A few minor recruiting notes (12/17)

Submitted by Gobluegr on

The battle for the final offensive line spot is starting to really heat up. As previously posted, Jordan Diamond has Michigan in his top five. Michigan is going to get his last official visit, and since he seems to favor the school he visited most recently Michigan is in really good shape.

Another offensive line option is Kyle Dodson, 247 sports and Rivals are saying that he is trying to work out a Michigan official visit and it most likely will be his final one.

Josh Helmholdt tweeted this "The latest on 4star OT Kyle Dodson. Of interest to #Wisconsin #OhioState #Auburn #USC #Michigan #MichiganState fans http://bit.ly/vlGJwZ" followed by this "Being discussed for an official visit /// RT @NickPrice05: @JoshHelmholdt Michigan fans? Kyle Dodson?" And Clint Brewster of 247 sports posted it on the Wolverine 247 board http://michigan.247sports.com/Board/59424/Kyle-Dodson-6237572/1

Speaking of offensive line recruits, 2013 OL Logan Tuley-Tillman was recently offered by Notre Dame and Ohio State. His recruitment is really starting to blow up and he is looking like a big time prospect, so it's good Michigan got in early.

2013 reciever Jake Roh (brother of Craig) won 1st team all state for Arizona and led the state in touchdown reception (via TomVH twitter). He had a total of 49 receptions for 922 yards and 17 TDs against some good high school competition. http://www.maxpreps.com/athletes/bC0db1QN3Emvzqb1jEOQ7g/football-fall-1…

 

StephenRKass

December 17th, 2011 at 11:57 PM ^

So with the remaining spots left, how do we prioritize?

  • Whoever commits first?
  • Whoever best fits our remaining needs (And do we need OT or OG?)

Of the remaining OL prospects, I see the following ranking:

  1. Garnett
  2. Banner
  3. Diamond
  4. Kozan
  5. Dodson

Part of the issue is whether we need tackles (Banner, Diamond, & Dodson) more than guards (Garnett, Kozan) or vice versa?

Do you wait until the top of the list turns you down before entertaining the rest of the list? Or perhaps Michigan coaches rank these guys differently?

Regardless, it is absolutely tremendous that we still have a strong opportunity to land any one of these five.

 

turtleboy

December 18th, 2011 at 12:45 AM ^

remembering when we (me too) were all excited for Sevon Pittmans commitment and then he was held off. Those kids mentioned are the most likely to commit soonest, but we only have 5 maximum spots left so the coaches could have their say again like with Pittman. The coaches are interested in at least 1 more WR, 1 more DB, and 1 more OL so we'll most likely take 3 more, after that who knows?

 

Mich1993

December 18th, 2011 at 11:51 AM ^

My preference would be the best player that could play center in a pinch.  I think that means Garnett or Kozan (or a dream of Boehm).  With only Miller and Stacey as center options after next year, I'd like to see one more player that could at least play center in a pinch.  Potentially some of our tackles could move to guard but I assume that players like Kalis and  Bryant are not options at center.

I see that as the only true need remaining for this class. 

Look Up_See Blue

December 18th, 2011 at 12:02 AM ^

I think the coaches will take whomever commits first.  The current targets will notice that the coaches are recruiting other guys that play the same position and may force them to make a decision faster.  And if they don't and a different guy takes their spot then I think that's the coaches way of knowing they have kids that really want to play for Michigan.  

havkarl

December 18th, 2011 at 1:47 PM ^

I'd believe that we would take one db not both. Personally I think a bigger running back is a higher priority. We have excellent depth now, but it is always important to continually reload at that position.

Belisarius

December 18th, 2011 at 12:14 AM ^

I'm not really holding my breath for Wright. I would like to see if we could snare Perkins, though. And I wouldn't mind if we could snare a QB at the last minute. RichRod has a couple pro-style guys he doesn't really need. I'm just saying.

BradP

December 18th, 2011 at 8:49 AM ^

I would still agree that Michigan has a good shot, but he said that he was trying to schedule Georgia and Notre Dame for this weekend, ultimately scheduling a trip to South Bend.

Michigan is in decent shape as a sentimental favorite for Wright, but he is still early in his recruiting and he is open to a lot of schools who are yet to make their pitch and have been really successful (USC being the other school getting mentioned).

Hoke is still gonna have to win Wright over some recruiting powerhouses, and its gonna take a while.  With the Penn State moving slowly on its head coaching situation, if this staff is only going to take one more DB Reeves is starting to seem far more likely to me.

ccdevi

December 18th, 2011 at 9:05 AM ^

Is the answer. Imo, something smells wrong about the wright situation. You follow enough recruits over almost 20 years and you get a sense sometimes. I think his interest in us is not as strong as you think. Big recruit from NJ saying he's favoring Mich and Colo? Doesnt compute. I don't know if he's just playing games, or maybe there are some academic issues, or maybe he just doesn't have the committable offers we think he has. Not setting a visit until mid Jan with us also seems off. Is that his idea or ours, either way it isn't a good sign. To be clear, I could be totally off about him but I would be somewhat surprised if he ends up in this class.

Magnus

December 18th, 2011 at 10:38 AM ^

Well, he was on a playoff run for a team whose coach wouldn't let him visit until the playoffs were over.  So essentially he has December and January to make official visits.  Not setting one to Michigan until January doesn't seem like a big deal.

ccdevi

December 18th, 2011 at 8:56 PM ^

Fair enough but then why didn't he come to AA last weekend, we had lots of visitors. Instead he goes to Colo and now ND. I'm sorry but he hasn't done anything to convince me we really lead. And frankly I'm wondering how much we really want him. Seems like we may be behind pushing the visit to mid Jan, are we slow playing him? Again, I'm not sure if it's him or us, but regardless I remain skeptical he ends up in the class.

Magnus

December 18th, 2011 at 9:51 PM ^

You can remain skeptical all you want.  If he had visited Michigan this week and planned his Notre Dame visit for January, Notre Dame fans like you would be saying "OMG he doesn't like us because he's not visiting until January!"  He's visiting several places, and he can't visit them all on the same weekend.  That means some visits are going to take place first, and some visits are going to take place later.  It's how the universe works.

Good grief.  This is overanalysis to the max.  

SeaWolv

December 20th, 2011 at 10:43 PM ^

several ways to look at this. I think the most likely are you visit the schools you're most interested in first because you're excited about them and don't want to wait or you visit the school you're most interested in last so that when you're done you can commit on the spot. On the other hand Magnus is right you could over-analyze this thing to death like Vizzini in The Battle of Wits.

Belisarius

December 18th, 2011 at 2:58 PM ^

I'm aware. It's just an experience thing. There's always some big time recruits who express interest in some schools they never actually show interest in. For as much as Wight talks about Michigan, he doesn't seem to be in any rush to visit. It's a Diggs style situation.

But that's not actually my issue here. It's really about the Colorado visit. He proclaimed two leaders, both schools he never visited, despite wanting to take more visits anyway. Then, notably, he didn't care for Boulder. I understand that it was during exams, but they took him to a BB game and such...all fairly normal for a school visit. He seemed to come away from the experience thinking Boulder was kind of a one-horse town. People here have jumped on that as great news.

The question I have is, if he thought Boulder was too quiet, what makes us think he won't have the same opinion when he gets to Ann Arbor? I was raised in AA, I love AA, and I want to die in AA, but if someone thinks Boulder has little in the way to recommend it, a person could easily come to the same conclusion about Ann Arbor.

I'm saying we've all seen it before- a big name recruit talks about us, and we all get ecstatic, then they never even visit us, despite discussion to the contrary. The saying goes, for stud recruits, get them on campus, and THEN get excited. The only difference between those guys and Wright is he's said some flattering things about us, so, ok...great. But he also doesn't seem to care for sleepy college towns, and what applies to Boulder in thatregard also applies to us.

If he visits, and says he liked the trip, then I'll get excited. Until then, it seems to me that everyone thinks he's a lock for little substantial reason. That's all. Not trying to assail the honor of our school, or the kid. I just don't understand why people are so convinced he's ours.

Webber's Pimp

December 18th, 2011 at 12:16 AM ^

My question regarding Diamond is this. How can a kid just stand around a let another recruit beat him to the punch and take up the sole remaining O-line spot? You'd think Diamond would be running to phone to pledge a commit. It takes allot of nerve to stand by for another two months if in fact Michigan is your childhood favorite and/or the school of preference. This is why I am not too enthusiastic about our chances with Diamond. I think Garnett may be a much more likely possibilitythan Mr. Diamond. Ditto for Dodson...

UMICH1606

December 18th, 2011 at 8:56 AM ^

I am pretty sure I read somewhere, I think it was TomVH, that Diamond has went all out on his recruitment and has a film crew following him around until signing day creating a documentary. If I was in the same position, I am not sure I would let the quality of a documentary get in the way of my future though if I wanted to end the recruitment early. Especially if I knew I found the right fit.

ccdevi

December 18th, 2011 at 9:17 AM ^

Agreed although I think the same logic holds for Garnett. If guys know theres only 1 spot and that as many as 6 guys, maybe more, have committable offers, if they don't jump, they may have interest but they're not in love. The ol situation is really intriguing, I mean who really does have a committable offer? Could diamond or kozan take that spot today and leave Garnett without a ship? Is it possible we would take more than 1? Who do the coaches really prefer? I would love to know the answers.

MGoneBlue

December 18th, 2011 at 12:31 AM ^

Is there any reason the coaches aren't looking hard for a center?  It seems like a position of need in a couple of years with Jack Miller as a RS soph, followed by nothing.  Can anyone in this class move inside?

 

I'm no expert at recruiting, but this has been bugging me.

Magnus

December 18th, 2011 at 6:41 AM ^

Jack Miller is the center of the future, and Caleb Stacey might play there, too.  We have at least three centers on the roster next year (Khoury, Miller, Stacey), not to mention a couple other guys who have taken snaps at various points in their careers (Barnum, Mealer).  I think we're fine.

Mich1993

December 18th, 2011 at 12:53 PM ^

I see where we're good for next year, but after that it looks a bit light.  We'll only have a redshirt freshman (Stacey) and a redshirt sophmore (Miller). 

Am I correct that none of our other current lineman that will be around after next year are reasonable options to cover at center?

Magnus

December 18th, 2011 at 9:55 PM ^

You mean we're thin at center when you assume that Michigan won't address the center position later?  Look, teams want to go about three-deep on the OL (that's 15 total guys).  It stands to reason that approximately 3 will be left tackles, 3 will be left guards, 3 will be centers, etc.  When one graduates (like Khoury), then it also stands to reason that he will be replaced by a guy in the class of 2013.  

We have three centers.  Fretting that we'll be thin if our senior center graduates and he's not replaced is logical in its own way, but silly to think that it won't be addressed.

Is anyone else a reasonable to cover at center?  I don't know.  If your top three centers get injured, then it doesn't really matter if you've got a fourth string center or you have to plug in a backup guard or tackle...the fourth center is bound to suck.

Bronson

December 18th, 2011 at 8:53 AM ^

Others you likely think will be Buckeyes: Stefon Diggs , Yuri Wright, Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson, Lawrence Taylor, Red Grange....

OSU fans obviously didn't learn their lesson on keeping perspective, and hiring Urban Liar/Urban Myth/ Saint Urbs hasn't helped in this regard. But I really do feel that day is coming, and that right soon; no school and fanbase with such powerful, centralized douchiness powering its nucleus can continue to thrive in perpetuity.

Also- this is Michigan. Doesn't really matter who you get. Your "decade of dominance" was a sham. We beat you with senseless rapidity before, and get ready for it, because that train is coming back around the mountain...

teldar

December 18th, 2011 at 9:13 AM ^

Who was the safety whose ratings started to drop significantly at the end of the summer? Was initially a high 4 star, I believe, but dropped to mid 3.