Is/Should Michigan Football Still Pursue APB Giles Jackson?
Giles Jackson (5'8", 175, #729 2019 player nationally) APB (All Purpose Back) from Oakley, California, posted some fantastic numbers at The Opening over the weekend. He finished in the 99th percentile. Translated to English, that means he was right at the top, of the top players, as far as test statistics go.
LINK: https://twitter.com/gilesjackson__/status/1013614824473972736/photo/1
247 puts him at 100% Crystal Ball for Michigan, no other team even on the list:
LINK: https://247sports.com/Player/Giles-Jackson-46046296
But.....
Over this same past weekend, Eric Gray, (5'10", 181, #248 2019 player nationally) APB (All Purpose Back) from Memphis, Tennessee, committed to Michigan.
LINK: https://mgoblog.com/content/hello-eric-gray
Both have great highlight videos:
Giles Jackson hudl highlights: http://www.hudl.com/profile/3208314/Giles-Jackson
Eric Gray hudl highlights: https://www.hudl.com/profile/5372965/Eric-Gray
But, with Eric Gray now committed to Michigan, is Michigan still wanting Giles Jackson on the team? Do they want two APB's in one class year? (I know players don't always end up playing the position in college where they are listed during high school recruiting, so he could end up playing somewhere other than APB.) I'm hoping somehow offensive lineman Trevor Keegan will commit to Michigan. I know he's a longshot to go with Michigan. But I'd rather see a scholarship that would have gone to an APB, Giles Jackson, go to Trevor Keegan, or another great offensive lineman, instead.
I don't know what the inside talk about Giles Jackson has been since Eric Gray committed. But It seems Michigan should now focus on other areas of priority, the biggest priority being offensive line, and not go hotly after a second APB, Giles Jackson.
Giles Jackson seems like a West Coast type of player. And most teams after him are teams out West.
List of teams here at LINK: https://247sports.com/Recruitment/Giles-Jackson-109658/RecruitInterests/
Maybe it's best for him to stay out West now.
Trevor Keegan, Photo credit: H. Rick Bamman
Photo: Nolan Rumler twitter, LINK: https://twitter.com/steamboat_70/status/1011049662692909056
Trevor Keegan a long shot? Dude, you're so baked right now.
I'm not baked. But I hope you're right about him. What an awesome haul overall for the offensive line in 2019 if he commits Michigan!!
67% Crystal balls for Michigan right now, SkyPanther (25% Ohio St, 8% Northwestern).
And for what it’s worth, I don’t think you sound baked at all.
Well, thanks.
I know what the 247 Crystal Ball says. That thing has been wrong before. I've read about him. He may go Michigan. But he may go Ohio St too.
I'm thinking Keegan is waiting to see if: A.) Warinner can work his magic at Michigan, and B.) if yes, will he be staying at Michigan? In any case, AFAIK, he has yet to take an official visit anywhere.
Keegan wants to commit around his mother's birthday in August so I don't think he's waiting for Warriner
Ah. I wasn't aware of that.
Yes they are. And yes they should.
That’s really more about what Jackson wants than what Michigan wants. If Jackson is happy as a slot, Michigan would be fortunate to get him. If he really wants to play RB? That doesn’t look too good, but I don’t know the depth chart like the coaches do. Watching his tape and seeing his numbers, Michigan should be all over him as a slot. Hope he is interested in playing that position.
To the question at hand: There does not appear to be a slot nor a need for Jackson...there are better need priorities. I am hoping that Sanguinetti finds a way onto this team-love his skill-set. All the 5 stars listed can come. If Michigan does not get Keegan I hope they get Ike.
I like Ike too, a lot.
He has lots of room for growth. The lights are definitely on, and someone is home, in that mind.
I hope they get both, Keegan and Ike.
When Sam Webb was talking about the Grey commitment on the radio, he mentioned that Michigan would only take Crouch at running back. No other running back was in play. That was last week though and things can definitely change.
I've read at a couple of places Quavaris Crouch could ultimately end up on defense.
With him wanting to play close to home, and with how Michigan's run game has been for a few years now, there was no chance Crouch was going with Michigan.
But, with the possibility Crouch wants to ultimately play LB, with the name Don Brown, with Al Washington at LB coach, and with Chris Partridge recruiting him, maybe I let myself believe there is a chance of him coming to Michigan. But then I read more, and see Alabama, Georgia, and Clemson also want him pretty bad, I come back to reality.
Don Brown is at Michigan, so........
I think both you and OP are right. Sam mentioned that they're pitching Crouch as a two-way player in the potential mold of Peppers.
Sam Webb said last week that we are in Crouch's top 2-3 schools so we are definitely in it
"When Sam Webb was talking about the Grey commitment on the radio, he mentioned that Michigan would only take Crouch at running back."
Unless something has changed in the last 48 hours, that is exactly the opposite of what Webb has said about Crouch on multiple occasions over the past few weeks, which is that Michigan is looking at Crouch as much for defense as for offense, and has pitched him on the idea of playing both ways.
It's not just Sam either. Lorenz too and pretty much anyone else notable reporting on it. Lorenz said not long ago that we might have pulled into the lead for Crouch after his last visit pitching him as a two-way player.
That's false. Sam Webb said that Crouch wants to ultimately play defense, probably LB, but we are pitching him as a two way player. Webb also said that we are in Crouch's probably top 2-3 schools, so we are definitely in play for him and that he is a 100% take even if we don't have a clear position for him yet
Take the best players when they want to come. Figure it out later, but get them on the team.
I'm gonna take all three!
If Michigan is sufficiently high on him (similar to their feel on Gray), you try to get him to delay a decision until the second signing day period and if you miss out on other targets you offer him as another bullet in the chamber at RB/slot/DB.
You don't bank scholarships in this day and age. It doesn't benefit you. If you think he will delay his decision, more than likely you won't get all the guys higher on the board, so you try to get him later.
They would take Giles. He's going to play the slot and this class doesn't really have anyone for that spot. His numbers and film are ridiculous. I don't understand the people who start talking about numbing and say someone shouldn't be taken because they want some OL commits. They're going to want to take more skill guys on offense. Giles would be an awesome add.
I like the kid a lot but Michigan already has plenty of guys who can play the slot already on the roster and his addition would be a waste of space. Additionally, new commit Gray, would be a (THE) most dynamic slot guy. Here, Michigan's OC would do well to find as many ways as possible to get Gray matched up with an LB or safety-because that would be a most riotous mismatch to watch-as a Michigan fan.
Regardless of the nature of Michigan's recruiting pitch to Crouch, I bet he stays in the south.
A few comments.
You keep talking about APB. That's a designation the recruiting sites use. It's not an actual position on the field. Michigan has a plan to use Jackson in a variety of ways. It's not the same one they have for Gray, who will be a running back.
The comments about him being a west coast player, what do those even mean? Of course most of his offers are from out west, he's from California.
Scholarships are starting to get tight. That could possibly impact Jackson. It's not going to impact Trevor Keegan.
Garret Fishaw latest recruiting list says Michigan will go up to 23-27 players this class .I'm sure they know how many spots are available and how many they can take
I'm sure the coaches will know before we do. But there's no way anyone knows now how many spots will be available. They can make a (highly) educated guess of a range. That's it for now.
The early signing period is going to change recruiting dynamics along those lines. More decisions have to be made when the coaches have less information.
Yeah I think the staff considers them different positions. Sounds like they are pitching Gray to fill the Chris Evans role and Jackson they are telling him he will be used like McDoom.
I can see why they say he would be a McDoom type. Because I can't see him making it any other position. But he's not as big, or as strong as McDoom, and he doesn't have pull away speed in the open field like McDoom.
I read a couple months ago that Thunder at Touch The Banner, said McDoom is only going to be a jet sweep player, still, not expanding to more than what he has been. That seemed to be what he was saying. Giles Jackson, is he fast enough to get out around the corner on a sweep?
McDoom, Perry, Martin, Turner...as I said, I like this kid a lot but there are many fine lines to be drawn here. I will have no quibble with the staff if they take him...because he may well be an upgrade.
I'm wondering the same thing about Wanny (Wandale Robinson but I'm already calling him by his nickname because his film is just him stunting on poor damn Kentucky high school players. Clearly they really like both guys.
Looking at the class it's clear they still want to add at least one more tackle, WR, LB, DB and DL. Long way to go so spots could open up.
There will inevitably be class attrition because there's always attrition everywhere and also because they're trying to go with 6 OL and 6+ DL which is generally hard to hang on to.
Giles is also Cade McNamara's teammate in their 7v7 league, he strengthens an important pipeline and he just turned everyone's eyes at the Opening. Come on over Giles, bring your buddy Kyle.
I kinda shake my head a little when I watch Giles Jackson. I don't get it about him. He doesn't have pull away speed. He's very small. So I can see why he's listed lower than 700. He's doing great in high school. I have to wonder how he'd hold up against very physical defenses like Wisconsin and Iowa.
Eric Gray does have pull away speed. His video is exciting. Seems he should be ranked higher than under 200th. I see why Alabama was after him. I'm glad he's with Michigan.
Eric Gray is going to move up per the 247 guys.
As for the athleticism of Giles, if you clicked OP's links you'd see he has elite athleticism. Size could be a concern but this is just...damn.
“Doesn’t have pull away speed.”
Well the kid ran an electronically timed 4.43 40.... which was in the 99th percentile.
he also finished in the 99th percentile in the agility, vertical, and power ball. He was in the 99th percentile of all athletes in the combine.
His height could be cause for concern for some. But he does have elite athleticism. As for his size, he’s 5’8” 181 lbs. For comparisons sake, Jeremy Gallon was 5’8” 184 lbs when he was with the Oakland Raiders in the NFL. Maybe you’ll remember how effective Gallon was at Michigan.
Just like ea sports ncaa football, sign 30 per year and cut (i mean process) the older guys who have the same rating. Roster management 101.
I also recommend save scumming all early entries into staying and collecting fast ATHs and turning them into DEs.
Okay so...
1) He is a take
2) We are in the lead for Keegan, not at all a longshot, and there is going to be a scholarship for him no matter what the class size is even if it is at 45 players
3) Again, he is a take
4) He wouldn't be a APB, like it was mentioned earlier thats just a name scouts have for a guy who is capable of playing multiple offensive positions revolving around running back
5) Eric gray is listed as an APB because ^ but will only play running back
6) Quavaris is being pitched as a myles jack type player, even if we have our 2 RBS and Giles commited, the pitch for crouch to play here is even stronger because he would rather play LB and wouldn't be presured to play RB
7) We lead for Giles and his numbers at the opening were ridiculous and was one of the top performers there