Defensive Tackle Prospect
I did not want to put this guy's name in the title for obvious reasons. Willie Beavers is listed as an OT prospect on the front page of Scout but his Senior film has a considerable amount of highlights at DT. Size somewhere around 6'5" 300 lbs. with only MAC offers plus Illinois - I know the board disdains poor Zook, but he is a proven recruiter and has a knack for finding sleepers. With our lack of success in DT recruiting and the aching need for depth at that position I hope that we are at least giving this instate kid a look.
Check it out: DT highlights start at about 5:15.
December 24th, 2010 at 8:03 AM ^
I remember hearing his name last year as a prospect who could get a Michigan offer. I haven't heard his name from that time until now. Does anyone know where he is ranked in the state?
December 24th, 2010 at 8:20 AM ^
I wish there were recruiting sites that had info like this.
December 24th, 2010 at 9:10 AM ^
I am sure they know about him being an instate prospect.
December 24th, 2010 at 1:01 PM ^
at Michigan's camp last June. So I'm sure the coaches know about him.
State hasn't offered him yet either, so I'm guessing the coaches feel he is a borderline Big Ten prospect.
I also agree with Magnus below that he is probably a good back up plan if the coahces can't land a higher rated DT.
December 24th, 2010 at 9:11 AM ^
Zook is known as a great recruiter of top talent. Not so sure on the finding sleepers thing.
December 24th, 2010 at 9:14 AM ^
Sounds a bit redundant. If they are already top, then what is there to evaluate. Unless you are saying that Zook is able to lure them in. Maybe that was the case at UF, but less so at Illinois. Benn was the last big time recruit they got I think. Am I wrong?
December 24th, 2010 at 9:34 AM ^
No i think you're right. Seems to me like Zooker gets credit cause he sometimes gets kids that nobody expected him to get thereby earning the rep as this big time recruiting genius. But I can't remember any "wow" recruits for him either lately.
December 24th, 2010 at 10:29 AM ^
It has beeen my experience that when Michigan gets in on a lesser known prospect the player's offer list is very likely to already include either Illinois, Stanford, or both of them. I have seen this often enough to give the Zooker credit for having a wide recruiting net that finds under-reported prospects...... and the same can be said about that coach out at Stanford...
December 24th, 2010 at 9:13 AM ^
Beavers I love beavers!
December 24th, 2010 at 3:15 PM ^
well, I guess it's not a Canadian thing after all...
December 24th, 2010 at 9:52 AM ^
He stays low, handles his blocks on both sides of the ball well. He would look great in the Maize and Blue!
December 24th, 2010 at 10:14 AM ^
I'm not enamored with Beavers' game, but I'd rather toss out an offer to a kid like this than go without a DT in this class.
December 24th, 2010 at 10:16 AM ^
that was pretty much my point
December 24th, 2010 at 12:05 PM ^
Are you including Chris Rock? Considering the scholarship crunch, I don't know if M has the luxury of taking two raw DTs.
December 24th, 2010 at 12:12 PM ^
No, I'm not. So far all public indications have been that he's going to play defensive end. And I'm not sold on him as a prospect, anyway.
December 24th, 2010 at 12:28 PM ^
The reason I posed the question is because Tim wrote:
That means Michigan has to go hard after a defensive tackle (I'm now considering OH DE Commit Chris Rock a definite DT) and a safety, and then if they have another couple spots - for example if Antonio Kinard is not a part of the class - they can fill them as they see fit.
in today's "Hello: Matt Goudis" post. I assumed that info came from the double top secret premium world in which you and he live, and I do not.
December 24th, 2010 at 12:42 PM ^
Yeah, I saw that, too. That's not really "premium" info, as far as I know. I believe that's just Tim's projection based on seeing Rock play. He's mentioned it before today, too.
I can see where Tim is coming from. Rock isn't extremely athletic. I'm not sure he's who you want as an edge rusher, so I won't be surprised if he turns into a DT. But yeah, he's a DE according to all things I've seen directly from Rock.
December 24th, 2010 at 1:05 PM ^
..without having seen him in person, but how much do you think his frame can hold? How much can we beef him up to?
December 24th, 2010 at 1:28 PM ^
I don't think he's going to be a guy who can become a 300-pounder, but I could see him in the range of 275-280 like Van Bergen. I mean, he really has no choice but to bulk up significantly (whether to play DE or DT), because he's not a weakside defensive end type of kid.
December 24th, 2010 at 1:03 PM ^
He attended many a camp earlier in the process, but the general consensus was that he wasn't "mean enough" and that he needed to work on his "mean streak"
December 24th, 2010 at 1:26 PM ^
Exactly. For a kid who's 300 pounds, you'd like to see him punish ballcarriers and get a good bull rush going. But he seems to go around blocks (which is part of the scheme, since he's often slanting) and when he gets to the ballcarrier, he really really really reaches rather than running through kids.
It's kind of difficult to change a mentality like that, but we're getting to a point where desperation for defensive linemen might come into play.
December 24th, 2010 at 2:03 PM ^
I'm trying hard to help the situation Magnus. I've got all my eligibility remaining, and I'm currently eating about 5 times a day from now until the end of bowl season. I hoping to hit 300 even by then. As far a punishing ballcarriers, if they are anything like the sausages I had for breakfast this morning, they are DOOMED.
December 24th, 2010 at 4:37 PM ^
Godspeed.
December 24th, 2010 at 7:18 PM ^
It's been rough for Michigan because this 2011 class is weaker than the 2010 class for defensive tackles.. they are still looking for one, however. I think Beavers would likely be a reach, but you never know. They really need to lock one or two up, which I expect they will next year with Matt Godin and another.