Thomas Rawls Eligible?
Thomas Rawls will announce his decision on the 31st of January, it's between UM and CMU, although he doesn't have a Michigan offer yet.
That might change next weekend when he takes his official visit to Ann Arbor. Rawls has refused to reveal his new ACT score, because he wants to surprise people on the 31st. I think he'll inform the coaches next weekend that he has qualified, and then he'll get the offer that Fred Jackson has been DYING to give him.
Then of course he'll accept and become part of our class, and I for one would be thrilled. If you haven't seen his senior highlights, shame on you. Link below.
January 22nd, 2011 at 2:29 AM ^
Could turn into an absolute beast with a redshirt and a year on the bench (two years of S&C)... if he improves his foot speed and pad level, he will be a load to deal with.
Fred Jackson would likely describe him as possessing Tyrone Wheatley's strength, Justin Fargas' speed, and Chris Perry's hands -- with the chance to turn into a Marshall Faulk-type all-purpose back.
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:09 AM ^
He doesn't need to RS. This was only his second year playing RB as he started as a LB in his sophomore and still played there this year. He went to Flint Northern not SW and had very little talent around him especially on his Oline yet he put up monster numbers including a 396 yard performance to break Mark Ingram's city record for rushing yards in a game (actually broke his own since he broke Ingrams the week before).
He missed 2+ games with a high ankle sprain or would have been the leading rusher in the state. The game the sprain occurred he was near 200 yards in the first half before the injury. FWIW his coach is Fred Jackson's son.
January 22nd, 2011 at 1:51 AM ^
again, because we have room and need RBs.
However, I have not understood the incredible amount of hype he has gotten on here. (Yes, the hype long pre-dated the RR firing and persisted while we had the best RB in the country locked up, so the answer cannot be "he'd be great in Hoke's system). Can someone explain this? He is the 77th RB to Scout and a 5.6 rating on rivals. He has great size for a RB, so that's not artifically depressing his rankings.
CMU is the only other school going after him. What gives? It can't JUST be grades - grades don't play the biggest role in recruiting rankings and schools tend to continue to pursue good players that are borderline. It has to be the case that a ton of schools have taken a look and were not interested.
January 22nd, 2011 at 1:58 AM ^
.....what'd he do, steal your woman at Homecoming?
January 22nd, 2011 at 1:56 AM ^
Well, Captain Obvious...
It's the ACT Score
January 22nd, 2011 at 2:01 AM ^
He's in Michigan's backyard, breaking lots of records, and playing for Fred Jackson's son.
Sometimes that's all Michigan fans need to get excited.
That being said, I agree with you. I don't necessarily agree with the Sam Webb hype machine, but if Hoke intends to go back to I-formations and power football, I think Rawls would be a good dude to have on the roster. But with Denard on the roster and (presumably) spreading the field a little bit, Hopkins and Rawls are probably less important on this team until Denard graduates.
January 22nd, 2011 at 10:44 AM ^
It's true that DRob will take some straight rushing attempts from the backfield. But, if part of the design is to get Denard on the edge (either straight run, rollout or run-pass option) then having a guy who can burst straight through the middle and can plow through some arm tackles seems to me to be a very effective complement. As a complement it would even take away some edge D and make Denard more effective on the margin.
FWIW, I'm less down on Michael Shaw than others.
January 22nd, 2011 at 10:22 AM ^
January 22nd, 2011 at 3:10 PM ^
However, I have not understood the incredible amount of hype he has gotten on here.
Incredible amount of hype? Are we talking about Rawls or Dee Hart?
January 22nd, 2011 at 1:55 AM ^
This young man is a beast!! A welcomed addition to this class!!
January 22nd, 2011 at 2:07 AM ^
So, again, why wouldn't any other major school be at least sniffing around the kid? Teams routinely hover around good prospects with iffy grades.
January 22nd, 2011 at 2:12 AM ^
Sam Webb has mentioned in some earlier stories that Iowa and a couple other big 10 programs have been in contact with Rawls and were waiting on a qualifying test score to offer.
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:33 AM ^
January 22nd, 2011 at 2:19 AM ^
Interesting that he is holding his ACT secret. Hey y'all, got a 17, so I'm going to CMU.
January 22nd, 2011 at 3:06 AM ^
Cannot WAIT for the TRawler to make it to AA. This guy is clearly a monster and could potentially contend this coming season for PT against Cox, Toussaint, and Hopkins. Very excited for our squads future...
January 22nd, 2011 at 3:46 AM ^
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:07 AM ^
How could there possibly NOT be room in an Alabama class?
January 22nd, 2011 at 4:17 AM ^
You know who I love? John Rawls. A theory of justice.
Just sayin.
January 22nd, 2011 at 6:58 AM ^
If Fred Jackson is interested and thinks this kid has talent then Michigan would be crazy not to take him if he is eligible. Fred has been known to bring in one or two good RBs.
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:37 AM ^
I'm sure I'll get negged for this since my opinion is not in the majority, but I really dont like taking another RB in this class. If you believe the rumors that Gallon will be moved to RB, that will give us 8 and only one is a senior. Thats fine if you have unlimited scholarships, but when you have that many guys at one position, it usually means you are thin at another..and we definitely are in a few positions. We have 20 scholarships to give, and as of now 15 for next year. I'm sure that number will stretch to 18 or so, but regardless...these both will be smaller classes. Right now we have 10 firm commits, 2 soft commits, and a TON of guys popping up that we have a legitimate shots at. Flowers, Barnett, Bryant, Alexander, Isaaka, Willingham, Poole, Clark, McClure, Taylor, Raven, Wiles. And thats not even including whichever surprise QB and DT's we will be chasing. I just think we definitely have greater needs than another RB. Especially one with grade issues.
I too, fear that Rawls hype is a result of him putting up huge numbers in our state. I watched his film, he's good, but I'm not so sure he's elite. And it still seems odd to me that he only has a couple of MAC offers and is rated so low. Usually academics dont totally kill someones ratings and offers. I believe the offers are conditional based on qualifying. The whole thing just doesnt add up.
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:13 AM ^
However. There are people saying he looks like M Hart, but a little bigger and faster. You'll remember M Hart was not a highly regarded prospect and that Michigan was one of the few schools who recruited him. If we can get someone like Hart, but with a little more size and speed, I say he sounds great. If Rawls knows how to run forward and just doesn't stop, that's something that not all RB's ever learn.
He sounds like a good risk.
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:25 AM ^
He has a hard enough time hanging onto the ball during kick returns.
January 22nd, 2011 at 4:15 PM ^
Ah yes, in true Mgoblog fashion, negging for any opinion that isnt in the majority.
January 22nd, 2011 at 4:21 PM ^
I'm sure I'll get negged for
You bring it up, you get negged. Just like this comment and my reply.
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:40 AM ^
Nevermind the gurus and star ranking. Thomas Rawls is a tremendously important a recruit. By all accounts he is an animal running the ball. We need to shore up our RB situation. Dee is off the board but Rawls is very nice consolation prize if we can land him.
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:57 AM ^
So we need 9 RBs then? Most teams have about 5 on scholarship. We're so thin at other areas, I just dont see the desperate need to "shore up our RBs" like I've heard a lot of people say. Yes, I know our RBs werent amazing last year..but who is to say that Rawls will be? I think RB is already crowded. We have 3 years of Hopkins as our brusier, Cox is a bigger back, plus we have Fitz, Hayes, Smith, Shaw...I just cant understand why people act like Rawls should be such a priority.
This whole thing seems like his local hype has eclipsed what he really is. I still find it very odd that he is ranked so low and has such pedrestrian offers, and having it explained as his ACT score. Theres been a ton of top prospects over the years who have gotten offers from every school in the country before they had a qualifying ACT score. Its conditional. MSU...who LOVES big physical backs..didnt feel he was worthy of an offer? This whole thing just confuses me.
January 22nd, 2011 at 8:12 AM ^
I have a feeling that Borges' offense is going to use two backs more frequently. As we don't have any scholarship fullbacks on our roster and don't seem to be recruiting any, it's quite possible that our blocking back/second back in the backfield will be a guy like Hopkins (or Rawls). Remember that last year's SDSU offense used two tailback-type guys at the same time, and when Borges was at Auburn, he often used Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams in the same backfield.
I agree with your assessment of Rawls' scholarship situation. I don't think he's the super awesome back that Sam Webb and many on here are talking about. However, I think he represents the Big Ten-style back that Brady Hoke probably wants to use while he's here at Michigan. And when one is in your backyard and you've got 10 additional scholarships to give out in about the next 10 days...hey, why not?
January 22nd, 2011 at 8:17 AM ^
Yeah I think a lot of people just watch a You Tube clip and think he's unbelievable. His rankings cant be just because of his ACT. That just doesnt make sense. If a Sparty fan tried to say this about one of their recruits, we'd all laugh him off as a slappy. I still dont like taking another RB (we could target 1 elite back next year), when we have more pressing needs elsewhere, but whatever.
January 22nd, 2011 at 8:23 AM ^
I think you should aim to take at least one running back every year. And since it's unclear where Justice Hayes is destined to play, maybe Rawls isn't a bad idea.
You can still aim for an elite back in 2012, with the idea that Shaw will be graduated, Smith will be a senior, and Cox will be a redshirt senior (if he sticks around for a fifth year).
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:37 AM ^
The bottom line for me is the RB's on our roster were not effective. Rawls is supposed to be a super back. If we had room for Dee Hart we should have room for this guy. heck I would have taken both. Don't get fixated on the recruting rankings!!
January 22nd, 2011 at 7:57 AM ^
I'm confused since no link or source was provided yet eveyone in the thread is all excited about the content of the OP's post.
January 22nd, 2011 at 8:06 AM ^
If he would be open to playing FB and adding another 10+lbs, this would let him block for his boy Hayes and would get him some carries early in his career. Just dont want to see a talent like him have to wait a while to get on the field.
January 22nd, 2011 at 8:37 AM ^
He has too much upside to pass up, me thinks.
January 22nd, 2011 at 8:47 AM ^
The Saginaw Valley League has gone downhill from the early 2000's but this guy looks great! If he qualifies he should def be a wolverine!
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:15 AM ^
I don't know the difference between a long strider and a short strider but this kid must be a short strider. Looks like he takes real tiny steps to me but nobody was catching him. Rawls isn't flashy, but as some have pointed out, he does go forward. He uses subtle cuts instead of exaggerated "shakes"
Some of you probably don't know this, so I will inform you. Mike Hart was a 3* also.
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:17 AM ^
according to Sam Webb. This kid would be a steal and a huge get for a team that has no power back. If his ACT is good, he is ours.
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:23 AM ^
I'm sold on this kid from what I've seen....Again, I suck at being able to tell whether a kid, (by watching High School tape alone), can play or not.
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:32 AM ^
Rawls recorded a single in the 70s called "You'll Never Find Another Back Like Mine". One of his biggest hits was, "Maize-y Love". Great U(-M)rban soul.
True story.
This is Thomas appearing under his stage name, Lou:
January 22nd, 2011 at 11:06 AM ^
Can you imagine hearing the first few strains of "You'll never find..." over the Big House sound system every time he breaks a big gain?
That would be so awesome and hilarious.
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:33 AM ^
If he decides to come to AA and meets the academic standards & qualifies I welcome him....T.Rawls come on down..........!
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:33 AM ^
It may be crowded with bodies, but it's virtually vacant when it comes to RBs who have proven that they can be difference-makers. Either they can't stay healthy or fumble in crucial situations. The only exceptions I would make is for Hopkins and maybe Cox, since for whatever reason the former coaching staff was inclined to keep them on the bench. I know the rap on Cox was an inability to learn the playbook, but you don't ever know how a RB will perform until you actually stick him in the damn game. Why they insisted on running VS out there in short yardage situations when Hopkins languished on the sidelines was a complete mystery to me.
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:44 AM ^
Yeah, there was a thread about this a day or two ago, but seriously...
If you put a guy in a game and he does well, why not leave him in there until he doesn't do well? And I don't mean one mistake, because lots of guys make mistakes. Quarterbacks don't get pulled after one INT. Linemen don't get yanked after one missed block. Cox has performed well in every single game he's ever participated in, but they wouldn't let him get off the bench.
Just try putting him in against, say, PSU or Wisconsin or Iowa. Just see what happens. If he sucks against those guys, whatever. But how will you ever know if you don't try?
January 22nd, 2011 at 9:56 AM ^
I am not disagreeing with your overall point, but when Hopkins did carries in short yardage situations, he was underwhelming
January 22nd, 2011 at 10:16 AM ^
I'm not saying you're wrong, but I only remember one Hopkins failure on short yardage. I didn't notice it as a glaring weakness in his game, but maybe I just don't recall.
January 22nd, 2011 at 10:57 AM ^
If you're talking about the failed 4th down at Purdue, that one was on Denard. IIRC, he was bobbling the ball as he was attempting the handoff and Hopkins never got a clean grab on the ball, which was fumbled and subsequently recovered by Purdue.
In the ND game he plowed through for a TD from one yard out.
January 22nd, 2011 at 11:33 AM ^
Yeah, that whole size versus speed thing didn't work out too well for us. It was just a difference in philosophy. I personally agree with you and think that on short yardage situations you go with the size and strength if you have it. I'm betting that this new coaching staff feels the same way.
January 22nd, 2011 at 10:30 AM ^
but anyone else concerned that if he is having trouble qualifying to get in that he might have trouble remaining in school once he has been admitted. The student-athlete combination is obviously challenging; I am amazed that the players can juggle school, lifting, film watching, practice, etc. etc. They deserve a lot of credit.
January 22nd, 2011 at 12:54 PM ^
I think you have a legitimate concern. But it is hard to say what was interfering with Thomas' academic success throughout high school. It is possible that with all of Michigan's resources, a supportive team/coaching staff, and maybe a change in environment that Thomas will excel academically. I like to think that attending Michigan, with our focus on the "student" part of student athlete, gives young men a better chance of success than does attending a school with fewer resources.
January 22nd, 2011 at 11:09 AM ^
All in for Rawls if he qualifies and wants to come to AA.