In-state Preview of 2014 Recruiting
Over the last several months, I've been keeping track of names to watch in the state of Michigan for 2014. Then in the last couple days, I've written up short snapshots of 44 of those players. There will likely be some sleepers that emerge in the coming year, but I did my best.
The trend in this year's class? Short-ish, stocky running back/linebackers. Between Lorenzo Collins, Gary Hosey, William White, and Raylan Hill, the state has several of those RB/LB tweeners.
http://touchthebanner.blogspot.com/2013/02/in-state-preview-of-2014-rec…
February 9th, 2013 at 7:43 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 9:01 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 10:44 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 10:48 AM ^
Not every good player in the state of Michigan went to Cass Tech.
February 9th, 2013 at 10:59 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 11:30 AM ^
A lot of talent at Cass Tech and totally agree that we need to protect the pipeline.
There are a lot of huge schools (4k+ enrollment) in talent hotbeds (LA, Dallas, Atlanta) with significantly better HS competition.
Cass Tech is surely in the top 20 or so, but top 5 isa stretch.
http://espn.go.com/high-school/football/story/_/id/7523921/high-school-…
February 10th, 2013 at 9:40 AM ^
There are Cass Tech kids every year who go without offers from Michigan. I think they feel a little bit entitled to one because they think every decent player at the school will get an offer, but when you take two or three kids from the school every year, I don't really see how too much damage can be done. I don't think Dennis Finley was a big name in recruiting circles until well after his junior season. By that time Michigan was pretty much full, since they were only planning to take five linemen originally.
February 9th, 2013 at 7:54 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 8:03 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 8:10 AM ^
Harris has started to realize that he has a better future in football, and MSU isn't the best football program... Most people think he's going to end up at more of a football powerhouse.
February 9th, 2013 at 8:32 AM ^
Any indication whether or not distance will factor into his decision?
February 9th, 2013 at 10:55 AM ^
February 12th, 2013 at 10:43 AM ^
I think Harris is going to pick the school that will give him the best chance of getting to the NFL. If that's Michigan, then he'll pick Michigan. If it's Alabam or USC, he'll go there.
When he picked MSU, he was mainly picking it for basketball, and Izzo has a track record of getting people to the NBA. That decision made sense (in some ways) at the time, but now he realizes that being a 6'4" shooting guard, he won't exactly stand out.
February 17th, 2013 at 11:06 AM ^
I might have missed it, but was there any follow up to the rumor Drake Harris named Kentucky as his leader?
February 17th, 2013 at 11:35 AM ^
It was supposedly an error by 247 Sports. It was just an offer from Kentucky, not that they were his leader. I don't expect Kentucky to factor into his recruitment.
February 9th, 2013 at 10:58 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 8:08 AM ^
Michigan will still potentially have close to the same number of Michigan kids in the class as last year.
In your article you mention 7-8 prospects and even assuming Michigan loses out that's still 5-6 kids. Not too far from the 8 prospects from this year.
February 9th, 2013 at 8:22 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 8:36 AM ^
I haven't heard anything about him until now. He doesn't look like a Big Ten player to me. Here are the highlights I found:
February 9th, 2013 at 8:44 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 8:51 AM ^
I realize this isn't the only reason Texas is powerful when it comes to producing football talent but it has to add to it.
February 9th, 2013 at 9:05 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 9:09 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 9:26 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 9:19 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 11:40 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 8:33 AM ^
So reading this it seems that, outside of the dream of flipping Webb, the ideal haul from in-state this year would be Doles, Harris, Marshall, and McDowell and anyone else would be a reach based on performance to this point, or a sleeper pick?
Sounds like while this class may be a tad deeper, it's very top heavy.
February 9th, 2013 at 8:41 AM ^
I would not be surprised if Michigan pursued Deon Drake, Kenny Finley, Carl Fuller, Jalen Watts-Jackson, or Maurice Ways. The guys at The Wolverine say that Jalen Embry might be closer to an offer than Fuller, but I'm lukewarm on Embry. I like Avonte Maddox more.
I think it largely depends on whether there's any roster turnover, etc. If guys transfer or get hurt, some other options could open up.
February 9th, 2013 at 8:56 AM ^
Good stuff, thanks.
I have a general question about Cass Tech: What sets them apart from other Michigan High Schools as far as producing D1 football players? It seems like they send most of their LBs, DBs, and OL to B1G or schools every single year and then reload again the next year.
February 9th, 2013 at 11:00 AM ^
Cass Tech is a magnet school in Detroit. I am not sure of this, but I've always assumed they are able to get any kid in the city who wants to go there, assuming they can handle the academics, which for the City of Detroit publics are excellent. There is a strong youth league system in the city, and by the time the kids are in 7th or 8th grade the Cass coaches have a good idea of which ones they want. It has not always been this way, but success breeds success, and right now Thomas Wilcher (U of M alum) is coaching Cass and the system is definitely feeding the Cass program with top talent. They have also won the state's top-division State Championship the last two years.
February 10th, 2013 at 9:32 AM ^
What he said.
February 9th, 2013 at 8:57 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 9:05 AM ^
If he's only a sophomore, then 247 has it wrong:
February 9th, 2013 at 9:19 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 9:22 AM ^
You seem pretty connected with the Detroit-area kids, so I guess I'll take your word for it.
February 9th, 2013 at 8:59 AM ^
With the limited number of scholarships that most people are anticipating for 2014, do you see Michigan venturing past their emphasized 350 mile radius more than they did in 2013?
February 9th, 2013 at 9:06 AM ^
I think they're already showing that they want to recruit more nationally this year. The state of Ohio is supposedly a little bit down in talent this year, and the coaches have already hit California, Pennsylvania, Texas, and New Jersey pretty hard with offers.
February 9th, 2013 at 9:22 AM ^
since he plays against such inferior competition?
February 9th, 2013 at 9:26 AM ^
I think that's always a concern, because it will likely require a bit of an adjustment period. But you can't teach his natural combination of size and speed. And unlike Will Campbell, McDowell doesn't have as many issues with staying low. He doesn't go hard all the time, but I think it's unrealistic to expect 290-pounders who play both ways to go hard every single play.
February 9th, 2013 at 9:30 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 9:50 AM ^
If I have my pick of anyone we've offered for the 16 spots...
1) Ferns
2) Speight
3) McDowell
4) Drake Harris
5) Da'Shawn Hand
6) Joe Mixon
7) Kalen Ballage
8) Artavis Scott
9) Tyler Luatua
10) Mason Cole
11) Andy Bauer
12) Braden Smith
13) Bryan Mone
14) Dwight Williams
15) Adoree' Jackson
16) Quin Blanding
February 9th, 2013 at 11:23 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 7:08 PM ^
But how many of those guys come outside of the 350 mile radius? I like putting a fence around Michigan, beating the Buckeyes for guys in Ohio, and I know that Chicago and parts of Pennsylvania play really good football, but I worry we will limit ourselves by staying in that radius.
In the past we have been able to cherry pick some preytty good guys from Texas, California, and Florida. What is your sense of our ability to do so in the future, especially since Meyer is supposed to have those SEC contacts which will allow him to dip into Florida for the top recruits as well?
I do think as we transition to a more pro style offense we will be able to get even stronger players, especially at skill positions. Of course, that assumes that the spread in the NFL is just a fad, which I think it is. Pocket passers in traditional offenses win Superbowls, and if that is what we are running why wouldn't a coach or parent tell their kid to go to a school that will groom them for the NFL as opposed to one running a college offense.
I realize many will say the spread or read option is here to stay, I will believe it when I see it. If I am starting an NFL team today Luck vs. RG III is not even a debate. Wilson runs from time to time for the Seahawks, but he mostly uses his ability to move around in the pocket, and Kaepernick has played 10 games, he will either adjust, or face multiple injuries outside the pocket. Sorry...rabbit trail.
February 10th, 2013 at 9:11 AM ^
The guys in bold are from OUTSIDE the 350-mile radius:
1) Ferns
2) Speight
3) McDowell
4) Drake Harris
5) Da'Shawn Hand
6) Joe Mixon
7) Kalen Ballage
8) Artavis Scott
9) Tyler Luatua
10) Mason Cole
11) Andy Bauer
12) Braden Smith
13) Bryan Mone
14) Dwight Williams
15) Adoree' Jackson
16) Quin Blanding
I think Michigan will have an easier time cherry picking players from Florida, California, and Texas once they have some nationally recognized success again. Going to/winning the Rose Bowl, being in the talk for the national championship, etc. We might get a guy or two here or there in the meantime, but we need something positive in our corner. Unfortunately, an 8-5 season won't cut it. As you can see, we still got a great class in 2013, but it's missing some big-time guys from far away (like an Adoree' Jackson).
February 9th, 2013 at 9:46 AM ^
February 10th, 2013 at 9:31 AM ^
I think a couple other guys might surprise you. At this time last year, nobody was thinking about Khalid Hill, Da'Mario Jones, or Csont'e York. I expanded my list in the hopes of catching a sleeper or two.
February 9th, 2013 at 10:05 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 10:08 AM ^
Yeah...he might be #1 on my board for 2014.
February 9th, 2013 at 10:21 AM ^