BBrown: 2015 Names To Watch: Jake Pickard

Submitted by Brandon Brown on

Name: Jake Pickard
Position: Tight End
Ht/Wt: 6’6" / 230 lbs. / 4.78
Location: Millburn Sr – Millburn, NJ (2015)
Offers: Louisville, Purdue, Rutgers, Virginia, Boston College, Cincinnati, Illinois, Nebraska, Syracuse, Temple
Rating: ★★★ .8067 (247 Composite)
Ranking: #1347 NAT / #44 TE  (247 Composite)
FILM

Combo athlete Jake Pickard lines up as a tight end and a weakside defensive end for his high school team and does so well enough that colleges have offered him at both positions. Pickard has been in contact with Michigan for quite some time and the Wolverine coaching staff likes what he does on the offensive side of the ball. 

Pickard's father is close personal friends with Brady Hoke and that relationship has kept Jake on the radar of the coaching staff for a while. 

Yesterday, cornerbacks coach Roy Manning stopped in to see Jake at his high school and told him that the coaches are still monitoring what he's doing and they'd like to see him come to their camp this summer and perform in person. Pickard also said that the coaches are fond of his frame and the potential body type that he could achieve as a tight end.

Pickard told me that he'd like to attend the Michigan camp but he's not sure he'll be able to do that yet. If he does, look for him to be one of the players watched closely by the coaches to see if he's worthy of an offer.

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Brandon Brown

May 15th, 2014 at 10:38 PM ^

I think Michigan could very realistically land both Clark and Wheatley. Pickard has a connection to the coaches and is a solid player in his own right so I think this is just the coaches paying attention where they need to.

Joined: 10/15/2012

MGoPoints: 3732

rob f

May 15th, 2014 at 11:17 PM ^

a legit prospect/project that maybe needs time to develop, or is he being recruited because his dad is a close friend of Coach Hoke?   I hope the former rather than the latter.

Joined: 11/11/2010

MGoPoints: 193792

WolverineinSB

May 16th, 2014 at 2:07 AM ^

He plays RT, rush DT, and P his entire highlight video. He does not go out for one pass the entire time and I'm really not a fan of such a project at TE when the player has not ever played the position. Maybe it's just because of how Williams has played. I don't think this kid is a bad football player, but which such limited amount of spots I don't think he can get a scholarship with our top targets still on the board. Wish I could see film of him playing TE tho. It's weird his hudl says he's number 81 at the beginning but he's 71 the whole time. If anyone finds any video of him playing TE I would love to see it and maybe I'm completely wrong.

Joined: 01/07/2009

MGoPoints: 1700

chatster

May 16th, 2014 at 4:35 AM ^

In job hunting (and college football recruiting), they say that often it’s not what you know, but who you know.  The key to Jake Pickard’s Michigan recruiting just might be his father’s close personal relationship with Brady Hoke.  Jake Pickard is ranked 47th on nj.com’s list of the top 50 football recruits in the Class of 2015.
 
Millburn is among New Jersey’s wealthiest towns and its high school is considered one of the top 15 high schools in the state.  But it’s not well known for its football program.  They were 4-6 in 2013, competing in New Jersey’s second lowest division.  The teams it beat had a combined record of 10-30, including one forfeit win.
 
Is the Keith-Heitzman-To-Tight-End experiment working so well that Michigan has decided to recruit tight ends from among those who’ve never played the position, but who have the size to play it? Would Jake Pickard accept a Michigan offer, out of respect for his father’s close personal friend? Could Jake Pickardthen become a diamond in the rough who might become a Jordan Kovacs type player for Michigan?

Joined: 09/14/2010

MGoPoints: 26926

Magnus

May 16th, 2014 at 6:47 AM ^

LOL at the clip around 1:30 into his Hudl film. The ball sails over the QB's head, so he and the RB turn and chase it. The RB picks it up, so the QB turns to block...then sees Pickard coming and jumps out of the way.

Anyway, Pickard looks like a strongside end or maybe even a 3-tech tackle, depending on how his body fills out. I think he would be very limited as a tight end. I've followed his recruitment a little bit, and I can say that his dad is working overtime to try to get his kid's name and highlights out there.

Joined: 07/17/2008

MGoPoints: 165915

SECcashnassadvantage

May 16th, 2014 at 8:22 AM ^

No NJ 3 stars! Get Florida, Texas, and Georgia 3 stars. NJ kids don't play anyone at that level.

Joined: 01/25/2014

MGoPoints: 2662

BlastDouble

May 16th, 2014 at 10:38 AM ^

This kid could easily grow into an Offensive Tackle with that kind of frame and agility, kind of like a Jake Fisher. I can see the coach's taking him to add depth to TE (AJ Williams role) or if he keeps growing, he could be an OT. Just a thought...

Joined: 12/11/2013

MGoPoints: 4018

getsome

May 16th, 2014 at 1:19 PM ^

maybe OL down the road or backup type 3/5 tech DL.  but theres no way this kid should be offered at TE or even offered at all given his current /projected ability- especially not offered by team claiming to want to win league rings and get back into top 10 chatter.  just not athletic enough.  would much prefer to see 1 stars from LA or GA or FL as another poster suggested rather than athleticly limited rich kids from weak NJ divisions if the coaches are truly looking for developmental prospects and not elite kids to impact early.  either do everything possible to win or you do not, brady...marginal athletes as personal favors to daddy are not the best way back to top of B1G

Joined: 09/07/2013

MGoPoints: 7383