Friday, August 31, 2012

Recapping 2012 Commit Allen Gant

Another top DB commit in the 2012 class for Michigan is Allen Gant out of Sylvania, OH.  Allen checks in at 6'2" and around 220 pounds, so he has good height and weight.  Michigan is looking for taller defensive backs and Allen fits that mold.  Allen is what many would call a "Michigan Legacy" because his father Tony Gant played football for the late great Bo Schembechler.  Coach Hoke has done a great job getting top talent out of the state of Ohio and Allen Gant definitely fits that description.  Along with fellow commit Terry Richardson, Allen is one of those guys that could see some early playing time, if things go right.

Allen is another one of those mid-ranked guys, but he is one of the top defensive backs in the state of Ohio.  He's got good size which helps him in coverage and pretty decent speed.  He's another great "cover" corner and also a good tackler.  The Michigan coaches have been very vocal about wanting to get taller and bigger guys at defensive back and Allen is one of those.  He's fast and has the ability to go after the ball when it's in the air.  I like the fact that he's out of Ohio, Michigan has gotten very fortunate over the years when it comes to defensive backs out of Ohio (Charles Woodson) to name one in particular.  I like the fact that he's 6'2" which means he will match up very well against taller receivers and has good size which should help him out if he has to match up against Tight Ends.  I like Allen's game he's one of those guys that isn't afraid of contact and will support the run.  I'm one of those guys that likes physical defensive backs who are good tacklers and can cover.  Allen is a great player and will hone his skills at Michigan.



Here are the basic stats on Gant:


Height
6’2”
6’2”
6’2”
6’1”
Weight
198 lbs
210 lbs
205 lbs
200 lbs
Position
WR
CB
S, WR
WR, S, ATH
Rating
3*
3*
3*
3*
Position Rank
#150
#47
#30
#66
National Rank
N/A
NR
N/A
NR


Allen is very versatile and he's listed at Wide Receiver, Cornerback, Safety, and Athlete and he will most likely be playing Cornerback or Safety at Michigan.  He is a 3* across the board and is rated at 6'2" and 205 pounds.  He's got great skills and is a pure open field tackler.  He spent most of his high school time at Safety but he was also a good receiver and he has very good hands.  It's believed he will be a Strong Safety at the next level.  Allen is also a skilled cover guy and can match up in one-on-one situations.  He can also come down to the line of scrimmage and play in run support.  A weakness of his would be his speed and quickness.  Allen is listed at Athlete on 247 and for good reason because he can play multiple positions and is very versatile in the defensive backfield. 

Freshman impact, I don't see much as the team has put out the depth chart and Allen isn't listed as part of the two-deep.  In fact, his name didn't even appear.  To me, this is a pretty clear symbol that he will be getting a redshirt for the 2012 season.  With Michigan's impressive depth in the defensive backfield, this is probably the only logical option.  Plus, Gant would have to beat out some other 2012 commits like Terry Richardson, which will be difficult.

Gant has a lot of potential and has some of the best purely athletic skills of any of Michigan's 2012 commits.  However, he is a bit raw and will take some time to get ready before he can make some big contributions, especially given the depth and likely future depth of the secondary.  Either way, Allen is a big pick-up for the Wolverines both now and in the future.

Here's his highlight video:

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