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.

Catching Up With Michael Hutchings

Hutchings was a great interview. He seems wise beyond his years and is just taking the recruiting process as it comes. Although there’s been rumors out there that he’s another SC lock, he seems pretty open at the moment. Anything can change though, and quickly.

In case you don’t know, Hutchings is a beast. Rivals ranks the 4* outside linebacker from Concordia, CA as the 4th best at his position and 17th in the nation, a clear candidate for a 5th star. He stands 6’2” and 210 pounds and holds offers from schools like Michigan, Cal, Miami (FL), Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, and USC. He has plenty to choose from...

Learn about him here. 

Me: What is the general aura regarding how California prospects view the Midwest?

Michael: There isn’t one common thought for all of us, I just feel like it’s tough to pull a kid from out of California if they have a Stanford or USC offer because they are both going atop the BCS rankings each year and it’s right in our backyard. The Midwest is cold and deserted to us. There's nothing there.

Me: What about schools like Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Wisconsin?

Michael: Those are all schools that will receive an official visit from a California kid and a top recruit because of the history of each. You have to give them a look for that reason. 

Me: I know that you’ve heard about Joe Mathis's visit to Michigan, and how much he loved it. Does that make you want to think about possibly coming for a visit yourself, to see what the commotion is about?

Michael: Yeah, it definitely draws some interest and makes me want to see what’s going on. The amount of commits Michigan gets immediately after a visit is incredible. 

Me: Have any Michigan commits approached you about Michigan? What do you think about that?

Michael: I've talked to Shane [Morris], but that's about it. He just said that Michigan can sell itself.

Me: What do you think are you biggest strengths as an athlete? Weaknesses?

Michael: My biggest strength would be my versatility; I can play a few different positions on defense. My weakness would be my size at linebacker...I’m a tweener. 

Me: Are you still enjoying the recruiting process or are you kind of over it?

Michael: I’m over it now. It started out as fun, but now it’s getting a little irritating. 

Me: Do you have a top-5?

Michael: I do not have a top-5, I don’t know why that was going around. Reporters switched my words up.

Me: When do you plan on deciding?

Me: Hopefully deciding in the summer. 

Catching up with Joe Mathis

Joe had promised me an interview after his Nebraska visit, and we finally got around to it. I'm sure all of you heard how he fell in love with Michigan after his visit and then he went and fell in love with Nebraska right after that visit...

Although strange, I do think that Joe wants to play football somewhere other than California. The impression I got is that he fits in more with the Midwest players. I would not be shocked if he ends up committing somewhere in the west coast, but if we were to lure Mathis to Michigan, it would be a huge get. Rivals ranks Mathis the 9th defensive end in his class and the 98th best player in the nation. Scout ranks him the 8th defensive end, and 247 ranks him 11th. He was also ranked 120th on ESPN's top 150 players in the nation. 

I also think it's very important for the coaching staff to have a presence in California, which they already do to an extent. Mathis would only extend that presence. 

Check it out...

Me: How was your Nebraska visit?

Joe: It was nice, you know, I talked to the head coach and all the coaches and players. I got to spend a lot of time with them. It was really nice. 

Me: What was the biggest difference between Nebraska and Michigan?

Joe: Michigan, I only got to spend a little time with the coaches, but at Nebraska, I spent a lot of time with the coaches. 

Me: Do you think it’s realistic for you to come play football all the way out in the Midwest?

Joe: Yeah, I really want to leave California. I wanna play in the Big Ten. 

Me: So is it true that Nebraska is your new #1?

Joe: [Laughing] Yeah, it’s true. It felt like home, you know. Michigan was cool, I got a lot of love from the fans and stuff, but the coaches -- I needed to spend more time with them. Three hours that Friday night weren’t enough. 

Me: Are you still a planning an official out to Michigan? 

Joe: Yeah, definitely.

Me: What is the biggest difference between California and the Midwest, in terms of football?

Joe: In California, the fans aren’t really into it and there’s not so much tradition because we have so many teams. But in the Midwest, teams have so much tradition. In the Midwest, they think football is like god over there [laughing]. 

Me: What is the one thing you’re most looking for in your future school?

Joe: Just coaches that can make me even better, get me to the next level, and coach me up until I get to that next level. I like lifting weights so I’m looking for a good weight program, and you know, and a good business program too. 

Me: Do you have a top-5?

Joe: No, it’s Michigan and Nebraksa and that’s it. 

Me: When do you plan on deciding?

Joe: Umm, I wanna decide at one of the All-American games, but not during the season because the recruiting might get too hectic. I’m not sure yet, but time will tell. 

Me: So a lot of people are saying you’re a USC lock. What do you think of that?

Joe: WHAT?! Just because I’m a Cali boy, that don’t mean anything. I’m open to anyone, whatever school is going at me the hardest is gonna get me. Whatever school is gonna need me and want me the most is gonna get me. SC already has a couple [defensive] commits. I like USC but they already got some [defensive] commits. 

Me: Are you still enjoying the recruiting process or are you kind of over it?

Joe: It’s not really enjoying it as much as I’m trying to deal with it. When I was a freshman, I started hearing about recruiting and I wanted it so bad. I had to come back to reality because I was only a freshman. When I got my first offer (Indiana), I jumped off the roof. I was going crazy. I thought that was very cool. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with the coaches and I feel bad if I don’t call the coaches back at times. I get like 30 calls a day from writers and reporters, it’s crazy.

It's definitely way too early for someone like Joe, but I do believe he's very open to playing in Big Ten country. Time will tell...