Friday Recruitin' Says Thanks But No Thanks Comment Count

Ace

Today's recruiting roundup takes a look at who is—and just as importantly, who isn'tgoing to be on campus this weekend. Also discusses: new offers in both the '13 and '14 classes, expected future visitors, and a couple of TEs coming off the board.

Seatbelt: Fastened

All week, there have been strong indications from wide-ranging sources that this weekend would bring in at least one commit for the Wolverines, and the picture is beginning to clear up a bit. First, let's go over the weekend visitors:

  • Joliet (IL) Catholic RB Ty Isaac—offered, top RB on the board.
  • Massillon (OH) Washington CB Gareon Conley—offered, Michigan leads, and though he denies being ready to commit, rumors are still flying ($, info in header).
  • Damascus (MD) WR Zach Bradshaw—offered.
  • New Lenox (IL) Lincoln-Way West OL Colin McGovern—offered, but aware Michigan is full at O-line. Is visiting anyway, because this is Michigan, fergodsakes.
  • Washington (DC) Gonzaga CB Devin Butler—offered, told GBW he "wouldn't be afraid to pull the trigger early," if he's comfortable with a particular school ($). [EDIT: Butler is visiting later this month, not this weekend. My bad, y'all.]
  • Cincinnati (OH) LaSalle CB Jaleel Hytchye—not offered, though that reportedly will be discussed when he's on campus; if he gets one, he says Michigan will shoot to the top of his list ($).
  • Novi (MI) Detroit Catholic Central DE Dylan Roney (2014)—sophomore teammate of Matt Godin and Wyatt Shallman. Will be interesting to see if he gets an offer this early in the process.

That's quite an interesting group, especially at cornerback, and the intrigue deepens with Isaac when paired with the knowledge that (1) Shane Morris will be on campus, undoubtedly putting on the full-court press, and (2) Warren (OH) Howland RB DeVeon Smith is visiting on March 17th, and there have been multiple indications that he's strongly considering a commitment. We'll see if that latter bit of news affects Isaac's timetable—there is no timetable—and if Smith commits, whether the coaches would be comfortable potentially taking both players. With Wyatt Shallman's ability to play DE, I wouldn't be surprised if they did.

Perhaps bigger news than the list of who's on the visitor list is who's not on the visitor list. The coaches seem very confident that Ben Gedeon will be blue in the near future, as they turned away four-star linebackers Alex Anzalone and Shane Jones, both of whom were planning weekend visits before being told the position group is full. Gedeon visited last weekend and is mulling over his decision. He may not be mulling for much longer. (Note, to head off the inevitable question: I don't believe this changes the situation with E.J. Levenberry at all. The coaches have maintained they'll take two linebackers and reserve an extra spot for him as one of the top overall prospects on the board.)

One player deciding this weekend who probably won't be choosing Michigan is Rancho Cucamonga (CA) CB Chris Hawkins, who hasn't visited Ann Arbor and will decide on Saturday between the Wolverines, Stanford (the prohibitive favorite), Cal, UCLA, Oklahoma and Notre Dame ($).

Offers, Future Visits, Etc.

Michigan put out a few offers recently, including one to the massive son of a former NFL offensive lineman:

  • Mesquite (TX) West Mesquite four-star WR Eldridge Massington received offers from Michigan and Notre Dame this past week ($, info in header). He had planned on making a spring decision, but he now wants to visit Ann Arbor and is pushing back his timetable to accomodate that. Interest is high.
  • 2014 Detroit Loyola DE Malik McDowell added the Wolverines to his offer list—now at two, along with Syracuse. McDowell is already 6'5", 260 pounds as a sophomore and came away with top honors from the recent Elite Big Man Camp.
  • 2014 Suwanee (GA) Peachtree Ridge OL Orlando "Zeus" Brown, son of the late NFL offensive lineman Orlando Brown, picked up a Michigan offer on Tuesday. He is, in a word, titanic: Rivals's Keith Neibuhr said he's 6'10", 360 lbs., while Scout weighed in with the utterly conservative figures of 6'7", 340. Brown already holds nine offers, including Alabama, Auburn, Notre Dame, and USC.

Sam Webb's latest at the Detroit News is on Murrieta (CA) Vista Murrieta five-star LB/S/RB Su'a Cravens, who reiterated that he will take one of his official visits to Michigan. He also gave an idea about his current timetable:

"I'm going to take my time," he continued. "I don't know if I'm going to do the hat thing like most guys do in those February games, but I know I'm going to commit my senior year. I'm not going to commit too early so I don't have second thoughts about where I want to go. I'm a man of my word, so once I commit somewhere I'm going to stick to it. Before I do, I'm going to be sure of it, so it'll probably be my senior year."

Distance, he says, will not be a factor, which is obviously good news for Michigan fans. Cravens's cousin, Upland (CA) four-star DE Joe Mathis, told Tremendous that he'll also take an official to Ann Arbor, and he'll take it at the same time as Cravens. Talented family, that.

Other players interested in visiting: Vienna (GA) Dooly County five-star DT Montravius Adams, one of the top overall prospects in the country ($, info in header). Akron (OH) Firestone WR Kevin Gladney, who's looking to visit in April and told ESPN that Michigan holds a slight edge in his recruitment ($, info in header). Richmond (VA) Hermitage RB Derrick Green wants to visit Ann Arbor on the 18th of this month ($); we'll see if those plans change depending on what happens with Isaac and Smith, since Green is planning a signing day decision. Ft. Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas DE Joey Bosa, one of the top DEs in the country, told 11W's Alex Gleitman that he's looking to visit Michigan this spring.

Happy trails to a pair of tight ends in Jacob Matuska, who committed to Notre Dame as a DE, and Durham Smythe, who pledged to his home-state Texas Longhorns. Top-ranked TE Adam Brenemen makes his decision tonight and seems almost certain to head to Penn State, so you can mentally remove him from the board, as well. Assuming (safely) that Breneman goes elsewhere, Michigan has just two offers out to uncommitted TEs in New Orleans (LA) Edna Carr's Standish Dobard and Pittsburgh (PA) Seton La Salle's Scott Orndoff. Dobard seems like a long-shot to pull out of SEC country, but Orndoff has expressed strong interest.

Quickly: TTB runs down the new Scout 300 for 2013. Chantel Jennings goes over Michigan's D-line options ($). The DetNews tracks down an "NCAA expert" to tell us what we already knew: the Roundtree/Demens/McCray Twitter thing is a non-issue—I honestly only linked because of the picture.

Comments

BrewCityBlue

March 9th, 2012 at 5:05 PM ^

I think we take Cravens as whatever the heck he wants to be. At least this is my hope. Kid is just a pure football player. Though, like you said, I beleive he's being recruited as a safety and that is his best position IMO. Just amazing what a stud this kid is. He could be our kicker too and it wouldn't surprise me. 

Magnus

March 9th, 2012 at 2:06 PM ^

Different sites (Scout vs. Rivals) have said different things about how we're recruiting Cravens.  It depends on which one you believe.  The vibe I have is that Michigan wants him for defense based on who's recruiting him.

denardogasm

March 9th, 2012 at 2:40 PM ^

I feel like I read a quote by Cravens somewhere correcting someone who said he was being recruited as a RB at Michigan.  Said he was being recruited as a safety.  Very vague I know but I know I saw it. One of my very few explorations into the twitter world perhaps.

drewro02

March 9th, 2012 at 3:48 PM ^

Told Aqua in their interview that he is being recurited as a Safety, and could have the opportunity to play RB.

To clarify the running back situation, Su'a said that Michigan offered him as a safety and that the opportunity for him to play running back is there. My guess is that it wouldn't be in a primary role and that he'd be a potential two-way player used in certain situations.

http://thisismichiganfootball.blogspot.com/2012/03/tremendous-makes-fri…

JeepinBen

March 9th, 2012 at 2:46 PM ^

This "Tremendous makes friends"

http://thisismichiganfootball.blogspot.com/2012/03/tremendous-makes-friends-with-sua.html

"Su'a said that Michigan offered him as a safety and that the opportunity for him to play running back is there. My guess is that it wouldn't be in a primary role and that he'd be a potential two-way player used in certain situations.  "

Ali G Bomaye

March 9th, 2012 at 2:02 PM ^

While reading this, my recurring thought was how we could possibly fit in all the top players who want to play for us.

This is an AMAZING problem to have.

Sinsemillaplease

March 9th, 2012 at 2:02 PM ^

if Hoke has issued the commits a list of all remaining plan A visits and asked them to be on campus if possible. It certainly can't hurt to have Shane "The Catalyst" Morris in Isaac's ear all weekend. I know a commitment is unlikely.... but I've got a good feeling about this weekend.

VermontMichiganFan

March 9th, 2012 at 2:08 PM ^

Excited of the weekend.

If we get a couple commits it will let us be even more selective for our last recruits.  It seems like the staff is keeping spots for top targets- so there can't be too many other spots not counting those left- so recruits are really feeling the pressure to commit it seems like

Dunder

March 9th, 2012 at 2:12 PM ^

simply because Rancho Cucamonga may be the most enjoyable phrase to speak in the entire language that doesn't include Michigan and wins!

rob f

March 9th, 2012 at 2:43 PM ^

..if there's both playoff Hockey and Basketball for U of M this weekend?  I'm even more excited about the end result of this weekend's visits and any other Football Recruiting news!

(not really, I'll still be watching/listening to those games, but keeping one eye on MGoBlog for any recruiting updates)

Thanks for those above Friday Recruitin' updates , Ace.

ColoMichiganman

March 9th, 2012 at 2:38 PM ^

With Shane Morris in the ears of recruits this weekend I have a very good feeling about this weekend and especcially Ty Isaac.  Something Special is happening right now at Michigan!

PeteM

March 9th, 2012 at 2:55 PM ^

This is a question (not a criticism, or an effort to get into a Hoke/RR debate), but I've noticed that you seem to never see Florida players on the list.  I realize that prior to Rodriguez we only got a few guys from there -- Hutchinson, Rivas, & Baas come to mind - but would think that the fame of Denard would raise our profile in the Sunshine state.  Is there anyone we're looking in Florida who didn't make it into this post?

Again, I'm thrilled with Hoke's recruiting and am in favor of focusing on the midwest, but seeing players from Georgia, Texas and California made me wonder about the absence of Florida kids.

Magnus

March 9th, 2012 at 2:59 PM ^

We've offered Leon McQuay, Laremy Tunsil, Vernon Hargreaves, Richard Benjamin, and Joey Bosa.  Most of those guys are elite level prospects.  The coaches seem to be going after some of the really big fish, but they're not wasting their time there.  Rodriguez would offer 45-50 guys from Florida and then get like 3 of them.

Johnny Blood

March 9th, 2012 at 3:17 PM ^

I'm no expert, but it seems to me that when Hoke and crew venture out of the midwest they are going more towards places where they have established relationships (like California) versus places where they really don't (like Florida).  But they still do seem to be going after top talent there.

mrlotty

March 9th, 2012 at 3:05 PM ^

I'm confused.  I don't see these kids anywhere in the rankings.  Are they 2014??????

Massillon (OH) Washington CB Gareon Conley 

Damascus (MD) WR Zach Bradshaw 

Washington (DC) Gonzaga CB Devin Butler 

Cincinnati (OH) LaSalle CB Jaleel Hytchye 

mrlotty

March 9th, 2012 at 3:42 PM ^

Thank you.  I just don't understand why we are going after the lower talent.  Up to this point, we have captured mainly 4stars who are ranked on all boards.  The ohio kids are not even ranked in the top 35 in the state.  I'm not too excited about any of those kids, unless I'm missing something.

WolvinLA2

March 9th, 2012 at 4:26 PM ^

Mr. Lotty - let me tell you a story.  Last year about this time, once all the initial rankings had come out, there were many discussions on this board regarding DT recruiting since it was such a position of need.  There was a 3-star, unranked DT in Missouri who had previous lived in Michigan and who had interest in UM.  Many people on the board said they didn't want him, that they wanted Danny O'Brien or Tommy Schutt or Sheldon Day or Jaleel Johnson. 

Well, as it turned out, that 3-star DT was a lot better than the sites had originally thought, and he ended up as our highest ranked commit in our 2012 class.  Now I'm not saying Conley or any of those guys are going to be 5-stars necessarily, but the sites don't always get it right on the first ranking.  Hell, sometimes they don't on the last either.  Moral of the story - it's way too early to determine whether or not you want a kid just because Rivals only gave him 3 stars. 

WolvinLA2

March 9th, 2012 at 5:22 PM ^

Your first mistake is listening to what any OSU fan has to say.  Even when the stats are in our favor it won't help.  But OSU takes 3-star players too.  Chimde Chekwa and Dane Sanzenbacher were both middling 3-star commits, and now they're both in the NFL.  IIRC, James Laurinitis was the same. 

It's great to have guru-approved players, but no class will be all 4-stars, and if there's a 3-star kid that our staff really likes, then that's usually a pretty good sign. 

mrlotty

March 9th, 2012 at 3:42 PM ^

Thank you. I just don't understand why we are going after the lower talent. Up to this point, we have captured mainly 4stars who are ranked on all boards. The ohio kids are not even ranked in the top 35 in the state. I'm not too excited about any of those kids, unless I'm missing something. 

BrownJuggernaut

March 9th, 2012 at 4:33 PM ^

I'm guessing you haven't seen this video then. Conley is very skinny. He could put on some weight. He's pretty good at reading plays and is a good tackler. Furthermore, he does everything for his team, playing corner, wide receiver, and special teams. I think the "under the radar" level is appropriate for him more than most recruits. He just needs to put on some weight and get stronger. I think he can be a very good college player.