EJ Levenberry Jr. possible de-commitment

Submitted by robbyt003 on

Per Tremendous - 

Add another name into the bag. Per a couple tweets by Mike Farrell at Rivals, it sounds like LB EJ Levenberry Jr. wants to re-open his recruitment. I don't think he's officially de-committed from FSU, but it sounds like he is having second thoughts for sure and plans to visit Michigan. We had a good rapport with EJ during his recruitment, so I may be able to get to the bottom of what's going on.

Well this should be interesting....

edit - Here's the link to Rivals regarding the situation.

http://michigan.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=338&tid=156707047&mid=156707047&sid=883&style=2

Right now I have to say my son made the right decision in choosing Jimbo
and FSU but that Michigan degree and Greg Mattison's relationship with 
my son are hard to resist.

edit 2 - 

 Mike Farrell ‏@rivalsmike

And just like that #Michigan pulls out of the Levenberry race unless they lose a commit per levenberry's father

FrankMurphy

August 1st, 2012 at 6:13 PM ^

Oh yeah, totally forgot about Rawls. He looks to be overachieving relative his modest recruiting profile. 

So I guess this means that even if we strike out on both Treadwell and Green and don't bring in anyone to replace them, we'll be just fine. Wow. Life is good. 

UMaD

August 1st, 2012 at 6:04 PM ^

If the offense is going to be similar to what we saw with Carr/Moeller - there were rarely more than 8 scholarship WRs on the roster.  Right now, with the two '13 commitments, the '13 team will have 8 receivers, not counting Ricardo Miller or Devin Funchess (TE-WR tweeners, at least for now) or Norfleet (who could potentially be used in 4-wide sets).   Because Jerald Robinson red-shirted he'll be only one year apart from Darboh and Chesson (assuming they both play).

Under normal circumstances, you take 2 WR a year and expect some degree of attrition.  Unless you're running a 4 WR spread offense you don't need massive numbers at WR.  Not when you're taking FBs, TEs, and investing heavy scholarships into the RB position.

I don't think WR is a huge need, but they obviously want Treadwell.  If they can't land an elite WR they will pass.  There is no need for numbers, only for elite talent.  In that regard, WR is like most other positions - Michigan will take a high level recruit but doesn't NEED to add more bodies to provide depth...at this point in time.

NOLA Wolverine

August 1st, 2012 at 7:30 PM ^

He's one of the best linebackers in this class as far as making a big impact upon hitting the ball carrier, and he's very active in coverage. Im not interested in linebacking prospects who live on arm tackles, and there's more than a few out there. EJ is in a class behind Reuben Foster as far as being a factor on defense from what I can see on YouTube. I'm not all that concerned with what his rating has done between one point of him not playing football to another.

foreverbluemaize

August 1st, 2012 at 5:37 PM ^

It is very possible that we have some attrition this year once the season gets rolling. Please don't take this the wrong way, that is not what I am hoping for, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone buried on the depth chart opted to transfer for more play time.

Nick

August 1st, 2012 at 5:51 PM ^

but you're thinking about it wrong.

Our latest projected class # is 25 players.  We don't even have room for that right now.  We need (I think) 4 more guys to leave the program to sign 25.  So, when someone leaves, and then we say 'oh thats one more scholly', no its not.  Thats one less player that needed to depart to even have room for our current commitments.

So for these "dream scenarios" of taking Green, LT, and Levenberry/Priest Willis/McQuay, we'd need 26 spots and for 5+ guys to leave the program.

panthers5

August 1st, 2012 at 5:45 PM ^

We don't have commitments from either LT or Green. Hey I hope we land both, but how can you hold two spots when the kids haven't said they are coming? Do we take the chance of getting caught with our pants down and hold out schollys and possibly lose one or both, and also lose out on a top LB? Did they not say you better move quick to McQuay? Why not tell both the EJ is coming so you better pick your spot if you want it?

uncle leo

August 1st, 2012 at 5:43 PM ^

Treadwell coming out and saying he wants to take more and more visits.  Or maybe he has a gut feeling he's going to be booting Clark off the team?

Perkis-Size Me

August 1st, 2012 at 5:44 PM ^

Ugh this sucks. Dammit Levenberry why couldn't you just commit back in the spring when you were supposed to, and then we wouldn't be in this situation?

I want this kid badly, but I just don't think we'll have room for him unless we have some attrition during the year, which I'm not hoping for unless someone legitimately wants out. Other than that, the only way I see him committing is if either Treadwell and/or Green commit elsewhere, and then a spot opens up.

WolvinLA2

August 1st, 2012 at 6:11 PM ^

Well, when you put it the way you did, it doesn't sound bad as much as it does dumb.  I'm not calling you dumb, but losing a current player for some excitement isn't very smart for winning. 

Now, if you said you hoped for current roster players who most likely weren't going to play to move on so that we could fill his roster spot with a highly touted prospect, then that's different.  Maybe that's what you meant though, in which case it's not that bad. 

I guess hoping for Michigan football players to leave is a bad thing, but you can be OK with guys who make a decision to find PT elsewhere.

M-Dog

August 1st, 2012 at 5:54 PM ^

This is new to us, having a full class of 5*s and 4*s by July, and having even more 5*s and 4*s lined up who want to join.  We're not used to it.

We need guidance from the Master:  What would Nick do?

Hagen

August 1st, 2012 at 5:57 PM ^

That Nick create mysterious injuries and the likes and sends young men who have worked their entire lives for scholarships to Southwestern Alabama State Institute of Technology.  I like how well coached his defense is, but that's about it.

STW P. Brabbs

August 1st, 2012 at 6:52 PM ^

I really can't see any rationalization of the LS scholarship that doesn't sound silly at the end of the day. No offense to the young man, but the only conclusion I can come to is that Hoke apparently has a long-snap lizard brain that may end costing us a four-star recruit.

Mind, as lizard brains go it's a pretty innocuous one.