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| Falcon (CO) Falcon running back Kalen Ballage (image via Denver Post) |
Lewisville (TX) Hebron safety Jamal Adams was offered by Michigan. The 6'0", 189 lb. prospect claims a 4.4 forty and is an early 4-star to Rivals and 247 Sports. He also has offers from Florida, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Texas, among others. As a sophomore in 2011, he had 60 tackles and 4 interceptions. He's a big hitter with good ball skills who looks like a strong safety prospect.
Falcon (CO) Falcon running back Kalen Ballage was offered by Michigan. Ballage is a 6'2", 215 lb. running back, slot receiver, and outside linebacker, but he looks like a future college running back. His season stats are incomplete on Maxpreps, but he had at least 245 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground; 13 catches for 193 yards and 5 touchdowns; 32 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 1 sack; 3 punt returns for 79 yards; and 1 kickoff return for a 92-yard touchdown run. Ballage also has offers from Boise State, Colorado, Colorado State, and Utah, among others.
Norcross (GA) Norcross defensive end Lorenzo Carter was offered by Michigan. Carter is a 6'6", 232 lb. weakside end with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame, and Ohio State, and many others. 247 Sports has him ranked as the #1 weakside end in the nation and the #3 player overall. While the early leader appears to be the Crimson Tide, former Michigan offensive tackle Jeff Backus came from the same high school. Michigan has also pursued wide receiver Jason Croom (Tennessee) and center David Andrews (Georgia) in recent years.
Coppell (TX) Coppell defensive end Solomon Thomas was offered by Michigan. Thomas is a 6'3", 263 lb. defensive lineman with offers from Clemson, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas A&M, among others. He looks like a strongside defensive end prospect or perhaps a 3-tech defensive tackle down the road.
OFF THE BOARD
Louisville (KY) Trinity defensive end Jason Hatcher re-committed to USC. For a split second, he de-committed to consider home state schools Kentucky and Louisville.
Charlotte (NC) Mallard Creek wide receiver Marquez North committed to Tennessee. Michigan was never really in the running, but this is the third year in a row that the Wolverines have offered a Mallard Creek product, following offensive tackle D.J. Humphries (Florida) in 2012 and quarterback Marquise Williams (North Carolina) in 2011.
Arvada (CO) Ralston Valley offensive tackle Dan Skipper changed his commitment from Tennessee to Arkansas. The 6'10", 295-pounder was seriously considering Michigan at one point, but the commitment of Dan Samuelson ended Michigan's search for offensive linemen. Skipper is particularly tall and struggles to stay low, so I think Michigan's other linemen are superior prospects.
Cordova (TN) St. Benedict running back Jordan Wilkins committed to Ole Miss. Wilkins had previously been committed to Auburn.
COACHES ON THE ROAD
Here's a partial list of whom the coaches have visited in the past week:
Ty Barrett - OT - Dallas (TX) Skyline
Jalen Brady - QB - Southfield (MI) Southfield
Ray Buford - WR - Southfield (MI) Southfield**
Shaun Crawford - CB - Lakewood (OH) St. Edward's
Garrett Dickerson - TE - Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic
Tommy Doles - C - Grand Rapids (MI) Christian
Drew Dowding - LB - Michigan Center (MI) Michigan Center
Jalen Embry - CB - Detroit (MI) King
Carl Fuller - LB - Detroit (MI) King
Damien Harris - RB - Berea (KY) Madison Southern**
Drake Harris - WR - Grand Rapids (MI) Christian
Dewayne Hendrix - DE - O'Fallon (IL) O'Fallon
Dravon Henry - S - Aliquippa (PA) Aliquippa
Elijah Hood - RB - Charlotte (NC) Catholic
Tifonte Hunt - CB - Harvey (IL) Thornton
Jon Vea Johnson - WR - Gary (IN) West Side
Lonnie Johnson - WR - Gary (IN) West Side
Ronnie Larue - S - Dallas (TX) Bishop Dunne
Tyler Luatua - TE - La Mirada (CA) La Mirada
Lawrence Marshall - DE - Southfield (MI) Southfield
Quenton Nelson - OT - Red Bank (NJ) Catholic
Montae Nicholson - S - Monroeville (PA) Gateway
Edward Paris - S - Mansfield (TX) Timberview
Henry Poggi - DT - Baltimore (MD) Gilman*
Jovan Pruitt - OG - Dallas (TX) Bishop Dunne
Gelen Robinson - DE - St. John (IN) Lake Central
Brandon Simmons - S - Mansfield (TX) Timberview
Wilton Speight - QB - Richmond (VA) Collegiate
Dionte Sykes - WR - Chandler (AZ) Chandler
Dallis Todd - WR - La Mirada (CA) La Mirada
Nick Watkins - CB - Dallas (TX) Bishop Dunne
Kyron Watson - LB - East St. Louis (IL) East St. Louis
Jauan Wesley - WR - Harvey (IL) Thornton
Darius West - S - Lima (OH) Central Catholic
Parrker Westphal - CB - Bolingbrook (IL) Bolingbrook
Dwight Williams - LB - Gardena (CA) Junipero Serra
*2013 prospect
**2015 prospect
You said Skipper changed his commitment from Tennessee to Tennessee? Ole Miss continues to put together a pretty solid class.
ReplyDeleteI'll be very disappointed if the NCAA hasn't quietly laid the groundwork for an investigation of Ole Miss and their recruiting practices under this new staff. This is just getting silly at this point. There is really no reasonable explanation for a historically mediocre/bad program like Ole Miss to suddenly start reeling in 4 and 5 star recruits other than recruiting improprieties.
DeleteAnd for anyone who wants to respond with...but, but, but...their co-eds are sooooo hot! Well, the co-eds are just the same as they have always been at Ole Miss and the weather isn't any better right now than it has been in the past either.
Ted, you forgot the legendary "Grove," which, as far as I can see, is a generic wooded area similar to countless areas on (say) the UMich golf course. Not sure what's special about that.
DeleteA word on SEC "co-eds": Yes, they do tend to take care of themselves better than Midwestern women, but in terms of raw materials (what really matter after you subtract hair, make-up, and clothes ... oh, and exercise) they're no better than the talent in the Upper Midwest.
I think it's easy to say that Ole Miss is using illegal methods to get all of these kids and the idea struck me as well. However, Nkemdiche and Treadwell were both interested due to a sibling/best friend. The interest of these two top recruits could have sparked the interest of other, who want to play with great players. They may just like what they see. In the past, Ole Miss had trouble even getting players of this caliber to see what they have to offer.
ReplyDeleteI'll eat my hat if Treadwell chose Ole Miss because of the presence of Anthony Standifer. If he DID in fact choose Ole Miss because his moderately talented friend was there...well, God bless him because that is a stupid reason for an elite player to choose a program.
DeleteNOTE: I am not mad Treadwell did not end up at UM. In fact, I was calling for him to end up somewhere else back in September when most UM fans were still convinced he was a "lock" to be Blue. I expected him to end up at one of the pass happy Oklahoma schools. That at least would have made sense.
Whats up wth the guy on rivals wondering if henry poggi will stay a michigan commit
ReplyDelete