Recapping 2012 Commit Terry Richardson

Now we get into the guys that are helping bolster one of the more scrutinized parts of the Michigan defense in recent years, the secondary.  First of this group of commits is highly touted Defensive Back Terry Richardson out of Detroit Cass Tech.  Terry is an All-American and one of the top corners in the country and was a huge get for Michigan.  Michigan improved its secondary play in 2011 and should have a good 2012, but Richardson should be a player to secure it for the future.  Terry's 5'9" and 165 pounds so he's not the tallest guy in the world, but nonetheless he's got great cover skills.  Detroit Cass Tech is pretty much a Michigan pipeline and many of their players go onto play Division 1 football and many of them attend Michigan.  Cass Tech Michigan commits also includes Royce Jenkins-Stone and 2013 commits David Dawson and Jourdan Lewis.

Terry isn't the fastest guy on the field, but he rarely gets beat and has good recovery skills.  He can blanket receivers and is good in coverage.  He's only 5'9" so that worries me a bit as he will face taller receivers in college, but he has great leaping ability and is still has the skills necessary.  He will definitely put on some weight, which will help and he just has some outstanding raw talent.  In my opinion, I think he will be a nickel type guy on defense.  He can cover guys one-on-one but I believe with the guys Michigan has at corner I think he would be a 3rd or 4th guy.  This would be a good way to get him on the field in the near future.

Here are the basic stats on Richardson:

	ESPN	Rivals	Scout	247Sports
Height	5'9”	5'9”	5'9.5"	5'9”
Weight	160 lbs	160 lbs	165 lbs	165 lbs
Position	CB	CB	CB	CB
Rating	4*	4*	4*	4*
Position Rank	#5	#18	#14	#12
National Rank	#68	#224	N/A	#147

Experts have Terry listed at 5'9" 165 pounds and a 4* recruit across the board.  Out of all of the sites, ESPN is the highest on Terry having him at the #5 CB in the country and a Top-75 player.  Really from what I saw, the only knock on Terry is his height.  The fact that he's under 6'0" could be an issue, but we've see short secondary players do big things before.  He's got great ball skills and a very good knowledge of how to play the position and understanding of what the offense is trying to do.  Something that's rare in secondary players is the ability to help in run support and tackle well, which Richardson can do quite well.  He has the timing and skills necessary to be a great contributor.  If the only knock is height, I will take it.

Terry's impact as a freshman is definitely a question mark.  Given Michigan's significant depth in the defensive backfield, it's pretty doubtful that he will see anything too significant.  Perhaps if there are injury troubles he could get some time, but he could definitely use some more size and strength before he's called on to make a true impact on the field.  He has the chance to get some serious time in 2013, but don't use that as the gauge for Richardson.  He has amazing raw talent and could be a huge player down the line.

Terry is an All-American and was a huge get for this 2012 class.  I'm very excited about Terry and his potential may be limited for 2012, but imagining a Richardson and Countess duo in the backfield is an extremely exciting thought.  With Michigan's secondary turnaround and improving play, he could add to a position that could become quite a strength for the Wolverines in the near future.

Here's his highlight video: