Let's Put Our Heads Together - Handicapping the 2014 Michigan Class
Now that the 2013 class is wrapped up and 2014 commits are starting to trickle in, I thought it'd be good to get a collective picture of where Michigan's class might end up. So, let's hear your thoughts recruiting experts, twitter stalkers, and Bama fan imposters.
Using the great 2014 offer board from Magnus at Touch the Banner, here's the names that I, as a casual follower of recruiting, have heard mentioned with Michigan frequently. Feel free to tell me anyone that I'm overlooking that has given Michigan love (or who I've erroneously included with no actual Michigan love) and I'll edit this list.
QB - Wilton Speight - Commit
RB - Jalen Hurd, Jonathan Hilliman, Elijah Hood, Joe Mixon, Edits: Kalen Ballage, Shai McKenzie
WR - Artavis Scott, Drake Harris, Corey Holmes, Christian McCaffrey
TE - Daniel Helm (I can't remember, Edit: Tyler Luatua, "MUST ADD" Garrett Dickerson, Nic Weishar
OT - Alex Bars, Damian Prince Edit: Juwann Bushell-Beatty, Braden Smith
OG - Mason Cole - Commit, Jamarco Jones, Edit: Sam Mustipher
C - Tommy Doles
DE - Malik McDowell, Lawrence Marshall, Joe Henderson, Da'Shawn Hand (I can dream) (Edit: you guys convinced me, Mich has a good shot at him. Mostly Aquaman convinced me.) , Jae'Sean Tate, Edit: Andrew Williams
DT - Bryan Mone - Commit
LB - Michael Ferns - Commit, Kyle Berger, Nyles Morgan
CB - Parrker Westphal, Troy Vincent, Jabrill Peppers. Edit: Adoree' Jackson
S - Montae Nicholson, Jamal Adams, Erick Smith, Edit, edit (moved from WR): Juju Smith
Again, that's a very imprecise list, so feel free to correct me. Have at it, folks.
If we can come to some sort of consensus (or if someone has reasoning behind an assertion) as to which are the most likely to commit at any given position (guessing at staff decisions on numbers), I'll update with a final projected class.
Gracias Aquaman!
February 26th, 2013 at 5:11 PM ^
I think Glen's little bro could end up in the class. I see him as a guy who could wow at some camps
February 26th, 2013 at 5:28 PM ^
Good Call
I can see Gelen as either a WDE or even a SLB . He won the state wrestling championship at 220 lbs., so I guess it depends on how much bigger he gets. Really like his athleticism.
February 26th, 2013 at 5:51 PM ^
February 26th, 2013 at 7:19 PM ^
February 26th, 2013 at 6:22 PM ^
It won't be long before Sparty jumps in.
February 26th, 2013 at 7:38 PM ^
When it comes to the Spartans, Illini, and Boilermakers though, all your recruit are belong to us.
February 26th, 2013 at 7:38 PM ^
When it comes to the Spartans, Illini, and Boilermakers though, all your recruit are belong to us.
February 26th, 2013 at 7:39 PM ^
When it comes to the Spartans, Illini, and Boilermakers though, all your recruit are belong to us.
February 26th, 2013 at 7:03 PM ^
I wasn't aware of this, GR3's little brother plays football?
February 26th, 2013 at 7:47 PM ^
wasn't sarcastic
February 26th, 2013 at 5:16 PM ^
February 26th, 2013 at 5:24 PM ^
February 26th, 2013 at 5:32 PM ^
Fair enough, I just included him because I happened to see Pickerington and thought of Taco Charlton and assumed he would magically make a difference.
February 26th, 2013 at 5:33 PM ^
Is it just me, or do Hurd and Ty Isaac look like brothers?
February 26th, 2013 at 6:41 PM ^
First non-racist/reasonably accurate doppleganger assessment I've seen on mgoblog.
February 26th, 2013 at 9:55 PM ^
February 26th, 2013 at 5:18 PM ^
WR/S John "Juju" Smith, OT Juwann Bushell-Beatty, OG Sam Mustipher, CB Adoree' Jackson.
February 26th, 2013 at 5:36 PM ^
I watched his highlights at your suggestion. I was very impressed. He seems unusually polished for a HS kid.
February 26th, 2013 at 5:22 PM ^
I had put up a post last week requesting something similar. Last summer, MGoUser Sinsemillaplease has put together a very helpful 2014 offer list. He updated it in response to my post, adding more offers, and showing 3 of the 4 commitments (Cole hasn't been changed to a commitment yet.) This list should eventually be added to the "Useful Stuff" tab. Here is a link to his table: http://mgoblog.com/diaries/2014-offer-list. This is slightly different from what you want, but gives you information helpful to put together a best guess list.
The M Block blog has also put together a projected list at http://www.themblock.com/p/the-projected-2014-class.html. You can look at this, and see how it compares to your list.
February 26th, 2013 at 6:50 PM ^
thanks for the link. I like that our pocket passer QB recruit, has a faster 40 time than "their" All American middle linebacker....
February 26th, 2013 at 5:40 PM ^
What about Cole's friends from Florida? Artavis Scott and George Campbell. They have a chance of ending up with Cole. I know Campbell is 2015, but Scott for this year.
Edit: Looks like Scott is already up there, my bad.
February 26th, 2013 at 5:33 PM ^
February 26th, 2013 at 5:34 PM ^
I don't think you'd put him above Harris, Scott, or Smith as far as who you'd most like to have, but he has an offer and looks good to me.
February 26th, 2013 at 5:34 PM ^
Campbell is a 2015 kid.
February 26th, 2013 at 5:35 PM ^
We have a better shot at Hand than most people think. Looking at his twitter and top 5, I would guess we are in his top 2 with VT. He doesn't really seem interested in South Carolina, North Carolina, or Alabama.
February 26th, 2013 at 5:38 PM ^
Vt and Bama
February 26th, 2013 at 11:06 PM ^
Why is this flamebait and the post he was responding to that was more pro Michigan and probably less accurate have a score of five?
February 27th, 2013 at 11:54 AM ^
post here without someone getting their panties in a wad.
February 26th, 2013 at 5:41 PM ^
He wants to play football, and get an engineering degree. It really does seem to be #1 VaTech, and Michigan in the hunt.
February 27th, 2013 at 7:26 AM ^
Anyone want to place a wager re: Hand actually majoring in engineering in college? I can recall Brandin Hawthorne and Patrick Omameh both claiming that they intended to major in engineering when they entered UM and that didn't happen. It rarely does.
February 26th, 2013 at 5:42 PM ^
1 DT?
February 26th, 2013 at 5:44 PM ^
How about OT Orlando Brown? He always speaks highly of Michigan, and his dad played NFL ball pretty close by. He might be in the mix at the OT spot . . .
February 26th, 2013 at 5:44 PM ^
I'd add Poland (current USC commit) to the OT position and I'm pretty sure Juju would be playing both ways, moonlighting at reciever and either safety or corner most of the time, similar to Adoree
February 26th, 2013 at 5:46 PM ^
I haven't seen any site listing Poland with a Michigan offer...
February 26th, 2013 at 5:51 PM ^
I'm pretty sure I remember some talk about him wanting to take some visits, Michigan was specifically named, and if he visited campus then there was a very good chance he'd be offered.
February 26th, 2013 at 5:59 PM ^
Here's a link to the USC board on 247 and if you can't read the article, the first few comments are USC fans talking about him wanting to visit Michigan. I don't know if this is the one talking about the offer or not, but he definitely wants to visit and he is a top 100 player so I think he would get one.
http://usc.247sports.com/Board/29/Jordan-Poland-Has-Visits-in-Mind-13823578/1
February 26th, 2013 at 5:48 PM ^
I find it funny that you say "I can dream" when it comes to Hand when he is much more likely to sign with UM than most of the others on that list
February 26th, 2013 at 6:06 PM ^
I guess I just get gun shy about number one overall players as they (way over-generalizing) are the most dramatic and long recruiting processes.
February 26th, 2013 at 5:52 PM ^
I'm pretty sure I remember some talk about him wanting to take some visits, Michigan was specifically named, and if he visited campus then there was a very good chance he'd be offered. Edit: responding to Magnus above
February 26th, 2013 at 6:08 PM ^
February 27th, 2013 at 7:33 AM ^
What I find odd/frustrating is that OSU didn't have any trouble landing several elite WR/ATH types even though they had a worse (by passing yard/game) passing "attacks" than UM last season. Coupled with Meyer's use of the QB extensively as a runner, you would think OSU would have the same trouble landing WR's that UM had because of Denard.
I expect that WR recruiting will pick up for UM after recruits are actually able to see Michigan incorporate their preferred offense on the field during the season. Up till now, WR recruits have basically been asked to take a "leap of faith" re: UM and a more aggressive passing game.
February 27th, 2013 at 8:14 AM ^
Urban Meyer had some good wide receiver production at Florida, mainly in the form of Percy Harvin. But Aaron Hernandez (a hybrid player), Riley Cooper, Louis Murphy, Andre Caldwell, etc. all had pretty good seasons catching the ball. Dontre Wilson and Jalin Marshall could both play that Percy Harvin role, so it's a very enticing opportunity for kids with that skill set.
February 26th, 2013 at 6:01 PM ^
February 26th, 2013 at 6:04 PM ^
February 26th, 2013 at 6:31 PM ^
February 26th, 2013 at 6:21 PM ^
No way to project if it'll be a top 1-5 or top 5-10 class until after next season is well underway. I'd be very surprised if the coaches don't pull at least a top 10 class. Team 135 should easily grow past 20, though. Attrition happens like clockwork, even though we don't look for it, and should open up 2-4 more spots as it always does. If we're close on some top targets who want to wait till NSD to commit we have 4-5 RS Juniors who have yet to be much more than special teams players, who the coaches likely wouldn't extend a 5th year to after 2013, as well.
If the class tops out with attrition at 20 i'd say it'll rank in the top 10. If the class grows past 20 nearer to 25 commits then id say top 5.