Donovan Peoples-Jones: How realistic our are chances to get him?

Submitted by Photogenic on
So I've been reading about The Opening, and Donovan Peoples-Jones scored highest out of anyone at the event. Considering that he's a 2017 and will undoubtedly keep improving, he has a very strong chance to be a Top 5 overall prospect once 2017 rankings are final. I don't know a ton about his recruitment, but he strikes me as a "must get" prospect, especially coming out of Cass Tech, which is a Michigan stronghold. I see that his crystal ball is currently going for Ohio State, which makes absolutely no sense at all. Do we actually have a strong chance with him? Has he visited and been interested in Michigan so far?
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RationalBuckeye

July 12th, 2015 at 1:24 PM ^

OSU insiders don't seem too high on our chances with him. Tom VH said he doesn't see him ending up at MSU.

I wouldn't be surprised to see him end up at UM or leave the Midwest altogether

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RationalBuckeye

July 12th, 2015 at 1:35 PM ^

I never know what to make of Gary's recruitment. He comments on it a lot and almost never says the same thing as the last time, announces visits that don't happen, doesn't announce visits that do happen, and his crystal ball is a crapshoot. I don't see him ending up in Columbus, but curious, nonetheless.

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Blue Carcajou

July 12th, 2015 at 1:28 PM ^

If we win we the way we should, the way we're supposed to we can get anyone. I feel like a large number of recruits are just waiting with baited breath to see how Harbaugh does this year. Much like they were when Hoke went 11-2 his first year... And you remember how fast his second class filled up (Now it's just up to Harbaugh to coach them up.).

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Albatross

July 12th, 2015 at 1:31 PM ^

But as far as recruiting goes, we have to get back to the point where it is nearly impossible for anyone to pull the best players out of Michigan. That should be priority No. 1 for Jimmy and his staff.

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Avon Barksdale

July 12th, 2015 at 1:52 PM ^

And we were losing. The 2012, 2013 classes were heavy with Michigan's best (Morris, Dawson, Harris, RJS, Ross, etc. etc).It wasn't until 2014 and 2015 with Webb, Alabai, and Weber that Urban started taking the best MI prospects.

I don't really care if we get the best Michigan prospect every year if we're putting together top 10 classes with kids from CA, FL, DC, and other recruiting hotbeds.

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814 East U

July 12th, 2015 at 1:32 PM ^

I'd say 34% us; 33% OSU/MSU/ND; and 33% everyone else just like most highly ranked prospects out of the state of MI.

Yes, these numbers are completely made up my me before the snark comes, but I usually just view high prospects in the state as (1) M is in the top 5, (2) M still has to fight off MSU/ND/OSU for the average highly ranked MI prospects, and (3) Random Blue blood/random school peaks interest of said prosect (see Bama, USC, OLE MISS OF COURSE (I kid...kinda?)).

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San Diego Mick

July 12th, 2015 at 1:33 PM ^

He's an extremely important recruit, it would also help the rest of the 2017 class in a big way, great players want to play together, I'm crossing my fingers on this one.

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Danwillhor

July 12th, 2015 at 2:13 PM ^

Yet, I think a ton will rest on the season. He'll literally have his pick of schools and could be the top player in the country next year. If this were Cleveland Glenville he'd already be verballed to osu. Yet, UM being down and osu (in a genius move) hiring away Cass guys that hold sway with those kids I'd say I don't like our chances. I'd bet the field over UM right now with a really bad feeling he goes to osu. If he doesn't come here I just want him out of the B1G lol. Yet, I don't think we have no chance at all but rather I'd take the field over UM.....something I wouldn't do less than a decade ago.

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Danwillhor

July 12th, 2015 at 6:50 PM ^

they flirted with the DC at Cass a couple years ago, IIRC. Other than that it's been no actual coaches (AFAIK) but I do know of two "consultants" who's names escape me right now that have been close to Cass for years. One of them ( I want to say Collier or similar...?) worked at Cass but not on the FB staff. Yet he was supposedly a big favorite of the players. The other was just a guy similarly close to the kids but not in any way affiliated with the school. That's just how it happens at big HS programs, a ton of guys just hang around. Quite frankly I think they are there to help the kids out while in HS. I'm nit saying they buy their college choice but I know for a fact these types buy players clothes, shoes, football gear, etc. Take guys like that with that kind of pull and kids try to stay loyal to that. I mean, eating is eating....clothes are clothes. That means more to a lot of kids while growing up than fandom or the pull of their HS HC! Winning and our long isn't the only reason osu began poaching Cass so quickly. It helped but they now had guys that could reach these kids on a father-like level. It's one thing for a coach you never met to try to get you to visit and another when it's a guy that helped you out when you were just a kid and needed it, ya know.

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Mr. Yost

July 12th, 2015 at 2:22 PM ^

I'm sure asking a question like this on a message board will undoubtably yield an accurate answer.

Please let me know what you discover.

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denardogasm

July 12th, 2015 at 2:27 PM ^

We just need to look like a D1 football program again. Crush the bad teams, beat the good teams and beat or lose close to the very good teams and we'll get him. We already have a very good shot before Harbaugh's first game. He's CB'd ti OSU because he's in the Midwest and they just won the NC and picked up a couple Cass guys. Nothing more.

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SMart WolveFan

July 12th, 2015 at 3:23 PM ^

Of course he is going to go to one of the top "teams" and, as others have said,  it depends on if Michigan is a "top team" or at least trending that way.

But he seems to be a guy that, IMO, hopes UofM is successful so the choice is EZ!

 

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Paly33

July 12th, 2015 at 3:35 PM ^

If he stays local, most insiders think UM would be the school if things look good on the field this year. But he is also considering down South and serious about going to warm climate.

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