Tuesday Recruitin' Is On Vacation
Ace is on vacation this week.
Big Fish
Rashan Gary is never impressed
NJ DT Rashan Gary, the consensus #1 player in the country, has been on Michigan's radar for a while. Michigan has been the tentatively presumed leader after they hired Chris Patridge, Gary's high school coach, to be their recruiting coordinator. Gary himself hasn't said much, but after a swing through the Midwest on visits that's beginning to change.
Sam Webb recapped Gary's visit on the Scout message board($). Gary's mom:
"Michigan hit every detail," Jennifer Coney said. "EVERY detail."
There's a bunch more at the link. The vibes there are pretty good; Gary is planning one more trip this summer, to Georgia, and then they plan on narrowing his list. It does not sound like OSU is going to be a main competitor.
But it's never easy with a guy as highly touted as Gary. 247's Steve Wiltfong:
If I'm #Auburn or #Michigan, I feel good about five-star DT Rashan Gary, who will narrow list after @TheOpening: http://t.co/7M9bvzfC5F
— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) June 29, 2015
Sounds good... except that Wiltfong put in an Auburn Crystal Ball for Gary. Gary's mom again($):
“You can know for sure Michigan is going to make the cut,” Jennifer Coney, Gary’s mother said. “You know Auburn is going to make the cut."
That would be a top two, then.
Michigan is also in on five-star CA LB Caleb Kelly, who was in attendance for a satellite camp in his area. He has a very practical take on things:
"It's like any other coach: you get told what to do, and you go ahead and you do it. It's just cool to have it be from the Michigan coaches. It's a big-name school and that's cool."
He has a who's who of offers; Oklahoma is currently strong on his Crystal Ball.
The New Jersey Migration of the Early Harbaugh Epoch
A pile of New Jersey (and environs) players made it out to Ann Arbor last week, with great success. Four star NJ DE Ron Johnson is already in. Four star NJ WR Brad Hawkins, Johnson's teammate, is probably next. He is scheduled to announce on Friday; Michigan and South Carolina are pretty much the only contenders; he has a visit scheduled to Michigan for July 19th.
Rule eight of following recruiting is that "a recruit who has a visit scheduled for after an announcement is going to the school he is visiting." (Rules 1, 3, 7, 13, 50, and 121 are "DON'T TWEET AT RECRUITS." Number 144 is "SERIOUSLY.") Also, Michigan has fielded every Crystal Ball pick since February.
Ahmir Mitchell has a bowling trophy
Fellow NJ WR Ahmir Mitchell is also nearing a decision. Star-Leger reporter Todderick Hunt:
2 teams stand out 4 Mitchell although he's not ready 4 me 2 release them at this time. But seems to B gettin closer. pic.twitter.com/BEOgONFUZF
— Todderick Hunt (@TodderickHunt) June 27, 2015
Michigan is one of those teams. OSU is the other according to Rivals. Mitchell just announced that he would not be doing any more interviews before his decision, so he's clearly thinking about making one in the near future. Lorenz is hearing positive things($), and the Crystal Ball is an M blowout.
BTW, Mitchell's pretty good($).
There are few players in the country that are comparable to Mitchell. His size, explosiveness, competitiveness and reliable hands were on full display on Saturday. Cornerbacks that tried to jam him at the line of scrimmage were quickly dispatched and errant passes were hauled in with ease. There was one pass that Mitchell hauled in with one hand between two defenders. He had to pin it against his body because the defender was holding onto his other arm.
In not-quite-New-Jersey-but-pretty-much, Philly-based PA TE Naseir Upshur came back from the trip beaming, rating it a "ten of ten($)". He's got a commitment date scheduled for August 8th. Rule nine of following recruiting is "a recruit who issues a commit date soon after a visit is probably going to that school." When that doesn't happen, it's usually because another school swoops in with a visit before the announce date and changes things. That is a possibility here($):
*Alabama is still very likely to add another tight end to its current 2016 haul of two standing commitments at the position, and one of their top targets - Naseir Upshur - a 6-foot-2, 233-pound four-star prospect out of Philadelphia, will be visiting Tuscaloosa with his family on July 17. Michigan is trending with Upshur on the Crystal Ball at 74 percent at the moment. Upshur plans to commit on August 8.
We saw Alabama grab Khalid Kareem. It could happen, but Steve Lorenz notes that($) "Michigan's lead has reportedly grown into a very strong one at this point" and that he is one of the safest bets on Michigan's board" at the moment.
Finally, 2017 NJ OL Cesar Ruiz was on the trip, picked up an offer($), and sounds very excited about it. Michigan is a tentative early leader.
Waiting, waiting
Sometimes I get the feeling that a certain player is not going to end up at Michigan despite everyone assuming they'll end up at Michigan. This usually happens when Michigan's lead goes on and on and on without a commitment actually happening. See: Parrker Westphal.
In related news, FL LB Jonathan Jones still maintains that Michigan is his leader($):
Sam Webb: It seems like someone is committing to Michigan every day. Is the number of scholarships they have left something that is on your mind at all?
Jonathan Jones: “Not really. I’ll be honest when it comes to all my top schools. Four years is a huge part of my life and I’m going to train that out and I’m not going to rush myself for any school. … I’m going to be honest with you, I’m real pressed to go there. There my leader most definitely, but it just wouldn’t be a wise decision to check out that school and leave all my other options unsettled."
Jones wants to take all his officials and may decide as late as signing day, and doesn't appear to be the type of guy to get sped up because Michigan is filling up. Michigan would definitely take him now. Will they take him in December or January? Depends on a lot of things.
FWIW, Jones has an academically-oriented top five of M, Notre Dame, Duke, Stanford, and Oklahoma and seems to be the kind of guy who Harbaugh is after.
End options
Michigan makes the top eight for KS DE Xavier Kelly, who says nobody is in front. Kelly on M:
"Jim Harbaugh is their new coach and he has a lot of NFL experience," he discussed about the Wolverines. "He can translate that to the college game, and I can gain a lot of knowledge from what he has to offer. I have a lot of family on my father's side that lives in Detroit. That's not too far away so I'll have them there to support me if I went there. Their academics stand out."
They'll have to beat out some heavy hitters here. Alabama, FSU, Georgia, and Clemson are also on his list. Kelly came out to Sound Mind, Sound Body, so there's real interest there. Wiltfong says Michigan is "very much in it."
Michigan's also recruiting AZ DE Connor Murphy, who relates his weird history with Harbaugh on the tubes:
This one's a longshot, but Michigan's trying to get GA DE Antonneous Clayton on campus for a visit($).
Swenson still around
IL OL Erik Swenson has been committed to Michigan for over a year now—his recruiting profile is going to start the same way Tyree Kinnel's did—and Nick Baumgardner would like to remind you of his existence:
"The first thing (Harbaugh) told me was 'you're a lot bigger than you look in pictures,' " Swenson laughed. "He's a great guy. He's not the guy he sometimes gets portrayed as in the media, the guy who is always yelling and screaming, doing anything for a win. He wants to win, obviously and he can be serious, but he's funny, relaxed. He's got a great personality."
Swenson's now a part of a great OL recruiting class that is currently four deep on touted prospects and could add a fifth any day now if MD OL Terrance Davis decides to drop.
Reese maybe not so much
Michigan has a couple of wavering linebacker commits. One is instater David Reese, who apparently committed as fullback but is now having second thoughts. This might have something to do with MI WR Desmond Fitzpatrick's recruitment. The two are teammates and Fitzpatrick seemed like he was about to flip from Louisville to Michigan… and then didn't.
That and Reese's desire to play linebacker have him poking around. He took a visit to Maryland:
"I just want the initial opportunity to play linebacker because that's where my heart is. But I understand that if I didn't start for two years then I would want to see the field-of course I want to play. So of course I would go at fullback. But I feel like I can actually play at linebacker."
He offered the "I'm committed but keeping my options open" spiel as well. If I had to bet I'd guess he ends up flipping elsewhere.
Etc.: 2017 TN RB Cordarrian Richardson is a guy to keep an eye on.NC OL Landon Dickerson sets an official for Oregon State. Michigan has faded with CA CB David Long but he is planning a visit($) before a decision. Stanford is a heavy leader.
Nah, don't know why people are saying that. Dele is solid. He is just really low-key. He signed up to the school and not to Hoke and he's been adamant about that the whole time.
I think people are probably thinking the other way around: perhaps Harding isn't as desired by Harbaugh's staff and may be encouraged to move on? I haven't heard any of that, but my guess is the conjecture is just as likely on M's part as Harding's.
Dunno about that. Harbaugh seemed to have a huge smile on his face the last time he was hanging out w/ Dele. I think it was at SMSB, but maybe someone can pull up that picture.
Then Michigan would have just told him they weren't interested six months ago.
Mattison is a huge fan of Dele. He isn't going anywhere.
Gotta think that Kareem's Bama commitment will lead to Connor in this class
That kids hair is pure sex. Ginger Jake Ryan + Mullet.
Nice write up, Ace
Not sure if serious... upvote to be safe
for beating me to this.
Also Damn.
We need Mitchell and Hawkins for some WR depth. Gary would obviously be huge too.
Thanks for the myocardial infarction, Ace.
So what infractions is Cardale guilty of now???
Reese & who?
Only other LB commits listed...Dele Harding and Dytarious Johnson
Rumblings (scientific term) around Dele I believe
The 3 stars have started to rumble.
Dele is a 4 star on some sites (i.e., Rivals) and Reese is a high 3-star (almost 4-star). Therefore, losing Reese would be pretty big because he's also another in-stater who was one of Harbaugh's first guys in this class and was supposed to help recruit the other Michigan guys in this class and the next. As you know, next year's Michigan in-state prospects are ELITE.
Because there are a lot of moronic fanboy "experts" on twitter who put together random "lists" of who they "think" will be in the class. Most are teenagers in basements and half of them have everyone's names spelled wrong.
Those lists do nothing except piss off the kids who are left off of them.
This is what happens when you grow up in a world with fantasy football and everyone thinks they own the team and the players.
You seem pretty certain about Dele, and are almost defensive when it comes to him. Is there any personal connection or inside knowledge with you in regards to his recruitment? If not, just wondering why you are so certain.
None, whatsoever.
However, if a recruit survived the collapse of the Hoke administration and still chose to commit to Michigan, then that means he is going to Michigan simply because it is MICHIGAN! In addition, he has never said anything, in interviews, on twitter, or otherwise to show that he is wavering.
I think highly of Dele and Erik because they stuck with Michigan when we were a tire fire. I know many of you have already forgotten what the fan base was like during that period, but I can't help but want to root for the guys that stuck with us when we were down. For example, when my thread "CC: Greg Schiano" seemed like it was talking about a situation that might come true; there was so much negativity that I can't imagine anyone wanted to be associated with the program at that time (I also received a 100+ negs as a result of mentioning Schiano).
I'm also tired of the fans that say Dele is "just a 3-star maybe we can get someone better." I think that is plain disrespectful to guys who are committed to us.
Harding had done nothing to suggest he's looking around or wavering, at least nothing I've seen. Nobody is truly 100% to stay in the class, but there should be something beyond pure speculation to suggest someone is likely to leave. I would think that if Harbaugh didn't want him, he'd have left already.
No, Dele and Dytarious are solid. We need as many LBs as we can get because that will be our thinnest spot on the depth chart by 2016.
Agreed, a lot of blue chips on the board are LBs as well. This is getting interesting though.
very true - but only LBs harbaugh and the current staff feel comfortable adding to the roster
OSU already has two elite WRs this class and they are looking to add another - they are in the race for a couple top 50 guys. I'm sure Ahmir knows and will make a smart decision, especially since guys who have older brothers who play typically are more cognizant of the depth chart, etc.
He's visiting OSU the weekend just before his decision though. I'm betting Ohio State knows they have until then to land their preferred guys, and if not they'll take Mitchell. Everything I've read says he's had them as the first choice.
Don't forget that Peppers is probably a legend to these guys.
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Oh, the Buckeye is just gearing up to say "Urban cooled on him" when Ahmir commits to Michigan! :P
I get the feeling that if OSU really wants him, he'll probably go there. But he may be on the back-burner for them right now with other WR commits at the outside spot, and that would really help Michigan.
I think he ends up at Michigan, I really wouldn't worry about how or why that happened.
We could have an Antonneous and a Cordarrian?
Omnivorous Fortran.
Interesting that Gary is wearing Nike in that picture. He must know something about Michigan's next apparel deal.
I realize Ace is on vacation, but who is this Brian?
Not sure, but I like him. I think Brian should fire Ace and hire this other Brian full time.
"I'm committed but keeping my options open"
Can we remind the entire sports world that the word "commitment" should not mean "fleeting interest" or "they're my leader at the moment"?
I hereby propose (in vain) that we all use words like "intent" and "leader" rather than "commit" and by extension, "decommit" (which hardly makes sense under most cicumstances).
[/rant]
We're just sleeping around. Don't go all rabbit-boiler on me.
Yeah I read it, but looking between the lines what it really says is: "Ace has escaped Brian's basement of pain. We are swiftly working to recaputre him and should have him back in a week or so."
Where plenty murder occurs
No points or commas we bring the drama to all you herbs
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