New Offer - Buckle up?
Looks like we really want an H-Back type in this class. With Tremble departed for the Dome we have offered a 'Who Dat' instate kid named Ben VanSumeren. He is an Iowa commit but with offers from most of the Ivy League. His film is impressive but the competition is suspect. Nonetheless he looks tough, pretty fast and he's obviously intelligent.
Iowa recruited him as a linebacker, but he looks like a good H-Back or even Fullback... even played option quarterback part of this season. He is visiting this weekend and ... Iowa has a No Visit policy... hence the Buckle Up possibility.
Senior Highlights:
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/5370246/59de1187ab9d431f74f519c8
247:
https://247sports.com/Player/Ben-VanSumeren-46039496
December 15th, 2017 at 9:51 AM ^
"Snake oil" implies that he was committed to Iowa at one point. Darboh and Arrington weren't flipped from Iowa. They simply lived in Iowa.
December 15th, 2017 at 11:35 AM ^
True. But it's just so much fun to say "snake oil" and I figured this was close enough.
December 15th, 2017 at 12:31 PM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 4:51 PM ^
Delano Hill played at Cass Tech. But I do feel like there have been other guys with Iowa connections.
December 15th, 2017 at 9:30 AM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 10:56 AM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 9:49 AM ^
He'd be a good add. He's got good hands too. He would make a good in line blocker or as other's have mentioned, H-back/Full back guy.
Iowa is good at identifying these types.
He obviously is the strongest guy on the field, so not too much can be taken from his highlights but his pass catching ability easily can be seen.
December 15th, 2017 at 9:49 AM ^
Because they want him to play Linebacker at Iowa.
December 15th, 2017 at 2:10 PM ^
His coach was surprised that Iowa wanted him as a LB and feels that the kid should play the way Michigan wants him to play. I see that going a long way even if he has some loyalty from the first offer.
December 15th, 2017 at 9:39 AM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 9:48 AM ^
Those still wandering on the wrong side of the tracks are fine.
December 15th, 2017 at 9:56 AM ^
his name is kinda..... hyphenatable.
December 15th, 2017 at 10:08 AM ^
Like a few others here, I have seen this kid in person several times and many times over the last few years. He is pretty decent. Tough kid. Seemed to catch everything at the games I was at.
December 15th, 2017 at 10:09 AM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 10:31 AM ^
With the catching and running ability, looks like the heir apparent to the Hammering Panda. That would be nice.
December 15th, 2017 at 11:13 AM ^
I never heard of him before last night, but I watched his 3-minute highlight reel in which he only makes good plays and even though I never played organized football, trust me when I tell you this: This guy can play! What an athlete!
Sure, our coaches prioritized Muhammad, and wanted Brevin Jordan and Will Mallory back in the summer. Then decided to convert a High School QB in Schoonmaker from the Connecticut football hotbed as their 2nd TE option. But when things got down to it... well, actually no, we're still hounding Luke Ford and have been for about a year, so he probably remains a higher priority. And sure, we first tried to make a late play for Tommy Tremble before resorting to VanSumeren.
But if you ignore all of that (and a handful of other TEs that we tried to kick the tires on) you can tell that this last-second emergency offer 5 days before signing day to a kid we've never heard of from an under-.500 high school team in Nowhere, Michigan who is already committed to play LB at Iowa is a BRILLIANT MOVE! This kid is the real deal! Mean streak!
Excessive sarcasm aside, just like every other college football recruit in the history of ever, I have no idea if he's any good or if he'll ever pan out. But now I know his name and will keep my fingers crossed. So that's something.
I may sound bitter, but the baseless optimism in this thread is the reason I absolutely love recruiting. Our 3-stars rule and are the reason we will forever beat MSU's crappy 3-stars. Go Blue. VanSumeren for Heisman
December 15th, 2017 at 12:02 PM ^
Wouldn't call the Bay City-Saginaw area of Michigan nowhere but ok then. I guess if someone isn't from Cass Tech or Brother Rice or one of those, you don't know about them. That's fine. Not everyone pays attention to that level. For those that do though, he is decent. He is a better receiver and overall athlete right now than some of the TEs on the roster who receive playing time. Whether that translates to anything later, who knows? But everyone on here last year assumed Bunting would be the guy and he wasn't.
Just for some perspective, Sean McKeon who I don't think anyone can debate has been a good player so far at TE, was a 3 star with a 247 rank of 854 nationally and 45 TE. Van Sumeren is ranked 630 nationally and 51 ATH. Also, McKeon was #2 in MA while Van Sumeren is #12 in MI so when you say something that implies he is a nobody that doesn't make sense because he is just outside the top 10 in our state.
December 15th, 2017 at 12:19 PM ^
Yeah - i wouldn't say that either. Mostly in fear LaMarr Woodley would hunt me down.
December 15th, 2017 at 6:55 PM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 9:23 PM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 12:54 PM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 1:47 PM ^
You were right the first time when you said you sound bitter.
December 15th, 2017 at 4:59 PM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 9:26 PM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 2:18 PM ^
One thing I'll say about stars, offers, etc. that I'm not sure gets stressed enough is that sometimes coaches are looking for instant-impact guys, and sometimes coaches are looking for guys who can develop a couple years down the road. When you have a stacked roster at the position and get a somewhat college-ready prospect in the fold like Muhammad, you can take a bit more of a "sleeper" guy like VanSumeren with the idea that he might not be ready to play until guys like Gentry, McKeon, etc. are upperclassmen.
If you bring in a bunch of instant-impact guys or guys who think they're stars RIGHT NOW, that can mess with team chemistry. And sometimes it's a waste of time to recruit those guys because they want to go somewhere where they'll be The Man immediately.
VanSumeren might not be a "Plan A" kid right now, but now that Michigan has a "Plan A" kid (Muhammad), they can maybe afford to let a "Plan C" kid bulk up for two or three years before he can be a force as an upperclassman.
Anyway, I think VanSumeren might be a Henry Poggi-like fullback and perhaps not a tight end, so it might be kind of a moot point.
December 15th, 2017 at 6:31 PM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 11:17 PM ^
True. I should have been more clear. He is more athletic, but I think he might be used like Henry Poggi (line him up in the backfield, put him in motion, send him out to the flat, etc.).
December 15th, 2017 at 11:33 AM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 11:52 AM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 2:16 PM ^
Judging by your comment and start date I have to ask if you know how the visit went. Were you there or did you talk to anyone after?
December 15th, 2017 at 5:03 PM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 2:31 PM ^
http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2017/12/jim_harbaugh_visit_ha…
By the way, a tremendous Bay City suburb!!!
December 15th, 2017 at 6:28 PM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 8:45 PM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 9:18 PM ^
just used his first crystal ball on him
sams gut now retired?
December 15th, 2017 at 11:40 PM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 11:57 PM ^
This motherfucker is mean and I like it. No way in hell he squats 570 as stated in his profile, but whatever. If his profile's size details (6'3" 228 lbs) are accurate, he's definitely got a bright future in Ann Arbor.
December 16th, 2017 at 2:17 AM ^