UM Ballz Dropz: More 4* 2024 prospects forecasted to Michigan
Seems like there are weekly ballz dropz in favor of Michigan as the 2024 class is rolling along, currently rated #3 overall by 247 Sports.
In the last few hours Sam Webb has dropped ballz for 4* IL WR I'Marion Stewart, who was been recognized as one of the top WR prospects for the Wolverines. Another tidbit on Stewart is he recently transferred schools and will be HS teammates with one of/if not Michigan's top DE prospect 4* Marquise Lightfoot for their senior year.
The second ballz were from Brice Marich and Steve Lorenz who dropped ballz for 4* DT Jerod Smith from CT. Smith has a national offer list (Bama, UGA, TN, ND, PSU) and has a twin brother Jacob, who's also a 4* recruit. It seems to be a discussion whether Jacob is a take by the staff and if the Smith bros are a package deal or will end up at different places for college.
April 21st, 2023 at 12:30 PM ^
UM recruiting is going great. We have more ballz flying at us than Paris Hilton circa 2002!!!
April 21st, 2023 at 12:48 PM ^
I will say she's aging pretty well..
April 21st, 2023 at 12:52 PM ^
Schwing!
....or more ballz flying than Peyton Manning tea-bagging his athletic trainers. Another reason he shouldn't have won the Heisman!
In the world of NIL it is easy to take his twin if that means getting him. Plus the brother is pretty good and could be very good with another 30 lbs of muscle from Coach Herb.
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/13371745/638fe034a0183504bc8b64c6
April 21st, 2023 at 12:34 PM ^
Not sure we have room for all these ballz
April 21st, 2023 at 12:39 PM ^
We don't even have room for all the players already on the roster lol. Maybe Brian's right and scholarship limits aren't a thing.
I'm curious if this means guys like JJ McCarthy and Blake Corum are giving up their scholarships and paying for school with NIL to allow their teammates to have roster spots.
April 21st, 2023 at 12:49 PM ^
And surprisingly no one has entered the transfer portal almost a full week after it first opened (it opened on April 15th). I was expecting an exodus of guys to have left by now. I guess maybe there aren't limits anymore like you say?
But its such an easily enforceable rule that I would be surprised that the NCAA wouldn't have some provision to prevent this exact thing from happening. Like lets say that no one enters the portal, Michigan will have around 105 players on the roster that garnered D1 scholarships out of high school. Surely that would raise some NCAA eyebrows?
It could also be, at least in part, that everybody thinks there isa good chance to be part of a national champion team.
April 21st, 2023 at 12:45 PM ^
Everybody has room if their Schwetty Balls
We have plenty of room.
Perfect.
April 21st, 2023 at 12:37 PM ^
ND is waffling on taking Jerod which has allowed Michigan to take the lead for him. I suspect it will lose them Jacob (who's seen as the more highly valued prospect) to Michigan as well.
Stewart has been leaning to Michigan forever and hopefully this is an indication he's ready to jump on board. There hasn't been a number squeeze at WR yet (like we've seen at OL) so he's been able to take his time. He fits the mold of what we seem to be looking for at WR recently: agile with excellent route-running and ball skills.
April 21st, 2023 at 12:41 PM ^
With all the NIL money flying. around, it seems foolish to slow walk a top recruit's twin.
2 years ago this comment would've meant something completely different...
April 21st, 2023 at 12:46 PM ^
I would take route running with ball skills over flat out speed anytime. Look at Jerry Rice. I don't even know if they would draft him today with his 40 time what it was, but he is easily one of the greatest if not greatest NFL receivers of all time because of his route running and ball skills.
He'd be draftable in the late rounds I think, with a 4.58 40 at his combine, which I assume didn't have the exactitude of lasers and whatnot back in the day. But definitely not among the DJ Turners of the world.
Fun article about Rice running a 40 at the 2020 combine, with Rich Eisen joining.
https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/03/02/jerry-rice-40-yard-dash-nfl-combine-rich-eisen
7541 - there's one other thing about Jerry Rice - and, it's nothing but respect for him. That other thing is coaching - Bill Walsh and his staff. That staff was great at identifying opponent's weaknesses or tendencies, and taking advantage of them.
Again - Rice's route running and hands were fantastic. He also leveraged the expertise of their staff to game plan extremely effectively. Those were complemented by extremely effective execution.
I was on the younger side for much of his career but I have heard enough interviews of defenders to know the Rice had way better game than timed speed.
April 21st, 2023 at 12:39 PM ^
Wolverine fans rejoice in these happy times.
April 21st, 2023 at 12:48 PM ^
maize ballz > blue ballz
April 21st, 2023 at 12:51 PM ^
So that's how they did that.
April 21st, 2023 at 12:51 PM ^
I'm just realizing that they filmed water scenes in Pirates of the Caribbean using huge pools of blue balls? Ya learn something new everyday
I think that's just where they'd rehearse before filming in an actual ocean
April 21st, 2023 at 12:46 PM ^
I saw what you did there
.... "one of the top wr prospects for the Wolverines".
April 21st, 2023 at 12:46 PM ^
Bring them both, then they can square off against the Buckeye twins everyone seems to be blathering about.
April 21st, 2023 at 12:49 PM ^
Would be interesting if Jacob Smith wasn't a take given he's slightly higher ranked than Jerod. However, Jacob is listed as like 30 pounds lighter than Jerod which could be a factor, but that could be outdated. Gotta think the staff wouldn't sacrifice missing out on Jerod by not taking his 4* brother
I saw the response above about ND and the brothers and looked at the rankings also. I don't subscribe to the pay sites but hadn't heard of Jacob as a DE target yet -- then again hadn't heard of Jerod until the Ballz and On3 predictions started rolling in yesterday..
Side note - Are most of the CT schools prep schools for the entire NE region? All of the top prospects in the state are from 2 schools - Cheshire Academy and Old Avon - except Manual Biegel who is going to a different Prep school
Don't forget Suffield Academy, which has sent Kechaun Bennett, Davis Warren, and Brad Hawkins to Michigan.
I think OP had it backwards. Jacob is definitely a take for Michigan and ND.
Jacob is an edge and Jerod is a 3 tech.
It does sound like they are both takes. Just thought it was interesting only one is getting the Michigan buzz (Jerod). If you watch both of their HUDL tapes Jerod has way more standout plays than Jacob’s even though Jerod is lesser-ranked which is confusing. Nonetheless both look like good prospects.
Jacob is ranked slightly higher. 247
Yes that’s what I said. Even though in my opinion Jerod’s tape looks better.
I'Marion...Amorion
Amorion...I'Marion
I'm excited to see what I'Marion Walker can do at receiver for Michigan.
Sorry, I meant Amorion Stewart.
Not to be confused with I' Marryin Stewart, who is about to settle down, have kids, and begin paying a mortgage the rest of his life.
Our BALLS are on fire!
I really expected this last year. Nice to see it finally happening, even if a year later than I’d hoped.
NIL and Harbaughs flirtation with the NFL killed last year
So UM is tracking to top 5 ranked class? Highly ranked guys are considering UM? The program is attracting talented players who are not day 1 superstars?
This seems like an ideal situation for UM - very talented guys who buy into the team-first ethos and “Michigan deal” of taking a little time to physically & mentally fit into the UM system before bursting through to grab a high draft spot.