Bye week recruiting discussion
Since the coaches are hitting the recruiting trails this week, I figured we could take a look at the class and what we still need. 23 commits, I’m going to guess a final number of 28 commits. Might be a decommit or two so probably 5-7 more commits.
QB- All set
RB- All set unless Gray leaves and then they might take a swing at someone but probably not necessary.
WR- Kent is an underrated recruit but we definitely need an outside receiver. Kyle Ford would be ideal but maybe not likely. Jaylen Ellis is another possibility, although not nearly as highly ranked.
TE- Likely done. Isaiah Foskey was a possibility but sounds like he wants to play DE.
OL- Need a tackle. Let’s hope it’s Keegan. He seems the most likely.
DL-Probably done unless we can get Harrison. Which seems more likely than it did months ago. Karliftis might be a flip possibility if Brohm leaves but he seems really solid on the hometown team.
LB-Seems like we definitely need one but I’m not sure who is most likely to commit.
DBs: I think Sainristil is a near lock to end up in the class, and we might be leading for Jaylen Perry also.
October 27th, 2018 at 9:08 AM ^
On the OL - we had coaches out to see Bryce Benhart this week, a 4 star kid from Minnesota. Crystal balls say Nebraska fwiw
October 27th, 2018 at 9:31 AM ^
Benhart seems to be valuing early playing time and distance from home (big factor for his mom). While Nebraska isn't super close, it is more drivable than to Ann Arbor.
From twitter yesterday, Warriner was out in Kansas City visiting OT Danielson Ike. Jim and Jay were both at Eric Gray's high school in the afternoon and Jay stayed for his game, while Jim went to Georgia to see 2020 QB prospect Harrison Bailey play.
Another note, 2020 OG Logan Parr is announcing his commitment on 7:30pm (CT) on Sunday. CBs are mostly Texas, but he did visit Michigan for the Wisconsin game (in which he also received his offer) and he grew up a fan of Michigan.
October 27th, 2018 at 10:15 AM ^
Sam Webb got me excited for Bryce Benhart, but then the subtext from all of his radio segments was that Benhart isn't coming to Michigan and that he's going to Nebraska. Webb never actually said that, but he said distance was important to the mom and that the 3-4 extra hours to Ann Arbor versus Nebraska (7 hours) were a big deal. He also said, in the same breath as the Benhart discussion, that the coaches might start adding OL targets now that Hudson is leaving too.
I'd love to get two of the three tackles targeted, but right now I'd be happy with just one.
October 27th, 2018 at 12:09 PM ^
I think one is the max Michigan for to get and frankly a six person OL class is about as big as we should want it to be anyway. Agree that Benharts more than likely not going to happen, you could basically hear the Mom in the interview saying very nice things about Michigan but being pretty clear about her preference.
October 27th, 2018 at 6:04 PM ^
Maybe she’ll realize an education should be a priority.
October 28th, 2018 at 3:51 AM ^
Schools other than Michigan offer education, too.
October 28th, 2018 at 8:07 AM ^
Yes, but isn't Nebraska they only big ten school that isn't accredited?
October 27th, 2018 at 11:23 AM ^
Wow, his name really is "Danielson Ike." I thought you had reversed first and surname and that it was really "Ike Danielson."
October 27th, 2018 at 6:33 PM ^
Ike is actually pronounced as icky.
October 28th, 2018 at 9:32 AM ^
I figured that (although I assumed it was ick-eh), but on first reading, it looked reversed.
October 27th, 2018 at 9:08 AM ^
Ideal (yet somewhat realistic) finish would be:
1. Some 4 star WR we aren’t talking about right now
2. Trevor Keegan
3. Zach Harrison
4. Quavaris Crouch
5. Jaylen Perry
6. Mike Sainristil
October 27th, 2018 at 9:16 AM ^
More OL please. I’ll take Benhart too.
October 27th, 2018 at 9:23 AM ^
Isn’t there talk of Crouch being a LB? I have seen his RB film and he looked pretty good.
October 27th, 2018 at 9:28 AM ^
Yes, we are recruiting him for LB.
October 27th, 2018 at 9:33 AM ^
He's supposed to be primarily LB with option of playing RB if he wants. Though, if Charbonnet plays well, that would be unnecessary.
October 27th, 2018 at 10:28 AM ^
Quavaris Crouch is this years Pryor/Hand/Harris/Treadwell. (Along with Zach Harrison.) Fortunately we as a fan base are in a much better place so we don't have to tear our clothes when and if he doesn't come to Michigan. That said, he'd be an awesome get. It's funny that Harbaugh has made us into Defense University. It's great to have confidence that our coaches will find the Uche and Paye like guys (Ojabo) who will be "5 star" by the time they hit the field.
(Please come to Michigan Quavaris. There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear. ...and Michigan will have you hooked up with the best Nike gear.)
October 27th, 2018 at 12:27 PM ^
While I agree, at some point one of these recruitments will go Michigans way(although you could argue with Hill, Gary, People's-Jones et al) some have and we're not taking those into accounts by enough.
October 27th, 2018 at 10:45 AM ^
I just watched Crouch’s junior highlights. If he commits to Michigan I hope he plays RB. I’m sure he’d be a good LB too but man, he just seems to have that “it” factor with the ball in his hands.
October 27th, 2018 at 10:07 AM ^
This would certainly make for a truly exceptional class.
1. I would be glad to "settle" with Sanguinetti as the receiver...or another safety-he's excellent at both.
2. I prefer Ike-of the 3 OTs in play...would be very happy with any (or all) of them.
3. I have been feeling, for quite a while, that Harrison would end up with the PSU reprobates...but now believe that Michigan is in the driver's seat.
4. I will be shocked if Crouch does not end up closer to his home-Clemson. This would be a coup get for Michigan.
5. Michigan has the inside track for Perry-if they want/need/have room for him.
6. Sainristil is Michigan's call...if the want him he will come.
October 27th, 2018 at 10:22 AM ^
So let’s pummel Penn State next week to underscore to Harrison he needs to be in Ann Arbor.
October 27th, 2018 at 10:31 AM ^
Thought about including that :)
October 27th, 2018 at 9:28 AM ^
What happened to in-state recruiting this year? Looks like there are several top recruits (including OTs) going everywhere except to Michigan.
https://247sports.com/Season/2019-Football/CompositeRecruitRankings/?InstitutionGroup=Highschool&State=MI
October 27th, 2018 at 9:35 AM ^
Talked about a bunch before. We put in a full court press on Logan Brown. He grew up a fan of Wisconsin and committed there pretty much ending his recruitment.
Devontae Dobbs didn't like that we offered a little later than other schools and he never really reciprocated interest. Also I think he projects inside to OG rather than OT.
We never offered Anthony Bradford. I'm assuming academics, but I don't know.
There was some interest in Spencer Brown but he had already committed to MSU and reaffirmed that after a couple weeks of talking to Michigan.
October 27th, 2018 at 10:17 AM ^
I read an article about Dobbs awhile back, he said he didn't like being recruited the way OSU and USC were doing it, they were praising him and saying he's going to play early, throwing out the red carpet and he doesn't like being center stage.
Then he mentions he didn't want to go to Michigan because they didn't act like he was all that and were too "robotic", didn't recruit him hard enough...
So which is it?
Kid seems off... but maybe that's just my thinking.
October 27th, 2018 at 11:39 AM ^
Dobbs sounds like a teenager to me. I don't think he has developed an all-inclusive thesis about his recruitment, and so his impression of each school stands on its own.
October 27th, 2018 at 12:33 PM ^
He didn't like either of those schools and he didn't like Michigan, he wanted to go to MSU and was trying to figure out a way to say that wasn't just, "I just wanted to go somewhere else." Think he was trying to give reporters something and it wasn't consistent. Remember these dudes are teenagers.
October 27th, 2018 at 10:08 AM ^
Honestly, kind of ok to not get Dobbs. Doesn't seem like a character fit for our team. Reminds me a lot of Malik McDowell, which is definitely not somebody I want playing for The Team
October 27th, 2018 at 11:02 AM ^
I would much prefer to flip his teammate, Julian Barnett. We need another outside WR and he could fit that role rather nicely. He's rated as a 4* CB (#54 overall) by 247 but he looked like a better WR in his junior highlight film (haven't bothered to watch any senior highlights).
October 27th, 2018 at 11:35 AM ^
I totally agree about Dobbs. The staff doesn’t seem to want him and he bought into mork’s shit.
I hope he goes 3-9 for his entire career at MSU.
October 27th, 2018 at 9:30 AM ^
CROUCH!!!
October 27th, 2018 at 9:54 AM ^
I actually think Crouch is the biggest one we need. And then OT
October 27th, 2018 at 10:04 AM ^
Hasn't Karlaftis essentially said he's going to Purdue only if Brohm stays? That's one more reason to root against Sparty today.
I'd expect other late flip candidates to pop up. It happens every year and if this winning streak continues the quality of those recruits should be high.
An offer went out recently to 4* LB from Cleveland committed to BC.
October 27th, 2018 at 10:08 AM ^
Yea but the 4* Linebacker received an Ohio State offer a week before our offer so that's probably where he's going.
October 27th, 2018 at 10:16 AM ^
Karlaftis is intriguing from all kinds of angles. I think Michigan's best shot is indeed to have Purdue do well and have Brohm get poached. I believe Yanni is a strong Michigan lean-sure sounds like a Harbaugh-type independent thinker. And here, the family roles may be reversed-with the younger kid influencing the older brother.
October 27th, 2018 at 11:16 AM ^
I actually like George Karlaftis more because of his firm commitment to Purdue. Here's hoping Brohm gets poached. Go Purdue! Beat State!
I'd also like to beat Purdue at the B1G Championship after destroying OSU just to rub salt in a fresh OSU wound. (Beat Penn State!)
October 27th, 2018 at 10:34 AM ^
Thing about Brohm is, even if he doesn’t go to Louisville this year he’s going to be a big-time candidate for a better job every cycle as long as Purdue continues to do well. So probably the only way Brohm remains at Purdue for more than another year or two tops is if the bottom falls out again and Brohm’s stock falls. Karlaftis has to recognize this. So it will be very interesting to see what he does in February if Brohm has not left Purdue by then.
October 27th, 2018 at 11:03 AM ^
That said, if Louisville doesn’t win today, they might not win another game all year. 2-10 and winless in conference should cost Petrino his job regardless of buyouts. Brohm needs to win a couple more games — a 7-5 record would be nice — but the bigger factor is Louisville continuing to go into the tank.
October 27th, 2018 at 1:19 PM ^
Louisville is getting routed at home by Wake. Raising the money to pay Petrino's buyout is not going to be a problem.
October 27th, 2018 at 11:12 AM ^
I still think there is a good chance Brohm lasts one more year at Purdue. There will not be that many opportunities this year which are a significant upgrade to Purdue. Louisville is his alma mater so that is the most likely scenario for him leaving after this season, but other than the alma mater draw, there really is nothing better about Louisville than Purdue. Going “back to Louisville” is not the same as going back to Michigan or Nebraska.
The only other big time opportunities could be OSU, USC, or Auburn and all three of those would require a significant change in current situation.
October 27th, 2018 at 11:25 AM ^
Louisville is not just Brohm's alma mater. It's also his hometown.
It's hard to see him wanting to go to a school like Auburn over them. I don't see OSU or USC calling for him.
October 27th, 2018 at 11:27 AM ^
Big question is what does Brohm want to do long term. Is he the kind of coach that will jump to the NFL eventually? or is he a CFB lifer and wants to establish himself eventually at a high level program. If he's the former, then he could jump to Louisville which is slightly bigger than Purdue and more likely to get better recruits. In addition he can showcase that he can resurrect multiple teams and can develop players. If he's the latter, there is no difference between Purdue and Louisville and he'd be better off staying at Purdue until a big name team comes calling.
October 27th, 2018 at 12:13 PM ^
If the Louisville job opens up, he'll take it. I don't see why there should be any question about it.
Even if he wants to end up in the NFL eventually, there's no way to know if that opportunity will come. I don't think it's about money, but Louisville will outbid Purdue. Purdue knows that if Brohm has sustained success, he will move on. It's just a matter of when.
October 27th, 2018 at 11:59 AM ^
Exactly. I don't think Brohm will leave this year. But there's no way he's at Purdue in 3 years. I can't see a scenario where Karlaftis finishes his career with Brohm as his head coach.
October 27th, 2018 at 12:15 PM ^
Everything changes when we beat Ohio.
October 27th, 2018 at 2:50 PM ^
Why do we need another LB commit? We already have Charles Thomas and Joey Velazquez
October 27th, 2018 at 4:22 PM ^
Velazquez is a safety-viper at most. He may be able to add 10 more good pounds to that frame but that is about it.
October 27th, 2018 at 7:37 PM ^
Because Quavaris Crouch.
October 27th, 2018 at 10:49 PM ^
...then there is that too! Though, that Michigan apparently has reopened interest in the LB from the Cleveland area concerns me in this regard.
October 28th, 2018 at 11:55 PM ^
Does anyone know of the guys who are planning to early enroll? Just curious, as I saw a tweet that Mazi Smith will be. I think that's huge as he may be in the 2 deep of our interior D line with a good spring and time spent in the weight room. Does anyone know who else or how many can/will?