Hello: Wilton Speight (2014 QB)

Submitted by bdsisme on

We have our (only?) 2014 QB, first reported by TomVH ($).

Michigan Football class of 2018

— Wilton Speight (@WiltonSpeight) February 6, 2013

We won't have to wait long to see the coaches' plan for QB recruiting: Michael O'Connor and David Cornwell are supposedly getting phone calls from the coaches this afternoon.

michfan6060

February 6th, 2013 at 11:41 AM ^

Hmmm a guy that absolutely loves Michigan, is a classy guy, but most people would rather someone else was chosen...reminds me of Hoke.

Ron Utah

February 6th, 2013 at 12:34 PM ^

I loved this kid's tape.  Yes, I think Cornwell looks like an almost ideal QB, but that's just from watching some highlights and reading Magnus' write-up.  Speight has the tools you want: great accuracy and touch, solid arm strength, decent athleticism, good pocket awareness, throws a great deep ball, and throws well on the run.  He also has room to grow.

For those of you questioning his arm strength, I'm wondering if you watched the entire reel.  At 4:51, 5:41, 5:53, 6:05 he makes some pretty hard throws.  It's not a frozen rope, but he has plenty of arm strength.

Honestly, he does remind me of Navarre in a lot of ways.  He looks more polished and less clumsy, but the slight hitch in the throwing motion and his height do remind me of Big John.

FWIW, I believe college QBs need accuracy and touch more than arm strength.  I'm very excited about this kid.

Welcome to the family, Wilton Speight.

GO BLUE

Amaizeinblue

February 6th, 2013 at 1:32 PM ^

Best post of the thread so far. His touch pass on the run is a thing of beauty. I also like his ability to thread the needle in double coverage situations on that tape. His deep ball is nowhere near as bad as some are making it out to be. Also, look at how fast he had to make decisions, the front four are through his oline off the snap on way too many clips. I'm pumped to watch his senior season.

BLHoke

February 6th, 2013 at 4:01 PM ^

Everything about this kid looked very polished and poised for a Junior in High School. I remember watching Bellomy's HL tape when we snake oiled him and being fairly impressed. This kid looks leaps and bounds better than that. I know Bellomy was only a 3*, but I guess my point is, while Bellomy will likely never take another snap for us (fingers crossed), this kid looks like he has the potential to do so. He's not fast, but he's not slow and plodding ala Navarre. He can make all of the throws, EVEN the deep ball. And he has pinpoint accuracy. I was sold when he rolled out and threw it on a line 30 yards down the field, hitting the WR in stride, AGAINST his body. He can throw it 50 yards in the air and he's a 17 year old kid. How often do QBs have to throw the ball over 50 yards other in desperation mode? Most WRs run the 40 in about 4.5 seconds... You want the QB to get rid of the ball in under 5. He'll get stronger, I think arm strength is the least of his worries.

Hannibal.

February 6th, 2013 at 1:20 PM ^

I wouldn't be concerned about the kid's arm strength as much as his lack of offers from other programs.  With no blue chippers in either 2011 or 2012, I would have expected the staff to try and roll their dice with a more elite prospect, since there are a lot of eggs in the Morris basket right now.  Unless they are taking two QBs, which seems highly unlikely, since QBs in a recruiting class have about as much affinity for each other as queen bees. 

ProjectMayhem1

February 6th, 2013 at 1:28 PM ^

Hi guys, VERY new to this blog and just registered a few minutes ago after reading all of these posts about Wilton Speight (pron: Sp8).  He broke his collar bone his junior year and his school allowed him to reclassify for another year of eligibility.  Not too common, but not unheard of either.  He had and still has plenty of the top programs in the country interested in him, but due to the reclassification issue; most programs IMHO believed that they had more time to land him.  I'm sure we'll being seeing more about that in the coming weeks and months.  He's a very high character kid and does have an absolute rifle for an arm.  No need to worry there.  A lot of schools are not happy today after he chose U of M, I'm sure.  All of this is coming from personal knowledge of him.  I'm going to be rooting hard now for Big Blue nation!  

Zoltanrules

February 6th, 2013 at 1:34 PM ^

This kid has a good head on his shoulders. In the Webb  interview this Am he spoke about how Speight goes to Arizona once a month to work out with a Qb guru. Also common opponent coaches like Speight's and his upside even compared to top rated QB 2013 Meckenberg (PSU commit). He also seems to be freinds with Tebow and Russell Wilson who he is getting preparation advice from. At 6'6" and filling out he could be a very interesting player come 2015.

beevo

February 6th, 2013 at 2:06 PM ^

Born in Detroit but played my high school football in Virginia.  There is a nice pool of talent there in the Richmond-Newport New-DC triangle area.  I've been wanting Michigan to develop more ties in that area for years.  Green and, now S8, hopefully help us build permanent relationships with some of those talent areas.

alum96

February 6th, 2013 at 4:47 PM ^

Great story.  Sounds like he wants to be here, and having your QB help recruit that class for a full year rather than waiting for 2, 4, 6, 10+ months for another QB to commit is a positive.  Sounds like he wanted to be here very badly and has a passion for the school.  Good luck to him.

HarBooYa

February 6th, 2013 at 3:17 PM ^

Accurate for hs kid. Will only improve.



Big. Looks like he will be hard to get down with an arm tackle. Brushed aside some lil hs guys in video.



A bit lumbering. Footwork could probably improve but that can be taught. Being light on your feet, not so much...but look at rothlisberger.



Funny ball. Look like it tails up a bit. I wouldn't say he sprang have adequate d1 arm strength, just a funny ball. His accuracy though seems to indicate its a catchable funny ball. WrS never break stride in the vid I watched.



Like the addition. Traditional looking UofM qb.



Love he is all I'm too. Hope he camps well so his recruiting value/efforts are maxed out for us.

Belisarius

February 6th, 2013 at 4:26 PM ^

He does not, in fact, have great arm strength in relation to velocity. I will observe, though, that Kellon Moore and Case Keenum didn't have elite arm strength either, and they did well for themselves at college. That's all that should matter to us.

Belisarius

February 6th, 2013 at 7:01 PM ^

Well, as to the latter point, that's why I observed they diod well for themselves "at college." In as much as this is a UofM board and not a Detroit Lions fansite, I would think that;s the primary concern. As it is, when Keenum and Moore needed to rise to the occasion, they usually did, so while their success was predicated on weaker opposition, it's not as if it was a boondoggle at the NCAA level. And while the defenses will be better than they were accustomed to facing, the offensive line and supporting cast Speight will have around him will be improved as well.



As to the level of competition, I see that. My big fear was what would happen when he meets up with the CBs Ohio has been hauling in. It won't matter how on target the ball is, if it takes a week to get there, those guys will hawk it. On the other hand, having a big arm and no questionable accuracy would be just as much of a problem. I think the truth is, anybody is going to have a tough time with that kind of an elite secondary.

 

FormerlyBigBlue71

February 6th, 2013 at 8:43 PM ^

Everybody on here that is complaining about this committment is purely a star gazer.  Just because David Cornwell is an early 4 star on rivals does not mean he is a better quarterback and also doesnt mean that Speight isnt going to end up being a top 100 player nationally when the recruiting services reavaluate.  This is Michigan and we are evolving back to a pro style offense.  Do you really think that the coaches would take a commitment from a kid at a super important position if they did not think he was a big time player?