Demetrius Hart - Next for 2011?

Submitted by icefins26 on
Sounds like he will be next to commit for the 2011 class with Junior Day coming up (late February?). This guy has the potential to be a 5-star...he'd be huge to get our class kicked off. By watching his film, this kid can play - shifty and fast...looks like Noel Devine on film.
MGoBoard

icefins26

January 24th, 2010 at 9:21 AM ^

Very true...potential was the key word...but then again potential is a word that can be applied to everything. He has more impressive offers than Ricardo did at this point last year so that could speak more toward his rating...? But they are just ratings...and this kid can play.

Joined: 02/01/2009

MGoPoints: 13108

Clarence Beeks

January 25th, 2010 at 2:16 PM ^

Situations like that, where kids commit very early on, when they have potential to be 5 stars and then end up ranked much lower always make me wonder if there is an inherent bias in the way the recruiting services do their work (either intentionally or unintentionally). Maybe it's just me (and I don't really have anything to back this up), but it always seems like the kids that are solid commits so early stop getting reviewed by the services as extensively while those who haven't committed keep getting reviewed, so by the end of the process the kids that commit early on are ranked primarily based upon junior footage and reviews while those that commit later have the benefit of being evaluated based upon their progress as seniors. That might be totally insane and way off base, but it's something that's always made me wonder.

Joined: 09/06/2008

MGoPoints: 22794

MGoObes

January 24th, 2010 at 9:46 AM ^

he doesn't have the measureables that barry every likes (all-lobby team? really barry? really?) but the kid is a perfect fit for what RR and Co. like to do with their RBs.

Joined: 07/05/2008

MGoPoints: 1122

Magnus

January 24th, 2010 at 9:57 AM ^

Like MGoObes said, he's not going to be a 5-star. Kids are rated on their NFL potential, and there aren't many 5'8", 175 lb. running backs who are first round NFL picks. The four 5-star backs to Rivals this year average about 5'11", 195 lbs. and the smallest is Dillon Baxter, who's 5'11" and 187.

Joined: 07/17/2008

MGoPoints: 166004

big10football

January 24th, 2010 at 11:36 AM ^

I think that height is becomming less important these days in rating running backs. Being short can be an advantage for RB because they get lost behind the 6'6" 300 lb offensive linemen. With the success of short running backs the last few years like Dion Lewis 5'8", Jacquizz Rodgers 5'7", Noel Devine 5'8", Tavon Austin 5'9", Jahvid Best 5'9"; and pretty much all of Florida's Running Backs, I don't think that being 5'8" should be considered a real disadvantage.

Joined: 01/03/2009

MGoPoints: 403

Magnus

January 24th, 2010 at 11:40 AM ^

There's a difference between "less important" and "less important for ratings." Yes, shorter backs can be successful in college, but like I said, Rivals rates kids on their chances of being drafted into the NFL. 5-stars to them are potential future 1st rounders. And while all those guys you listed are good, none of them have been drafted into the NFL.

Joined: 07/17/2008

MGoPoints: 166004

big10football

January 24th, 2010 at 11:51 AM ^

Sure, but I think all of them will be drafted. Best is the 2nd ranked RB in the draft according to Scout's Inc. And I'm pretty sure Tavon Auston was a 5-star on Scout last year. Devine was highly rated and probably would have been higher if he didnt have behavioral and grade issues. The reason they havent been drafted is because they are still in college.

Joined: 01/03/2009

MGoPoints: 403

Magnus

January 24th, 2010 at 12:10 PM ^

It's not about being drafted. 5-star recruit = 1st round pick 4-star recruit = likely to play in NFL 3-star recruit = limited NFL potential Devine was a 5-star, and we have yet to see where he'll go on the draft. Best and Austin were 4-stars. Regardless, history - including recent history - tells us that bigger backs are the ones who get to the NFL and play well. There are exceptions like Warrick Dunn who go high in the draft, but the 1st round backs for the last 5 years have been: Knowshon Moreno Donald Brown Darren McFadden Jonathan Stewart Felix Jones Rashard Mendenhall Chris Johnson Adrian Peterson Marshawn Lynch Reggie Bush Lawrence Maroney Joseph Addai DeAngelo Williams Ronnie Brown Cedric Benson Cadillac Williams With only a couple exceptions, all of those guys would be considered big backs compared to Hart.

Joined: 07/17/2008

MGoPoints: 166004

turbo cool

January 24th, 2010 at 12:42 PM ^

Are you sure? I know the whole NFL thing plays a part but I remember reading a Rivals article a while back describing their ratings system. They essentially said that to be a 5*, they considered those players as immediate impact players in any program. 4*'s were usually all conference, 2-3 year starters, 3*s were likely to be 1-2 year starters.

Joined: 07/10/2008

MGoPoints: 977

Magnus

January 24th, 2010 at 1:58 PM ^

a) They weren't first round picks. b) Each of those players is young, so it's unclear whether they can hold up to an NFL pounding. Brian Westbrook, a poster child for small backs, is currently considering retirement after getting concussed over and over again. Obviously, that's only one example, but it's worth noting.

Joined: 07/17/2008

MGoPoints: 166004

WolvinLA2

January 25th, 2010 at 10:26 AM ^

When you say smaller backs lighting up the NFL, who do you mean exactly? The NFL's leading rushers this year: Chris Johnson Steven Jackson Thomas Jones Maurice Jones-Drew Adrian Peterson Ray Rice Ryan Grant Cedric Benson Jonathon Stewart Ricky Williams Frank Gore Jamaal Charles DeAngelo Williams Rashard Mendenhall Fred Jackson These are the top 15 rushers this past year (and all the ones who went over 1000 yards). I'll give you MJD, but who else on there is a smaller back? Ray Rice is short, but he's also 210. I would say most of the guys "lighting up" the NFL are good size doods.

Joined: 11/13/2009

MGoPoints: 58191

bluebob52

January 24th, 2010 at 10:48 AM ^

I attended 9 or 10 of his games last year and he is the real deal. The lack of numbers this year was due to the fact that he shared duties with CSU Commit Marvin Ford. The only game that Marvin did not play in resulted in 350+ total yards for Dee. Dee is Phenomenal! His "Stop and Start' is unbelievable and he gives up a leg like no one I have ever seen. Barry Sanders comes to mine but Dee has a little less speed and a bunch more brawn. I heard a rumor that he may be transfering up the road to Olmypia and I also hear UM is tops on his list. This year he will have very little help in the backfield so watch out for some gaudy numbers.

Joined: 07/16/2008

MGoPoints: 3

Don

January 24th, 2010 at 10:58 AM ^

I'm not trying to be negative, but I don't know why anybody would consider him signed and sealed for 2011 even if he does verbal next month. That's a year from Hart's NSD, and there's just too much that can happen in that time, both for Hart and for Michigan, to think anybody who commits that early for 2011 is a lock.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 148243

tpilews

January 25th, 2010 at 11:20 AM ^

I'd say, from a scouting point of view, the only knock I see on Hart is that he coasts to the end zone and doesn't keep running hard. Because of that, he doesn't look as fast as he probably is. With that said, he looks slippery and has some great moves and change of direction. I'd love to see him in blue.

Joined: 10/17/2008

MGoPoints: 3128

Raback Omaba

January 24th, 2010 at 11:21 AM ^

But with the uncertainty regarding our program right now, you cant get toooo excited for any 2011 commits. I'm excited for the 2010 class and seeing how RichRod can turn this program around. Anything less than an 8 win season will put his job on the line...which could change the whole landscape of our 2011 commit class depending on what happens. In any case, here's to an 8+ win season and D Hart in Ann Arbor next year.

Joined: 03/07/2009

MGoPoints: 1629