Top 15 instate prospects for 2019 class, per MLive

Submitted by Maize N' Ute on

Jared Purcell at MLive posted an article listing his Top 15 instate prospects for the 2019 class.  Now that that 2018 is finally through with, we can focus on some of the top talent in the state.  Thus far, Michigan has 0 commits and MSU has 3.

Obviously we would love for Harbaugh to clean up the states talent.  One guy that intrigues me is Michael Fletcher from Flint.  6-6 235lbs DE.  Looks like a freak of an athlete.

Paging Magnus......

 

http://www.mlive.com/sports/2018/02/the_top_michigan_high_school_f.html…

You Only Live Thrice

February 8th, 2018 at 12:03 PM ^

Say no to the enablers at MSU. Come to UMICH. That’s the Michigan difference I can get behind

Magnus

February 8th, 2018 at 12:06 PM ^

This is a good list. I can't quibble too much with who's included.

I agree with you, OP, that Fletcher is a very intriguing prospect. He's not anywhere close to filling out as a defensive end. He's got the potential to be a Taco Charlton-like player down the road.

Magnus

February 8th, 2018 at 3:59 PM ^

I don't love Johnson. He's an okay prospect, but he doesn't put a lot of zip on the ball and has some mechanical issues. He's also a little slow getting the ball out, and he's not extremely mobile. I think he will struggle when coverages get a little bit tighter in college.

Magnus

February 8th, 2018 at 4:54 PM ^

Mathis is a better athlete, but without as much arm talent. He can't put a ton of zip on the football, and his footwork needs a lot of attention. I might recruit him if I'm going to run a lot of zone read option stuff, but he's not a fit for Michigan, IMO. I'm guessing he'll be like Damion Terry at MSU.

Fellowblueperson

February 8th, 2018 at 12:12 PM ^

Coach Jerry Parker at Ainsworth (before the dreaded consolation with carman) and this past summer we had lunch and he was telling me that not only was Fletcher one of the best he's ever coached the kid has the greatest attitude on and off the field. Sounded like a "must get" kinda guy.

DrMantisToboggan

February 8th, 2018 at 1:31 PM ^

Depends on his arm length, but usually height correlates closely (and if his recruiting profile says 6'4 then I assume he's 6'3.5). Georgia damn near won a national championship with a 6'2 OT (Wynn) but I'm guessing his arms are much longer than his height would suggest and also that he is very quick. Dobbs just doesn't look like he has unusually long arms to me, I could be wrong.

bronxblue

February 8th, 2018 at 3:22 PM ^

Apparently he doesn't have "ideal" arm length.  So maybe he's just a random exception to the general rule.  And maybe Dobbs is as well.  But I'd be surprised if he remained the #1 tackle in the country given his current size and dimensions.  Obviously would be nice to sign him, but I just think if guys like Mayfield are considered projects at tackle, then so is a guy like Dobbs.

Gentleman Squirrels

February 8th, 2018 at 2:01 PM ^

I think Michigan's top options for OTs are Brown, Truss, Harrod, Keegan. I'd throw Jacob Dean (unranked but 6'8(!)) in there too.

For OGs we have Dobbs, Rumler, Barnhart as options. I hope Michigan pushes for Dontae Lucas, but more likely we get someone like Ty Murray. Harrod could probably play as a guard too.

Point is there are a lot of extremely good options for O-line in this class.

DrMantisToboggan

February 8th, 2018 at 2:17 PM ^

I agree about Harrod moving inside and I think that's why the staff likes him so much. Hopefully we can hit on 3 or 4 OTs and 2 turn out to be better than Harrod and then you have a solid OG there. A haul of Truss, Harrod, Keegan, and Dean would be great, even better if you replaced Dean or Keegan with Brown.

 

Looking down the road we also lead for the top 2 OTs in 2020 (!!) in Kevin Pyne, the 2nd overall player in 2020 as of now, and Myles Hinton, Chris' brother and the 11th overall player in 2020. We're also pretty high up for Anchor Bryan Bresee (1st), Anchor Jacolbe Cowan (7th), and WR Porter Rooks (10th). 

 

2020 Class is going to be good LOL.

Maizen

February 8th, 2018 at 2:37 PM ^

Dean isn't a UM claiber player. I know Harrod just got a big rankings bump but his technique is awful, stands straight up right after the snap. Coaches seem to have cooled on Keegan. Truss is an interesting guy. Ty Murray should be a plan C at best. The ideal one you want to land is Logan Brown. 

Gentleman Squirrels

February 8th, 2018 at 1:56 PM ^

Agreed. We lost an unnatural number of battles to ND in 2018 (Shayne Simon, Ademilola bros, Tremble, Patterson) but if we do our bit of winning and keeping in touch with Michigan prospects, I see no reason why we shouldn't end up as their pick. With Brown and Mattison, Michigan has become a legit D-line U and any D-line prospects that commit to Michigan will be in real good hands.

OwenGoBlue

February 8th, 2018 at 12:45 PM ^

Good year for in-state talent! Not too worried about MSU leading for guys early.

Dantonio might hang on to a player or two but they haven't really signed any in-state guys Michigan wanted since Harbaugh got here. That entire list might be Corley and he's transferring to community college and/or prison. 

The Victors

February 8th, 2018 at 12:50 PM ^

What's the story on Anthony Bradford? Offers from top programs like Alabama, Georgia, and OSU, but not from Michigan? Not that OG is a huge need, but any time you can keep top in-state talent we should jump at the chance.

MHWolverine

February 8th, 2018 at 12:56 PM ^

Coaching staff better get it together and start hammering some of these kids to come to Michigan. It seems as if MSU is ahead for every single in-state recruit and that just can't happen.

I just don't understand why they are not trying to get every single offensive lineman and defensive lineman on that list. There is good talent in the state this year and we should be in on all of them!!

 

YOU HAVE TO RECRUIT THE STATE OF MICHIGAN!!!

bronxblue

February 8th, 2018 at 1:02 PM ^

People keep yelling about this and ignore the fact that Michigan took 3 of the top 5 players in the state last year per 247 composite, and I'm a bit dubious that the 3rd-best player in the state went to Kentucky and didn't have much in the way of major offers (I know MSU and UM are listed as offers, but they seemed to be contingent on something off the field).  In 2017 Michigan took the top 6 players in the state.

I'm also dubious that MSU will hold onto all these guys; if Michigan can lose recruits into the 11th hour, I have a hard time assuming the Spartans will keep everyone happy with all the shit going on there.

Michigan will be fine.  But "put a wall around Michigan" isn't a recipe for national competition.  People clamoring for them to take a flier on the 10th-best player in the state aren't being realistic, especially if they honestly don't feel it's a good fit.

bronxblue

February 8th, 2018 at 3:17 PM ^

But the sentiment remains around here is my bigger point.  Every recruiting season people clamor for winning the state of Michigan and then focus on whatever metric they feel validates that concern.  So like, Michigan State has 3 guys signed for 2019 and Michigan none, so Harbaugh has forgotten the state and blah blah blah.  It's a dumb argument and one I like to refute because it is so easy.

StraightDave

February 8th, 2018 at 1:15 PM ^

The high school I follow normally produces one or two D1 recruits a year and I talk to the insiders who have been involved in the program for years and they all say the same thing - Michigan never sends coaches to visit the recruits.   Granted not every kid will fit into UM's offense or defense, I get that, but I was told all Michigan ever does is send a recruiting letter.   Alabama, Clemson, OSU and MSU all came down to the school to offer scholarships to a five-star DB and a four-star ATH while all UM did was send the HC a letter.   OSU offered another kid at Allen HS a scholarship at one of the kid's practices in front of his teammates.  I thought that was pretty cool.     

pugboy

February 8th, 2018 at 1:02 PM ^

not look that promising for Michigan already. That Harbaugh would love that jerk from 70 miles up the road already grabbed some kids, and even Wisconsin, let's get on the ball coach.

evenyoubrutus

February 8th, 2018 at 1:35 PM ^

I have this strange feeling that Dobbs is going to be an All American at whichever SEC school he ends up at, but in the alternate universe where he commits to Michigan he is a total bust.

robpollard

February 8th, 2018 at 2:02 PM ^

I'm no recruiting sharpie, but I saw Belleville play 3 times this year (including their big win over Fordson and their playoff loss to Canton) and Dobbs didn't really stand out in any of them. Julian Barnett did; Davion Williams did -- but I honestly kept having to search my program to make sure I had Dobbs' number correct.



That doesn't mean much -- perhaps he was being double-teamed on defense; on offense, Belleville relied more on its skill players winning jump balls and out running the edge on end arounds to see much blocking / mauling line play.

But I have no idea whether I should be excited by him or not. So I've decided to stop worrying about him and hope for the best, whatever way it turns out.

UofM626

February 8th, 2018 at 1:39 PM ^

Michigan has the #7 OL nationally and ALSO the #9 OVERALL RECRUIT which is probably the #1-2 OL MAN in the country in our backyard and we can't get either of them!



One is leaving for Wisconsin and the other is MSU lean....wtf is going on in our home state! We better get back to locking down Michigan and OSU and Work our way out instead of going the other way and trying to work our way back in towards the local kids. Not a great look to the kids.



We better get 1 or both of those OL man. Another example of our #1 need is right here in our back yard and we can't close. Man I miss Wheatley so much, I bet Harbaugh regrets letting him walk as well.

mgobaran

February 8th, 2018 at 2:30 PM ^

This is likely not that case as Michigan was very slow getting out of the blocks with Dobbs/Barnett. Only 9 current 4 star+ recruits in the state, 3 of which are committed to MSU, 1 we lost a head to head battle with Wisconsin on, and Dobbs seemed destined for $EC/O$U. Michigan currently leads for only one of them in the crystal balls. Is split 50/50 on one other.