M makes top lists for 2022 recruits
Michigan made the top 10 for a couple recruits in the class of 2022.
The first is Miami (FL) Gulliver Prep offensive tackle Julian Armella, formerly of St. Thomas Aquinas (LINK). Armella is a 6'6", 300 lb. kid who's a 4-star, the #14 offensive tackle, and #127 overall to 247 Sports.
The second is Olathe (KS) Blue Valley North athlete Dasan McCullough (LINK). He's listed at 6'5" and 215 lbs. He's a 4-star, the #8 athlete, and #73 overall.
Michigan also made the top 7 for Westerville (OH) South athlete Kaden Saunders (LINK). He's a 4-star, the #16 athlete, and #166 overall.
Magnus, what do you think the chances are on any of these kids? I figure the way OSU has been recruiting that the OH kid is theirs for the taking. The KS kid seems random, and a player we usually end up with, but he is ranked so high so early that other programs will be in the mix with him. I would have like our chances with the Tackle, but you said formerly of St. Thomas and FL players are always hard to pull.
I don’t think OSU is recruiting him hard....yet.
“He’s the No. 16 wide receiver and the No. 4 player in the state of Ohio.
Today, he named seven teams that stand out in his recruitment. He says that things remain “100-percent open,” but this group of schools is one that he’s “comfortable with and whose coaches (he’s) developed very strong relationships” with. Arizona State, Indiana, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, TCU, and West Virginia crack the group.“- College Spun June 9
He was compared to KJ Hamler
OSU can't get them all. The way OSU is recruiting, they could legitimately pass on a top 150 kid to get someone better.
I hate how accurate this is.
It's actually a big opportunity for Michigan. If we were going head to head with OSU for top 250 kids, we'd lose them way more than not and get stuck taking whoever is left over when the dust settles. However, if OSU is loading up on top 50 kids... we can sneak in there and get some really good players - good enough to beat OSU.
Michigan's scouting has been great. We just need to close a little better, which it seems like we might be doing. We're one top 10% QB away from kicking ass. Hopefully it happens.
Love the optimism but this in no way addresses the elephant in the room. Our defense, be it personnel or scheme or both, has proven to be incapable of stopping them.
That's true. It seems to me that Brown was brought in to stop Urban's offense, which he did a fairly decent job of using players he didn't recruit. However, his ability to either reload or out scheme Day is insufficient for the current job. I think he could be upgraded and I hope he's gone if we get blown out this year (assuming they play).
The last two losses against OSU have been historically poor defensive performances.
It's quite obvious what is needed to compete with elite college offenses, and that's an elite D-line. Having your own elite offense and scoring with the opponent obviously helps, and it looks like Gattis can put that together, specifically if we get better QB play.
But the years we were competitive with OSU were years we had great D-line play. You neutralize a great offense/great QB by simply not giving them time to let plays develop. Having great Defensive ends is a luxury for the outside pass rush and run contain, but the elephant in the room is D-tackle.
UM's jump from good to elite rests on two position groups. QB and D-tackle. Clemson built their program on that formula and has owned OSU despite having lesser talent across the board. Where has Clemson been better than OSU? QB and D-line, and last year (where they were essentially even at these positions) the game was a tossup.
TLDR: We need better QB play and a dominant interior D-line. The talent discrepencies at other positions just don't mean as much and the gap isn't that great to determine the outcomes of games.
I agree with you. When you can't generate organic pass rush in the interior you absolutely can't get by with this balls to the wall super aggressive Brown D. There were so many plays last year where we had great edge rush success and the QB just stepped forward into the huge void the center and OGs created and made a play.
Our DT play cost us big.
Not to mention that Ohio State will almost certainly lose a couple of their top guys towards the end of the class as Alabama and Georgia make their typical end of season godfather offers. They'll still sign a top 3 class, but I wouldnt be shocked if Alabama can flip some of their recruits that live below the Mason Dixon line
Donovan Edwards for example
From what I’ve read on 11W, OSU likes him as a DB, but Saunders prefers to play on offense. Unless one side budges, it seems there isn’t much mutual interest. Very similar scenario as Lorenzo Styles Jr.
Kaden Saunders the OH kid wants to play WR at the next level but OSU wants him at DB so he cut them from his top 7. PSU and ND seem to be the leaders for Saunders but it’s still fairly early in the process. I will note that Saunders is a dual sport athlete who if Michigan offered in baseball too would probably pay some dividends in his recruitment. From what OSU fans have said Dasan McCullough is a OSU lock but they’re pretty delusional. Finally Armella is someone Michigan and Warriner identified extremely early and he said he has a lot of interest in Michigan. I think it will be hard to pry Armella away from the south but I definitely think it’s more than possible. Especially if Michigan and Warriner roll out the red carpet for when he visits.
I think Michigan has a pretty good shot with Saunders if they push for him.
I think chances are pretty slim with McCullough and Armella.
He's listed at 6'5" and 215 lbs.
Holy crap! Another Nico? Or bulk up to a TE type?
I heard he’s more of a LB who could bulk up and turn into a edge defender
Ah I wasn't even thinking of defense. Could be another Taco, I would take that.
Still early on here obviously fpr 2022 but it's hard to believe how impressive and consistent the O Line recruiting continues to be under Warinner. After what we've been through, the redshirted talent and depth make me want to weep
Crazy to think where we were not very long with Devin Gardner getting pulverized every game. Harbaugh and Warriner have really focused and corrected Michigan's greatest weakness for a position group from a talent and coaching standpoint.
You don't have to go back to Devin to see some poor OL play. Michigan was forced to roll with an all guard OL due to Drevno's dog shit OT recruiting.
Thanks for that. It was nice to be pissed off about a football situation from several years ago for a few minutes. Felt normal.
Fucking Drevno.
People, including me, shit on Pep but Drevno was a fucking disaster for Harbaugh at Michigan. It's year six and they have maybe, just barely, dug out of the hole he left.
Couple that with adding yet another OL coach, Greg Frey, into the mix and you’ve got yourself an OL shit sandwich disaster.
Yes. Frey... the OTs and OGs didn't know what the fuck the other group was going to do! It was like they practiced apart and didn't play together until the game. Those offenses squandered some all world defenses.
Indeed...and the epic failure of Drevno to recruit and develop was doubly disappointing given the prior success he and Harbaugh had in creating Stanford's dominant O-lines.
Not only that, but there has been some general buzz that Michigan's in state recruiting issues were greatly increased due to Drevno's attitude.
Another interesting tidbit for 2022 is that Domani Jackson the #2 CB and the #12 player Nationally reportedly grew up a Michigan fan but his mom is an OSU fan. Zordich and Harbaugh seem to already be prioritizing him. Also William Johnson the #4 CB and the #16 player nationally is the son of former Michigan CB Deon Johnson. A lot of people probably already knew this one though.
I have PTSD from moms liking rival schools.
Indeed. It seems when momma prefers UM, the recruit goes his own path. When the recruit prefers UM, momma ends up the decision maker.
Just so everyone knows Armella is the real deal and while he is only a sophomore he already holds 40 offers. He’s also a 5 star on Rivals.
As someone who spent some of my childhood in Westerville, it always catches my eye when a recruit is from that area. It doesn't happen often with UM. In fact, I can't recall UM ever landing a recruit from Westerville.Not saying it hasn't happened, just can't think of one off top of my head. I wouldn't say it's a football hotbed, but osu has certainly landed a fair amount of contributors from the Westerville area high schools. Making any inroads there would be significant.
Punter Brad Robbins who is currently on the roster went to Westerville South.
Are we recruiting McCullough as a VIPER hybrid linebacker/safety type?
I assume he's a SAM prospect (Uche's role), but I don't know for sure.