Potential 2019 WR Target: Jaylen Ellis
One of the biggest remaining needs for the 2019 recruiting class is an outside WR. Jaylen Ellis does not exactly fit that. But what he is is a current Baylor commit that looks really shaky on his commitment and is high on Michigan in part because his mother is a fan. He visited over the weekend and came away impressed and today tweeted that he will be committing (again) at the Army All American Bowl:
Will be committing January 5th 2019 at the @19AllAmerican game...?#FTF
— jaylen ellis 4 (@J4ylenellis) September 12, 2018
He is 6'0, 180lbs and hails from Cedar Ridge, TX. Currently ranked a 3* and #67 WR. On his HUDL profile he claims a 4.39! 40 time and a 40" vertical. With his height, I'd imagine his ideal fit is at slot but he could line up wide if needed. He's someone to keep an eye on if neither Kyle Ford or Cornelius Johnson go our way.
September 11th, 2018 at 10:51 PM ^
RPOs are Communism!
September 12th, 2018 at 8:00 AM ^
Could that be the reason so many on here are high on the RPO scheme?
September 11th, 2018 at 10:53 PM ^
Waiting for maizen's latest account to tell me if he has enough stars???
September 11th, 2018 at 11:05 PM ^
He doesn't have enough height, we need an outside guy in this class.
September 12th, 2018 at 2:29 AM ^
You're using height to assume he'll be a slot. He may or may not be. Lots of outside WRs are 6'-ish.
In any case, we need playmakers regardless of height. A team can never have enough playmakers.
Odell Bekcham Jr. is 5'11. No one categorically calls him a "slot WR" because he's not. He plays inside and outside because he's a playmaker that is very difficult to cover regardless of where he lines up.
Now, I'm not saying Ellis is the next OBJ. But I doubt we'll care if Ellis is 6' if he consistently makes plays in a Michigan Winged Helmet.
September 12th, 2018 at 11:26 AM ^
If only Jeremy Gallon could have been a productive receiver on the outside. Boy that would have been nice.
September 12th, 2018 at 5:19 PM ^
Was Gallon pint-sized?
September 11th, 2018 at 11:09 PM ^
George Johnson III, Giles Jackson, and arguably Quintel Kent are all committed as slot receivers next year. Michigan has Oliver Martin, DPJ for 2-3 years more (2 max for DPJ). Ronnie Bell will very likely have 4 more years. We usually don’t have room for more than one shifty slot guy (I.e. McDoom). If Ellis figures into the slot spot, I am having trouble seeing why they would be targeting yet another - especially considering that receivers generally need to be big, strong blockers to see much playing time at Michigan.
But I am just a guy with zero football coaching and recruiting experience - so admittedly am sharing a pretty meaningless opinion.
September 11th, 2018 at 11:32 PM ^
Don't forget the guy that committed yesterday, he seems like he will be used as Slot as well. Need more outside WRs than slots since we also have boatload of TEs. My opinion is meaningless too but that's why we are on mgoblog. I just want Chesson 2.0
September 11th, 2018 at 11:38 PM ^
Yes, Giles Jackson is the yesterday guy. But we are on the same page - literally and figuratively.
September 12th, 2018 at 5:21 PM ^
Why do so many people assume DPJ will leave early. He may have potential but his numbers and performance thus far in his career don't even suggest 2nd team B10.
September 12th, 2018 at 1:40 AM ^
sounds good 2 me. bring this yung mann on board
September 12th, 2018 at 5:10 AM ^
Both he and Bell are 6'0 tall and fast and jump out of the gym. Breaston, Manningham, Gallon, Roundtree, AC, and Chesson were all 6'0 and under, and hell these kids might still be growing. Crawford was 6'0 when he signed and 6'2 when he left.
September 12th, 2018 at 11:18 AM ^
Also Oliver Martin was listed as 6' 1/2" as a HS senior, Michigan lists him at 6' 1" and he's been playing outside for us. We considered him a slot because it was a luxury to have two guys 6' 4"+ in his class, but a flat 6' can still play outside.
I also think All could end up being more a WR than TE, like Funchess (6' 4" 215 in HS). All is 6' 4" 225, which would be the smallest TE Harbaugh has recruited and he already lines up at WR for his HS team. For 2020 Nick Patterson seems more like a WR than a TE as well.
September 12th, 2018 at 5:23 PM ^
Chesson is 6-3.
September 12th, 2018 at 8:51 AM ^
Michigan is fine at the WR position. Would love to have Ford added to the roster. My guess is that Ellis is not a take at this time.
September 12th, 2018 at 11:32 AM ^
this is what I thought as well when I read that he was going to wait. Michigan may have told him to wait because he seems like he was and is ready to pull the trigger this weekend on his official visit. If hes going to wait that long then maybe the coaching staff is going to wait to see what other targets do with their recruitments and then fall back to Ellis if needed.
September 12th, 2018 at 1:39 PM ^
Minor correction to the OP: He is from Cedar Ridge HS, which is in Round Rock, TX (suburb north of Austin). They're class 5A, play the toughest competition in TX, and made the state semis or finals, losing to Allen, TX.
My wife works at his school, and there was supposedly a lot of buzz/excitement around the school about him getting a chance to visit UM.
He likely committed to Baylor because his head coach is a former record-setting Baylor QB. UM is also the only school of his 25 offers listed as "warm" on 24/7.