BigPuppy4

June 22nd, 2018 at 11:04 AM ^

He was 1st team All-Ohio and the Division 2 player of the year in baseball.

Also had scholarship offers from Yale, Harvard, Army, and the Air Force Academy. Looks like he came to play school as well.

rob f

June 22nd, 2018 at 7:23 PM ^

It's hard to put in to words how happy I am to read of the commitment by Joey Velazquez to both Michigan Football and Michigan Baseball.

While many top high school athletes do well in multiple sports, clearly Velazquez is the cream of the cream of the crop in at least two sports, the rare athlete who is exceptional enough to garner multiple scholarship offers to division 1 programs in each sport.  And he did it while also excelling in the classroom, no easy feat in and of itself even for non athletes.

Welcome to Michigan, Joey---can't wait to watch you represent the Maize and Blue on both the diamond and the gridiron while you work towards earning one of the most coveted degrees of all, that of The University of Michigan!

Bodogblog

June 22nd, 2018 at 11:11 AM ^

I hope the kid is great, but I watched his film and I don't see a star.  Maybe as a LB?  But what the hell do I know 

I've comparisons to Khaleke Hudson... do not see that at all.  Be very interested in Magnus' take. 

Bodogblog

June 22nd, 2018 at 12:18 PM ^

"Not sure what tapes you were looking at" 

I know the common discourse on message boards always needs to start with some backhanded insult.  But I'm sure they are the same tapes you are looking at.  I was not looking at tape of the water polo team.  If this was a genuine statement meaning I could have been looking at old film, I withdraw my comment.  

People can look at tape and see entirely different things, even as experts.  You and I are just joes have no idea what we're looking at, so this isn't a surprise.  

I see a good high school athlete who makes plays when available.  Doesn't seem twitchy, isn't very sudden, and a bit duck-footed.  He's got good straight-line speed, but I'm not sure how well that translates to playing nearer to the line of scrimmage at Viper.  He doesn't punish ballcarriers. But again, what the hell do I know. 

Blue in Paradise

June 22nd, 2018 at 1:12 PM ^

Honestly, wasn't trying to start anything with you.  I am just irrationally excited about this kid at Viper.  I just have this overwhelming feeling that he is going to be a star.  The last time I felt this way about a non-top 100 kid was Khaleke himself, and he is now my favorite player on the team.

I think he will be better than Matt Milano (now a starting LB for Buffalo Bills) and up there with Khaleke.

Magnus

June 22nd, 2018 at 12:47 PM ^

Over the past two years, our Vipers have 12 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, and 1 pass breakup against Ohio State. Not great, but not too shabby, either. It's kind of odd to bring up the record vs. Ohio State in a thread discussing the Viper position, as if they're solely responsible for the losses. There are a bunch of players I would put higher on the list as deserving more blame for those losses.

gobluem

June 22nd, 2018 at 12:02 PM ^

https://www.hudl.com/video/3/7250245/5ab85ef5d45e5b0db41e5875

 

I'm not sure how you can NOT see a Viper in his film. He's practically playing the same role in his HS defense. He lines up in the slot, in the box, deep safety. Looks like he has excellent instincts and awareness, sure tackler, great hands, ball hawk, covers lots of ground. Great anticipation on some of his interceptions. Reads plays quickly, acts decisively

 

I am VERY excited for him in both baseball and FB

Blue in Paradise

June 22nd, 2018 at 1:15 PM ^

Thanks Magnus - I have been very happy with your content recently and checking the site more regularly.

Btw/ here is Matt Milano's recruiting rankings for those that care...

https://247sports.com/Player/Matt-Milano-17622//high-school-28699

No reason to doubt Don Brown recruiting at this position

Blue in Paradise

June 22nd, 2018 at 2:07 PM ^

Will do (either as Blue in Paradise or CaymanGoBlue).  I LOVE MGoBlog and the Board, but I am getting tired of all the douchebags. 

I never read comments on any website regardless of topic because I really don't care what random people have to say but I made an exception on MGoBlog because of the generally high quality of the posters.

While it is fun kicking around dirtbag incels like Maizen Bluey for a while, it is starting to get tiresome.  And people $hitting on 17 year old kids' Hello posts is going too far for me.  I am fine with people posting critiques of the coaches or even the recruiting class on general recruiting threads but why are people taking shots at individual kids that want to play for Michigan?

I would say that the mods need to clean that up or I am walking away from the board.  I would continue reading MGoBlog content in either case.

Bodogblog

June 22nd, 2018 at 1:21 PM ^

Awesome, thanks 

I think you should bend to the will of others and just start including a star rating with your evals.  Seems like 82 would be a high 3* type, but you should just include that.  Would help understand your rating relative to others to use the common scale. 

theguy49503

June 22nd, 2018 at 11:16 AM ^

Lance Dixon would have been nice  but after watching Joey's tape I see Jordan Kovacs which makes me smile and not understand why some folks are so disappointed. 

Matte Kudasai

June 22nd, 2018 at 11:24 AM ^

This kid is a phenomenal athlete.  He seems underrated in football.  Is it because he is a baseball player?  His offer sheet doesn't make sense unless its because schools thought he was only interested in baseball.

Great get.  Seems like a no brainer for viper.

Blue in Paradise

June 22nd, 2018 at 11:25 AM ^

Nobody who watches his tapes will be disappointing.  Now that he is committing to football, he will be a 4 star and all the Starz Douchebags will be happy.

More importantly, he is tailor made for the Viper spot (Dixon will end up at WILL and will (pun intended) be a great player at PSU, Wisconsin or UM).

SlickNick

June 22nd, 2018 at 11:34 AM ^

If the brain trust of Jim Harbaugh, Don Brown, and the rest of the defensive staff wants this guy...thats all you need to tell me. Welcome aboard! I love the added emphasis on recruiting ohio...star gazers can say what they want, but the number of under recruited guys from ohio that end up being studs is unreal. Michigan has had plenty of luck with players from there lets hope Velazquez is the next!