Michigan's 2013 Top 247 Comprehensive List

Michigan has already been well represented on the ESPN150 and the Rivals250 and now they're done a great job at getting on the 247Sports list of the Top 247 recruits in the country.  There are certainly some head-scratching rankings on the list, but Michigan did pretty well with a total of 13 commitments and two targets appearing on the list.

COMMITS

21. Shane Morris (QB)

This marks another list where Michigan's only 2013 quarterback commitment finds himself as the highest ranked commit for Michigan.  He has been playing fantastic and actually won MVP honors at the Columbus Elite 11 camp where he earned a bid to play in the National Elite 11 competition.  Another thing to note is that Morris is now the highest rated 4* on 247Sports' list, which means that if he stays where he is right now, the odds are really good that he will be given 5* status soon.At 6'3", 190 pounds, Shane Morris is primarily a pocket passer, although he has shown the ability to move around in the pocket if need be. Most analysts refer to Morris as having the strongest arm in his class. The only major concern I can see at this point is accuracy. Through the Elite 11 process, Morris has shown streaks of brilliance in delivering the ball on a string, but he needs to work on making that a consistent outcome. He has the arm strength to put the ball just about wherever he wants it. 


Other Notable Offers: Alabama, Cincinnati, Michigan State.

Commit #20 DT Henry Poggi

As I stated last night, 2013 DT Henry Poggi would be making his college decision this morning.  He has announced that he has selected Michigan.  This marks Michigan's 20th commitment for 2013 and he joins what is already an elite recruiting class.

This is a big pick-up for Michigan because it solidifies Michigan's 2013 defensive line.  Last weekend, 4* DT Maurice Hurst, Jr. committed to Michigan, giving the Wolverines two solid interior defensive linemen for 2013.  Michigan has had some great defensive tackles as of late including Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen, but the 2011 and 2012 recruiting classes were a little weak depth-wise for the interior defensive line.

Obviously, Michigan had good recruits in 2011 and 2012, most notably 5*  Ondre Pipkins in 2012, but once again, that's only one player.  With Hoke and Mattison's frequent rotations for the defensive, one or two guys cannot carry the team.  That's why the pick-up of Poggi is major for Michigan.  Michigan will have picked up 5 defensive tackles between the 2012 and 2013 classes, with four of those being true interior linemen.  There shouldn't be much doubt that Michigan's defensive line should be almost as fierce as its heralded offensive line in the near future.

Poggi is the rated as the #2 DT in the country and 52nd overall.  At 6'4" and 260 pounds, the kid is an animal and absolutely destroys people.  Rated as a 4* across the board, he's one of the better recruits in the entire country.  This gives Michigan 14 players with at least a 4* commitment in the 2013 class according to Rivals.  There's nobody who can question the merits of this class with those kinds of numbers.  If this class doesn't finish #1 on signing day it will be pretty surprising.

Poggi will probably play most of his time at the 3 tech position, but might move around some if the coaching staff needs him at another spot.  He's smaller than both Hurst and Pipkins right now, so it's doubtful he will play time at nose tackle, but he should be big enough to play just about anywhere else on the defensive line.  I"m not sure if he's more college ready than Hurst right now because of his size, so it will be interesting to see who can get early playing time.  I don't predict Poggi will have a huge impact in 2013, but he should definitely be a solid player on Michigan's defensive line for the time afterward.

Poggi's pickup is great for Michigan and marks Michigan's first real victory over Alabama this year.  Perhaps it will be a sign of things to come not only on the recruiting trail, but also when the two teams square off in Dallas in September.

2013 DT Henry Poggi Makes Decision Tomorrow At 8AM

Alright, so there are rumors going around that the Michigan coaching staff has already accepted their 20th commitment for the 2013 recruiting class.  The identity of that commit is still up for debate, but  Henry Poggi could very well be it, as he is making his decision tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. and most already say that he is down to choosing between Alabama and Michigan.  Let's hope this is the first of several victories to come over Alabama this year.

With the recent commitment of 4-star DT Maurice Hurst, Jr., an additional commitment from Poggi would do wonders for what is an already loaded 2013 class.  This would turn what is a relatively small defensive line class into one of the best in the nation.  Michigan has already secured a commitment from 2013 DE Taco Charlton, so the Wolverines would have three defensive linemen if Poggi decides to join.  However, the best part is that Michigan would have two solid interior defensive linemen, which is something that team hasn't had in many of its recent classes.

Poggi is the rated as the #2 DT in the country and 52nd overall.  At 6'4" and 260 pounds, the kid is an animal and absolutely destroys people.  Rated as a 4-star across the board, Poggi would be a great pickup for the Wolverines.  A lot of the "experts" believe he is our next commitment and I hope so as well.  If you aren't familiar with him, which I'm sure many of you are, here is his highlight tape so you can get a glimpse of who what a commitment from Poggi would bring to the table.  I will have a post tomorrow soon after he makes his decision, so stay tuned and hopefully it's more good news on the recruiting front.

EDIT: Henry Poggi Committed to Michigan On June 4th. Read About It Here.

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.

Michigan's 2013 Recruiting Class Ranked #1 In The Nation

Photo Credit: iSports

Everybody had been wondering where Michigan's 2013 recruiting class would be ranked when the first set of rankings were released.  Well, Michigan fans got what they wanted.  Two of the four recruiting sites have ranked Michigan's 2013 recruiting class as #1 in the nation.  Scout released their rankings today and had Michigan slotted #1 and closely followed by Texas.  Texas has a great class so far with 14 verbal commitments and 11 of those commits being ranked as a 4* or higher.  The other recruiting service that has released team rankings so far, 247sports, also has Michigan ranked above Texas for the #1 spot in the country.  247 have Texas with a higher average score than Michigan, but because Michigan has already secured 17 verbal commitments, 247 has put Michigan as #1 in the country.

These type of rankings can be very exciting for fans, but it's important to keep it in perspective.  Being ranked as the #1 recruiting class, or extremely high for that matter, doesn't guarantee any on-field results.  It surely builds momentum for the program and increases their odds for winning later on, but teams like Notre Dame and USC have been ranked very high in the rankings for the last 5 or so years and haven't been able to accomplish much.  Obviously, USC has had some unusual circumstances, but that's the reality of college football.  You may do all the right things on the recruiting trail, but it's not going to guarantee success in the long run.

Having said that, this is still a pretty big accomplishment for Michigan.  Obviously, the recruiting classes are not wrapped up and there is a long way to go before the final rankings are released, but this shows the great start Michigan has gotten this year.  With Michigan's 17 commits, it's estimated by most that Michigan will be looking to take 5-7 more recruits in this class.  With Michigan in position to land some big-time recruits like Ty Isaac and Henry Poggi, I don't think there's any doubt that Michigan will finish near the top, if not #1 for the 2013 class.  Especially with some big performances from some of Michigan's recruits like Shane Morris and those invited to the competition in Columbus last weekend.

I bring up last weekend's events because they're just a hint of what this class could become over the next few months.  A lot of players have been underrated and will likely be moved up on the recruiting boards in the near future.  For instance, there's a ton of speculation that Shane Morris, Dymonte Thomas, Chris Fox, and David Dawson could move up to receive 5* status by time the class is finished.  Since many recruiting sites don't give out a lot of 5* ratings until the end of the recruiting year, there are still some recruits on Michigan's roster that could be moved up.

Obviously, some players in Texas or other school's classes could move up as well, but if you look at the number of 5* rankings sites like Rivals and Scout handed out last year and where players like Shane Morris are slotted, I would be very surprised if they didn't move up.  This won't do much to change the quality of the player Michigan will actually be getting on campus, but it does help Michigan in trying to secure the #1 class for 2013.  Like I said, being ranked #1 doesn't guarantee anything on the field, but it does give a lot of momentum to the program and may attractive other potential recruits, which could make the 2013 or 2014 classes even stronger.  With these kind of developments, there's not a lot of doubt that this could be a historic class for the Wolverines.

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. 

Which Prospects Have Michigan in Their Top-3?

The Wolverine coaching staff has already secured 13 verbal commits from top prospects. But the class isn’t finished, and there’s many more players who are very interested in playing at Michigan. There are 11 prospects who have Michigan in their top-3. Three of them are visiting Michigan next weekend. Let’s get to know them...

1. 4* RB Ty Isaac

We all know who Ty Isaac is. He’s Michigan’s #1 prospect for the remaining spot at running back. And he’s a beast. Click here to check out an in-depth post I wrote on Isaac.

Isaac is visiting Michigan next weekend (March 10th). 

2. 3* RB DeVeon Smith

Smith is a 3* running back out of Warren, OH who 247 ranks 31st in the nation at his position. He holds offers from Michigan, Indiana, Ohio State, and Penn State. 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. 

3. 4* WR Laquon Treadwell 

Treadwell is another player we’re all familiar with. That’s because he’s the #1 WR on Michigan’s board. Check out the in-depth post I wrote on him here. 

4. 3* WR James Onwualu

Onwualu is a 3* wide receiver out of St. Paul, MN who 247 ranks 50th in the nation at his position. He holds double digit offers from schools like Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, and Stanford. Onwualu is 6’1” and 205 pounds and is the #1 prospect out of Minnesota. One of the reasons I’m sure Onwualu interests the Michigan coaching staff is his athleticism. He carries the ball from the backfield, catches passes split as a wide receiver, and even lines up on defense on occasion. There’s even been talk of him playing corner or safety at the next level. Multi-positional athletes have been a recurring them this year. Onwualu would be an excellent slot receiver, considering his size and athleticism. I believe Onwualu is vastly underrated and that Michigan would be lucky to get him. 

Onwualu is visiting Michigan next weekend (March 10th). 

5. 3* CB Gareon Conley

Conley is someone I wrote about yesterday when I wrote about Michigan’s options at the cornerback position. 

Conley is a 3* cornerback out of Massilion, OH who stands 6’2” and 170 pounds. I believe he fits the frame of the kind of cornerback we’re going after: tall. He holds offers from Michigan and Northwestern although I’m sure he’s going to be getting many more offers soon. Scout recently came out with a list of the top 2013 prospects from Ohio and Conley ranks 16th, ahead of Jaron Dukes, Jacob Matuska, Kevin Gladney, Shane Jones, and Taco Charlton...just to name a few you may be more familiar with. As a junior, Conley had 4 interceptions, 1 of which was returned for a touchdown. He also led the team with 9 pass break-ups. Tom Greene of Scout calls Conley “one of the top sleeper prospects in Ohio for the class of 2013.” Clearly, Hoke knows what he’s doing.

Conley is visiting Michigan next weekend (March 10th).

6. 4* DL Henry Poggi

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. It’s too early to say much about his options, but Poggi is very interested in Michigan. He has already visited Michigan twice, but is planning another visit soon. Poggi plays a position of need for Michigan and he would be an excellent get.

7. 4* LB Mike McCray

McCray is a 4* outside linebacker out of Trotwood, OH. Rivals ranks him 44th overall in the nation. He has more than 20 offers including ones from Michigan, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. I’m surprised he does not have more big-time offers, although I’m also kind of relieved. Hopefully he is impressed with how early on Michigan realized his talent. This kid is a beast. He stands 6’4” and 230 pounds and runs a 4.61 40. McCray came from the same high school as Roy Roundtree, Michael Shaw, and Brandon Moore. His 2013 teammate Cameron Burrows, however, is already committed to Ohio State. Even though McCray doesn’t have an OSU offer yet, I can promise you he will eventually. Luckily for us, I don’t think that will matter. McCray has a large interest in Michigan right now and plans to make a decision on March 7th or 8th. He is good friends with Michigan commits from Ohio, Taco Charlton and Jaron Dukes. He has said that he could see himself at Michigan. It would have been an easy and educated guess to assume Ohio State would land McCray but like I said, they haven’t offered him yet. Not to mention he has said they aren’t recruiting him right now, unlike Michigan who is going after him hard. McCray will choose between Michigan, Illinois, and Tennessee next week.

McCray is visiting Michigan next week (March 6th).

8. 4* LB E.J. Levenberry

Levenberry is an early 4* outside linebacker out of Woodbridge, VA. Rivals ranks him 15th overall in the nation, which means he will probably end up getting a 5th star. He stands 6’3” and 226 pounds. He holds over 20 offers, including ones from Michigan, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Oklahoma. An impressive offer sheet, to say the least. E.J. Levenberry is one of my favorite recruits because not only is he one of the top ranked of the bunch, but his top schools are currently Michigan, Florida, and Florida State. Yep, that’s correct. It’s Us vs. The Florida Schools. And ESPN has reported that Michigan is currently on top. Apparently Levenberry loves Hoke. Him and I have that in common. Levenberry has met Shane Morris and Dymonte Thomas, and has heard from both of them how much Michigan impresses them. He is also very impressed with Coach Mattison and how he has coached Ray Lewis. Last but not least, Levenberry’s father went to school with (Michigan sophomore CB) Blake Countess’s father, so they go way back. He said that Blake’s father said great things about Michigan. All in all, I’d say we have a great shot. Granted it will be hard to overcome the Florida schools, but I think Levenberry has made a great connection with Michigan so far. 

Levenberry is visiting Michigan for the Spring Game (April 14th).

9. 4* LB Dorian O’Daniel

O’Daniel is a 4* outside linebacker from Olney, MD (Our Lady of Good Counsel HS). Rivals ranks him 37th overall in the nation. O’Daniel stands 6’1” and 205 pounds. He runs a 4.55 40. He holds more than 20 offers including ones from Michigan, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and South Carolina. The reason I mentioned his high school is because it may sound familiar. Our Lady of Good Counsel is the same high school that sophomore CB Blake Countess came from. This is the second linebacker recruit with a connection to Blake! It’s also the high school where (class of 2013) highly touted 5* cornerback Kendall Fuller comes from. I wrote about him recently here. He is another recruit we are after. Could we get two from Our Lady of Good Counsel HS? Hmm... O’Daniel has Michigan at the top of his list right now. Interestingly enough, during our big 8-recruit weekend haul, Florida also had a big weekend. I mention this because Florida is (was?) one of O’Daniel’s favorites, yet during that weekend, they took 4 linebackers. We’ll see if that plays a part in his decision.

O’Daniel is visiting Michigan for the Spring Game (April 14th) along with teammate Kendall Fuller.

10. 4* LB Ben Gedeon

Gedeon is a favorite LB prospect of mine but I hadn’t really considered him an option since he’s from Ohio. Not that Hoke hasn’t been recruiting the hell out of Ohio, but Gedeon has Michigan and Ohio State in his top group. Ugh. That shouldn’t take away from his excellent ball skills though. Rivals ranks Gedeon 224th overall in the nation. He stands 6’3” and 215 pounds and has lots of offers. Offers include Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Stanford, and Tennessee. Gedeon is actually an excellent athlete, but is mainly being offered as a linebacker. He wasn’t planning on taking any more visits until after his basketball season, but the coaches got him to visit this weekend. He should be on campus tomorrow. They know as well as we do how fast this class is filling up. To get Gedeon on campus (other than for a game) would be huge, because it’s basically a forgone conclusion that he would be blown away. To steal another one from under Urban’s nose? Would be oh, so nice...

11. 4* LB Peter Kalambayi

Kalambayi is one prospect I don’t think we hear as much about. He’s an all-star though. Kalambayi is a 4* prospect out of Matthews, NC. Rivals ranks him 62nd in the nation. He holds double digit offers including Michigan, Arkansas, Florida, Ohio State, and Oregon. As a junior, Kalambayi had 79 tackles, 6 sacks, and 13 tackles for loss. He is an excellent pass rusher, which is something we could use. Kalambayi actually had an offer from Rich Rod as a sophomore, but Coach Hoke has visited his school since then and let him know the offer still stands and we want him to join the 2013 class. He is thinking of deciding at the Army All-American game, but we’ll see if that changes anytime soon. 

Michigan's Options at Defensive Tackle

The Wolverines are well on their way to another excellent recruiting class for 2013. As I wrote in this post, the biggest needs left are linebacker and defensive tackle. Since I broke down Michigan’s options at the linebacker position in that same post, today I’m going to take a look at Michigan’s options at defensive tackle. 

There’s not a ton of offers out for a DT, mainly because the 2012 class had 3 DT signees (5* Ondre Pipkins, 3* Matt Godin, 3* Willie Henry). I can’t reiterate enough how important landing an excellent defensive tackle like Ondre Pipkins was for the 2012 class. Pipkins was the 14th ranked player in the nation (according to Rivals). Let me put this in perspective for you. Even though it’s still very early, the first DT ranked on the current Rivals100 is Montravius Adams, who is ranked 33rd. Last year’s class had 5 defensive tackles in the top-33, including Mario Edwards, who was considered by multiple sites as the top overall prospect of the 2012 class. Needless to say, this year is looking a little different than 2012 in regard to the defensive tackle position. 

Out of the 9 defensive tackles in the Rivals100 (so far this season), 3 are already committed to a school. Michigan has offered about 10 defensive tackles across the country, 2 of which are in the Rivals100 (4* Henry Poggi and 4* Greg Webb), and 1 more is in the Rivals250 (4* Billy Price who is already committed to Ohio State). I’ll be breaking down 4 different d-tackles, but Michigan will probably only take 2. This position should be an easy sell for recruits considering Coach Mattison’s presence and Coach Hoke’s focus on the defensive line. D-line coaches galore, over here. 

1. Rod Crayton

Crayton is a DT from the heart of SEC Country. Although he’s currently unranked on Rivals, we all know how easily that can change. Crayton is a huge lineman (6’1” and 285 pounds) who has multiple offers from all over the nation and is one of the top prospects out of Alabama. Offers include Michigan, Arkansas, LSU, and Penn State. He had a great junior season with 162 tackles, 10 sacks, and 40 tackles for loss. Crayton says that he wants to take his time and visit a wide variety of schools. He does not have a timeline on his decision, and also says that location is not a factor. Actually, he said that “Being away from home makes you a better man -- you have to depend on yourself.” He visited Michigan on February 19th and said that he enjoyed his visit very much. Of the Big House, he said, “I knew it was big, but oh my God, is it huge and deep looking down on it. I was thinking about how loud it is, how it’s rocking with the crowd when I’m watching a game.” Needless to say, he’s interested. 

2. Henry Poggi

Poggi is a 4* tackle out of Baltimore, MD (another MD recruit) 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. It’s too early to say much about his options, but Poggi is very interested in Michigan. He has already visited Michigan twice, but is planning another visit soon. Poggi plays a position of need for Michigan and he would be an excellent get. His favorites as of November (so things could have definitely changed) are Michigan, Tennessee, Stanford, Alabama, Auburn, and Ohio State. 

3. Eddie Vanderdoes

Vanderdoes is listed as both a DE and DT on multiple sites. He is a 4* DE on Rivals and ranked 21st overall, making him an easy candidate for a 5th star. Vanderdoes is another CA product who stands 6’4” and 285 pounds. His junior season, he had 59 tackles and 8 sacks. Vanderdoes has tons of offers including Michigan, Alabama, and Notre Dame. He plans on taking an official to Michigan, since his interest is “very, very high.” He is also impressed with Michigan’s early recruiting success, saying he wants to go somewhere to win championships. He has not specified when he wants to make a decision. Vanderdoes is another player that would be an amazing get. 

4. Greg Webb

Webb is a 4* DT out of New Jersey who Rivals ranks 78th overall in the nation. He stands 6’2” and 290 pounds. He finished his junior season with 94 tackles (wow), 9 sacks, and 3 fumble recoveries. Impressive. Webb has over 20 offers including Michigan, Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State, and Oklahoma. Webb plans on visiting Michigan, and probably with friend and teammate Dajaun Drennon (4* DE with a Michigan offer). Even though Webb has high interest in Michigan, what’s interesting is that him and Drennon want to be a package deal and attend the same university. Even more interesting? Drennon has stated that Michigan is #1 on his list. Webb says distance will not be a factor. Praising Michigan, he says, “Michigan is legendary, Michigan has the Big House and great coaching staff, and the best d-line play I’ve seen in the Big Ten.” Awesome. Him and Drennon plan on visiting together. Could be great news.