Potential Signing Class - 2014
I know someone did this a couple weeks ago, but it's the offseason, and I am curious again. We have 10 spots filled, so here are my candidates to fill the remaining spots
Five Stars/Best Available - Andrew Brown, Da'Shawn Hand, Juju Smith, Adoree Jackson, Malik McDowell (I say we get two of these guys, with Hand and McDowell as the most likely. Maybe a third if magic is worked)
DBs - Parrker Westphal - likely, but not a lock
WR - 247 says at least "Warm" interest from Mark Andrews, Artavis Scott, Jalen Brown, and Corey Holmes, with the recruiting update yesterday saying Holmes was possible, and Scott keeps getting mentioned. So, one of those guys.
Then at least one of KJ Williams and Montae Nicholson, and maybe a RB like Hilliman, which is pushing 8 spots out of the above prospects. Who else is a serious possibility/who do you think we land?
All of the FAKES
Clint Brewster a writer for Wolverine 247 is predicting Oregon. Hopefully that is a reverse jinx.
I think Scott's recruitment is one that is steadily trending away from Michigan. I'm of the belief he'll either wait too long and lose his spot in this class, or will be too split between Florida and Michigan and choose the one that's closer. Especially since his mom's pulling him to stay home. Williams looks more likely at this point.
Is Williams able to play slot? I just thought the coaches were targeting a slot type for the last WR spot.
First off, slots don't always have to be the small, speedy prototype we're used to seeing.
Although I too did assume they'd slow down on Williams after Ways' commitment. However, I've been reading articles that Williams at least claims to being actively recruited by Michigan, so I've got no choice but to take the kid at his word.
We've become used to having the shorter slot ninjas. I wouldn't mind having a slightly taller Breaston type of slot ninja.
I prefer small slots.............
that's what I told her...
small key?
of a horizontal slot. Playing field still the same for inquiring minds...
I'm curious as to what our coaches are looking for in a slot. My perception is a small, shifty speedster (Norfleet) but if that isn't it than what is?
-Malik
-Da'Shawn
-JuJu
-Andrew Brown
-Parrker
-Artavis
-Corey
Not unreasonable numbers either.
Andrew Brown is another recruitment that could heat up once he's on campus for a visit.
kind of like Hand, in that I feel the longer he goes without comitting to his "home" school, the less chance there is of him doing so (McDowell is kind of like that for us). Not saying Brown will come here, or McDowell won't, but the willingness to keep looking means they aren't sold.
how can Scott's recruitment be trending away from us? He has never voiced that we were his favorite or even top 2 or 3. we've been on him hard and getting Cole has only helped. If he shows for the BBQ, that can only be a good sign as it will be another visit to UM on his own dime
I'm assuming you meant to respond to my comment.
I say that because, after Cole's commitment, it seemed that Scott was very close to pulling the trigger for UM. Since then, we've gotten 2 WR commits (in a class where we'll likely only take 3), while also filling up other spots that could negligibly be Scott's if we had 3 WR commits and push came to shove.
I think he wants to stretch his recruitment out- which, don't get me wrong, is good for him- but I'm not sure the spot is going to be open for him by the time the BBQ rolls around. I also think the longer he waits, the more likely it is that Florida's growing on him.
Here's the tweet
Michigan Team 135 ? #GoBlue
— SWEET PEA(@AdoreeKnows) May 29, 2013
Although based on what I've seen, Jackson's the type of kid that really just likes getting a rise out of fans on twitter. I remember him talking us up a lot right before he named his top group that didn't include us, as well. I'm not saying it's not gonna happen- anything can once he visits- but I don't know if I'd put that much stock in his twitter stuff.
I think the only way Hoke can visit is if another coach comes off the road. If we include Hoke we might be over the allowable number of coaches out recruiting at one time.
Anyone else reading this, and thinking... dang, 20 years ago, there's no way you could have gotten this kind of discussion if you rounded up EVERY UM fan in the country, put us in one huge room, and tried to have a conversation about the then-currents state of the recruiting class. It used to be, "UM signed its class, here's who's in it, a bunch of kids you've never heard of."
And immediately I'm wondering, is this an IMPROVEMENT or not? I mean, we're trying to project (a) what decisions a bunch of 17 and 18 yr old males are going to make, and then (b) project just how good of college football players they will be. And then get all antsy and giggly cuz we like what we're thinking.
I guess, it kills the void that used to be filled by, what -- that year's now-several-month-old SI swimsuit edition?
The strange thing and something that kind of sucks is that we become very familar with all the recruits (and not just height, weight, etc.) but when you look back at past recruiting classes only a small portion of the class go on to become big contributors to the team. This means that the 3 star guy we all expect to develop into a great find many never develop, the 5 star may bust, etc., etc. It's weird because we know all the stats then talk ourselves into situations where everyone is going to be good.
"And immediately I'm wondering, is this an IMPROVEMENT or not? I mean, we're trying to project (a) what decisions a bunch of 17 and 18 yr old males are going to make, and then (b) project just how good of college football players they will be. And then get all antsy and giggly cuz we like what we're thinking."
Yes -- just think Kevin Grady and Will Campbell, two 5-star "game changer" recruits who would transform overnight M's football fortunes. And many others who arrived on campus to great fanfare only to fall down on the depth chart or drop out of school altogether. To paraphrase Forrest Gump, "College football recruiting is like a box of chocolates --- you never know what you're gonna get."
If we're going to fill another 7-8 spots (roughly), then I would have to think that at least two of them likely would be WRs as this is position group is about to be hit with some graduations after this year. From 2010-2013, we took nine wide receivers, and attrition aside, three that are currently on the roster are either redshirt seniors or seniors.
Looking at other positions by group, it seems like 2 defensive backs and 2 defensive lineman will be going as well after this season, so I would say 1-2 more each of these will end up in the 2014 class, possibly 2 DEs and 1 DB. To add to the defense, Iwould think an LB is possible as well.
I am not sure about necessarily taking a dedicated RB, although someone who can play elsewhere and pull off spot duty as an RB wouldn't be bad to have. That being said, we've taken seven of them in the last three cycles.
So, looking at names that could fill in nicely where the roster is perhaps going to be hit the hardest in the short term - I would put on my own list probably an Artavis Scott, Corey Holmes, Mark Andrews (two of these) at WR would be nice, as well as Williams and Hand at DE (just one of them would be fine as well - can't have everything).
Here's the distribution of recruits and commits by position / group (what they were recruited to play is not where they played necessarily, of course) using Rivals data 2010-2014. I included 2010 as it hopefully provides some insight into what we'll lose soon (the 2010 QB is Gardner, of course).
| POSITION / GROUP | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014* | TOTAL (2010-2013) |
| DB | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 19 |
| OL | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 14 |
| LB | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 14 |
| DE | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| RB | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
| DT | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| TE | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| WR | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 9 |
| ATH | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| QB | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| K | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
I guess nickelback really is like another starter these days
Given the dire situation UM will find itself in should Gardner get injured and miss significant time, I wonder if the staff is kicking itself for not taking a QB (even a late offer, flier type) in the 2012 class.
Didnt Bo Scarbrough want to come for a visit to AA? Would love to steal one from Sabans hands. I think we have a better chance with Adoree than JuJu IMO.
If we flip a five star from Tuscaloosa away from Saban, I'll eat my shoes.
you may want to consider warming up to the taste of shoes. Things change when recruits get on campus
(I will now forever be quoted by RCMB as proof that players get dollaazzz$$$ here)
- McDowell
- Adoree Jackson
- Parker Westphal
- KJ Williams
- Noah Furbush
- Kalen Ballage
- Late edition/late bloomer LB
- Recruit snake oiled from Purdue
Book it.
Good to see the "Creeper Van Originals" is alive and well!
with recent talk over a linebacker, how did he end up committing to MSU? He's a Cass Tech kid and a four star according to rivals. Did we pass on him? Did he merely decide that he was going to MSU? If someone could fill me in that would be terrific!
It would have been hard for him to commit to Michigan without an offer.
Also he is most likely going to be WLB in college and we are in need of SLB.
I thought I recalled that he was getting a "Wait and see and maybe we'll offer you" like Norfleet and/or Delano Hill. Could be off on that one, but I think he took the MSU offer when it looked likely Michigan wasn't going to offer
Yeah, I doubt it was even that. I think it was more of a "it's possible, but very unlikely" type of convo so he jumped at MSU. Based on how our LB recruiting has been, the fact that we already had Ferns and how small the class was projected to be, it sounded like the coaches would look for a guy they liked at another position before Drake.
I appreciate the insight.
but how many scholarship QBs is typical at a nationally relevant program?
I wish a couple of our DBs could play QB - our depth is scary!