Malzone gets 4th star from rivals

Submitted by Bo Knows on

The title says it all

 

This class will be small, but like the 2014 class has a chance to be sneaky good even without the presence of a top 5 guy like Peppers.

alum96

May 21st, 2014 at 6:50 PM ^

The Hoke bump...

More seriously, as I wrote on the day he accepted he and Shane will probably end up across the board 4 stars but the variance in excitment level for one versus the other is almost wholly dependent on one being a 5 star early and one being a 3 star early.

On another serious note, I wonder sometimes if our 3 stars (pre accepting an offer) get their ranking inflated somewhat by the end of the process over the years because if we or about 12-13 other schools are the one they eventually go to... they usually get some sort of bump just out of the theory "well blue blood program XYZ wants them so we must be under ranking them."

maize-blue

May 21st, 2014 at 4:37 PM ^

I'll bet some internet dollars that Malzone will pretty much be a 4* across the board when his senior season is done.

GoWings2008

May 21st, 2014 at 4:38 PM ^

With all respect to the OP, I don't need any more stars from any of the recruiting services to like Malzone as a member of this recruiting class.  He's proven to me that he loves Michigan, leads his team with class and poise and once he's into the fold with the program, he'll continue to develop.  This additional star is just icing on the cake, but he's gonna be what he is with or without it.

SWPro

May 21st, 2014 at 5:41 PM ^

While I agree that the extra star doesn't make a better player it certainly makes him a better sell to potential target recruits.

 

"Hey 5 star can't miss WR we have an across the board 4* QB who will be throwing to you"

 

sounds a lot better than

 

"Hey 5 star can't miss WR we have some guy who most of the sites haven't heard of but we think is really good throwing to you"

 

when its being pitched by a coach.

jtmc33

May 21st, 2014 at 4:40 PM ^

He must have excelled at a QB camp between the time of his committment and today... Or maybe he had his first game of his Senior season in the last couple days and shined.  Did he grow 3 inches and gain 20 pounds?

I Like Burgers

May 21st, 2014 at 4:46 PM ^

Or maybe they took a closer look at his film.  Lotta recruits out there man, and not a lot of recruiting analysts looking at them.  There's not the time or people to look at film on 1000 kids prior to their senior year.  Take ESPN for instance, they have Malzone as a generic NR three star.  Which is basically their way of saying, he's got some major offers, but we haven't really taken the time to look deeply at his tape.  So sometimes, when a kid commits to a big school you go, hey, maybe we should take a closer look at that film.  And boom, a generic 3-star becomes a 4-star.

Not everything is a conspiracy.

JT4104

May 21st, 2014 at 4:45 PM ^

Speaking of which....ESPN was the best last year, so who are we liking this year? I just need to keep up on what services are the ones to like each year.

EastCoast Esq.

May 21st, 2014 at 4:52 PM ^

While rankings are certainly not god, I love it when our guys get recognition. It has a few huge benefits:

-1) Recruits DO look at the rankings, and seeing that Michigan is pulling great players makes them more likely to take a serious look at us.

-2) With stars/rankings come invitations to camps and events, which allows the players to recruit other guys of similar talent. It also gives us a snapshot of how they look against good competition.

-3) Related to #1, I think that recruits give a little extra oomph of motivation to raise their own rankings, which makes them work harder. Obviously they should already have good work ethics, but having more motivation is never bad.

-4) It's more fun to look at rankings and their changes than do bar review study (that's personal to me).

I Like Burgers

May 22nd, 2014 at 12:26 AM ^

As far as #2 is concerned has that actually worked out at all for Michigan the last few years? I've always heard that, and I've been to a lot of the camps across the country but I've never seen any of the kids pitching another commit hard, not have I seen any if those targets actually be swayed by a Mich commit. Maybe Derrick Green at The Opening a few years back, but that's been about it. The last few years our class has been wrapped up by the time camp season rolls around.

ThadMattasagoblin

May 21st, 2014 at 4:59 PM ^

I think you mean 2015 class. It's not as bad as I thought it would be with our recent additions but we really need the season to start and get some wins and get Damien Harris back.

LSAClassOf2000

May 21st, 2014 at 4:59 PM ^

If stars do indeed mean something (and as we have seen in some MGoStudies throughout the years, they tend to be a OK indicator), then the 2015 class is so far on track to be a pretty darn talented one as it is at 7 verbal commitments, 5 of whom are now 4-star rated and on a list that will undoubtedly grow as the year marches on. Good news indeed. 

BlueCube

May 21st, 2014 at 6:14 PM ^

that Andrew David is a 2-star or 3-star kicker. I don't think kickers get rated higher very frequently so if you exclude the kicker, 5 of Michigan's 6 recruits are 4-star.

Many of the players who look like good possiblities to commit are 4 star. I know recruiting rankings are far from perfect but this is shaping up to be one of the best classes in a decade.

 

Here are the average stars by Rivals by year:

2015 - 3.57

2014 - 3.44

2013 - 3.63

2012 - 3.57

2011 - 3.25

2010 - 3.19

2009 - 3.59

2008 - 3.67

2007 - 3.40

2006 - 3.63

2005 - 3.48

2004 - 3.59

2003 - 3.82

2002 - 3.55

 

So despite the gloom around here at times, there has not been any drop off in recruiting averages. The only low years are the 2011 split year that obviously was not going to be good and the 2010 year when I'm sure coaches were saying Michigan was going to end up on probation.

What hurt was the attrition as has been pointed out before.

rob f

May 21st, 2014 at 7:06 PM ^

that awful loss today by the Tigers, and there you go, having to mention Phil Coke.

Can the Tigers just send him packing already??!

To be fair, though, that loss was on several pitchers today.  Only Chamberlain and Krol pitched effectively today, and Detroit wasted several chances to score more.