Hello: Devon Baxter
Michigan's edge recruiting has taken a lot of turns this cycle but Michigan finally reeled in one of the top ends on their board.
110% committed!!! pic.twitter.com/QRDp5YAcwx
— Devon Baxter (@devonlamount5) June 20, 2023
GURU RATINGS
RATINGS BY SITE |
|||
---|---|---|---|
247: 6'6/225 |
On3: 6'5/235 |
Rivals: 6'7/230 |
ESPN: 6'6/230 |
3*, 88, NR Ovr #41 DE, #17 MD |
4*, 90, NR Ovr #27 DE, #8 MD |
3*, 5.7, NR Ovr #38 SDE, #20 MD |
no rating |
3.70 | 3.99 | 3.62 | n/a |
COMPOSITE RANKINGS |
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247 Composite |
On3 Consensus |
MGoBlog |
|
3*, 0.8859, #506 Ovr #32 DE, #13 MD |
3*, 89, #418 Ovr #28 DE, #12 MD |
3.5*, #544/794 Ovr #60/87 Edges since 1990 |
|
3.86 | 3.90 | 3.78 |
Baxter is a relatively new discovery to the recruiting world. His profile popped up on the sites last March, but the offer history shows a wave last November and another in early February. Any recruiter who asked would be told that the school "likes my film and the way I play" and that [lead recruiter] is a "high energy guy." In our case edge analyst Dylan Roney was also a "chill dude" who tells it like it is. Recruitment over.
[AFTER THE JUMP: Between a Hutchinson and an Ojabo.]
SCOUTING
Not a whole lot. The only site with a national analyst take online is Rivals. The good news is that take is Adam Friedman including Baxter on a list of who should come after his #1 edge Dylan Stewart.
A new and intriguing name … At 6-foot-7, 230-pounds, Baxter's junior film shows him making plays against the run and the pass from his defensive end position, but he also lines up as a tight end and receiver, showing off his impressive athleticism for his size.
This was among the SDEs. Jerod Smith also got a mention.
EJ Holland of The Wolverine got his own scouting by going to see Baxter work out.
…has a really impressive frame with a ton of length. Baxter is listed as 6-foot-7 on On3, but that’s pretty generous. I would say he’s closer to 6-foot-5. Still, Baxter is that tall, long, athletic prospect that Michigan desires in its pass rushers.
I exchanged messages with a source close to the program, and he told me Michigan loves Baxter’s athletic ceiling and ‘dog’ attitude. Baxter definitely has a lot of both. This is a kid that started off playing quarterback and tight end and only recently made the transition to pass rusher.
He gave a comp to David Ojabo, including the rawness. EJ also talked to Baxter's trainer Marlon Curtis of Pass Rush Academy($):
He’s a raw talent. He has such a high ceiling with his athletic ability and gain of knowledge at the EDGE position. He’s very versatile. He has the range to do a lot of things.
Curtis also noted that Baxter was up to 260 as a freshman, and was down to 231 as of April. Curtis has had a *LOT* of pro edges to come through his program, and offered up a build of Josh Sweat with the head of Jevon Kearse.
His speed continues to grow. His length and speed kind of reminds you of these guys moving and doing things.
There's no scouting up from 247 right now.
OFFERS
This was a quick recruitment but as he blew up PSU, Tennessee, Pitt, West Virginia, and Virginia Tech seemed to be the players, with Rutgers (visited June 9) and VT (offered when he was in 9th grade) the schools involved early going "aw shit, they found him!" Virginia Tech was supposed to get a return visit on June 23. He was also looking to visit Tennessee, Pitt, Syracuse and West Virginia as of May. He took unofficials to VT, UNC, Duke, Virginia, and Syracuse.
HIGH SCHOOL
The last 4-star to come out of Gwynn Park was PSU DT Phillip Taylor in 2006. They've sent some 3-stars to Pitt, NC State, Virginia, and Vandy. Brandywine is just outside the edge of the DC Metro Area, to the southeast of the city, with Waldorf close enough to share a Costco and rural Southern Maryland in the other directions. It has nothing to do with the Revolutionary War's Battle of Brandywine, unless it was named for it. Think quaint train town in tobacco country that got big box stores and suburban sprawl in the early 21st century.
STATS
Via his 247 profile:
2022: Made 48 tackles, including two sacks and 21 tackles for loss, and caught 12 passes for 181 yard and four touchdowns in seven games.
2021: Made 23 tackles, including two sacks, and caught seven passes for 73 yards.
FAKE 40 TIME
None found.
VIDEO
There's also a workout from his trainers.
@CoachSchuUGA
— InternalEnduranceLLC (@IEDungeon) April 27, 2023
Devon Baxter 6'6 230lb @Devonlamount5
4⭐️ 32nd Nationally 🏈DE/OLB/TE
📱 301-602-3215
🎬 https://t.co/e6p99i1W6a
📚2024 Class 📕3.3 CORE GPA
🏫 Gwynn Park High School (MD)
Head Coach: D. Hayes 301-535-2199
📄Offers: SEC,BIG 10,ACC,AAC,USA,SUNBELT,MAC, BIG 12 pic.twitter.com/6Wy9ijgXdX
His Hudl page has game highlights and sophomore film. Lifting.
ETC
Plays basketball. OMG Shirtless.
PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE
Flimsy evidence indeed. He looks like a basketball player out there, with ridiculous length that makes it impossible for high schoolers to control him or escape him. Seems like an obvious candidate for a Herbertization Project, after which Michigan hopes to have their next super-long superfreak to play their Ravens games on the edge. If he's been 260 before he can probably get there again, and there doesn't seem to be a lot of linebackerness to him, so we can pretty comfortably project Baxter to the four-down (four as in 4-3 or 4-2-5) "EDGE" position and figure out later if they want him on the Ojabo or Hutchinson side depending on how Herbertized he ends up. Michigan has a few of these types in various stages of development right now, and Baxter can get in the pipeline.
UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS
Michigan wants to take four edges this cycle—right now they're counting Jaden Smith at LB and Jerod Smith (no relation) at edge. This Clemson reporter seems to have a good idea of where Michigan's priorities are:
Per a contact, a best-case scenario for the Wolverines at DE/EDGE might be adding four more in addition to the one already committed. Those ideal four additions would be Mayo, Nichols, Baxter, and Elias Rudolph.
Michigan views Mayo as an elite talent and he will be a take regardless of numbers. People think Michigan leads for Nichols and Rudolph, and via EJ Holland its likely Baxter and Nichols will end up in the same place($). Jerod's brother Jacob is another edge recruitment. They've also been after Brian Robinson and Marquise Lightfoot forever, but the longer those recruitments have gone on, the more it feels like Michigan's gotten as far as they can with them.
THE CLASS AS IT STANDS
OFFENSE | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Pos | Player | State | Stars | In a nutshell |
QB | Jadyn Davis | NC | 4.7 | Smooth, accurate field general |
RB | Jordan Marshall | OH | 4.4⬇ | Accelerates South-North |
RB | Micah Ka'apana | NV | 3.7⬆ | Well-balanced accelerator |
WR | I'Marion Stewart | IL | 3.9⬇ | Ronnie slick/quick, #1 WR to M |
WR | Channing Goodwin | NC | 3.8 | Chain-moving son of Jon |
TE | Brady Prieskorn | MI | 4.4⬇ | Colston Loveland Midwest |
TE | Hogan Hansen | WA | 4.1⬆ | Colston Loveland West |
LT | Andrew Sprague | MO | 4.2⬆ | Basketballin' grow-a-Long |
RT | Blake Frazier | TX | 4.2⬆⬆ | Athletic son of Steve |
RG | Luke Hamilton | OH | 4.0 | Midwestern mauler |
LG | Ben Roebuck | OH | 3.8⬇⬇ | Bigger Midwestern mauler |
C | Jake Guarnera | FL | 3.8 | Mauler but center |
DEFENSE | ||||
Pos | Player | State | Stars | In a nutshell |
DT | Manuel Beigel | CT | 3.5⬇ | Lengthy German via Choate |
DT | Owen Wafle | NJ | 4.0⬇ | Little nose with bite |
DT | Ted Hammond | OH | 4.0 | Cincy build-a-bear |
SDE | Jerod Smith | CT | 4.0⬆ | Low-pads, high-motor big twin |
Edge | Devon Baxter | MD | 3.8⬆ | Super long 4-3 grow-an-edge. |
OLB | Mason Curtis | TN | 4.2⬆ | Long athlete moving up |
OLB | Jaden Smith | NC | 3.8⬆ | Underscouted Uche |
HSP | Cole Sullivan | PA | 3.8 | Hybrid LB with crazy athleticism |
S | Jacob Oden | MI | 4.1 | Tall son of coach |
Did you have this already written just waiting for his announcement to post? Normally we'd get 3 or 4 "Committed!" posts on the board before the official write-up is posted.
Great work anyhow, as always.
When it’s pretty well known we’re heavy favorites for a guy, they typically write up the Hello ahead of time. I’m honestly surprised they didn’t have one ready to go for Stewart.
I’m also sure it’s easier/quicker to put together when the scouting is limited. Less articles to quote and source.
I'm guessing they got the ole *wink wink* *nudge nudge* from someone in the program who said "guess who committed but is waiting a day for the edits to be ready so go ahead and write your preview"
Here's what happened. See where the wind went from 10 knots to zero? That was when I was taking my kids sailing because my daughter leaves for camp today.
So we came home and the girl played in the sprinkler and the boy napped and I saw Baxter was committing (insiders knew it was Michigan) so I checked to see if there was a lot of scouting, and when there was just a little I said fug it, watched his reels, and wrote up a hello post.
Yeah well if you want to know how I find time to work while also being with my family, note the time of the screenshot, and note that there was too much wind data already reported for it to have been taken at the pm version of that time.
Sorry, it was just what popped into my head.
I guess it comes off as snarky but there was some genuine sympathy buried underneath.
Makes me curious to know the list of the top Hello posts that were written but never published?
I would actually love to see a collection of old Hello posts that never happened with a reflection on how accurate they wound up becoming.
Baxter? Is that you? Bark twice if you’re in Milwaukee.
is this wilt chamberlain?
You're telling me this is a 6' 7" pass rusher who has no history as a national recruit, got snapped up by Michigan based on evals, and also plays *receiver*? I think there's a good chance this kid contributes
Not to be rude, but where is Mayo listed as a 5 star? 24/7 has him as a 3 star and his composite rating is .92. No where near 5 stars.
That confused me as well
Took it to be: ratings be damned, he’s a 5*
Yeah ratings be damned.
I think he's saying that Michigan considers him a 5 star, #1 priority type of guy.
Not Seth but I went in and changed the verbiage slightly. Mayo is definitely not a 5* as you note, but Michigan views him as if he were one and the reporting is he's thus a take regardless of numbers in the class, which I think is what Seth was getting at
Wonder if Robinson is OSU all along and just trolling us here.
Yeah, the Robinson recruitment has been weird. I could be totally wrong, but he seems to really be holding out for that Suckeye “offer.” Michigan has shown him everything they have to offer and recruited the kid hard, but still no commitment. Now Kentucky seems to be where he’s leaning??? He might end up in the class after all, but with all the defensive line/edge recruits seriously interested in the joining the class, not sure Michigan is holding a spot for him at this point. He’s been a top target and I think all Michigan fans who follow recruiting would love for him to join the class, but it’s like “what’s the hold up?!”
I'm not convinced he is a top target anymore.
Get in the weight room and see you in 2.5 years. With all the DE development UM has produced it is strange we are not getting Chase Young and Bosa types clamoring to come here vs "athletic projects". Not to be a Maizen. Don't mind a project or two every 2nd class, but we should be reeling in top 10-12 type DEs with our track record of getting guys into the league.
Development generally means something different to guys at that rating. They want to be top 10 draft picks and All-Pros, not just get an NFL paycheck. Michigan has been decent at this (Hutch and Gary in particular), but not quite at the level of others. Plus bag and proximity to home are factors we have to work against.
I don't have data on it so this is just a suspicion but that suspicion is that those schools you cite as reeling in the 5 stars and producing high draft picks are doing just that. They get very highly rated prospects and those guys often get picked high in the draft.
That means those programs are just doing what is expected on the development front and usually not dropping the baton. On the other hand, Michigan is getting 3 and 4 star recruits and developing them into the NFL. Often as high draft picks.
Yeah I don't think Michigan produces enough high end picks and guys who become household names. We're getting there, and I think we'll start seeing more day 1 and 2 picks. Clemson, Georgia, Bama, OSU do that a lot so that's why the tend to get 5 stars even if their actual development isn't as good. (Looking at you OSU and all your 5 stars on defense).
It annoys me so much that in recruiting 5*s living up to their hype begets more 5*s, but turning 3*s and 4*s into high draft picks doesn't beget the same respect
Perhaps those guys are more concerned with how they recruited those other 5*, rather than results. They believe that their 5* talent can get them drafted regardless of where they commit, so go to the team with the largest payroll?
With all the DE development UM has produced it is strange we are not getting Chase Young and Bosa types clamoring to come here vs "athletic projects"
It definitely is a little weird. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills how OSU is still recruiting so well at DE. Chase Young has been a bust in the NFL, Zach Harrison was a 5* who ended up going in the 3rd round, 2 top 5 players Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau have barely done anything at OSU going into their junior years, and somehow OSU is the leader for Marquise Lightfoot and Eddrick Houston. At some point players have to start seeing through their "BIA" blatant self promotion, right?
Wasn't it always known/believed that OSU was paying players SEC-style ever since Urban went there? If so, then it is reasonable to believe that they are still doing so, following the pay-for-play model that is allegedly not permitted. Top recruits often want an instant payday, and they feel they can get that at OSU. Odds are if they are an athletic freak then they will get drafter on their "potential" anyway, or so they believe.
"2 top 5 players Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau have barely done anything at OSU"
Both are being mocked as 1st round picks in the 2024 draft,
Both are true. There's absolutely nothing mutually exclusive about those observations.
OSU has mostly completed its transformation into an NFL finishing school. Sawyer and Tuimoloau are mostly just biding their time. Why play hard and risk injury if you're already projected to be drafted early?
You'd think NFL teams would notice that OSU is creating a culture of complacence which should have its own repercussions, but so far I'm not seeing that.
"You'd think NFL teams would notice that OSU is creating a culture of complacence which should have its own repercussions, but so far I'm not seeing that."
Probably because outside of QB - OSU players have largely been pretty successful in the NFL.
They have 25% more players (71 vs. 56) , with 100% more career earnings ($1.06 Billion vs. $420 million) in the NFL.
For just next season:
1) Bosa - $24 million
2) Heyward - $15.9 million
3) Lattimore - $14.5 million
4) Decker - $14 million
5) Rashan Gary - $10.9 million
6) Curtis Samuel - $10.6 million
7) Corey Linsley - $10.5 million
8) Vonn Bell - $7 million
9) Michael Thomas - $6.3 million
10) Frank Clark - $5.5 million
Career earnings is an idiotic way of determining success when different positions are paid vastly different salaries
They are being mocked as 1st rounders because they were top 5 players, not because they've done anything in college
How does he compare to Collins Acheampong from last year?
Acheampong was more physically developed, but I think Baxter appears to be more athletic. We'll see how that athleticism holds up as he puts on weight though
This take was interesting to me because there really isn't much film on him at DE out there, but with his athleticism, frame, and the plays he makes in the available highlights, I think this is a good pick up. Here's some videos from 247's Eugene Hankerson that shows off Baxter's athleticism that also sold me:
Also, I kinda have a hard time thinking that we won't take Jacob Smith in this class if he wants in
Smart move by the young man locking up his spot. So many potential EDGEs, going to run out of room pretty soon.
I saw a commitment article where it said Baxter had 12 sacks as a junior last year. But yeah, 247's profile says he had just 2. Even though he's raw, 2 sacks is a very low total for a 4-star edge player, even if he did play in just seven games.
I believe that's a typo. Per MaxPreps he had 12 sacks and 22 TFL.
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