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| Glassboro (NJ) Glassboro wide receiver Juwan Johnson |
Glassboro (NJ) Glassboro wide receiver Juwan Johnson was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'4", 196 lb. prospect with a reported 4.4 forty who also has offers from Arkansas, Ohio State, Penn State, Pitt, and Rutgers, among others. In the South Jersey championship game, he returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown and a punt 75 yards for a score. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, #16 athlete, and #156 player overall.
Chesapeake (VA) Oscar Smith defensive end Josh Sweat was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'5", 230 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and USC, among others. He's a 4-star, the #5 weakside end, and the #56 overall prospect in 247's Composite rankings. This is a somewhat interesting development because Michigan has supposedly been telling St. Paul (MN) Cretin-Derham defensive end Jashon Cornell that he was their only target in the class for weakside end, but while Sweat is listed as a weakside end, he looks to me more like an eventual strongside end due to his size and some stiffness in his movements. Of course, it's also possible that Michigan is changing their strategy for 2015. I do not expect Michigan to be a major player in Sweat's recruitment, though. Oscar Smith also produced defensive tackle Andrew Brown in the 2014 class, a Michigan target who is a 5-star prospect headed to Virginia.
OFF THE BOARD
Peyton (CO) Falcon running back Kalen Ballage committed to Arizona State. This is about as soft a commitment as they come, with him saying ASU is "the school I can most see myself at." Ballage also went ahead with his scheduled visit to Nebraska this past weekend and plans to visit Washington, while Boise State and Michigan State were also thought to be in the running up until recently. Planned visits to Michigan never panned out, and while Michigan doesn't appear to be in the running anymore, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Ballage signs somewhere other than Arizona State. I wrote up a scouting report on Ballage back in May.
Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic defensive end Garrett Dickerson committed to Northwestern. Dickerson eschewed offers from national powerhouses like Alabama, Florida State, and Ohio State for the Wildcats, who garnered his interest with their academics . . . and the presence of sophomore wide receiver Cameron Dickerson, Garrett's older brother; the elder Dickerson has had 2 catches for 20 yards in each of the last two years' games against the Wolverines, and the 2012 game included his first collegiate touchdown. Garrett is the 247 Composite's #198 player overall.
Aliquippa (PA) Aliquippa safety Dravon Henry committed to West Virginia. Henry could play running back, receiver, cornerback, or safety at the next level, but the Mountaineers are expected to try him at safety. He's the 247 Composite #8 athlete and #110 player overall.
Wayne (NJ) St. Joseph Regional safety Kiy Hester committed to Miami. Hester was previously committed to Rutgers. He took an official visit to Michigan State at the end of November, and it was thought to be a three-horse race between Miami, MSU, and Rutgers, so Michigan somewhat missed a bullet by him going to the Hurricanes; he's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #17 safety, and #217 player overall.
Jersey City (NJ) St. Peter's Prep running back Jonathan Hilliman changed his commitment from Rutgers to Boston College. Rutgers has been leaking recruits during and after their 6-6 season. I wrote up a scouting report on Hilliman a little over a year ago, after his junior season highlights were posted online. He ended his senior year with a state title game loss to Paramus (NJ) Catholic and the duo of Juwann Bushell-Beatty and Jabrill Peppers, both of whom are committed to Michigan. On the plus side for Hilliman, he'll be joining a program that just watched senior running back Andre Williams run for 2,102 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Belmont (NC) South Point linebacker Tanner Muse committed to Clemson. Muse is a 2015 prospect who earned a Michigan offer not long ago, but he was considered to be a tough pull out of the south. He's a 4-star and the #337 player overall, according to 247's Composite rankings.
MISCELLANEOUS
Here's a list of players who visited Michigan this past weekend.
Boy, thank goodness we're getting that exciting program of Rutgers into the B1G soon. I can't wait to add another Minnesota-type program -- except without the traditional rivalry and trophy games -- to the schedule. Should really pack 'em in the club seats.
ReplyDeleteWow, I am surprised by the Josh Sweat offer. I would have thought their next option would have been Keisean Lucier-South (247 Composite #4 weakside end, #43 overall), especially because he has been very vocal about his interest in Michigan. It doesn't make sense to offer a lower ranked (and seemingly less interested) recruit, unless the coaches have assessed Sweat to be the superior talent. Magnus, don't know if you have had the chance to see film on both prospects, but who do you like between Lucier-South and Sweat?
ReplyDeleteNo offense, but I often think the idea of being "surprised" by a school's treatment of recruiting is odd. If 125 schools accept commitments from even 20 kids per year (a low estimate) there are 2,500 kids signing on for scholarships. Roughly, that's probably 250 defensive ends. We have no idea how or why the coaches differentiate between prospects. Just because a guy like Lucier-South vocalizes his interest through 247 Sports doesn't mean he's above other guys on the radar. In my opinion, this clamoring for Lucier-South has been somewhat driven by recruiting reporters.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I do prefer KLS to Josh Sweat, who I think is a little stiff.
I really enjoyed watching Ballage's and Muse's tapes. I was hoping we were going to be able to bag one of them, they seem like tremendous athletes.
ReplyDeleteMy Uncle lives in Detroit and is really up to date with high school football around there. He told me that an OL from Loyola, Ka'John Armstrong may get a late offer from Michigan if Michigan doesn't get McDowell or Enwere, or if there's a transfer...He said that Armstrong would probably commit to Michigan in the blink of an eye....
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