I'm sure there are others I am missing.

 

*no Michigan offers

Greetings from Bolivia.

"It's special how the real true people hang together. And if you don't support the program you're not a true Michigan guy. It's that simple."  - Gary Moeller

October 15th, 2012 at 2:54 PM | I believe there is also a TE (Score:3 Normal)
robbyt003
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I believe there is also a TE from Lapeer West (or maybe it is east) that we are looking at.  

“When your team is winning, be ready to be tough, because winning can make you soft. On the other hand, when your team is losing, stick by them. Keep believing” - Bo Schembechler

October 15th, 2012 at 2:57 PM | 2014 TE Kyle Rachwal. From (Score:2 Normal)
ken725
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2014 TE Kyle Rachwal.

From Tremendous:

"It was a lot of fun. There were a bunch of recruits there! I got to talk with the coaches and it went even better than last time. I got to talk with them for a lot longer about my season and they seem to be taking more interest in how things are going for me. I didn't get a chance to talk to Coach Jackson. He's supposed to be coming out soon to watch me play. I'm hoping to come back next weekend for the MSU game but I'm not sure right now because I may be taking another visit. I've gotten two visits now and will hope for a third, so I'm feeling good right now about where I stand and feel like things are building for me with Michigan".

Greetings from Bolivia.

"It's special how the real true people hang together. And if you don't support the program you're not a true Michigan guy. It's that simple."  - Gary Moeller

October 15th, 2012 at 2:59 PM | Yes, and Jordan Van Dort, AJ (Score:2)
WolvinLA2
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Yes, and Jordan Van Dort, AJ Williams-type TE from Zeeland.  Might be an OL.

October 15th, 2012 at 3:01 PM | Here are some (Score:5 Normal)
aquaman2342
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Joined: 01/26/2010
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These are all players Michigan has at least sent mail to, if not contacted. I'm probably missing a few. 

DE Malik McDowell (Detroit Loyola) 

OL Ka'John Armstrong (Detroit Loyola)

WR Drake Harris (GR Christian; MSU) 

DB Byron Bullough (Traverse City; MSU) 

CB/WR Damon Webb (Detroit; CT)

OL Tommy Doles (GR Christian; M leads with offer) 

LB Will White (Detroit; CT)

RB/LB Gary Hosey (Detroit; CT)

LB Deon Drake (Detroit; MSU)

DE Lawrence Marshall (Southfield) 

LB Carl Fuller (Detroit King)

ATH Avonte Maddox (Detroit King) 

OL/TE Jordan Van Dort (Zeeland) 

TE Kyle Rachwal (Lapeer East) 

DT Jake Khoury (Traverse City) 

QB Chance Stewart (Sturgis; Wisconsin) 

QB Travis Smith (Ithaca; visited this weekend) 

QB Tyler Wiegers (Detroit Country Day)

RB Richard Wilson (Detroit Country Day) 

WR Moe Ways (Detroit Country Day) 

DB Rico Lewis (East English Prep) 

ATH Jalen Watts-Jackson (Orchard Lake St. Mary)

DB Spencer Viening (Zeeland) 

RB Lorenzo Collins (Farmington Hills Harrison) 

DB Gairus Coleman (Farmington Hills Harrison) 

OL Connor Hayes (Traverse City; visitor) 

OL Alec Stevens (Ogemaw Heights; M leads with no offer) 

DE Dylan Roney (Detroit Catholic Central) 

 

Recruit Files: Robert Foster

October 15th, 2012 at 3:15 PM | Out of those guys who do you (Score:3 Normal)
ken725
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Out of those guys who do you think gets offers?  It looks like Ohio is much deeper for 2014. 

For example should we offer Moe Ways before we send offers to guys like Kief, Snodgrass and Booth?

Greetings from Bolivia.

"It's special how the real true people hang together. And if you don't support the program you're not a true Michigan guy. It's that simple."  - Gary Moeller

October 15th, 2012 at 3:21 PM | Hard (Score:4 Normal)
aquaman2342
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Hard to say exactly whom, but Khoury, Wiegers, Watts-Jackson and Collins are possibilities. Kief will get an offer at some point I'm sure; Snodgrass doesn't seem interested in Michigan at all and if Booth gets an offer this weekend on his visit, he'll be interested. If he doesn't, I think he's out. 

I forgot to add DT/DE Kenny Finley and OL Malik King to that list as well. Both are from my hometown of Muskegon and are visiting this weekend. Finley is one who definitely could get an offer. 

Recruit Files: Robert Foster

October 15th, 2012 at 3:31 PM | It will be interesting to see (Score:3 Normal)
ken725
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It will be interesting to see the course of action this year.  I know they will always concentrate on the B1G states, but ACC country looks loaded for 2014. 

Greetings from Bolivia.

"It's special how the real true people hang together. And if you don't support the program you're not a true Michigan guy. It's that simple."  - Gary Moeller

October 15th, 2012 at 3:55 PM | Rachwal (Score:5 Normal)
aquaman2342
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Rachwal is another one who could eventually land an offer. Forgot to mention him. He may be visiting again this weekend, which would be his third visit this year. 

Recruit Files: Robert Foster

October 15th, 2012 at 3:32 PM | There are Moe Ways than one (Score:2)
sundaybluedysunday
Joined: 01/07/2009
MGoPoints: 382

There are Moe Ways than one to get a good recruiting class.

In all seriousness though, 2014 does look like a pretty down year for Michigan talent, especially from a depth perspective. The top end talent is there no doubt (Harris, Webb, McDowell) but there doesn't seem to be a ton behind that. I think Michigan will land 3-5 Michigan prospects this year and in general will give out a lot fewer offers than the past couple of years. I think they've got all of their offensive linemen from their offers so far except they might offer Kyle Trout. They might get up to 100, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them stay under the triple digits.

October 15th, 2012 at 3:41 PM | According to 247sports, we (Score:1)
ken725
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According to 247sports, we have sent out 55 offers so far.

Devers might get an offer down the road as well.

Greetings from Bolivia.

"It's special how the real true people hang together. And if you don't support the program you're not a true Michigan guy. It's that simple."  - Gary Moeller

October 15th, 2012 at 8:41 PM | Not Bullough (Score:1)
quiverfull
Joined: 12/21/2011
MGoPoints: 523

Comes from a great football family, friends of ours, but he's all about MSU like his two older brothers and his dad.  I would venture that he's not quite as talented as his older brothers either. 

Quiverfull

October 15th, 2012 at 8:41 PM | Not Bullough (Score:0 Redundant)
October 15th, 2012 at 4:14 PM | So we wasted .48 cents on a letter to (Score:2 Normal)
Section 1
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Byron Bullough in Traverse City?  Is there a YouTube clip of the Bulloughs torching the letter?

These are all players Michigan has at least sent mail to, if not contacted. I'm probably missing a few.

...

DB Byron Bullough (Traverse City; MSU)  

...

 

 

October 16th, 2012 at 11:17 AM | unless you're intending to do (Score:1)
asmdrap
Joined: 10/16/2012
MGoPoints: 1

unless you're intending to do Michigan recruits only - Kyle Trout gets multiple mail items from UM every day six days a week. He also got a visit from coach Montgomery and coach Hoke a couple weeks ago. 

October 15th, 2012 at 2:34 PM | i hope is well aware of the (Score:2 Normal)
no joke its hoke
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Joined: 01/13/2011
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i hope is well aware of the no visit policy if he does commit.

 

                                               s/

Vice.com

October 15th, 2012 at 2:54 PM | While I can't find highlights (Score:3 Normal)
DGDestroys
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While I can't find highlights from him anywhere, his hudl profile did have this to say about him..

Potential Major-Journalism

Class President, in the Debate Club, Loves to Read

Won the Rainbow Push Speaking Competition Scholarship (?)

 

Twitter // Recruiting Work// Email

October 15th, 2012 at 3:00 PM | 6'9" How can he even block (Score:0 Flamebait)
October 15th, 2012 at 3:11 PM | You know Taylor Lewan is (Score:5 Normal)
WolvinLA2
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You know Taylor Lewan is 6'8", right?  Do you think one inch makes that much difference?

First of all, with good knee bend, his head won't be too tall to throw over, not that QBs throw over the tackles head that much anyway.  The big thing for a tackle is to maintain separation, and long arms make that job a lot easier.  Generally speaking, taller guys have longer arms, which is why you see really tall OTs.  Leverage is more important for the interior guys. 

Keep in mind, too, that elite WDEs are usually tall as well, and that's who a LT lines up against. 

October 15th, 2012 at 3:27 PM | I was thinking (Score:1)
CalifExile
Joined: 03/02/2010
MGoPoints: 1331

"He's nuts. We've had several linemen that tall." Then I checked Bentley which lists only Bryan Nowicki and Jon Runyan (who apparently lost an inch after his Freshman year) at 6' 9". Greg Skrepanak was 6' 8" and Ed Muransky was only 6' 7".

"After all was said and done, there was nothing left to do."

October 15th, 2012 at 5:19 PM | Jonathan Ogden (Score:2)
whitedawg
Joined: 07/08/2008
MGoPoints: 694

Jonathan Ogden is 6'9", and he was a borderline HOF NFL tackle.  Height can be disadvantageous for a guard, after a point, because they work in close quarters.  But with height comes long arms, which are great for a tackle.  If a tackle can keep pass rushers away from his body, he'll usually win the matchup.

October 15th, 2012 at 6:12 PM | Definite HOF (Score:3 Normal)
rjc
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Not to nitpick but Ogden's a definite hall of famer.  He was just nominated for first time in September and may go in on first ballot.  Awesome player, prototype tackle for the modern game.

October 15th, 2012 at 3:03 PM | 6'9" and 285 ... wow. Is (Score:2)
DonAZ
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6'9" and 285 ... wow.

Is there such a thing as "too tall" for OT ... provided the proper weight can be added to the frame?

Midwestern born and raised ... now living in the heat of the Arizona desert

October 15th, 2012 at 3:10 PM | Not really (Score:3 Normal)
Blazefire
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A D-lineman, yes. Because they have to beat their man in a particular way. A tackle MIGHt need to execute a special block, but for the most part, if you can put the 3-tech or end on his back for a run, or present a massive, great wall of China style roadblock when passing, you're a great tackle. Tackles don't have to "get under" people, as it were, generally.

"This is the EMU game, not the emo game."
October 15th, 2012 at 4:21 PM | Agree (Score:3 Normal)
Hardware Sushi
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Agree, to an extent. Definitely agree the leverage angle is much more important for the interior linemen, both O and D.

Tackles can still be "too tall", especially in the NFL, if they can't get a quick enough step out or play low enough to hit speed rushing-types in the Dwight Freeney/Robert Mathis/Elvis Dumervil height range (5-11" to 6-2")  that use speed to get under the outside arm of really tall tackles.

Additionally, even though tackles play outside, they still have to get leverage against DEs with speed and power moves - Chris Long and Clay Matthews (6-3", still relatively short) come to mind absolutely planting their hands in tackles and driving them into the QB - and then next snap faking a bull rush and swimming right around the tackle for a sack.

This article from a year or two ago's draft does a good job hitting on a lot of the height vs. length pros and cons.

Intensity is a lot of guys that run fast.

October 15th, 2012 at 4:40 PM | This is a good point.  Height (Score:4 Normal)
WolvinLA2
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This is a good point. 

Height for linemen is a lot like that for CBs - it's not that any height is "too tall" but there is a point where it becomes more difficult to do your job well because of your height.  This is why there are so few good 6'2"+ corners, because it's just so rare to find a guy that tall who can be agile enough for the position. 

You get a similar situation with safeties and DTs, and point guards in basketball.  You don't want your PG to be short, it's just that 6'6" guys with great handle are tough to find. 

So the 6'9" part isn't bad, it's what goes along with 6'9" kids that make them rare.  But if he can play OT well, the 6'9" part by itself is not a cause for concern.

October 15th, 2012 at 3:04 PM | Moe Ways, cool name. (Score:2)
wolver767
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Moe Ways, cool name.

ty

October 15th, 2012 at 5:36 PM | MSU and Dantonio haven't (Score:3 Normal)
NFG
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MSU and Dantonio haven't offered him so I'm not impressed.



/s

October 15th, 2012 at 7:03 PM | They recruit too national to (Score:2 Normal)
robbyt003
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Joined: 10/25/2010
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They recruit too national to even consider him.  

“When your team is winning, be ready to be tough, because winning can make you soft. On the other hand, when your team is losing, stick by them. Keep believing” - Bo Schembechler

October 15th, 2012 at 6:16 PM | 6' 9" ....no problem (Score:2)
kicknback1
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Just recruit a 6" 10" QB......

October 15th, 2012 at 6:29 PM | Somebody needs to post a (Score:1)
maizenblue87
Joined: 06/22/2011
MGoPoints: 566

Somebody needs to post a picture of Richard Kiel, who played Samson in the original, "The Longest Yard".

October 15th, 2012 at 7:18 PM | We should recruit a 7'6" (Score:2)
Princetonwolverine
Joined: 10/10/2010
MGoPoints: 2260

We should recruit a 7'6" field goal and PAT blocker who can jump.

October 15th, 2012 at 9:07 PM | Man, that's the first time I've been to rivals in months (Score:2)
bluetell
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Joined: 07/03/2008
MGoPoints: 4770

not much to see over there when your whole recruiting class is basically wrapped up 6 months early I guess

Rudy watches inspirational movies about Shawn Hunwick

 

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