This Week's Obsession: All We Want By Christmas Comment Count

Seth

The Question:

Ace: Recruit still on the board you’d most like Michigan to land, not named Rashan Gary?

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The Responses:

Ace: I’ll go with four-star KS DE Xavier Kelly. Michigan could use an edge-rushing terror, and while the film (http://www.hudl.com/v/Br2Pb) reveals Kelly will need to develop—he gets by largely on athleticism—it also shows a really impressive athlete; within the first couple minutes, you see a reverse dunk on the hardwood and a downfield catch as a receiver. Scout’s evaluation calls him “a prototype pass-rushing defensive end” and “a freakish athlete with high upside.”

Michigan and Alabama are reportedly the two programs that appear to have the best shot at him right now; several other top programs, including Florida State, Clemson, Oregon, and TCU, are in hot pursuit. While I like commit Ron Johnson’s potential quite a bit, I think he ends up as a strongside DE; Kelly gives Michigan their best shot at landing an elite weakside end, and those two could develop into a pair of very disruptive bookends.

[Jump for ballists]


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Brian: This may be a bit of a foregone conclusion but I'm still going with Ahmir Mitchell, the top-100 New Jersey wide receiver. Michigan's wide receiver corps is rough right now and needs a talent infusion more than any spot on the roster, certainly when you take the current recruiting class into account.

In Mitchell you get a guy who has excellent size at 6'3" and the kind of explosiveness that could make him a downfield threat that takes a safety away from the rest of your offense.  His highlight film has a lot of jukes and stiffarms on dink passes, and then he runs away from guys deep. He's a ballist.

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Seth: When is the last time Michigan landed an elite linebacker prospect? Bolden (75th overall on the 247 composite) and Ross (115th) were in the heart of four-star territory, and J.B. Fitzgerald was around there. But unless you're counting guys ranked as safeties (Mouton, Burgess) or guys we expected to end up on the DL (Brandon Graham) the last 5-star linebacker to come to Michigan was Lamarr Woodley.

Caleb Kelly is ranked about where Woodley was, and at 219 pounds with excess athleticism Kelly could end up anywhere from a 3-4 OLB to hybrid spacebacker. Oklahoma seems the most likely destination right now, Michigan has a shot. If we get him it probably means we just had the kind of season that makes 5-stars from California believe Harbaugh's championship years aren't very far off.

And guys we need linebackers. Gedeon's non-redshirt means we're two years away from McCray plus legacies and guys they were trying at tight end. Last year demonstrated how important coverage is for an LB, and Alabama annually demonstrates what you can do with that kind of speed and physicality on the outside. And more to the point, Florida under Durkin showed what kind of defense you can play with long and lithe guys who won't stay blocked.

Maybe it's a bit obvious since he's the highest rated guy on the board after Gary, but that's not really a bad thing.

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Dave: I would say that getting either Kelly (Caleb or Xavier) would be hugely ideal for M. An absolute stud…

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Everyone: eeeuuuuh.

Dave: ?

Seth: That word. Horse-sex metaphor. Gross.

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Dave: …star at LB or a premier pass rusher are both luxuries that haven't resided in Ann Arbor in quite some time (maybe Ryan at LB, but we never really got to see what his ceiling truly was; Brandon Graham was 6 years ago...wow).

But for the purposes of this exercise, I think I would also like TE Nasier Upshur

Upshur is a 4* out of Philadelphia, PA. Obviously, I don't need to go into the whole Harbaugh/Tight End love-fest. While I stated earlier that either Kelly would greatly help an area of need, I don't think that the Tight End position is too far behind.  By the time that he would potentially arrive on campus, AJ Williams will have graduated, Jake Butt will be a senior, and Khalid Hill is still projected more of an "H-Back" version of a tight end.

In terms of prospects who haven't played for M, yet, Ian Bunting still looks like he might follow the Funchess route and step outside, accenting his slimmer build and 6'6" leapy-ness. TJ Wheatley ideally would take a redshirt this year, but that's still too hard to project...and he could also switch positions.  A guy like Upshur, who is already known as a quality blocker -and pass-catcher, for that matter- would have a solid opportunity to contribute in his first year on campus.

Upshur has also mentioned growing up watching Arizona State, calls Temple his second home...and this gem: http://mgoblog.com/content/four-seconds-streets-ann-arbor

Comments

Magnus

July 20th, 2015 at 12:05 PM ^

I've said it before, but I just don't get the hype about Caleb Kelly. His film is not all that impressive.

I like Naseir Upshur as a blocker, and apparently he put on a show as a receiver at The Opening, but I don't think the position lends itself to getting too excited. I also don't think Ian Bunting has a chance of playing wide receiver full-time. I think it's just a matter of time before he's playing as a second tight end who can run across the middle and beat a linebacker/safety.

I really like Brian Burns out of Florida. Michigan offered him, but we don't really have a chance. Still, he might be my pick of the guys who haven't committed, because we need guys who can rush the passer. I also like Devin Duvernay (again, no chance) and Ahmir Mitchell.

In reply to by boliver46

Magnus

July 20th, 2015 at 12:55 PM ^

Jack Jones, Ahmir Mitchell, Jean Delance, Alex Akingbulu, Dontavious Jackson, David Long, Jordan Fuller, Lamar Jackson...

Rabbit21

July 20th, 2015 at 6:28 PM ^

My mistake.  I tend to mix up the two schools as I assume high level prospects out of both of them are automatically ticketed for USC.  Thanks for the correction though, as I prefer to be accurate in these things.

Regardless my point still stands, he's a high level prospect out of a USC feeder school and is going there.  I almost feel sorry for coaches of other schools recruiting these guys as to a certain extent they have to put in the effort to try, but it's a foregone conclusion where the guys are going, so they must feel like they're wasting time and resources to simply keep up appearrances.

funkifyfl

July 20th, 2015 at 1:23 PM ^

For best available WR. I look at TE as a luxury at this point with Bunting and Butt on the team. LB is definitely an area we need to improve, but I think the implementation of a better system along with better coaching will be able to paper over that in the short term while we replenish the high end talent.

While a dynamic WDE is always nice to have, I don't think the defense will break down without one, not to mention the offense has a longer way to go than the D. OTOH, the O line should improve and wasn't terrible last year, Harbs should hopefully get the QB situation under control, we have talent at RB and a good line and system should help there too, but without a vertical threat on the outside, teams will be able to cheat by stacking the line and guarding the seams. 

Inuyesta

July 20th, 2015 at 1:43 PM ^

Jack Jones is the easy answer here for me.  Tremendous two-way athlete, I believe he could walk into the program and immediately compete for playing time at SLOT or CB...but I'd be particularly excited for him on the offensive side of the ball, where I don't believe we've had a playmaker like him (with the exception of a certain hungry QB) for a good long while.  Would bring some much-needed electricity to the offense.  

LB is a position of need too so I'm on board with the Kelly answers, but I feel like we're going to land some pretty choice LBs regardless of if one  (or both!) of the Kellys come, so they feel more like cherries on top than real game-changers for the roster.

M-Dog2020

July 21st, 2015 at 9:08 AM ^

Need a big play WR & TE for O'Korn/Gentry years 2017-2020 - going with Mitchell & Upshur as both are MUST HAVE. Nice complements to Evans / Cole in the slot. Need to nail down the last 2016 OL recruit - Davis (I hope is the "silent" commit). With Falcon / King developing at RB we are built to move the ball on O in 2017-2020.

We will turn to D next year. I don't think we get Gary, just a gut feel. He is going to Auburn because of the DL lineage, scheme and position coach. Also, not sure recruits view Matteson as long term - important transitional coach yes, but I think Durkin needs to take charge of recruiting next year. Class of 2017 is when we find that 5-star package of players on D to take over in 2018-2020.

yzerman19

July 21st, 2015 at 9:25 AM ^

C'mon, Seth: you can't separate two independent clauses with a comma; either no comma or a semicolon please.

"Oklahoma seems the most likely destination right now, Michigan has a shot."

pojizegoge

July 22nd, 2015 at 9:07 AM ^

 

 
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