Mike Farrell with a ton of praise for some UM recruits...
In Farrells 'NSD 2019 Wrap-Up: Big Ten superlatives', he specifically mentions Giles Jackson as Mr. Versatile, Daxton Hill as Speed Demon, Chris Hinton as Future Number 1 Pick, and Zach Charbonnet as Instant Impact.
Lists a Michigan player in 5 of the 11 Big Ten Categories.
https://michigan.rivals.com/news/nsd-2019-wrap-up-big-ten-superlatives
February 11th, 2019 at 3:57 PM ^
Interesting to see Giles Jackson was originally ranked as a RB. I wonder if he gets some run there during the spring. Hopefully slot is already taken care of, and this kid needs to get on the field.
That's quite a hedge on Zach Harrison. Magnus had mentioned he's raw and might be a little ways away from contributing, but Farrell goes a further than that. Odd to see someone so boom or bust be a 5*. Sounds just like Ojabo really, but the latter has already put on what looks to be some good weight.
February 11th, 2019 at 4:12 PM ^
Ojabo will be drafted higher than Harrison. You heard it here first.
February 11th, 2019 at 4:30 PM ^
And you heard it here 1,258th!
BTW, i do agree with you. I would also bet Ojabo ends up the better college player. I was NOT crazy about Harrison's film.
At one point, we lost Hill, and were trending hard for Harrison. I started typing that i would rather have Hill than Harrison, and that it was not a fair trade. I discarded my post as i would get flamed over it. But IMO, Harrison's film is shit. Hes just a monster abusing kids. But he plays more upright than a guy with a back-brace on. His pad level is shit and his motor after his initial rush is non-existant. He will get eaten against the run. If he doesn't bust, then Larry Johnson is indeed the best defensive line coach in America.
Harrison has a ton of potential, don't get me wrong. But i just don't see him panning out.
February 11th, 2019 at 6:23 PM ^
This is my take as well. And to add insult to injury (and here I feel badly for the kid because I believe the adults are at great fault here) I fear that Zach is damaged goods (psychologically) after all that drama.
My biggest reservation of this 2019 class, per the tape, is All-at TE.
February 11th, 2019 at 4:23 PM ^
Giles played some RB as a junior but was a full time slot as a senior
February 11th, 2019 at 5:37 PM ^
We may need Giles at RB this year.
February 11th, 2019 at 4:27 PM ^
It's weird to me that he was so consistently ranked highly considering his boom or bust potential. Guys like Taco Charlton never sniffed 5 star status but Harrison was ranked highly early and never dropped. Harrison may be on a totally different level from Charlton but it feels like they first ranked him highly on potential as a HS junior and he's still considered raw 2 years later.
Even if he does reach first round potential in college he probably won't play multiple years at that level like a Bosa or Myles Garrett.
February 11th, 2019 at 4:42 PM ^
I agree, but Taco was still top 150 in the country. It's not like he was a 3*. There isn't that much difference between #130 and #12.
btw, 247 had Taco listed at #108 and Harrison at #22...even closer. (and the #27 player was Green)
Let's hope Taco way outperforms Zach.
February 11th, 2019 at 5:41 PM ^
150 range would be much more appropriate. A prospect with that much of a bust potential shouldn't be a 5 star. It would be like ranking Joe Milton as a 5 star because of his size, build and arm strength even though he was a sub 50% passer. High 4 star is fine but this feels like a case of overrated early and they can't drop him as much as he should drop.
February 11th, 2019 at 6:10 PM ^
There should be a big difference between the top 25 and the rest of the top 150. The 5* guys are can't miss physical freaks even among their physical freak peers. And they've produced at an elite level on the field. I realize a component of the ranking is future NFL potential, but if you haven't seen enough to know the player will be great in college, you certainly can't extrapolate physical attributes beyond college to the NFL.
Dax Hill's profile fits that of a 5*: physical marvel even among the marvels, and this translates to his play. Harrison - based on this write-up alone, I haven't read many others - does not. He's thin, which means he may lose some of those athletic attributes as he gains weight, and he's raw in his technique, which he may never master. I'd also argue that a 5* should be an immediate impact guy, at least in a contributing role, and that sounds very much not the case here.
February 11th, 2019 at 4:57 PM ^
Zach Harrison was the #1 overall recruit according to 247 over the summer. He dropped to 22, just in side of 5 star range. You know how hard it is to drop that far after being #1? The farthest any #1 overall player dropped after being ranked #1 going into the season that I could find was Najee Harris, and he only fell to 9 in a weird year with some massive late risers. Obviously I wish Zach Harrison came to Michigan, but I'd say there's just as good of a shot as him starting in two years as him transferring for playing time. Dude is raw, and I think if I had to choose, I would've rather had Karlaftis than him.
February 11th, 2019 at 9:59 PM ^
I would be surprised if Jackson plays any running back in college. He's very slight.
The good thing for Harrison is that he's going to get coached up by the best DL coach in the country, Larry Johnson. (That's not good for Michigan, of course, but whatever.) But yeah, if you watch Harrison's film and don't just pay attention to his size/speed/athleticism, it's not very impressive.
February 11th, 2019 at 6:15 PM ^
Hope he's right about Charbonnet as Instant Impact. If Evans is actually gone, we're going to need him or Turner to step up (I like Tru as much as anyone, but I don't think he has the profile to be a feature back).
February 11th, 2019 at 6:53 PM ^
Kinda like that piece of trash Edelman thinkin he can play in the NFL. Give these kids credit for their skill and effort!
February 11th, 2019 at 10:06 PM ^
Personally, I'm not big on running backs who can't give you explosive plays. Tru Wilson had two 20+ yard runs on 62 attempts last year, and his long was 28. Don't get me wrong - I think he did a good job as a backup for Michigan. But if he's The Guy, that's not good for Michigan.
February 12th, 2019 at 9:49 AM ^
I somewhat agree with you. For a backup - he is a hell of a backup. The positive though is, if Wilson is our floor at running back, that is not terribly bad. I would say middle of the pack Big Ten.
And another positive is that he is a good blocker. This may be the year that we pass 65 run 35. If that is the case, Wilson may indeed be what Michigan needs.
February 12th, 2019 at 12:22 PM ^
This is my mindset too. Tru is an excellent blocker, and a quality backup. He's a player I like and has more than earned his scholarship. But he doesn't have the speed, power, or elusiveness of a feature back (he does have excellent vision, which helps a lot), and I think that if we're expecting or relying on him for Higdon levels of production/carries, this will definitely be a down offensive year. Both Charbonnet (based on tape and profile) and Turner (based on the few carries he got against Florida) seem to be more impactful as running threats.
February 11th, 2019 at 6:56 PM ^
February 11th, 2019 at 7:31 PM ^
Hoping Zach Charbonnet is the new Mike Hart.
February 11th, 2019 at 10:10 PM ^
Charbonnet and Hart are about as dissimilar as two back can be. How about we hope that Charbonnet plays to his potential-that means he would be better than Hart and makes a nice splash in the league.
February 11th, 2019 at 10:23 PM ^
Or Ty Wheatley Sr.
February 12th, 2019 at 9:51 AM ^
I have been trying to come up with a Michigan running back that Charbonnet reminds me most of, and i can't.
Best i can come up with is Maurice Clarett. But Mike Hart is no where like Zach.
February 12th, 2019 at 12:23 PM ^
I don't see Clarett there, but what do I know.
Was looking at a few other sites to see comps, someone noted his 11.2 100 meter time, which is good but not great, then compared that to David Ojabo. That kid ran a 10.9 at 233 lbs according to maizenbrew and this site https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/Athlete.aspx?AID=11425719. Holy crap.
Now Zach Harrison ran a 10.8, which also holy crap. But he's a little slighter than Ojabo, I believe. https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/Athlete.aspx?AID=9484090
I think these guys are very similar. Harrison a 5* and Objabo a lowish 4* is a huge disconnect. Would have been nice to have both, very happy with Ojabo. Physically he looks more imposing, and given his lack of experience (which explains his ranking), he has unbelievable upside.
February 11th, 2019 at 8:33 PM ^
Great feedback. Interesting and encouraging. Thanks for sharing.
February 11th, 2019 at 9:51 PM ^
The guy from mash?
February 11th, 2019 at 9:53 PM ^
Didn’t know BJ Honeycutt was such a college football fan.