2020 recruiting thread

Submitted by TK on December 6th, 2019 at 12:07 PM

Sorry this isn’t swim lanes but an overview nonetheless. Hoping others can contribute what they know.

How many spots left? Who the heck knows. Officially I think we have 68 scholarship players who could theoretically return. So that would mean only 17 commits. Obviously that won’t happen. We will probably get 2-4 NFL entries and a handful more playing time related transfers. I would guess we take 2-4 more commits with a couple current commits dropping off. Patterson and Mazzcuah have been rumored as maybe not being part of the class. Someone else can confirm or deny.

Offense:

-Need a QB. Looks like we are all in on Stroud who is visiting this weekend. UM-OSU battle. 

-TE Theo Johnson announcing Monday. Maybe 40-60 on this one. 

-Looks like we want one more OT and we are going after Andrew Gentry, James Pogorelc, and top 100 BC commit Ozzy Trapilo. 

Defense: 

-Kind of quiet outside of DGW who is visiting with Stroud. Webb thinks we have a very good shot and it’s a position of need. Feel like other than CB at DT is an obvious need but I don’t know any legit names right now. 

TK

December 6th, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^

A guy they might bulk up to DT? Looking at the top DTs, there are hardly any uncommitted options. Maybe we flip someone or we just roll with what we have for this cycle and hope to get a couple good ones in 2021. Makes me a little uncomfortable given how our season went. 

chunkums

December 6th, 2019 at 12:23 PM ^

Freshmen generally stink at DT anyway, so we weren't going to pick up an immediate contributor. Our biggest hope there is that Mazi and/or Hinton develops. I don't think bulking up SDEs to play DT is necessarily a bad approach a lot of the time. One of our issues this year was that we didn't even have that. At one point we had Kemp, who started as a linebacker, and Ben Mason. I thought this was an interesting post the other day from FatGuyTouchdown:

We literally have the son of a 2 time all pro Defensive Tackle committed, miss me with that Vince Wilfork mini me bullshit. Outside the top 5-10 players, defensive tackle is a fluky position to recruit. Most of the guys are already pretty massive, and it's really hard to find 315 pound dudes that move well. It's easier to get SDE's with good frames and put weight on them. Jerry Tillery, Malik McDowell, Jeffrey Simmons and Vita Via were all SDEs in HS. Quinnen Williams was for most of the cycle, he was a generous 265 pounds. Taven Bryan was an OT. Over half of the first rounders at DT over the last few years were another position in high school. Dre'mont Jones, Trysten Hill both ends. Go back to 2016, and almost every big time DT taken was a DE in HS. Chris Jones, Robert Nkemdiche, Sheldon Rankins, Vernon Butler, and Adam Gotsis were ends. Straight up, recruiting SDE's with great frames and moving them in is better. Guys play DT because theyre way too big, or not athletic enough to play DE in high school, so unless you have a massive dude with incredible athleticism (probably going to Alabama or Clemson), DT's are way riskier than SDEs

DrMantisToboggan

December 6th, 2019 at 12:27 PM ^

He's a DT for all intents and purposes. He's already over 250lbs and he plays in a 4i in his HS's 3-4. He's basically already a 3T prospect, he just needs weight.

He's good too. He's probably going to get another ratings bump. Would be pretty lucky to end up with him after not taking his commitment earlier.

Mongo

December 6th, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^

Need DTs and CBs, ready to play next year.  We should add the portal guys and JUCCO candidates to the recruiting posts as well.  Not sure which of the services follows the transfers, but we need experience beef at NT and cover speed at CB / NB.

Carpetbagger

December 6th, 2019 at 1:18 PM ^

Why do some of you people think these guys who can't cut it at Stanford and Texas are suddenly going to be studs at Michigan?

Danna played well, but he took a step up in competition and still wasn't some sort of difference maker. That's probably best-case scenario outside of QBs. And we have plenty of those.

evenyoubrutus

December 6th, 2019 at 12:25 PM ^

I have no idea what you're talking about with Hinton. He's never been discussed as an OT, where we have a ton of depth. He even played as a DT against OSU, 6 days ago.

I have this hope that the coaches are really high on some guys we haven't talked much about. Kris Jenkins dad was a monster NT in the NFL, and we've done well with legacy recruits. Supposedly they LOVE Welschof but he was always a year 3 guy.

mgobaran

December 6th, 2019 at 12:54 PM ^

One or both of Kemp/Dwumfour might receive a 5th year. Jeter will be a senior. Paea may have finally settled into a position and is 300+ lbs. Hutchinson and Welsholf could bulk up ~10 lbs and be DT sized. Hinton and Mazi Smith are probably your starters. 

I don't think we are "drastically thin" next year.