Kurelic (ESPN Insider) picks Michigan for Mathis

Submitted by 2014 on

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=Midwest_Recruiting

Summary:
-Mathis to announce this week
-Oregon is the favorite (as we know)
-Kurelic's surprise pick is Michigan (no supporting evidence)
-Bill Kurelic does the Midwest Recruiting Blog for ESPN Insider

It would be really surprising if Mathis picked us at this point, but it does feel like there's an underground movement amongst the analysts for Mathis to UM.

I'd like it personally, especially with Witty not qualifying...

aaamichfan

January 7th, 2010 at 1:23 PM ^

It wouldn't be a terrible pickup, I just wish he were about three inches taller and 20 pounds heavier.

tdumich

January 7th, 2010 at 1:26 PM ^

you can put much more stock in what this blog has for recruiting coverage than what bill kurelic says.

with that said, i'd certainly take a mathis commitment.

CRex

January 7th, 2010 at 1:35 PM ^

The Midwest guy picked a Midwest school for Mathis? Complete with no supporting evidence? I have to feel like this is more for the page hits, than having journalistic merit.

blueloosh

January 7th, 2010 at 1:38 PM ^

According to GBW Mathis has made his way into the starting lineup at CB for the Army game but he simply does not hold a candle to Avery or Terrence Talbott and so we will deliberately ignore him and slam the door in his face even if he tries to hop aboard. Which makes complete sense. Because he's short. And Rodriguez obviously can't stand short players. The man is height-crazy! (sarcasm)

Magnus

January 7th, 2010 at 6:38 PM ^

Thank you for telling us that Rodriguez doesn't mind recruiting short people, since he brought in Martavious Odoms, Vincent Smith, and Teric Jones, not to mention current commits like Terrence Talbott and Drew Dileo and Courtney Avery.

But McGuffie wasn't 5'7".

Don

January 7th, 2010 at 1:48 PM ^

Ten+ years ago he was considered hot stuff in the recruiting biz (at least in the midwest) but in this era of Rivals and Scout and MGoBlog and Sam Webb he's become somewhat irrelevant.

dahblue

January 7th, 2010 at 1:54 PM ^

I posted this thought on another story, but (and this could be totally meaningless, but hey...why not mention?) I often sit in/near the recruit/program seats for Bball games. I've seen Dior on multiple occassions and the guy just seems really comfortable with current players, recruits, staff...even the ushers. His comfort level seems beyond that of other recruits. Maybe that's just because he's local (or Detroit local)? I don't know...I'm just passing along an observation...

big10football

January 7th, 2010 at 2:06 PM ^

He's a 4 star on every site and an instate guy. I'd love to have Mathis. He's also from an important school, even though none of the guys we got from Cass have seemed to pan out yet. There will be more coming up the pike. Hopefully he turns blue with Witty not qualifying.

Lutha

January 7th, 2010 at 2:34 PM ^

If Dior decides to come to Michigan, I'd welcome him with open arms. He is an elite, explosive athlete and I'd happily take as many of those as we can get our mitts on. So what if he lacks height. Put him in the slot, where Drake has just vacated a spot. I'm sure the coaches can find a way to use his exceptional athleticism.

ramverine79

January 7th, 2010 at 2:20 PM ^

Read on the Mlive forum that on WTKA this morning, Sam said he no longer had the 'gut feeling' for Grimes/Murphy. Anybody else here this?

If that's true and Witty not coming, adding a corner would make sense.

me

January 7th, 2010 at 2:44 PM ^

of the silent commit status for these two. UM appears to still lead according to them and TomVH's recent interview, but Scout doesn't seem to consider them silent commits any more.

But even with that, I don't think that opens the door for Mathis.
In this class you still have Cullen, Avery and Talbott as CB's. That's still a pretty good haul. I'd rather them replace Grimes/Murphy with Knight or Parker and a MLB.

jg2112

January 7th, 2010 at 2:34 PM ^

I will be stunned if Dior doesn't commit to Oregon.

Then again, earlier this week at the AA game Dior said he would make a "stunning" announcement on Saturday.

So, I'm ready for stunnage.

2014

January 7th, 2010 at 2:38 PM ^

While I would agree that Kurelic appears to generally be about 2 months behind the information stream when it comes to recruiting, there's a different feel on this one.

I haven't been able to find a single other blog entry where he makes a similar gut prediction that is contrary to the prevailing theory.

He's probably taking Mathis's "I'll shock everybody with my selection statement" a little too seriously, but you never know.

And Mathis is still ranked considerably higher on both Rivals and Scout than Avery or Talbott. We'd all prefer all of our CB's were 6'3" with the wingspan of a condor and ran a 4.1, but sometimes you have to settle for the best cover guy in the state of Michigan this year...

I don't think we're getting him, but Farrell (yes, consider the source) and Kurelic (yes, consider the source) have both made statements that indicate they believe he's not a lock for Oregon.

It'll be interesting to see where he goes. It's probably 90% Oregon, but I'll be pumped if he makes the right choice.

mstier

January 7th, 2010 at 2:40 PM ^

I mean, it probably wouldn't be a bad pick up. Bring him in at corner, and if he doesn't work out there then move him to slot since we aren't getting Drake and all. I'd be alright if Mathis is the replacement for Drake.

jg2112

January 7th, 2010 at 2:50 PM ^

There might be something to this opinion regarding Mathis and the slot WR position, now that Drake is out of the picture.

I don't have any background detail, but perhaps that's the "stunning" angle on his announcement.

I dunno, we watched a 5'8" corner get torched the first 1/3 of the season last year, why go through that with a guy 2 inches shorter?

Blue in Yarmouth

January 8th, 2010 at 10:53 AM ^

You are saying short like it is one height. Yes, some short corners have succeeded. Can you tell me how many 5'6" corners have succeeded?

He would give up at least 9" (in height for all you TWSS guys out there) to a guy like M Floyd. I don't care how good a guys cover skills are, when you give up that kind of height to a WR you are going to come out on the losing end more often than not.

Most teams second WR's over 6' as well, so he would even give up 6" to them.

Short is one thing, 5'6" is another.

If their thought is to bring him in as a slot, I am fine with that given the Drake thing. But even Cissoko, who was described almost exactly as Dior has been his senior year and was a 5*, had more height than him. We all saw how he got abused by taller receivers this year.

I am not saying there is no hope for short DB's but 5'6" is a problem at CB IMHE.

Drake

January 7th, 2010 at 3:58 PM ^

Dior is headed to Eugene, but even if he decides he wants to play close home, he'll go to MSU. I would love to have Dior but with the commitments of Avery and Talbott, we just arent able to take him this year.

MMarchingband243

January 7th, 2010 at 5:10 PM ^

How tall was Donavon Warren, I was thinking 6'2" but if he was shorter(Warren) I think he'd had been just as good. Mathis probably has some 'hops' if he's that short and plays DB so we'll see. He'll probably end up in EL.

silverslugger

January 7th, 2010 at 5:23 PM ^

I would prefer Knight over Mathis
BUT, i am willing to accept him into this class with Drake not qualifying
I'm sure we will find somewhere to use Dior

hopefully the surprising announcement is for Michigan!