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.

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.

Four Michigan Commits Get Invite To "The Opening"

Photo Credit: Nike

Aside from the Elite 11, there was also the NFTC on Saturday, and if you got picked, you earned a spot in the Opening. Michigan was well represented here with 4 getting an invite to "The Opening" later on: Shane Morris, David Dawson, Mike McCray, and Taco Charlton all took part in the events. However, Logan Tulley-Tillman, and Khalid Hill also made the trip to the event.

This was a loaded camp, and all 7 spots to the finals in Oregon were given to Michigan and Ohio commits. 4 to Michigan, 3 to Ohio. David Dawson took home OL MVP Honors, literally dominating all the opposition, including getting the best of touted Ohio commit Billy Price according to TomVH's reports.  There's a reason this kid is the #1 OG in the country and is still being heavily recruited. While some people worry, I think he's going to stay committed here.. David is all Michigan and he's going to be huge for the offensive line along with big man LTT. While Tillman didn't get an invite, he definitely showed his strength and why he's going to be the anchor for the Michigan offensive line. Leading the offense to winning all of the tug of war drills, he showed his size and strength are going to be something difficult for defenders to deal with in the future.

Photo Credit: MGoBlog

Mike McCray definitely balled out as well, taking home Linebacker MVP honors. He showed his great athleticism and versatility, beating out some very stiff competition and earning an invite to the opening as well. Linebacker was a definite need for the coaches looking at the 2013 class and McCray is definitely one of the guys that was big in filling that need. Taco Charlton also got an invite, just bull rushing offensive linemen and everyone knows about his speed off the edge as always giving linemen fits. To me Taco is an elite passrusher and is going to be great at the next level getting in the backfield. Michigan has always been known for having great defense, these two guys definitely fit right in with that tradition and I'm excited to see them in maize and blue.

Coming off his Elite 11 MVP, Shane Morris was also here competing. While he didnt take away MVP honors at QB, he still performed and earned an invite to the Opening. I've said it before and I'll say it again, he's listed the #4 pocket passer on ESPN, but I definitely think that's going to change very soon. He's just going to keep proving people wrong and we will all see his ranking go up. TE Khalid Hill was also there today. To me he's underrated as well, (really all of Michigan's commits are in my opinion). While Khalid didn't earn an invite, he still performed well against some tough competition. Khalid is only rated a 3-Star on ESPN and I definitely think as he keeps on improving he's going to get the love that he deserves from all the experts and we will all see him go up. With the departure of Kevin Koger I like that we have a TE in Hill.  He will be a great addition to this offense in the future.

While all of the guys didn't get invites they did great and if people don't know about these future Michigan men, they better get to know them.  Team 134 is no joke and as this class closes, I believe it will remain the #1 recruiting class in the nation. All of these guys are elite prospects and will do great things for Michigan at the next level. It's a great sign that the class is so talented at the regional and national levels, is staying so close, and developing together.  Many recruiting classes don't unite until they arrive on campus in the fall for their freshmen year.  However, this class is different and is one of the main reasons why they should be a class to remember for Michigan fans.  For more details on the camp that I described above, check out ESPN.

Get to Know Mike McCray

Commitment #14 for the 2013 class was 4* outside linebacker Mike McCray out of Trotwood, OH. Rivals ranks him 44th overall in the nation and he had more than 20 offers including ones from Nebraska and Oklahoma. This kid is a beast. He stands 6’4” and 230 pounds and runs a 4.61 second 40. He is also on the ESPNU 150 Watch List, making him...wait for it, our TWELFTH ESPNU 150 Watch List commit. Wow. 

He is also our 12th 4* commit of the 2013 class, giving us one more than 2012’s top-10 class. Reread that sentence please. It’s March, fergodssake. This also makes 12 of our 16 commits in the Rivals250. Michigan also now has 7 Rivals100 commits, the most since getting 7 in the 2006 class. I could keep going about how ridiculous this class is, but you get the point. 

McCray came from the same high school as Roy Roundtree, Michael Shaw, and Brandon Moore. Even though McCray doesn’t have an OSU offer yet, I can promise you Urban will try to flip him. McCray's father played for Ohio State back in the day. McCray’s head coach at Trotwood-Madison called him one of his best athletes ever. Once again, a testament to Hoke’s eye for talent. 

McCray chose Michigan over his top-6 of Michigan, Oklahoma, Arizona, Tennessee, Illinois, and South Carolina. 

He was also kind enough to let me interview him for a few minutes. 

Me: How does it feel to be a part of the #1 recruiting class in the country? I know it's early, but Michigan is off to an unprecedented start with 16 verbal commits already!

Mike: It feels great to be apart of the #1 recruiting class in the country.

Me: Are you more comfortable knowing that there are 6 other commits from Ohio? Does it kinda show how the new coaching staff is much more willing to recruit Ohio and the midwest than in the past?

Mike: Yes, I am more comfortable knowing that there are 6 commits from Ohio and I have talked to all the others that have committed to Michigan. It shows that the new coaching staff really wants to get guys from Ohio and around this area.

Me: What are you most excited for when you get to campus?

Mike: What I am most is excited about is everything Michigan has to offer, like the fans, other students who attend the University of Michigan, and the other sports that go on around campus.

Me: Did you feel rushed at all to commit knowing the linebacker position situation at UM this year? Or did you feel it was right and wanted to get things over with? Or a little bit of both?

Mike: I really didn’t feel rushed because I knew that UM was the place I wanted to be. I just wanted to get it over with because I was ready.

Me: Who do you talk to the most in this recruiting class? Have you made friends with any of the recruits?

Mike: I have talked to Shane Morris, Jaron Dukes, Taco Charlton, Jake Butt, and Dymonte Thomas. Well, pretty much everyone who has committed already.

Me: I see that you retweet a lot of congratulatory messages from Michigan fans. How does that make you feel, knowing how much Wolverine Nation is behind you?

Mike: It makes me feel like I won't be leaving home because I know I will have a lot of support and people behind my teammates and I. It makes me feel wanted and that is a great feeling.

Me: You've probably been asked this more than any other commit from Ohio, and it's probably because of your familial connections to Ohio State, but do you feel strange at all knowing you will be playing at Michigan, whereas your own father played for their arch rival? Is it exciting?

Mike: No, it won't feel strange because I know my dad went to Ohio State because that was the best place for him and I know that Michigan is the best place for me and I know both my parents will support me any where that I went.

Me: Any last words?

Mike: GO BLUE! AND FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @BIGPLAYMCCRAY_9 [laughes].

Mike seems like a stand-up guy and I especially liked his answer about playing at Michigan versus his father who played at OSU. He understands that playing college football is different for each individual, and knowing his parents are behind his decision is a big deal. McCray is an excellent addition to the 2013 class. 

Commitment #14: LB Mike McCray

It’s official. Commitment #14 for the 2013 class is 4* outside linebacker Mike McCray out of Trotwood, OH. This was semi-expected as McCray’s visit has been planned for a little while now, and he had just cancelled his Tennessee visit last weekend. Michigan fans: THIS IS A HUGE GET.

Do not underestimate Mr. McCray. Well actually, why would you? Rivals ranks him 44th overall in the nation. He has more than 20 offers including ones from Michigan, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. This kid is a beast. He stands 6’4” and 230 pounds and runs a 4.61 second 40. He is also on the ESPNU 150 Watch List, making him...wait for it, our ELEVENTH ESPNU 150 Watch List commit. Wow. 

He is also our 11th 4* commit of the 2013 class, matching 2012’s top-10 class. Reread that sentence please. It’s March, fergodssake. This also makes 12 of our 14 commits in the Rivals250. Michigan also now has 7 Rivals100 commits, the most since getting 7 in the 2006 class. I could keep going about how ridiculous this class is, but you get the point. 

McCray came from the same high school as Roy Roundtree, Michael Shaw, and Brandon Moore. Even though McCray doesn’t have an OSU offer yet, I can promise you Urban will try to flip him. McCray's father played for Ohio State back in the day. McCray’s head coach at Trotwood-Madison called him one of his best athletes ever. Once again, a testament to Hoke’s eye for talent. 

McCray chose Michigan over his top-6 of Michigan, Oklahoma, Arizona, Tennessee, Illinois, and South Carolina.

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. 

This Weekend's Visitors

Linebacker and defensive tackle are our biggest needs for the remainder of the 2013 class. This could be a good week (and month!) for Michigan. 

Reminder: this last may change. I’ll update as soon as I hear anything else. 

1. 4* CB Tim Harris out of Richmond, VA (visit has been changed to March 10th)

Harris is an excellent 4* cornerback with surprisingly few offers. Rivals ranks him 161st in the nation and he has excellent height and weight for a cornerback. He stands 6’2” and 173 pounds and he also runs a 4.48 second 40. He holds 6 offers, Michigan, Ohio State, Rutgers, Tennessee, Virginia, and Virginia Tech. It’s very interesting to me that his only two Big Ten offers come from Michigan and Ohio State. Harris, however, has said multiple times that the school to beat is Virginia. It was his first offer and he is intrigued by the idea of staying close to home. He does not plan on deciding any time soon. We’ll see if that changes if he does indeed visit this weekend.

2. 4* LB Ben Gedeon out of Hudson, OH

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 have been trying to convince him otherwise. 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...

3. 4* DT Darius Latham out of Indianapolis, IN (visit date has been changed)

We all know DT is a position of need for the 2013 class. Latham is an excellent 4* DT out of Indiana. He stands 6’5” and 275 pounds. He has an impressive offer list, including offers from Michigan, Auburn, Florida, and Tennessee. Latham has the size and athleticism to play on both sides of the ball, which is something the coaches are interested in. There’s not much news out on Latham other than he’s pretty awesome. Good enough for me. 

4. 4* LB Mike McCray out of (Tuesday visit)

McCray is a 4* outside linebacker who Rivals ranks 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. He is good friends with Michigan commits from Ohio, Taco Charlton and Jaron Dukes. He has said that he could see himself at Michigan. The good news is McCray plans on visiting on March 6th and has just decided that he will announce his college choice on March 8th, which of course bodes well for Wolverine Nation. 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. Rivals came out with an early list of the top Ohio prospects yesterday and McCray was #5. Ridiculous considering the talent coming out of Ohio this year. Hopefully we hear good news on the 8th. McCray's top-6 include Michigan, Oklahoma, Arizona, Tennessee, Illinois, and South Carolina.

Side note: Sounds like 4* LB Dorian O’Daniel has Michigan atop his list. As does 4* LB E.J. Levenberry. Do we have room for more than 2 LBs? As I said, I think Gedeon is a long-shot despite him saying he’s high on Michigan. We’ll see...

As I also said before, I favor O’Daniel and Levenberry over any other LBs. According to Rivals, O’Daniel is 37th in the nation and Levenberry is 15th (potential 5* alert). Not to mention the potential effect of O’Daniel’s commitment on friend and teammate 5* CB Kendall Fuller. I’m getting myself excited!

Michigan's Options at Linebacker

Now that the offensive line is all committed, I believe Coach Hoke’s next major interest will lie in the linebacker position. This is because our main needs are basically already filled. Let me explain...

In regards to offense, we have our QB (Shane Morris). We have one running back (Wyatt Shallman), and we know who the other one we want is (Ty Isaac). Same with the wide receiver position; we have one wide receiver (Jaron Dukes), and we know who the other one we want is (Laquon Treadwell). Granted we may take a third wide receiver, but we’ll see. We have two tight ends (Khalid Hill and Jake Butt), and will probably try to get one more (Jacob Matuska or Scott Orndoff). And we have 5 top-notch offensive linemen (Kyle Bosch, David Dawson, Chris Fox, Patrick Kugler, and Logan Tuley-Tillman). We may take one more (Ethan Pocic or Colin McGovern), but we’ll see.

In regards to defense, we have our defensive end (Taco Charlton). We need two defensive tackles; this is an area in which we have no commits so this will be another big focus. We have one cornerback (Jourdan Lewis) and will try to get one more (Kendall Fuller is on my wish list). We have our safety (Dymonte Thomas) and that’ll probably be it for that position unless we can somehow land someone like Su’a Cravens (he would probably play running back or linebacker for us). And that covers our 2013 needs.

As you can see, we’re on our way nicely to the 2013 class save the linebacker and defensive tackle positions. I think we’re pretty lax (if you consider a year before Signing Day lax) regarding these two positions because of how well we recruited them last year (see Ondre Pipkins, James Ross, Royce Jenkins-Stone, Joe Bolden). Anyway, back to the point of this post. Who are Michigan’s options for the linebacker position for 2013?

Michigan has extended offers to 12 linebackers across the country (11 outside linebackers and 1 middle linebacker). Keep in mind these numbers are meaningless because new offers go out every day. Also, the coaches have the position they want the recruit to play in mind, so it doesn’t really matter what a site like Scout, for example, has them as. This list includes names like Alex Anzalone, Ben Gedeon, Michael Hutchings, E.J. Levenberry, Mike McCray, Dorian O’Daniel, and Jaylon Smith. All excellent players. All excellent athletes. 

Michigan is planning on taking between 2-3 linebackers in the 2013 class. I’m interested in 5 in particular...mainly because those 5 are interested in Michigan. Hey, do you blame me? Well to be honest, that’s not the main reason. The main reason is that these guys are studs. The second reason is that they’re very interested in Michigan. Let’s get to it. 

1. Alex Anzalone

Anzalone is a 4* outside linebacker out of Wyomissing, PA. Rivals doesn’t give him a national ranking like all the linebackers below, which is strange because he is given 4 stars and has an incredible offer list. Offers include Michigan, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and South Carolina. I believe Anzalone is the latest linebacker we’ve offered. He is also planning a Michigan visit next month. Anzalone says that Michigan is currently in his top-5 and that he wants to commit sometime before his senior season.

2. Michael Hutchings

Hutchings is an early 4* outside linebacker out of Concord, CA. Rivals ranks him 17th overall in the nation, which means he will probably end up getting another star. He has lots of offers including ones from Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, and USC. He stands 6’2” and 210 pounds. His vertical is 29 inches. Freak. Athlete. My kinda guy. He’s versatile enough to play strong safety and running back also. Hutchings has said that distance would not be a factor in his recruitment, but he does not plan on making any decisions any time soon. However, Michigan was one of his first offers, and he remembers that. He said it’s special because Michigan realized his potential early on. 

3. 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. He is good friends with Michigan commits from Ohio, Taco Charlton and Jaron Dukes. He has said that he could see himself at Michigan. The good news is McCray plans on visiting on March 6th and has just decided that he will announce his college choice on March 8th, which of course bodes well for Wolverine Nation. 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. Hopefully we hear good news on the 8th. McCray's top-6 include Michigan, Oklahoma, Arizona, Tennessee, Illinois, and South Carolina.

4. 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. We 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 does not plan on making a decision any time soon. 

5. 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 will be visiting Michigan on April 14th (the Spring Game) along with teammate Kendall Fuller. O’Daniel has admitted to favoring Michigan but he will not name Michigan "the favorite.” I believe that will change in April. 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. I’m thinking the Spring Game could be a great day. 

Now I broke down 5 recruits for you. They’re all great players, however I’m hoping for these 3 in specific (if in fact we take 3): Mike McCray, E.J. Levenberry, and Dorian O’Daniel. Why those three? Well other than the fact that they’re excellent athletes, I have underlying motives. I’m sneaky like that. 

McCray would be great to get because he would be another huge steal from right under Urban’s nose (see Taco Charlton, Jake Butt). The kid is a special talent and frankly it’s shocking that he doesn’t have an Ohio State offer. Come on down, Mr. McCray. 

Levenberry is just phenomenal. He is going to end up being one of the top recruits in the entire nation at any position. To land him would be incredible considering his offer list. It would truly show the power of Coach Hoke since that would clearly be the primary reason for Levenberry’s decision.

O’Daniel would be an amazing get simply because it would further improve Hoke’s recruiting chances in the state of Maryland in general and Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in specific. Kendal Fuller, the 5* cornerback I mentioned above, is the third Good Counsel player since 2009 to earn 5* status, the others being linebacker Jelani Jenkins (2009) and wide receiver Stefon Diggs (2012). If we were to snatch him (or O’Daniel, or both), future Good Counsel players could see what we do with players like him and Blake Countess and Michigan could put a stamp on the impressive football school. Not to mention the fact that landing O’Daniel wouldn’t hurt our chances with 5* CB Kendall Fuller.  

Overall, I believe Michigan has great options at linebacker. Anyone we land will probably be fantastic but I just wanted to share with you why I favored those 3 in specific. Here’s to hoping they go Blue!