2026
Favour Akih - RB - Delaware (OH) Rutherford B. Hayes: Akih is a 6'0", 190 lb. prospect with officials visits set for Miami, Pitt, and USC. He's a 4-star, the #15 running back, and #205 overall. He will be on campus on March 18.
Mason Bonner - TE - Denver (CO) Mullen: Bonner is a 6'6", 200-pounder with offers from Miami, Michigan, Nebraska, Texas Tech, and others. He has official visits set for Michigan and Minnesota. He's currently ranked as a 247 Sports 3-star and the #38 tight end in the class. He will be in Ann Arbor most of next week, from March 17-20.
Trenton Henderson - DE - Pensacola (FL) Catholic: Henderson is a 6'4", 225 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and others. He's a 4-star, the #8 EDGE, and #79 overall. He has official visits set for UF, FSU, 'Bama, Vandy, and Auburn, so Michigan is playing a little from behind to try to get an official visit set up. He will be in Ann Arbor on the 17th.
Hit the jump for more.
Zaden Krempin - OT - Prosper (TX) Prosper: Krempin is a 6'4", 270-pounder with officials set for LSU, Michigan, SMU, and Texas. He's a 4-star, the #16 interior offensive lineman, and #250 overall. He'll be visiting from March 17-19.
Samuel Roseborough - OT - Clearwater (FL) Clearwater: Roseborough is a 6'5", 280 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, and Ohio State, among others. He's a 4-star, the #7 interior offensive lineman, and #126 overall. He will be in town from March 17-18.
Christian Ward - WR - Marietta (GA) Walton: Ward is a 6'3", 185-pounder with offers from Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, and others. He's a 4-star, the #51 wide receiver, and #325 overall. He will be in town on March 18.
Donovan Webb - S - Frisco (TX) Panther Creek: Webb is a 6'0", 185 lb. prospect with offers from all over and he has set official visits for Ohio State, SMU, Baylor, and Texas. Michigan is trying to snag an official and will have a chance to impress him on the visit. Webb will be visiting on March 18. He's a 4-star, the #25 safety, and #296 overall. As a junior in 2024, he made 120 tackles, 5 interceptions, and 9 pass breakups, and he returned 2 punts for touchdowns.
Ward is CoJo's height ...
ReplyDeleteYet another example of not focusing ONLY on size, but ADDING some
Let's set aside all the "running backs don't matter" chatter, and turn our attention to the strategy of RB recruiting. Favour Akih (by the way, the link goes to a 404 error), is a mid-level 3-star. He has a lot of offers, but mostly from mid-level schools. No offer yet from Michigan, Ohio State, or other programs of that caliber.
ReplyDeleteSo, what's Michigan's interest? Is this a case where the guy is coming on an unofficial, and Michigan is showing good manners and hosting him? Or is this a case where Michigan sees something and might want to offer, but they want to bring him in first?
Thunder, if you were on the Michigan staff, and you were responsible for RB recruiting, what do you look for? What's the 'secret sauce' of a HS RB that indicates he might well be a good college RB?
Could be offer for #2
DeleteWe almost always take two, and getting two blue chips is a big ask
Michigan likes to take multiple RBs and with more scholarships that will likely increase. RB in general has always been a position of high volume and high turnover and attrition. Even before the portal you had guys transferring out when the high school star used to getting the ball ended up sitting on the bench or being asked to change positions.
DeleteIt's also good to have a range of skills back there. Specifically a guy who can break tackles and a guy who can catch passes, since it can be hard to find someone who thrives at both (e.g., Corum) and those skills can be used situationally (3rd and long vs 3rd and goal for example).
I wouldn't worry about the starz here. Track record of finding good backs with low ratings is pretty high as is the bust rate for guys who are ranked very highly. True everywhere, sure, but seems more true at RB even though this is a position that is easier to scout than most.
With Marshall entering his sophomore year Michigan can afford to take a flier or two.
hahaha
ReplyDelete#addingSizebutnotonlysize
https://www.si.com/college/michigan/football/michigan-football-son-nfl-legend-larry-fitzgerald-locks-visit-wolverines
Is Michigan having talented WRs visit something new? I thought we were talking about what was being ADDed? LOL. Visits mean nothing.
DeleteBut if it did, a 6'2 3-star barely ranked in the top 100 WRs in the country kinda fits the pattern of emphasizing size over skill. This would further perpetuate the concern that was voiced.
If it talks like a Brady Hoke and walks like a Brady Hoke it's probably going to result in an offense like Brady Hoke. The focus on roster building is still the focus on roster building until it isn't.
Let's ADD something like what we saw with Harbaugh and not go back to the dark ages.
We thank you for holding up your L again. Good to keep that baby fresh by airing it out occasionally.
You ignored Ward ...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, recruiting is a time consuming task in building a program ... they're recruiting talent, and obviously focusing on more than just ADDING size
#dotheyknow