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.  

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.

Updated ESPN150, Michigan Continues to Dominate

The Wolverines continue to dominate the 2013 recruiting class with players like Shane Morris, David Dawson, and Logan Tuley-Tillman. Michigan has 11 commits in the newest updated ESPN150 list, and now we break them down.

32. Shane Morris (QB)
It's no surprise that Shane Morris is still the top 2013 recruit for the Wolverines. As the first big-time recruit at QB for Brady Hoke, Morris has already made a loud name for himself by winning MVP honors at the Columbus Elite 11 camp. Everyone is very excited to get this kid on campus, and it's easy to see why.

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.

Getting To Know 2013 OL Commit Kyle Bosch

Today I had the chance to talk to 4* Offensive Tackle commit Kyle Bosch and let me tell you, I was more than impressed.  Kyle is 6'5" 285 pounds and ranked 8th at his position on Rivals.  He's part of the many All American linemen that are coming in for this 2013 class.  We chatted for a little while and I was able to ask him some questions and he gave me some great answers so here they are.


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Hoke's Mad Magicians: How does it feel being part of the #1 Recruiting Class in the country?

Kyle: I'm really excited about it and it's a great honor.  We had that crazy day back in February where 5 of us committed at one time it was a pretty cool thing to see.  If my phone had died for a day or two I easily could have missed out and not have the chance to play for Michigan. With this class I easily see us playing for a National championship by my Junior year, Rose Bowl all of that.


HMM: Michigan has recruited some monster offensive linemen in 2012 and 2013, yourself being one of them, how excited are you are about that?


Kyle: I love it, the coaches told me that they are going back to the pro style offense when I get there so it's going to be fun to get in the trenches, get dirty and compete.  Bringing guys in like Henry Poggi and Maurice Hurst is going to make for some great competition in practice especially guys like Taco who have great speed off the edge.  I'm looking forward to it.


HMM:  Alright I have to ask, what do you think about Logan Tuley-Tillman and the whole "burning the letter" situation?


Kyle:  Ya know, he's a kid and sure maybe it was a little unneccesary or inappropriate, but at the end of the day we are just kids.  Then you have a 43 year old Ohio State fan sending him and his mother death threats, it's just sickening.  I think the Ohio State recruiting coordinators are somewhat to blame, why keep sending him letters? I also think the media blew it way out of proportion, sure it was unneccesary but it was on USA Today.  My tweet also I think got taken out of context I said if they want to threaten Logan on the way to my house they better bring a gun and by no means was I saying I'm going to shoot anyone. I was just defending Logan and they had better bring one with them when they stop by my house because that's just the type of guy I am.  Logan is my brother and I'd put my life on the line for him just like I know he would for me.  I understand being passionate about your program but that's just outta line, at the end of the day we are just 16-17 year old kids and God love em for giving us all the media attention.


HMM:  Recruiting can be a pretty crazy process, are you glad to be committed and just have the process overwith?


Kyle:  It's definitely nice to be overwith.  I'll be honest, I kind of had reservations at first about committing so early, but at the end of the day UofM is my home.  I have no ill will towards MSU, it's a great program and they have great coaches.  I built a great relationship with the staff over there and to me they're the spitting image of Coach Hoke and the staff at Michigan.  They really care about you as a person and want to make sure you develop into a great man and that you succeed in life after football.  That's why I had Michigan, MSU, and Stanford in my top 3 because I felt all of those programs had a you as person first feel.  They aren't all about collecting paychecks they genuinely care about you.  I was looking for a home, and Michigan was definitely it.  I've been all over the country checking out different schools but when you know you know so why not pull the trigger and commit.  I tried making a highlight film using that Huddle program, needless to say it wasn't a success.  Took me over 3 hours to make 1:31 of film. I just said to heck with it haha.


HMM:  With the recent blow up of Twitter and social media, how big of an advantage do you think all of the Team 134 commits have when they set foot on campus given the bond that you have all built with each other?


Kyle:  Absolutely a big advantage.  We're all very close and that's just going to transition into the football field.  As for me, I'm enrolling early so I will get a jump on things.  To tell you the truth, I wish I knew more of the 2012 freshmen because I am going to be getting there early.  I do know the Glasgow brothers because I played against them in high school, I also talk to Taylor Lewan and Kenny Demens every now and then so it shouldn't be too bad.  I'm just really excited and looking forward to it.


HMM:  Are you doing any recruiting yourself, there's still a few more spots open in your class?

Kyle: To be honest, not a whole lot, I was on Ty Isaac pretty hard for a long time and then he chose to attend USC. I was like, oh man, did I say something wrong haha.  But no good on him and I wish him the best of luck, hopefully he sees the light and decomits haha. I've known Henry for a while also we've camped quite often so I feel like I helped out a little bit with him.  He kept it pretty quiet, even the day that he committed early that morning I asked him if he was going to commit and he said, oh I don't know man, it's too soon.  Then the coaches told me so I had to call him and give him a hard time about it haha.  I've also been on Laquon Treadwell pretty hard.  I talk to him a lot and his mom seemed to be impressed with what I knew about Michigan.  They are ranked 16th in the world as a university, Notre Dame is 131st I think which is remarkable to me.  Mrs. Treadwell was very impressed with that.  A lot of people don't know about this program Michigan has called M Pact.  It's basically where UofM alums come back and interview football players and other student athletes helping you get set up with a job and opportunities for life after sports if you don't go pro.   Again it shows that Michigan really cares about you as a person and that was one of the major factors in me choosing them. I also think that there's only going to be 2 or 3 more kids taken in this class, WR, RB, DB.


HMM: Alright let's hear something about you that the fans may not know, non-football related?


Kyle: Oh jeez, nothing too flashy about me I'm just your typical smashmouth offensive lineman.  I love the outdoors, hunting and fishing.  Going to movies with friends, stuff like that.

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I've gotta tell you, I was blown away with Kyle.  He's definitely mature beyond his years and shows just what type of kids Coach Hoke is bringing in to Ann Arbor.  He's respectful, kind, and you can tell that he cares about his teammates and is a hard worker.  I had told him I was in the Navy and he took an immediate interest in that, asking me questions about it, as his cousin is in the Navy over in Afghanistan right now.  Great person and easy to talk to.  He also dropped a little hint at how the coaches are looking to finish the class up.  Now, obviously he isn't Coach Hoke, but him saying WR, RB, DB sounds about right haha.  It will be interesting to see how things finish up.  Kyle had said he'd love to do another interview with me again, so I will most definitely be catching back up with him sometime during his senior season to see how things are going.  This kid is a great fit for Michigan and we should all be thankful that he is part of this amazing class.

Michigan Scores Big In New Rivals Rankings

Alright everybody, first thing's first, I gotta apologize for my "non-existence" as of late. The Navy is crazy demanding and I've been tied up with handling business as far as that goes.  But I'm back and I know I'm late to the party, but as many of you may know the updated Rivals 250 is out! Michigan debuts at #1 in the team rankings for the 2013 recruiting class. But where do the "experts" have our commits at? Well I'll tell you and then I'll let you know what I think about it.

At the tops of the list for Michigan commits is QB Shane Morris at #22. He actually moved down, which confused me.  Max Browne is the only QB commit ranked ahead of him.  I've seen highlight tape from Browne and Morris and I gotta be honest, Shane has a better arm and is more athletic. Now, some could say I'm biased because Shane is commited to Michigan and Browne to USC, but there is a clear difference in the tape. If you watched it, you would feel the same way.  Shane is ranked as a 4 star right now and close to a 5 star (according to Rivals) but in my eyes say he's a 5 star.  This is a recruit that fans should be familiar with and if not, they need to get familiar with him before he arrives on campus.

Next on the list is LB Mike McCray coming in at #55.  Mike is one of many commits that Coach Hoke and co. have "poched" out of ohio haha.  At 6'4" and 230 pounds he will be a beast at LB, and him coming in along with 2012 LB commits he goes along way towards improving a much improved defense from 2011.  Mike was recently in the news when he received an offer from rival "Ohio."  As many of us know, Mike is very close with fellow commit Logan Tulley-Tillman.  We all know about LTT haha.  Some speculated that the Buckeyes were trying to break them up but Mike reassured us all that he is firmly commited to Michigan.  He is ranked as a 4 star as well.  He won MVP honors at the NFTC camp earlier this summer and I believe is very close to a 5 star talent.  Let's see if the experts agree with me as the year goes on.

Chris Fox.  Right behind McCray coming in at #57.  Big time Offensive Tackle out of Colorado coming in at 6'6" 297 pounds.  Brady Hoke is a defensive line coach and we all know how much he believes in winning in the trenches.  Well, Mr. Fox is one of many commits between 2012 and 2013 that is going towards rebuilding the dominance that we are all accustom to Michigan having on the offensive line.  Chris is also a 4 star according to Rivals and is one of many reasons I am excited to see Michigan moving towards what used to be a smashmouth run it down your throat style of offense. I'm sure touted QB commit Shane Morris has no problem with the great talent coming in at offensive line.

#73 is Patrick Kugler.  Monster offensive tackle and son of Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line coach Sean Kugler he defintely knows what he's doing playing offensive line.  Patrick is a 4 star according to Rivals and comes in at 6'5" 280 pounds.  The experts all say he has a mean streak but also is very technically sound.  Well why wouldn't he be his father is the line coach for the Steelers and let's face it for many years they have been the blueprint for how to play line in the NFL.  The amazing technique would be enough for me but when you throw in the fact that he has a mean streak oh man just makes it that much better.  I love the offensive line haul and Kugler just makes it that much better.

Kyle Bosch comes in at #77.  You guessed it he's another awesome offensive line commit for Michigan.  He adds to the plethera of linemen commits for Brady Hoke at 6'5" 285 pounds he's another big guy on this line.  I'm not saying the offensive line has been horrible but definitely been a bit undersized and Kyle helps add to the bulking up of the line and getting back to Michigan football.  Kyle is a 4-star according to Rivals and is another reason why Michigan debuts with the #1 recruiting class for 2013.  I love me some smashmouth in your face football and I am excited to see Kyle in maize and blue.

Dymonte Thomas at #95.  Now he is also a 4-star and he along with Shane Morris is really the foundation for this amazing class.  He and Shane are the first two commits and don't get me wrong I love Morris but Dymonte is my favorite commit in this class.  Personally I love a badass ball hawking safety that makes plays and will flat lay you out.  Dymonte has put in pretty decent work at RB but he really excels at safety.  At 6'1" 175 pounds he's got good size and with the improvement of the secondary from a year go Dymonte will fight right in when he arrives on campus.  He's ranked 9th at the position but to me he is underrated.  He along with many other Michigan commits will show why. 

TE Jake Butt is ranked #118.  I was real excited when Jaked pledged his commitment.  With Kevin Koger leaving we could definitely use another great TE.  These guys are safety blankets for QB's and are great weapons in the red zone.  Jakie is a 4-star and at 6'6" 230 pounds he will be exactly what I said he is going to be and that's a weapon in the red zone.  He can go up and get the ball, also has great speed and hands.  He is incredibly tough to matchup with for defenders because let's face it at 6'6" he's too tall for corners or safeties and he's too quick for linebackers.  I love this kid's game and he is going to prosper very well being on the opposite end of Shane Morris' passes.

CB Jourdan Lewis comes in at #147.  Jourdan has been blowing up lately with his performances at summer camps.  One of many reasons is his speed.  This kid can flat out fly and I love it.   Jourdan is out of Michigan pipeline Detroit Cass Tech and we all know the type of talent that comes out of there.  He's 5'11" and 170 pounds also rated at a 4-star.  He's rated 10th at his position and I believe he could be a Blake Countess type of talent.  Let's face it he's still got his senior year to develop before he even steps on campus.  I'm very excited for another cornberback with good size and speed to arrive in Ann Arbor.

Monster Guard David Dawson is rated at #171.  As David's twitter name is at MrUnderrated, it definitely fits because let's face it...171?  That's insane in my opinion.  He has dominated every camp that he has been to this summer.  He's rated as a 4-star and is another great product of Detroit Cass Tech.  At 6'5" and 305 pounds he's a beast on the line and literally manhandles defensive linemen.  At the NFTC he won MVP honors and dominated everyone he went up against including touted Ohio commit Billy Price.  Mr. Dawson has made quite the commotion on twitter but let's face it this kid has been through alot and I believe has handled himself very well.  Some people have had him on "decommit watch" but I certainly was not one of them.  He has said on many occasions that he is a Michigan man and I believe him.  Great kid and great talent and another amazing addition to a great offensive line.

Taco Charlton is ranked #175.  Along with Mr. Dawson I believe Taco is underrated.  He has been camping alot this summer and everyone raves about his superior speed off the edge and for good reason.  He has been unblockable in one-on-one drills.  He's another ohio guy and at 6'6" 240 pounds, rated as a 4-star he's a speedy defensive end and has amazing speed off the edge.  Guys seem to have a lot of trouble with his speed.  It's been a while since Michigan has had an "elite" pass rusher and I believe Taco may be it.  Rivals has him rated 8th at his position but let's face it, Taco is a great player and will only continue to improve this summer and in his senior year of high school before coming to Ann Arbor.

#182 is versatile player Wyatt Shallman.  Playing DE and RB for Detroit Catholic Central this kid is a monster.   He's rated 8th at his position but at 6'3" 255 pounds have fun tackling him.  Wyatt is a 4-star and is a freakish athlete.  Being able to play both sides of the ball is very important to me.  For one, it shows that he has great endurance and durability, but also has great football smarts having to be knowledgeable in two positions.  Playing RB and DE I believe helps him at both positions.  I'm excited for Wyatt's arrival at Michigan and as good as he is now, he will only be better next year.

#235 Logan Tuley-Tillman and at 6'7" 321 pounds we don't really need to talk about Logan's physical attributes.  I think he's gotten a low rating because of not so good performances at camps this summer, but he has had a bum left shoulder, which has definitely taken its toll on him.  However, I like the fact that he still goes out there and competes and still does a pretty good job, even if he's not 100%.  He's a 4-star and ranked 24th at his position according to Rivals.  If you don't know about Logan on the field, I'm sure many of you do off the field.  There has been a lot of media uproar over his picture on twitter of lighting the Ohio recruiting letter on fire.  Personally, I love what he did, being a Michigan fan myself.  This is the greatest rivalry in sports and he's just adding to it.  He didn't do anything wrong and I think the way many Ohio fans are reacting to him and the things they are saying to him are way inappropriate and uncalled for. Keep doing your thing Logan.  When he gets back to being 100% I belive he will dominate camps and improve on his low ranking.

At #237 is Ben Gedeon.  4-star LB out of you guessed it, Ohio.  Another amazing pick up for Brady Hoke Ben is 6'3" 215 pounds and is another two way player.  Is a pretty darn good RB but Michigan has definitely brought him in for his great skills at LB.  Along with Mike McCray Ben is a great prospect at linebacker and will do wonders for revamping this always improving Michigan defense.

Alright so there's all the Michigan commits in the newly updated Rivals 250.  In my "expert" opinion haha, Michigan has a lot of underrated recruits.  Outsiders looking in could say, oh you're just biased because you love Michigan.  You're right I do love Michigan, but I'm not biased.  Check the tape people.  Michigan has the #1 recruiting class in the nation for a reason.  I definitely think there are people missing such as Deveon Smith the #1 rated running back in Ohio...where is he at?  I would take Morris over Max Browne any day of the week and he even qualified for the Elite 11 finals before Browne did, yet Morris is still rated lower. C'mon man!  Michigan commits have always received low rankings especially on the expert sites.  David Dawson holds offers from every major program in the country  yet he's rated #171.  Something is up.  I'm not questioning the knowledge of the guys at Rivals, but I definitely think the Michigan commits' standings will be changing over the summer and the following year.  Even with the disrespect they are still the #1 class in the country right now and should be for a long time.

Wolverines Gain 4 Commits

We all knew there was going to be nine visitors on campus today, but what we didn’t know was that there would be FOUR new Wolverine pledges, making that 7 for the 2013 class a year before Signing Day! Coach Hoke is bringing it. And 2013 QB commit Shane Morris wasn’t kidding when he tweeted a warning that recruits better hop on quick! 

Hoke’s Mad Magicians would like to welcome 4* OL Kyle Bosch (Rivals ranks him 60th in the nation), 4* ATH Wyatt Shallman (Rivals ranks him 160th in the nation), 4* DB Jourdan Lewis (Rivals ranks him 167th in the nation) and 4* OL David Dawson (Rivals ranks him 199th in the nation). That’s FOUR Rivals250 in one day. Wow. Here’s a little more information on our newest Wolverines. 

4* OL Kyle Bosch (Wheaton, IL)

Bosch is a 4-star prospect out of Illinois who, according to Rivals is ranked 60th in the nation. He is 6’5” and 285 pounds and is not only one of the best offensive linemen in the Midwest, but maybe the country. Bosch is an excellent lineman who seems very excited about his commitment. “I am now committed to the University of Michigan,” he reported. “Michigan’s really impressive. Their coaching staff is fantastic. Their facilities are fantastic. Everything there is really top of the line. Their academic support is great.” He knows what’s up. Bosch was an unexpected yet very welcome early commit to the 2013 class. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come from the state of Illinois. 

4* ATH Wyatt Shallman (Novi, MI)

Shallman is an excellent athlete who stands 6’3” and 255 pounds. Coach Hoke offered Shallman when he was a sophomore and today he pulled the trigger. He has been offered to play RB/HB at Michigan, but a lot of schools have been recruiting him on the defensive sides. Shallman said of his commitment, “There are a lot of things that sold me, but it’s just their consistency and hard work.” Shallman himself is a team player and a hard worker. He is excited to be a Wolverine. His attitude is exactly what Coach Hoke is interested in, as shown by his quote, “We’re going to go out there, hit people, and score some touchdowns.” Ain’t that the truth. 

4* DB Jourdan Lewis (Detroit, MI)

Lewis is an excellent cornerback also out of Cass Tech. He is listed at 5’11” and 170 pounds, and Rivals ranks him as the 167th player in the nation. He had Michigan at the top even before he received an offer. He has committed today after holding a Michigan offer for a few weeks now. It is widely believed that Lewis may be the best cornerback to come out of Cass Tech...and that says a lot. Lewis is excited to play with his former teammates, 2012 signees Terry Richardson and Royce Jenkins-Stone. 

4* OL David Dawson (Detroit, MI)

Dawson is a big offensive tackle listed at 6’5” and 305 pounds. He is a 4-star prospect that Rivals ranks as 199th in the nation. He is exactly what Coach Hoke is looking for at the position. Dawson says he feels right at home and sent a text message to ESPN’s Tom Van Haaren after committing saying, “I’m home! I’m home! I love the coaches, facilities, and I’m playing with the greats in college football.” A Michigan Man and a huge addition! Looks like no one’s gonna be able to touch Shane Morris. 

Fun tidbits:

• 2 commits had offers from Alabama (Kyle Bosch and David Dawson)
• Wyatt Shallman had an offer from OSU
• Both Jourdan Lewis and David Dawson are from Cass Tech, showing that Coach Hoke wants to make sure all elite Cass Tech players choose Michigan 
• Michigan's 4 commits in one day is the highest number of commitments in one day since 2003, when that stat started being recorded
• Michigan already has 7 commits for the 2013 class; we didn't get our 7th commit of the 2012 class till May 2nd, 2011
• Michigan now has 6 commits in the Rivals top 200; that's how many the 2012 class had total
• Shane Morris is trying to get us a 5th commit today

Photo Credit: Rivals

An In-Depth Look at This Weekend’s Visitors

1. OL Kyle Bosch (4* out of Wheaton, IL)

Bosch is an early 4-star prospect out of Illinois who, according to Rivals, is ranked 60th in the nation. He is 6’5” and 285 pounds and holds offers from over 20 schools, including Michigan, Michigan State, Alabama, Notre Dame, and Stanford. He is not only one of the best offensive linemen in the Midwest, but maybe the country. He would be a welcomed addition to the kind of offensive line we’ve seen Coach Hoke recruit. He says that he’s looking for a program where “there’s a good relationship between the staff and the players, and just a bunch of people I’m willing to go to war with. At the Division I level, all the places have fancy locker rooms and facilities. For me, it’s about the people.” He seems like a very intelligent kid. One would think that quote would eventually favor the Wolverines. He does not plan on making a decision any time soon.

2. TE Jake Butt (4* out of Pickerington, OH)

Butt is one recruit I’m really hoping we land. He seems like a very genuine and stand-up student-athlete. We know tight end is a position of need this year. Butt is the 96th player in the nation and he is listed at 6’6” and 230 pounds and can also play DE. He says he has great hands and will catch anything that comes his way. Most importantly, Michigan is currently his leader and no one else is “even close.” He holds almost 20 offers, but says he’s very excited about the possibility of playing with the #1 quarterback in his class, Shane Morris. Shane, of course, will be doing his best to recruit Jake this weekend. Butt has no definite decision date. 

3.DE Taco Charlton (4* out of Pickerington, OH)

I just published an in-depth post on Charlton yesterday, and you can read it here. 

4. DT Rod Crayton (currently unranked out of Dadeville, AL)

This visitor excites me because he comes 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. 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.

5. OL David Dawson (4* out of Detroit, MI)

Dawson is one of three Cass Tech players that are a late but welcome addition to the visitor list for this weekend. The other two are DT Kenton Gibbs and DB Jourdan Lewis below. Dawson is a big offensive tackle listed at 6’5” and 305 pounds. He is a 4-star prospect that Rivals ranks as 199th in the nation. He holds offers in the double digits, including an offer from Alabama, but does not hold one from Michigan yet. It is expected he will get offered on his visit this weekend. He says he has a lot to think about, but if he knows what school he wants to go to, there is no point in waiting. He also says distance is not a factor. 

6. DT Kenton Gibbs (currently unranked out of Detroit, MI)

Gibbs is another Cass Tech player who will probably receive a Michigan offer when he visits this weekend. Currently, he only holds a few MAC offers, but is starting to hear from multiple BCS schools. Gibbs is 6’2” and 290 pounds, and said to be able to battle with the best. He has the tendency to play high, but is also athletic and light on his feet. At the Best of the Midwest Elite Big Man Camp, Gibbs went head-to-head with 4-star OT Steve Elmer on at least three reps and got the best of him a majority of the time. He has the ideal three-technique defensive tackle build, and seems like someone Mattison would love to coach. 

7. DB Jourdan Lewis (4* out of Detroit, MI)

Lewis is an excellent cornerback also out of Cass Tech. He is listed at 5’11” and 170 pounds, and Rivals ranks him as the 167th player in the nation. He does hold an offer from Michigan and is very high on them. He had Michigan high even before he received an offer. He only holds one more offer from Toledo. It looks like Hoke wants to make sure he gets the best players out of Cass Tech every year, as Lewis’s teammates, LB Royce Jenkins-Stone and CB Terry Richardson are a part of our 2012 class. Lewis wanted to commit immediately after receiving his offer, but his mom wants him to take his time. As soon as his basketball season ends, he will be focusing more on his recruitment, and a commitment seems more likely then. 

8. OL Ethan Pocic (4* out of Lemont, IL)

Rivals ranks Pocic as 27th in the nation. He is a big tackle at 6’7” and 285 pounds. He holds more than 15 offers, including Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Nebraska, and USC. Pocic is a special recruit because he comes from the same high school David Molk came from. His older brother, however, plays at Illinois. He says he wants to stay in the Midwest, which bodes well for Michigan. He is a very talented tackle with very long arms. What he’s looking for most is whether he “fit[s] in with the players, the coaches, and the schemes.” He has no leader and does not plan on deciding any time soon.

9. OT Logan Tuley-Tillman (4* out of Peoria, IL)

Tuley-Tillman is an excellent offensive tackle who Rivals ranks as 109th in the nation. He has decided to join the long list of visitors this weekend, but he’s a regular at Michigan to be honest. Tuley-Tillman loves Michigan, but he’s a popular prospect with basically every offer one could imagine. He stands 6’7” and 280 pounds and has offers from schools like Alabama, Florida State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and just about any other BCS school. Before everything is said and done, Tuley-Tillman will probably receive a 5th star. He is good friends with Shane Morris and will probably be a help in bringing in other top-notch recruits to round out our 2013 class. 

Photo Credit: Rivals

February 18: Revenge and Recruits

Next Saturday, February 18, the Buckeyes visit Crisler Arena for a rematch. But that's not the only big thing going on that weekend. Next weekend, Michigan will also host multiple big-time recruits and the list is growing every day. So far...

1. OL Kyle Bosch (4* out of Wheaton, IL)

2. TE Jake Butt (4* out of Pickerington, OH)

3. DE Taco Charlton (4* out of Pickerington, OH)

4. DT Rod Crayton (currently UR out of Dadeville, AL)
5. OL David Dawson (4* out of Detroit, MI)
6. DT Kenton Gibbs (currently UR out of Detroit, MI)
7. DB Jourdan Lewis (4* out of Detroit, MI)

8. OL Ethan Pocic (4* out of Lemont, IL)
9. OT Logan Tuley-Tillman (4* out of Peoria, IL)

I will add more names as I hear, as I'm sure the list will grow. 

And of course, QB commit Shane Morris will also be there. Hopefully the Wolverines can put up a good showing against the Bucks and sway some recruits. Go Blue!

Note: Rankings obtained from Rivals. 

Photo Credit: Rivals