The Recruiting Carousel

It's that magical time of year where we try to celebrate with our friends and family throughout the Christmas holiday and New Years. It's also that time of year where the bowl season is about to start but this isn't about the bowls, or even specifically Big Ten bowls. No, this is about the ever changing carousel that is college football recruiting. Recruiting is a year long process, and it never stops. Think of all the times so far this year you've seen the ESPN 150 rankings come out. I'm not an expert on recruiting, nor will I ever be but this is almost becoming comical. With the advent of social media now, the general public will interact with recruits and voicing their pleasure or displeasure about their commitments. Blogs such as this one and many others will analyze and fret over a decision that one kid makes. We can never know how that kid will perform once he's on the college football field, but nonetheless fans want what they want. Here's a couple major things going on for the 2013 class at Michigan. And remember, it's all fluid until Signing Day in February.

1. David Dawson--I believe it was Sam Webb who broke the news story first, but it looks as though Dawson has recommitted to Michigan today. Now after his first verbal commit, he wanted to go check out Florida, and there were also rumors of Ohio State and Michigan State being involved in his recruitment. Now with 4* safety and Cass Tech teammate Delano Hill decommitting from Iowa, and choosing Michigan, I'm guessing that's what helped push Dawson back towards Michigan. Dawson decommitted in October after his first pledge to UM hoping to explore other visits and even told the Detroit Free Press on Wednesday he would visit Ohio State and Alabama. Those are unlikely to occur now. Brady Hoke still has the policy of not wanting verbal commits to visit other schools once they've chosen Michigan and pulling their scholarship offer, but it looks as though it'll happen anyway. What does this mean for the 2013 class? It's huge--now count Dawson, Chris Fox, Kyle Bosch, Patrick Kugler, Logan Tuley-Tillman, and even long-snapper Scott Sypniewski who could also play on the O-Line as members of the class and all but Sypniewski are 4* players. (Dawson is rated at the Rivals' No. 6 national offensive guard. Hill is the No. 23 safety nationally).

2. Derrick Green--OK so after the two recent commitments today, we're left to ask what next? With the NCAA and Big Ten rules, Michigan is still able to sign three more prospects in this class, so this can leave a lot of options for 3 spots. Obviously in everyone's mind are the prospects of getting both Green and Treadwell. Green was looking at some SEC schools, particularly Auburn...yet with Auburn hiring Gus Malzahn who prefers the spread and Green wanting a more pro-style offense, Michigan is looking better and better every day. His other top choice was Tennessee and with their recent downturn and coaching change it's iffy at best he'd end up there. Miami was also a choice but they're still dealing with NCAA violations. Keep in mind that with Toussaint's leg injury, Stephen Hopkins leaving the team, and Dennis Norfleet being moved to the secondary, Green would most certain be given playing time.

3. Laquon Treadwell--As far as Treadwell goes, I'm not even sure he knows what to do. He had an official visit with Oklahoma today, but if he came to Michigan he'd be a boost to a wide receiving corps that already lacks in depth. Michigan was once the leader on his list, but recently Ole Miss, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State have also entered the picture and seem to be higher on his list. There are still 3 WRs committed in 2013 with Da'Mario Jones, Jaron Dukes, and Csont'e York, but neither of those 3 bring to the table what Treadwell can. Other receiving choices are Robert Foster from Monaca, PA (4*), and Kendall Beckwith from Jackson, FL (4*). I'm not saying either one is a good possibility but Michigan has been successful in recruiting from Pennsylvania so if Treadwell doesn't work out, Foster could be a good choice. Either way, Treadwell's entire recruiting process is kind of like Cedar Point--one roller coaster after another and he can't decide which one is his favorite.

4. Leon McQuay--One of the last choices and would still make Michigan happy, is McQuay. The 5* defensive back from Florida has shown interest in Michigan, especially since he plans on majoring in music, but he's also favoring Vanderbilt, which being in Nashville also has a strong music program. One other problem is that he also has USC at the top of his list, and since Max Redfield decommitted from the Trojans, McQuay could be headed to California as well. Things don't look too promising on the Michigan side of this one, but it's not written in concrete either.

What Happens If Michigan Strikes Out On The "Big 3?"

Alright so by now you all know that Michigan is hard after the "big 3" in WR Laquon Treadwell, RB Derrick Green, and Safety Leon McQuay III.  I'm going to give a breakdown on where I think we stand with each of these guys and a recruit that I think could be a viable option and very suitable replacement for each individual.

Let's start with Leon McQuay III.  The highly coveted five-star safety out of Florida made his official visit to Michigan last weekend for the Northwestern game.  While Leon is usually very quiet, I did see some interviews that he did after his visit and it looks like he had a great time.  Obviously, the game atmosphere was huge, but if you don't know, a major factor in Leon's recruitment is the school's music program.  Michigan has a very good one and he was able to hang out with two of Michigan's current players Jack Kennedy and Joe Reynolds.  Many of the Michigan fans know them as JDK and Rey.  They are both great musicians and even have a song that plays in the stadium before games.  I think this is a huge help with Leon because he can see that he will be able to make music and the school as well as the football program will support him and help him get his name out there.  But let's not forget Michigan is battling USC, Oregon and Vanderbilt.  It will be a very tight race, but I believe Michigan will be in the conversation at the Under Armour Game on January 4th where Leon makes his decision.

More Drama With The 2013 Class?

Well as I'm sitting here in southern Maryland weathering hurricane Sandy, I figured I would talk about what seems to be an impending storm in recruiting for the 2013 class for Michigan.  I won't speak much about it, but there is some more drama with David Dawson.  If you haven't heard by now (you must live under a rock), but Michigan and Dawson decided to part ways a short time ago.  It seemed to be that Florida was in the driver's seat, but now that's not the case, or at least according to Dawson. 

Mr. Dawson has recently named a top-3 of Michigan State, Ohio State, and Wisconsin.  What many disgruntled Michigan fans see as a slap in the face, it seems Dawson seems to favor schools in the B1G.  Given his family situation, it seems fitting that he wants to stay close to home.  I believe the ribbing from a few "bad apples" in the Michigan fan base has kind of left a salt in his mouth and I believe he may be sticking it to the Michigan fans.  We will see how it plays out, but looks like he could be lining up for one of Michigan's bitter rivals.  He has said he is taking visits and look for him to make a decision at the All-American game, if not sooner.

Denzel Ward Becomes Commit #2 For 2014

Yesterday, before the game even started, Michigan fans received some great news as big time Offensive Tackle Denzel Ward from the 2014 class pledged his commitment to Michigan. This kid is 6'9" and 300 pounds. He's just an absolute monster and what many are calling a huge pick up for the Wolverines. Denzel made his first trip to Ann Arbor last weekend for the Illinois game and came away very impressed and with a scholarship offer from the coaches. I had a good feeling about him because he struck a very good bond with 2013 Commit Logan Tuley-Tillman. Sam Webb alluded to it this week that a commitment this weekend was certain and he was right. There's not a ton of coverage on Ward yet, but what scouts have said is that he is very raw and has a ton of upside. He joins Michael Ferns in this class and Michael is one of the top linebackers in the state of Ohio so with the addition of Denzel, Team 135 is off to a great start.

What next for the 2014 class? Well Michigan, has made it clear they want to be deep on the offensive line. Look for the staff to take at least 3 more offensive linemen, if not 4.  Depth at the OL is important and I know Coach Hoke is a firm believer in that. The 2012 and 2013 classes were both very loaded and with this Denzel Ward commitment, that's a good start. A Top-50 player in the country, OL Mason Cole visited as well and Michigan sits very well with him. In my opinion, I think he's blue in the end, but it could be down the road.  It was a big time list of visitors and Cole's teammate, WR Artavis Scott, has Michigan high up there and these two could possibly be a package deal. 2014 DB Damon Webb was also on hand and he came away impressed. I think he's one of the coaches' top priorities for this class. He's a big time player and would be a huge get for Michigan.

Week 8 Predictions and Notes

It's Friday now, and it's time to focus on one of the bigger games in college football this week, and not our Detroit Tigers going to the World Series (insert big smile here). Michigan currently holds an advantage over Michigan State by a record of 67-32-5 with the last 4 won by MSU. This year, that will change. The tide will turn.

I am confident that after Saturday's matchup that I can spend a year gloating over Sparty fans, and make them long for basketball season---in which we'll beat them there again. Michigan State still has a good defense, but their offense is woefully inept to the point where it's no longer reliable. Dantonio has painted himself into a corner this week by saying the media is at fault by goading him into making anti-Michigan comments. After this game, I'm sure that "evil" alter ego will emerge yet again.

Does Loss to ND Hurt Recruiting?

So coming off of the horrible loss to Notre Dame last night, I figured I'd share my opinion on whether or not I think the game hurt us in recruiting.  Right off the bat, I'm going to have to say no and I'll state my reasons why.  There were lots of recruits at the game with interest in both teams such as Damon Webb, a 2014 DB/WR out of Detroit Cass Tech.  However, most of the responses that we heard were in regards to recruits believing that could have an earlier impact at Michigan, which is definitely not a negative sign.

It was a great atmosphere, but a guy like Webb has visited Michigan the last two weeks for needless to say not very big games.  Michigan hasn't had a big game atmosphere at home yet and I believe that come October 20th when the Spartans come to town, it could be huge.  A vast majority of the 2013 commits have scheduled their official visits for this game along with big time 2013 target RB Derrick Green.  Michigan is  2-2 right now, which isn't the start that we had all hoped for, but let's face it, we did lose to Alabama who is I think far and above the best team in college football.  We gave away the game to the #11 team in the country so it's not like we have been upset in any means.

An Interview With 2013 RB Derrick Green

Two of the nation's top players were on stage when The Hermitage Panthers took on the Fork Union Military Academy Blue Devils in live action Saturday to a nation-wide TV audience courtesy of ESPNU.  Although the game showcased 2 of the top high school football players at their respective positions, Hermitage RB Derrick Green (Undecided) and FUMA's QB (Penn St. Verbal) Christian Hackenberg, it was quite the lopsided affair.  

The Panther defense would take care of Hackenberg early on, and according to Green, it was all part of the plan.  He told me, "It was a lot of preparation and a lot of film that did it. Our coaches got us ready." "The defense did a great job." "We knew if we got Hackenberg out of the pocket we could give him problems.." Problems indeed.  3rd and long was routine.  Hackenberg never had time to get set in the pocket, and he never found the endzone. It was over early.  38-0 Panthers.

The problems were not just on Offense for FUMA. On the Defensive side, the Blue Devils had to contend with new Varsity QB Niko Johnson and the renowned human "Truck with a Turbo" RB Derrick Green.  Green showed the country why he is ranked #6 in the ESPN150 and in some eyes the best "Back" in his class. With a slew of schools vying for his services, Michigan like the rest of his suitors, are hoping to hear those "sweet words".

This past Sunday night I got to chat with the Michigan Target and among other things; we talked about his big game in week 1, who he looks up to in the League, nicknames and where he stands in his college recruiting adventure.

How To Close The 2013 Recruiting Class?

Just wanted to do a quick post on who I think the last couple spots go two in 2013.  There are many who place the scholarship limit at 24 for 2013, which leaves 1 spot.  However, I think that with these pending offseason issues, the potential for depth losses, and the chance of someone entering the NFL Draft early, I think the class will probably have 25 recruits.


The conceived options are WR Laquon Treadwell and RB Derrick Green.  These two guys are among the best at their respected positions and if one pulls the trigger before the other, I can't possibly see the coaches turning the other one away.  These kids are both top notch and have high interest in the Wolverines. I think the more likely of the two to commit first would be Treadwell even though he has a pending visit to Oklahoma State.  Derrick Green is visiting for the bbq, but I don't possibly see him pulling the trigger so soon in the process.  Still plenty of time for him to make up his mind.. 

USC Takes Over Top Spot On Rivals for 2013 Team Rankings

According to Rivals, Michigan has been surpassed in the 2013 Team Rankings.  Picking up their most recent commit today from 4-star DB Jalen Ramsey, the Trojans have passed the Wolverines.  Most say that when new individual player rankings come out in August Ramsey is likely to pick up his 5th Star.  What is incredible is that USC is operating with scholarship reductions for the 2013 class.  


Scout and ESPN have yet to update their team rankings so I'm curious to see what they do with things.  I'll give you a quick breakdown comparing each team's class as they are viewed on Rivals.  You can be the judge regarding whether you agree and I'll give my opinion at the end of which team I think has the best class.

Michigan Commits and Targets At The Opening

The much anticipated Nike Camp, The Opening, was this past weekend in Beaverton, Oregon. Loaded with talent, it has been said to be one of the best camps of the year, if not the best. On hand were the best high school players from all over the country, including 7 Michigan Commits and several Michigan targets.  Representing the Maize and Blue were QB Shane Morris, DB Jourdan Lewis, TE Jake Butt, OG David Dawson, DE Taco Charlton, OL Kyle Bosch, LB Mike McCray.  All of these players were there, but Kyle Bosch did leave early due to personal reasons so I won't really have much to say about him, but he did show up the first day so he deserves to be mentioned. 


Two of Team 134's members made the all-tournament team. TE Jake Butt and DB Jourdan Lewis.  Both of these guys showed up big time in 7-on-7 play and were definitely deserving of the honors.  If you pay any attention to the recruiting sites, then you will know that people are saying Jourdan Lewis's rankings should skyrocket.  I said before the tournament that he would prove he's one of the best DB's in the country and he showed it this past weekend.  Making big time plays and even an interception in the finals to gave his team a shot at the championship late in the game.  Jake Butt came up big for his team and he quickly became one of his quarterback's favorite targets.  I watched some video and he made some great plays, including a nice grab on the sideline, where he got both feet in and maintained possession.  

Breaking Down Michigan's Spot In Scout 300 List

Over the past few weeks, we have been breaking down the class rankings from the major recruiting services.  We have already done ESPN, Rivals, and 247Sports, so now it's finally time to break down Scout.  I would go into breakdowns of each recruit as we did in our 247Sports post, but it's kind of pointless since we did that post less than a week ago.  If you want to find out more info about each recruit than listed, I suggest either checking out the 247Sports post linked above, or check out our Football Recruiting page.


So let's get into Scout's list of the Top 300 players in the country for the 2013 recruiting class.  As usual, there were a few rankings that made little sense, but there were also some that seemed to fit pretty logically.  Along with this, there were plenty of players that were pretty clearly over or underrated both of Michigan's commits and recruits on other teams or uncommitted.  Regardless, let's just look at the rankings and see how Michigan's commits and targets placed:

Top Priorities for 2013 Class

Photographed are current commits QB Shane Morris (left) and DB Jourdan Lewis (right).  They are just two members of the current top recruiting class in the country for the Michigan Wolverines.  But the real question that's on my mind and pretty much all Michigan fans that really follow recruiting is how does Coach Hoke close this class out.  With commit #22 coming in with Channing Stribling this week, many have the opinion that Michigan will only take 2 more recruits for this class.  


I say they take 3.  Some people don't like the commitment of Stribling, mostly because they were wanting the coaches to hold out for guys such as Kendall Fuller, Leon McQuay, etc., which makes sense, but maybe the coaches know something that we don't.  There seems to be a concensus that Fuller has Va. Tech and Clemson as his leaders and Michigan will lose out on him.  McQuay, I'm not too sure, but he seems far from making a decision.  In my opinion...trust the coaches, they know what they are doing.  So I'm going to put out a few names that I think may close the class out.

Thoughts on Michigan's Needs To Finish 2013 Recruiting Class

As we all know, things have been a bit slow lately on the recruiting front following Michigan's red hot start, but there are a few needs that the coaches still would like to fill.  I would have to say DT, WR, and RB.  Here's a few prospects at each position that I believe Michigan is recruiting very hard and would be great fits in Ann Arbor.

Henry Poggi.  Ranked 2nd at the DT position according to Rivals, and is another consensus 4-star at 6'4" and weighing 260 pounds.  He could put on a few more pounds, but he is definitely a great prospect.  He's being recruited by all of the major programs and would be a welcome addition to the class. 

Now onto WR and the person I believe is the most important person left on Michigan's board as far as needs go, Laquon Treadwell.  The top player in Illinois and for good reason.  At the 7-on-7 representing Core6 he pretty much was unguardable, also getting interceptions on the defensive side.  4-star across the board and at 6'3" 185 pounds, he's got great size and also has some good speed.  He's proven to be the best WR at every camp he goes to and has showed some solid interest in Michigan.  He has been to visit and has developed a relationship with some of Team 134 commits especially Shane Morris, which doesn't hurt.  Treadwell is one of the top WR prospects in the country and would definitely be a great "catch" for Michigan. 

Sebastian La'Rue.  At 5'11" and 185 pounds, he isn't the tallest kid on the planet, but he is very talented.  He hails out of California so it could be a difficult pull for Michigan, but is definitely on the board and has shown interest.  Hope to get him on campus this summer, but he is definitely a great prospect and would be a nice get.  However, this will largely depend on what happens with Treadwell.  He's Michigan's main WR priority and would likely fill the class.

RB. I believe the main choice is obvious and that would be monster back Derrick Green.  Derrick has shown that he wants to be in a smashmouth running style of offense and that's what Coach Hoke and company want to use at Michigan.  With the monster offensive line they have recruited, I see that happening very soon and that's why Derrick is such a very important player for Michigan to get.  He has the nickname "Man-Child" and for good reason.  At 6'0" 215 pounds the kid is a freight train and he also happens to be the top tailback in the nation according to Rivals.  He's a 5* with Rivals and a 4* with everyone else.  The recent commitment of Ty Isaac to USC definitely has forced the coaches to put on the fullcourt press.  However, I believe that Green may be the better prospect, he has more size and if you haven't watched his film, I suggest you do so because the kid is an absolute nightmare once he gets the football.  Green should be visiting soon and it will be of vital importance for the coaches to get him on board. 

Another guy that isn't one of the 3 positions that I listed, but would also be a great get for Michigan is DE Joe Mathis.  He happens to be the cousin of heavily touted CB Su'a Cravens.  Su'a is deciding on June 6th and many people have him as a USC lock.  Michigan is in the hunt so maybe we all get surprised.  Joe Mathis has been dominating camps all summer and he's 6'4" 254 pounds and has great speed and strength off the edge.  He has repeatedly shown that he's a nightmare off the edge and would be a great pickup for the Michigan coaches.  4-star across the board and is ranked 6th at his position has at one time named Michigan as his leader, but the next week named Nebraska as his leader.  Could be a long time before we see where Mathis decides to commit, but I think Michigan is in the hunt and has a great shot at landing him.  We shall see where his cousin Cravens decides to go because that could be a factor in Joe's recruitment.

Well, why not talk about Su'a Cravens.  One of the best prospects in the nation and is a 5* across the board.  He has announced he is making his decision on June 6th, which is coming up in a few days.  Many people have him as a USC lock, but I have a bit of hope he may commit to Michigan.  He has said distance isn't a factor and seemed to like the Wolverines.  He's the top ranked safety in the country and rated as the 8th overall player.  He's got great size at 6'1" 205 pounds and with an already improving secondary for Michigan he would be a phenomenal get.  Michigan is in his final three so everyone should pay attention June 6th and hopefully we get an early Christmas present.

Alright, obviously, there are plenty more prospects out there, but these are some of the names for you guys to keep your eye on.  Michigan has been recruiting them very hard as of late which tells me that they are all high on the board.  Maurice Hurst, Jr. has told everyone to be on commit watch, so hopefully he isn't the only one off of this list as these are all great players that all have interest in Michigan.

Weekend Visitors

4* RB DeVeon Smith (commit watch)

Everyone should be on commit watch this weekend regarding DeVeon Smith because there is a huge possibility he commits. We all know Michigan is looking for (probably) 1 more running back, and with Ty Isaac still undecided, our focus now turns to 4* DeVeon Smith. 

Smith is a running back out of Warren, OH who Scout ranks 58th in the nation and 7th at his position. Impressive. He holds offers from Michigan, Indiana, Ohio State, Purdue, and West Virginia. Smith is 5’11” and 195 pounds. Michigan was actually the first to offer Smith, and he grew up a Michigan fan. He is known for being talented enough to run over defenders as well as around them -- a good fit for our pro-style offense. He has also been heralded for his ball security, rarely fumbling even with such a heavy workload. As a junior, he earned Division 2 All-Ohio second-team honors. He racked up nearly 2,200 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns. To steal an OSU recruit and life-long Michigan fan would be great. Smith has plenty of potential.

By the way, conspiracy alert: if Smith doesn’t commit this weekend, there’s a huge chance that means Isaac has told the coaches that he will probably commit at some point. My thinking is he really wanted to visit USC (he probably already had his plane tickets, etc.) and we know the coaching staff’s rule of no visits after committing. Maybe Isaac wanted to commit, but couldn’t since he was planning on visiting USC this weekend. If Smith does not commit (assuming he wants to and the coaches tell him to hold off), it’s a strong sign Isaac will commit at one point or another.

Now another point to make is that Smith is probably still wanted in this 2013 class. Him and Isaac are different players, but both excellent players. Isaac is more dynamic, but Smith is a bull, something the coaches like. If there’s room in the class somehow, the coaches will want Smith too. It’s not like we’re loaded at RB. 

TE Scott Orndoff (commit watch)

Finally, Mr. Orndoff will be making his visit. Orndoff was originally a Wisconsin verbal, but has recently decommitted. He has expressed great interest in Michigan, and has been planning a visit for a while now. He has offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, among others. Orndoff stands 6’4” and 240 pounds. He is from Pittsburgh, PA and receives a 3* ranking from both 247 and Scout. Scout ranks him the 13th best tight end in the class, while 247 has him as 23rd. Orndoff received Michigan’s offer right after Signing Day, so he has clearly been someone they’ve been looking at. We know the coaches want a third tight end of this class, and Orndoff seems like a great fit. His recruitment has also been blowing up as of late. 

The other tight end the coaching staff was seriously looking at was Jacob Matuska out of Ohio, who recently committed to Notre Dame (as a DE even though he wanted to play tight end). There aren’t very many offers out to uncommitted tight ends left and Orndoff seems to be the one the coaches will go after the hardest. I would not be surprised if he commits this weekend. 

DL Henry Poggi (commit watch)

Again, another commit watch. This weekend could be crazy. There were rumors circulating on Twitter the other day that Poggi might commit this weekend, but he said himself that that isn’t true. However, this will be Poggi’s third visit to Michigan. According to Scout, he’s also already visited all his “favorites,” albeit only once. Michigan is the only school he’s visited multiple times. His favorites, other than Michigan, include Stanford, Ohio State, Virginia, and Vanderbilt. I don’t understand how those are his favorites considering his offer sheet, but who am I? He has said he wants to make it back to OSU, but who knows if that will change this weekend. You know the rule.

Poggi is a 4* tackle out of Baltimore, MD who Rivals ranks as 43rd overall in the nation. He stands 6’3” and 250 pounds. He finished his junior season with 49 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, 10 sacks, and one forced fumble. Poggi is a beast, with about 20 offers from schools like Michigan, Alabama, Auburn, Ohio State, and Stanford. Poggi plays a position of need for Michigan and he would be an excellent get.

RB Derrick Green

Green is a name we don’t hear as often as the rest. This is probably because we are more familiar with Michigan’s top running back options (Wyatt Shallman, Ty Isaac, DeVeon Smith). He is a 4* RB from Richmond, VA and Scout ranks him 20th at his position and 124th nationally. He has over 20 offers including Michigan, Auburn, Miami, Ohio State, South Carolina, and USC He stands 5’11” and 220 pounds and has admitted to favoring a pro-style offense as opposed to a spread. This is interesting because he grew up an OSU fan and has always loved them. Truthfully, I am surprised he is visiting this weekend. However, he is very intrigued with Michigan and does favor a pro-style run offense, like I said. “Seriously considering Michigan is against Buckeye religion,” he has said. Does this mean he’s seriously considering Michigan? We’ll learn more this weekend. 

S Delano Hill


Hill is a safety out of Detroit Cass Tech (yet another one!) who stands 6'1" and 185 pounds. He is a 3* on Scout who is ranked 25th at his position. Hill actually joins a bunch of Cass Tech sophomores who are visiting Michigan this weekend. Hill has offers from Illinois, Iowa, and Syracuse but is also hearing from multiple schools. He has been wanting to hear from Michigan, and now has been asked to visit. Although Michigan has been planning on taking one safety in the 2013 class (Dymonte Thomas), there is a chance Hill gets offered.