Wednesday, February 4, 2015

National Signing Day Preview

Avon (CT) Old Farms tight end Chris Clark will decide early on Wednesday morning
At least three prospects who are strongly considering Michigan have nationally televised official announcements scheduled for National Signing Day, which is today, February 4th. All times are Eastern Standard Time. They include:
  • Chris Clark - TE - Avon (CT) Old Farms: Clark is announcing on ESPNU at 8:30 a.m. between Michigan and UCLA.
  • Roquan Smith - LB - Montezuma (GA) Macon: Smith is announcing at 11:00 a.m. between Georgia, Michigan, Texas A&M, and UCLA.
  • Iman Marshall - CB - Long Beach (CA) Poly: Marshall is announcing on ESPNU at 4:00 p.m. between Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, UCLA, and USC.
In less national announcements, here are the official announcement times of some other targets:

  • Mike Weber - RB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech at 10:00 a.m.
  • Van Jefferson - WR - Brentwood (TN) Ravenwood at 11:00 a.m.
  • Tyrone Wheatley, Jr. - TE - Buffalo (NY) Canisius at 3:15 p.m.
I have predictions for those guys - and numerous others - in another post I put up over the weekend, although I have updated it a couple times since then (LINK).

Otherwise, I put together a list of in-state players who could get a late call from Michigan in an effort to fill out the class (LINK). Wide receiver Grant Perry has already been the recipient of one of those offers and committed, although it's very late to count on many other guys getting phone calls from Harbaugh.

There will be no suspense about wide receiver Brian Cole and quarterback Alex Malzone, both of whom enrolled early and are already on campus.

Here's a look at what positions Michigan is trying to fill, along with the guys who might fill them (commits are highlighted in blue):
  • QB: Malzone, Zach Gentry
  • RB: Karan Higdon, Michael Weber
  • WR: Van Jefferson, Grant Perry
  • TE: Chris Clark, Tyrone Wheatley Jr.
  • OL: Grant Newsome, Jon Runyan Jr., Nolan Ulizio
  • DE: Shelton Johnson, Reuben Jones
  • DT: None
  • LB: Roquan Smith
  • CB: Jarius Adams, Iman Marshall, Keith Washington
  • S: Tyree Kinnel
  • K: Andrew David
Insiders at Scout (Sam Webb) and/or 247 Sports (Steve Wiltfong, Steve Lorenz) have expressed confidence in Michigan landing Karan Higdon, Michael Weber, Van Jefferson, Tyrone Wheatley Jr., and Keith Washington. Unfortunately, it looks like Chris Clark is choosing the sunshine and girls of Southern California (UCLA) over the tight end guru in Ann Arbor, and Iman Marshall is likely to do what everyone expected of him, which is sign with USC.

9 comments:

  1. I have a feeling JH shocks the world and gets 2 out of 3...Clark and Marshall

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  2. I hope like hell that we get them... This class might bite us in the ass down the road when they become seniors... Like Rod/Hoke's cursed class of 2011.

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  3. I think if Clark were coming to UM he would have announced after his UCLA trip. I understand wanting a free trip to Westwood, the campus is beautiful as is the weather compared to AA and his school in CT this time of year. Hopefully he just wants some drama for signing day but if you really want to develop as a TE it is a pretty easy decision.

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    1. With Clark now gone - feel a little better about Wheatley. Apparently TE is where he wants to play and this puts one less player at the position...

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  4. No way Marshall is coming and I am not counting on Wheatley. He has had his official, Dad is already here so is there really any reason to wait? I think Weber will come to UM though...

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  5. I am a bit worried about the lack of D-linemen. Wouldn't have minded to take in one more DE and one DT. I really hope to get that LB Roquan Smith and at least one CB (fingers crossed for Iman Marshall).

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  6. It's so god damn depressing that at one point we had Clark, Kirkland, Roseboro and Weber on board.

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    1. And Campbell, Taylor, Harris, and Crawford.

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  7. Well, UCLA looks to land a loaded class with picking up Clark, Smith and Jamabo. I wonder if they're using some $EC recruiting tactics?

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