PurpleStuff

December 18th, 2010 at 4:18 PM ^

We have three linebackers (Kinard, Morgan, Jones) committed already and are going after another hard in Frost.  As far as young guys go, Robinson, Furman and Hawthorne are more likely to see the field as linebackers going forward than they are in the secondary.  Signing Taylor is not going to prevent us from signing a DT either.

Our overall numbers are still low at DB (we'll have at most 4 guys in the junior/senior class next year assuming both Williams and Woolfolk come back from injuries).  As such, signing five guys this year for a spot where you play 4/5 at a time makes perfect sense.

jg2112

December 18th, 2010 at 4:56 PM ^

Don't forget as well that the initial thoughts re: defensive back recruiting were that MICH needed 2-3 this year BEFORE Turner and Emilien decided to leave the school. I don't think getting up to 5 DBs is inappropriate, and there are scholarships specifically available for DBs at this point.

LSA Superstar

December 18th, 2010 at 3:01 PM ^

I've mentioned this before - I know a HS coach in Michigan who has said many times that if he could have ANY two players in MI he'd take Taylor and Rawls. ANY - that includes Zettel, Thomas, Arnett, all of them.

Don't know about it myself but I'd love to see both Taylor and Rawls in maize and blue. Hope they decide that we're the best choice.

UMICH1606

December 18th, 2010 at 3:08 PM ^

Rawls is a heck of a player. He is severely undervalued. If Justice Hayes is ranked as high as he is, than Thomas Rawls deserves to be that high and then some if Justice is the standard at his ranking. I wouldn't be surprised at all at the programs that would jump in on Thomas if he ever gets a test score.

artds

December 18th, 2010 at 3:27 PM ^

He didn't have an MSU or Michigan offer before now because he committed to Indiana about 5 minutes after they offered him (I know his Rivals profile says he committed on 12/8/10 but that's wrong. He actually commited over the summer)

To think that neither MSU nor Michigan would be interested in a 4-star DB from their home state before now is silly.

mlGOBLUE

December 18th, 2010 at 3:04 PM ^

You can see he's an athlete - stays with his man, but really closes on the ball fast once its thrown.  At least I think that was the ball - pretty fuzzy video.

mejunglechop

December 18th, 2010 at 3:06 PM ^

No disrespect to Taylor, but how about we offer a goddamn nose tackle or three. If we don't get someone in this class we will have at most 2 players physically capable of playing the position when Martin graduates. Even before you account for the possibility of injuries and attrition that's a recipe for disaster. 

UMICH1606

December 18th, 2010 at 3:12 PM ^

True NT's are pretty hard to find. Kids walking around in H.S. at 300 lbs are few and far in between, and the only DT's that are uncomitted that they haven't offered, or are worthy of an offer are Mason Fuller and Kevin McReynolds. It is not a terribly deep year for DT's this year, and you can't make them come here just because they have an offer. I am sure the staff would love a DT or too.

PIJER

December 18th, 2010 at 4:31 PM ^

Before blowing a scholarship on someone that I thought most likely couldn't compete on this level, I would bring them in as a preferred walk-on. If I were to be pleasantly surprised by the talent level and work ethics of said recruit, I would then extend a scholarship to them.

Magnus

December 18th, 2010 at 4:46 PM ^

That's generally not an option.  300-pounders who are even mildly athletic get snapped up by colleges because they're so rare and so necessary.  You can't convince a 300-pounder to walk on, because he'll have an offer from somewhere else to play for free.

When you get 300-pounders as walk-ons at a place like Michigan, they're either 6'8" behemoths who aren't very athletic or kids like the 5'6" Dominique Ware (who wasn't 300 lbs. coming out of high school, anyway) who's too short to contribute.

If you want a 300-pounder, you're going to have to shell out a schollie.

mejunglechop

December 18th, 2010 at 3:50 PM ^

I hate to sound spoiled and unrealistic, but the fact that we find ourselves in this position is incredibly frustrating. We could have had Dequinta Jones in 2009, we should have had Jonathon Hankins last year. Instead, we're looking at having two options at maybe the most structurally important position on our defense. Those options are, a recently converted guard and a boom-bust sort who reported in 60 pounds overweight. Either could transfer or get injured. Any recruits brought in next year's class would be true freshmen and almost certainly useless. Michigan's name gets the coaches in a lot of doors and it's not the hardest place to sell. The coaches just have to fucking sell it. I won't break out "UNACCEPTABLE" yet, but going home empty handed in this class is not an option.

mejunglechop

December 18th, 2010 at 7:27 PM ^

In a 4 man front he's either a DT or the SDE, in a 3 man front he's definitely an end. Patterson and Sagesse both played in Martin's place, but neither was big or strong enough to do so capably. Even Martin is small at 300 pounds to anchor a 3 man front. He's successful at that weight because he's very quick and freakishly strong for his size.