Statistical Analysis of 2012 Recruiting: By State

This is a little bit later than I normally post this series, but better late than never.  Using the 2012 Offer Board, I put together the above graph of Michigan offers from the 2012 class.  For a comparison to past years, you can look here.  Michigan sent out 193 recorded offers in 2012, which was essentially on par with the 195 offers in 2011 and 192 offers in 2010.

You can see that Iowa was a good place to recruit for Michigan's coaches in 2012, mainly because Amara Darboh was the only guy they recruited from the state.

Otherwise, the states of Michigan and Ohio were very productive, with 75% and 32% success rates, respectively.  Much like in the state of Iowa, the coaching staff cherry-picked a few recruits from Kentucky (Jeremy Clark), Missouri (Jehu Chesson, Ondre Pipkins), Tennessee (Blake Bars), and Utah (Sione Houma).  The fertile recruiting grounds of California produced only one Michigan commit in the form of Erik Magnuson.

States included in the "Other" category, which produced zero commits, are:

- Alabama (1)

- Arizona (3)

- Colorado (4)

- District of Columbia (2)
- Florida (16)

- Georgia (11)

- Illinois (7)

- Indiana (3)

- Louisiana (1)

- Maryland (9)

- Massachusetts (3)

- Minnesota (2)

- New Jersey (7)

- New York (2)

- North Carolina (6)

- Oklahoma (1)

- Pennsylvania (8)

- South Carolina (4)

- Texas (22)

- Virginia (2)

- Washington (2)

- Wisconsin (2)

The lack of success in Florida is obviously a contrast to the Rich Rodriguez years, but Florida was also targeted much less by Brady Hoke.  Hoke sent 16 offers out in Florida this past recruiting cycle, while Rodriguez typically offered 40+.

The five states where Michigan threw out double-digit offers in 2012 were Ohio (28), Texas (22), California (19), Michigan (12), and Georgia (11).  Michigan and Ohio were obviously roaring successes, but the other three states combined for one commitment (Magnuson) out of 52 offers.

Sione Houma Answers Your Questions

Sione Houma is the first scholarship athlete to be recruited to Michigan as a fullback since Vince Helmuth in 2007. But unlike Helmuth - an eventual 290-pound bruiser who moved to defensive tackle before transferring - it's likely that Sione will be fulfilling a more versatile role in Michigan's offense. Houma's commitment post describes him as a well-rounded player with "a little bit of this and a little bit of that." Sione agrees, saying, "I think I'm pretty much even at everything; I don't have one top [skill] - maybe going 100% every play." Although Sione admits to being a man of few words, he was nice enough to answer several reader questions last Saturday while watching his older brother's rugby game.

Utah to Michigan: "My friends are all excited for me to go to a big-name college and play football. . . . My family is happy that I am going out of state so I can be independent and learn new things on my own. . . . [I decided to come to Michigan] for the education, first of all. It's one of the top colleges in the U.S., and I'll have more opportunities and more choices to major from."

Playing fullback: "Fullbacks are protecting the running backs when they have the ball. Just go around the linemen - let them do their work. One thing I love about fullback is going after everyone else, showing that I'm not scared of anyone."

Increase in level of competition: "I'm not really worried about it. I'm just going to play my normal game. Everybody [at the next level] is going to be the best. But I'm trying to top that and do what I can do to do my best. . . . I look up to [defensive lineman] Haloti Ngata for the Ravens. I'm a big time fan. He always plays to the best of his ability, gives 100% on every play."

Ethnicity, heritage: "Tonga, it's in the Pacific Islands. I was born and raised in Utah; my parents were born and raised back in the islands. They sacrificed a lot to move over here for me and my siblings to have a better life, to have more opportunities to choose from."

Height and weight: "I weigh 220 [pounds] right now; I'm 6'0''. I'm trying to weigh up to 230 or 240, somewhere around there. They [the coaches] said they want me at like 230. They gave me a workout book for last month and this month, I think. It's a challenge to me so I can work harder and get bigger and get to where I want to be."

Redshirting: "We'll see when the time comes. I don't know what I want to do yet."

Senior year injury: "I had a high ankle sprain. I had to sit out a couple games. But at the end of it, it was good because I was healthy when I came back. . . . I'm fully recovered."

Jammin': "I like chilling with my family and friends, and I love to jam. [I play] the Ukulele, but I haven't played in a while."

2012 Recruiting Awards

Kyle Kalis is my pick to be the best recruit from the 2012 class

This is a fun yearly exercise for me.  You can take a look back at the 2009, 2010, and 2011 recruiting awards for a historical perspective on my choices.  Overall, I haven't done a bad job, with some hits and misses over the years.  My best defensive recruit from 2010 was Marvin Robinson, who has yet to make much of an impact.  But I've picked a couple good ones as guys who are most underrated - Desmond Morgan and Jake Ryan.  It's the usual - sometimes you're right, and sometimes you're wrong.

Best Overall Recruit: OG/OT Kyle Kalis
This was a pretty tough choice between Kalis and James Ross, but I'm going to go with Kalis, in part because of his NFL potential and his size.  Whereas Ross needs to add a little bit of bulk and even then might not be big enough for many NFL teams, Kalis has the size, technique, athleticism, and pedigree to play at the next level. 


Best Offensive Recruit: OG/OT Kyle Kalis
The 2012 class isn't deep with offensive stars, so this wasn't a very difficult choice.  But I think Kyle Kalis is about as college-ready as high school linemen come.  He has excellent technique and very good size (6'5", 305 lbs.).  He could be on the two-deep this fall, and I'm guessing he'll be at least a three-year starter for the Wolverines.

Best Defensive Recruit: LB James Ross
The best NFL prospect of the bunch might be defensive tackle Ondre Pipkins, but for their three-to-five years in college, I'll take Ross as the best defensive player.  He could challenge Desmond Morgan for playing time as a true freshman, and by year two, he might have the starting WILL job locked down.

Recruit Most Likely to Make an Early Impact: DT Ondre Pipkins
I don't think it's a good thing when freshmen enter school knowing that the coaches almost have to play them, but that's the situation Pipkins will find himself in this fall.  With Michigan's top two defensive tackles having left and only unproven guys remaining, he's a virtual lock to see significant time this fall.

Fastest Recruit: RB/PR/KR Dennis Norfleet
Running back Drake Johnson and wide receiver Jehu Chesson are high school track stars, but I'm giving Norfleet the nod due to his short-area quickness, too.  It takes Johnson and Chesson a little bit longer to accelerate than it does Norfleet.

Strongest Recruit: DT Ondre Pipkins
Pipkins will have no excuse for failing to be the strongest player on Michigan's team in a few years.  He's 6'3" and 330 lbs. already.

Best Under-the-Radar Recruit: DT Willie Henry
The more I think about the defensive line coaches at Michigan getting their hands on Henry, the more excited I get.  Henry is a very athletic kid for his size and should be a penetrating-type defensive tackle for Michigan in the years to come.  Outside of classmate Ondre Pipkins, he might very well be the best DT recruit since Mike Martin in 2008.

Most Overrated Recruit: OT Blake Bars
Bars has the unfortunate luck of coming to Michigan in the midst of two great offensive line recruiting hauls.  He could very well get lost in the shuffle with guys like Kalis, Erik Magnuson, Logan Tuley-Tillman, Kyle Bosch, etc. 

Most Likely to Redshirt: OT Blake Bars
As an offensive lineman, you're likely to redshirt, anyway.  But Bars has some weight and strength to add before he sees the field, and he's the least likely to play early, in my opinion.  Kalis already has the size and technique, Ben Braden is reportedly 325 lbs., and I think Erik Magnuson is a little more advanced (although I expect him to redshirt, too).

Personal Favorite Recruit: LB James Ross
For the second year in a row, I'm picking a weakside linebacker.  Last year it was Antonio Poole.  This year it's Ross.  I love these fast, downhill players who can make plays in the backfield, in pass coverage, and at the line of scrimmage.  Ross is one of the most technically sound football players I've seen since I started following recruiting, and that makes him incredibly fun for me to watch.

Recruiting Update: March 12, 2012

Detroit (MI) Loyola defensive end Malik McDowell

COMMITMENTS
Massillon (OH) Washington cornerback Gareon Conley committed to Michigan.

Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison linebacker Mike McCray committed to Michigan.

ADDED TO THE BOARD
Duluth (GA) Peachtree Ridge offensive tackle Orlando Brown, a 2014 prospect, was offered by Michigan.  Brown is the son of Orlando "Zeus" Brown, the former Cleveland Brown and Baltimore Raven offensive tackle.  The younger Brown is even bigger than his father, currently standing 6'10" and weighing 360 lbs.  He also has offers from Alabama, Auburn, Notre Dame, and USC, along with several others.

Grand Rapids (MI) Christian wide receiver Drake Harris, a 2014 prospect, has a Michigan offer.  Harris is a 6'4", 180 lb. kid who is also a highly touted shooting guard prospect.  As a sophomore in 2011, he had 57 receptions for 1,118 yards and 14 touchdowns.  He also has offers to play football at Indiana and Michigan State.

Mesquite (TX) West Mesquite wide receiver Eldridge Massington was offered by Michigan on Wednesday.  He's a 6'3", 205 lb. wideout with offers from Baylor, Houston, Notre Dame, TCU, and Tennessee, among others.  As a junior in 2011, he had 41 receptions for 666 yards and 6 touchdowns.  As you might imagine from an offer list like that, Massington immediately put Michigan and Notre Dame at the top of the heap.  He's a tall, good-sized receiver with enough speed to stretch the field.

Detroit (MI) Loyola defensive end Malik McDowell, a 2014 prospect, was offered by Michigan.  McDowell is a 6'6", 260 lb. strongside end who has started to wow people this offseason.  Loyola isn't a highly recruited school, so it's rare that we hear of kids from that school.  There have been rumors that McDowell will be transferring to Cass Tech, but so far there hasn't been any movement there.  He also has an offer from Syracuse.

OFF THE BOARD
Camp Hill (PA) Cedar Cliff tight end Adam Breneman committed to Penn State.  I did a scouting report and TTB Andrew interviewed Breneman in the past, but always seemed to be a long shot for Michigan.  You can't fault the kid for choosing the Nittany Lions.  New head coach Bill O'Brien showed with the New England Patriots that he values the tight end position, and he'll find myriad ways of getting the ball to Breneman in the next few seasons.

Columbus (OH) Bishop Hartley tight end Jacob Matuska committed to Notre Dame.  The 6'5", 240-pounder was being recruited by Michigan as a tight end, but the Fighting Irish are planning to use him as a defensive end.

Belton (TX) Belton tight end Durham Smythe committed to Texas.  Along with jumbo wide receiver Ricky Seals-Jones, who could also play tight end, the Longhorns are bringing in a couple quality

Crete (IL) Crete-Monee cornerback Anthony Standifer committed to Mississippi.  Standifer, a 2012 prospect, was committed to Michigan for several months, but a reported academic issue was going to prevent him from getting into Michigan.  Therefore, he decommitted a few months ago and started to look elsewhere.  He finally chose a school this past week.

VISITORS
In case you missed it, here's a list of guys who visited Michigan this past weekend.  David Dawson is on that list, but he ended up not making it to Ann Arbor.

Meanwhile, St. Paul (MN) Cretin-Derham wide receiver James Onwualu will be visiting Michigan on Wednesday.  The 6'1", 205 lb. athlete is being recruited by Michigan as a slot receiver, while other schools are recruiting him as a cornerback and safety, too.

Recruiting Update: March 5, 2012

Josh Augusta looks angry
(image via Scout.com)

ADDED TO THE BOARD
Peoria (IL) Peoria defensive lineman Josh Augusta was offered by Michigan.  He's a 6'5", 275 lb. kid who looks like he'll grow into a 3-tech defensive tackle.  He also has offers from Illinois and Iowa.  The highlights below (the only ones I could find of Augusta on Youtube) appear to show some clips of Michigan commit Logan Tuley-Tillman playing against Augusta:


New Orleans (LA) Edna Karr tight end Standish Dobard has an offer from Michigan.  He's a 6'5", 235 lb. end who lists a 4.6 forty.  He also has offers from Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, and Oklahoma, among others.  He attends the alma mater of former Michigan target (and current Cincinnati quarterback) Munchie Legaux.

College Station (TX) A&M Consolidated defensive end Christian Lacouture decommitted from Texas A&M.  The 6'5", 255-pounder had been committed to the Aggies since January 2011 and plans to visit Michigan soon.


OFF THE BOARD
St. Peters (MO) Fort Zumwalt South running back/athlete Chase Abbington committed to Missouri.  There is some uncertainty about whether he was ever offered by the Wolverines, but regardless, he's off the board.

Cypress (TX) Cypress Ranch running back Keith Ford committed to Oklahoma.  The powerful 5'11", 195-pounder expressed interest in visiting Michigan at one point, but Oklahoma's not a bad choice, either.

Castle Rock (CO) Valor Christian offensive lineman Alex Kozan committed to Auburn.  Kozan was a part of the 2012 class but decided not to sign with a team on (or even near) National Signing Day.  Iowa was apparently out of the picture at the end, and Kozan was deciding between the Tigers and the Wolverines.

Louisville (KY) Trinity cornerback Ryan White committed to Louisville.  White is one of three Trinity teammates to have been offered by Michigan for 2013, along with defensive end Jason Hatcher and wide receiver James Quick.

TTB RATINGS
I released the TTB Ratings for 2013.  You can hit the link or they can be found on the 2013 Offer Board.

Ben Braden Answers Your Questions

Ben Braden

In a matter of months, class of 2012 offensive lineman Ben Braden has grown over an inch and gained 40 pounds of mostly muscle. Now standing at 6'7'' 325 pounds, Braden is ready to get on campus and make an immediate impact on the football field - which is good news because Michigan needs game-ready linemen now. Ben was kind enough to take a few minutes out of his Sunday afternoon to speak with me about those topics and address the many inquiries posed by TTB readers.

Physical development: Really it was because of strength and conditioning every day and pretty much just eating everything in sight. I try my best to avoid junk food and eat a lot of high protein and high carbs - burgers, chicken, steak, pasta, salad. I pretty much eat everything; I just try to stay away from really sweet stuff like chocolate and stuff like that. I'll eat a lot during the day, but it'll be in smaller portions. I don't do any supplementary thing and don't have a certain amount of calories I try to eat every day, either. I just eat.

Early playing time: Right now, the plan is that I will not be redshirting. I think I'll be a second stringer, and then just go from there. But right now that's the plan between me and the coaches. . . . [I'll be playing] right tackle.

Representing Rockford: I live not necessarily out in the country, but I'm about 20 minutes from the town. So going to Ann Arbor will be a little bit of a change, but it won't be like going to New York City or anything. Rockford isn't one of those places where everyone knows everyone, but it's a quiet place. . . . Coach Hoke and Coach Munger [Rockford's HS coach] have a lot in common as far as coaching personality goes, so that will be nice that I won't feel like I'm going from one thing to the complete opposite. . . . The last time I went to a University of Michigan camp, he [Coach Munger] was there, and I'm pretty sure he plans on going back.

Coming to Michigan: To prepare I just keep exercising every day, trying to stay in shape, and I'm just really looking forward to going. I'm really happy and truly blessed. I'm a little nervous, too, but who wouldn't be? . . . I'm just focused on getting there and getting used to the system, and once you're used to that everything will just fall in place. . . . When I came to Michigan [as a recruit], my host was Russell Bellomy, so I'm looking forward to seeing him again.

Managing critical scouting evaluations/recruiting rankings: The ratings are just ratings to me. They don't determine how well I play, and they don't determine how I am as a person. Basically my goal when I get there is just to do my best at everything and try to play as much as possible, and whatever I get is just going to be what I get. The ratings are going to be what they are. They're not huge to me, I guess.

Breakin' Furniture: When I was little - it was when the Hercules movie came out and I thought Hercules was the coolest - my great-grandmother gave me a rocking chair. So I took that and said, "Mom, look what I can do," and I threw it against the wall and completely shattered it. . . . but no not recently; I've learned to be pretty gentle [with furniture].

Being the first recruit of the Brady Hoke era: No, I don't feel any pressure from it, but it's definitely an honor. I mean, Brady Hoke's just an amazing person all around. Aside from being the coach, he's just a great person. I think it's a great honor to be the first to commit to him. I'm excited. It'll be fun.

To learn more about Ben, you can check out a video interview with Tom VanHaaren and an Mlive article about his history playing hockey.

Ask a Question: Ben Braden

Ben Braden is a large man.

It's only been eleven months since Ben Braden became the first verbal commitment of the 2012 class, but a lot has happened since then. For one, Michigan gained an additional 35 commitments. For another, Ben grew an inch or two and added about 40 pounds of mostly muscle, putting him at 6'7'' 325 pounds as of November 1. I'll be talking with Ben this Sunday, so feel free to leave a question for him in the "comments" section if you have any Ben Braden related catching up to do.

Where are the 2012 Big Ten recruits from?

WTF happened to Canada?

Beenplumb linked a map over on the MgoBoard the other day that details where teams' 2012 commits are from. The map combines software technology with a good idea to produce an interesting visualization. Unfortunately, the map doesn't include every Big Ten team and has several significant inaccuracies/omissions. So after spending some time at the website (which is still worth the click through), I decided it would be interesting to produce an up-to-date list of where each Big Ten team is getting their talent (top two states). Schools are listed in order of their 2012 Big Ten class rankings, according to Rivals.

Ohio State: Ohio (15), Massachusetts and Virginia (2), *Michigan (0)*

Michigan: Michigan (9) and Ohio (9)

Nebraska: California (3), Arizona, Texas, Ohio and Illinois (2)

Purdue: Florida (5), Texas and Indiana (4)

Michigan State: Ohio (7), Michigan (4)

Iowa: Illinois (6), Michigan and Iowa (3)

Penn State: Pennsylvania (4) and Maryland (4)

Wisconsin: Wisconsin (3), Florida and Pennsylvania (2)

Northwestern: Pennsylvania (5), Illinois and Ohio (4)

Illinois: Ohio (6), Florida (5)

Indiana: Indiana (8), Ohio and Illinois (3)

Minnesota: Minnesota (10), Texas (5) (No one defends their own backyard like Minnesota.)

For additional information on the 2012 Big Ten recruiting class, including the ever-valuable "average average" metric, take a look at Ace's final charts.

Rivals: Michigan-Ohio State exchange recruiting blows

Kate Upton is Michigan's new crush.

Steve Megargee of Rivals discusses Michigan's weekend run on 2013 commits.  Both Urban Meyer and Brady Hoke are kicking ass and taking names.

No, seriously.  They're taking names.

Jehu Chesson Answers Your Questions

Jehu Chesson
(image via stlhighschoolsports.com)

If you've seen the results of the latest TTB poll, glanced at the roster, or read Jehu's "Ask a Question" post, then you know that Michigan has a need at wide receiver. Enter Mr. Jehu Chesson. Although Chesson is a 3-star player to the four major recruiting sites, there remain dissenting evaluations forecasting a higher ceiling, including his TTB commitment post and updated TTB rating. Chesson is currently working hard to reach his potential by training at Velocity Sports performance with former Detroit Lion Brett Fischer while running track in the latter part of his senior year. He also takes time to communicate with the media, study Michigan football history, and answer questions from Michigan fans.

Reasons for choosing Michigan: "It came down to Northwestern and Michigan. They're both very good academic institutions, and I felt that both of their football programs were on the rise. But Michigan's the school where I felt I could do more at because of their status. If Northwestern had the alumni base behind it, then I feel they could be just like Michigan, but that's what they lack. . . . The thing that really separated Michigan were the kids in the recruiting class. I felt way closer with them than I did with any other group. I mean, I just related with them almost immediately."

A workin' man: "I work for my community center. Yesterday what I was doing was being a referee for basketball, and then on Friday night I was a DJ for a father-daughter dance . . . and then over the summer and spring break - a lot of kids go out of town for spring break - but I usually volunteer to be a camp counselor and hang out with the kids, which is pretty fun.

Parallels with Amara Darboh: "Well, right off the bat, we were both born in Western Africa, so we both thought that was really neat because we really haven't seen anyone like our age since the war . . . .and we both have similar personalities; we both like to have fun, be a little goofy sometimes."

Physical Development: "From a physical standpoint, I understand that I do need to get bigger, so I'm working on that. . . . I'm 185 lbs., and right now I'm running track, and I probably won't virtually put on any weight, but if I do it'll be only two to three solid pounds because of track. But when track is over, I really have about three weeks, and then I leave for Michigan, so hopefully I'll be about 188 lbs. and then when I get down there, they'll probably get me up to 195 lbs. or something before the first game. I don't know; we'll see. I talked to Coach Hoke and he said [the ideal playing weight will be] 210/215 lbs. I've heard from other coaches from other schools anywhere from 210 - 225 lbs."

Hitting another gear senior year: "Well, it really is all mental. . . . My junior year, they [the coaches] never really put me on special teams because they didn't want me to get hurt. But then they put me on special teams my senior year, actually in the last couple of games, and every time I got the ball I would score, except for once. Those [plays] aren't even on my highlight tape because I couldn't figure out how to put them on. But it was just what the team demanded of me mentally and physically because every single game I played both ways. I played safety on defense; I was sometimes the kicker, and then on kickoffs I was the return man. I just played what the team needed me to play, and that leadership role just kind of took over."

The #1 jersey: "Yeah, I know a lot about the #1 jersey. . . . The last to wear it was Braylon Edwards. He wore #80 before he wore the #1 jersey. But it might draw attention that might not be necessary also. It's very positive and negative at the same time. A positive is that you deserve to wear it. . . . A negative is that if you do something wrong, it's magnified. It's like a blessing and a curse. . . "

Goals/ambitions at Michigan: "I want to maximize my potential and be the best player I can be. A lot of people ask me about the NFL, but that's in the background; it's not in the foreground. Because right now I'm just trying to get to each step to try to get to that point. . . . I'm just looking forward to being a part of Michigan's future."

Rivals: OSU and Michigan bring in top Big Ten units

Kelly Karloff

Rivals released their position rankings for the class of 2012, and the news is - unsurprisingly - good.  The Wolverines ranked #1 at running back, #5 at wide receiver, tied for #1 at tight end, #1 at offensive line, #1 at defensive tackle, #2 at defensive end, #1 at linebacker, and #2 at defensive back.  Michigan didn't take a quarterback or an athlete, so they were unranked at each of those positions.  Michigan's average ranking in those eight categories (not counting the two in which they were unranked) is 1.75.  Ohio State's average ranking in all ten categories (since they took a quarterback and a couple athletes) is 2.4.

Senior Highlights: Kyle Kalis

Norfleet, Johnson, Godin to take part in 2012 Michigan HS East West All-Star Game

Dennis Norfleet, Drake Johnson, and Matt Godin are scheduled to compete for the East squad in the 32nd annual Michigan High School East West All-Star Game. The contest is set to be played on June 30th at CMU's Kelly/Shorts stadium in Mount Pleasant. Mike Giannone of Macomb (MI) Dakota HS will coach the East, and Jerry Rabideau of Spring Lake (MI) HS will coach the West. Last year, Desmond Morgan, who recorded 6 tackles in the game, was U of M's only representative, although Thomas Rawls was also originally scheduled to play. The complete 2012 roster was released late last month and includes a few other names that Michigan fans might be familiar with, including Aaron Burbridge (MSU), Eric Wilson (Northwestern), and Kevin Buford (Iowa).

Senior Highlights: Allen Gant

Senior Highlights: Blake Bars

Senior Highlights: Matt Godin

Pro Athletes and Their Spawn: 2012 Edition

Perhaps the greatest running back of all time,
Barry Sanders' son follows in his dad's footsteps

One of the things I always find fascinating is the offspring of former pro athletes.  Growing up as the son of an NFL or NBA player must be a completely different lifestyle than I was accustomed to as a kid.  And there must be a ton of pressure on these kids, too, to follow in their footsteps or be a laughingstock.  I mean, there are certainly kids out there whose fathers were great football players but the kids can barely sniff the field.  I can only imagine what parents and players say to or about those kids.

But for lots of kids, the genes they're blessed with and the things they learn from their dads add up to some pretty good talent, too.  Here's an incomplete list of the 2012 recruits whose fathers made it big.  Feel free to add the names of any others, because I certainly don't know of them all.

Torey Agee (son of Tommie Agee)
Torey is a 6'3", 246 lb. defensive end who is headed to Vanderbilt.  He had 32 tackles and 4 sacks for Opelika (AL) Opelika as a senior.  Tommie - the football player, not the baseball player - was a fullback for the Seahawks, Chiefs, and most notably the Dallas Cowboys during their dynasty in the early 1990s.  Agee only had 675 total yards and 2 touchdowns in his seven-year NFL career, but when you lead block for Emmitt Smith, lots of people see your name.

Zach Banner (son of Lincoln Kennedy)
Lakewood (WA) Lakes offensive tackle Zach Banner is a 6'9", 310 lb. kid who spurned virtually every school in the country to attend USC.  His father, Lincoln Kennedy, was the Atlanta Falcons' first round draft pick out of Washington in the 1993 NFL Draft.  He spent eleven seasons in the NFL with the Falcons and Raiders and was named to the Pro Bowl three times.

Ray Buchanan, Jr. (son of Ray Buchanan)
Hailing from Suwanee (GA) Peachtree Ridge, the younger Buchanan is a 5'11", 178 lb. cornerback with 4.47 speed.  He grabbed offers from Cincinnati, Illinois, Mississippi, Mississippi State, and Purdue, but ultimately chose the Arkansas Razorbacks.  Ray Sr. played for the Colts, Falcons, and Raiders, amassing 871 tackles and 47 career interceptions.  He retired after the 2004 season having one Pro Bowl under his belt.

Keith Byars II (son of Keith Byars)
Boca Raton (FL) Boca Raton's younger Keith Byars is a 5'10", 195 lb. running back who fielded offers from the likes of Illinois, Iowa, and Rutgers, but has yet to choose a school.  His father was a running back for Ohio State and remains #2 on their career touchdown list with 50.  After college he was the #10 pick overall by the Philadelphia Eagles, which launched a career spent mostly as a fullback/H-back for the Eagles, Dolphins, Patriots, and Jets.  He finished his career with one Pro Bowl selection for his 3,109 yards rushing, 5,661 yards receiving, and 54 total career touchdowns.

Alex Carter (son of Tom Carter)
Ashburn (VA) Briar Woods safety Alex Carter is the son of Tom Carter, who was a 1st rounder out of Notre Dame chosen by the Redskins in 1993.  Tom played for the Redskins, Bears, and Bengals before retiring with 27 career interceptions.  The 6'0", 193 lb. Alex had an offer from his dad's alma mater but chose Stanford instead.

Nick Davidson (son of Jeff Davidson)
Eden Prairie (MN) Eden Prairie offensive tackle Nick Davidson is a 6'6", 275 lb. offensive tackle who committed to Stanford over offers from Clemson, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, South Carolina, and others.  His dad Jeff was an Ohio State offensive tackle and was a 5th round draft pick in 1990.  He played four seasons with the Broncos before retiring, and is now the offensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings.

Mario Edwards (son of Mario Edwards)
Denton (TX) Ryan defensive end Mario Edwards is following in his father's footsteps by choosing Florida State, but the 6'4", 275 lb. (or bigger) defensive end/tackle is significantly bigger than his dad, who was an NFL cornerback.  The elder Edwards played for Florida State and the Cowboys, Buccaneers, and Dolphins before retiring with 180 tackles and 4 interceptions.

Hardy Nickerson, Jr. (son of Hardy Nickerson)
The younger Nickerson, from Oakland (CA) Bishop O'Dowd, is an inside linebacker just like his father.  He stands 6'0", 218 lbs., has a 3.7 GPA, and claims a 1560 on his SAT.  He committed to Cal last summer, but he also was offered by Colorado and Nebraska, among others.  The elder Nickerson was a 5-time Pro Bowler with 1,586 career tackles for the Steelers, Buccaneers, Jaguars, and Packers, but he really made his name as the MIKE linebacker for the Buccaneers during their defensive heyday in the 1990s.  He is now the head football coach at Bishop O'Dowd.

Trey Griffey (son of Ken Griffey, Jr.)
Griffey is a 6'2", 190 lb. wide receiver who committed to Arizona.  He also held offers from Michigan State, Washington State, and a bunch of smaller programs.  At last check he had 61 receptions for 839 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior, and he earned praise during the Under Armour All-American Game and practices for his route running and hands.  Griffey attend Orland (FL) Dr. Phillips, the former home of Michigan tight end Ricardo Miller and former Michigan commit Demetrius Hart, now at Alabama.  It seems unlikely that Griffey will be a college football star, but he could be a very steady possession receiver for the Wildcats.  It's strange to think of him as a collegiate athlete, because I remember seeing his father holding him when Trey was just a toddler.  I feel old.  Ken Griffey, Jr. has loads of accolades as a professional baseball player, including 13 all-star selections, 10 Gold Gloves, 630 home runs, and an American League MVP Award, most of which came with the Seattle Mariners (although he later played for the Reds and the White Sox).  Of course, Grandpa Griffey (Ken Sr.) also played in the Major Leagues, whacking 152 homers and appearing in three all-star games.

Barry Sanders, Jr. (son of Barry Sanders)
Sanders, Jr., who had 1,343 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior, is the son of the greatest running back of all time.  He committed to Stanford during the Army All-American Bowl last month, but he had an offer from virtually every noteworthy school in the country (although Michigan was conspicuously absent from the reported list).  Barry Sr. is arguably the greatest running back of all time.  In a professional career spent entirely with the Detroit Lions, he rushed for 15,269 yards and 109 touchdowns while annually gaining 1,000 yards and getting nominated for the Pro Bowl.  He is now in the NFL Hall of Fame.

Deion Sanders, Jr. (son of Deion Sanders)
The younger Deion Sanders holds an offer from Houston, although he has yet to commit to a school.  He's a 5'7", 170 lb. athlete, and that size might be a concern for a lot of schools.  "Neon Deion" played in the NFL for the Falcons, 49ers, Cowboys, Redskins, and Ravens and excelled as a cover man and returner.  He picked off 53 passes and had 22 total touchdowns on interceptions and special teams returns.  Sanders, Sr. also played for the Yankees, Braves, Reds, and San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball, where he was a light-hitting but speedy outfielder.  He finished his professional baseball career with 39 homeruns, a .263 batting average, and 186 stolen bases.

Alston Smith (son of Bruce Smith)
Alston is a 6'3", 272 lb. defensive tackle headed to his father's alma mater, Virginia Tech.  Hailing from Virginia Beach (VA) Cox, he garnered limited FBS offers, but the only one that mattered was from the Hokies.  Bruce, of course, is the Hall of Fame defensive end who was the #1 overall pick by the Buffalo Bills in 1985.  He played for the Bills and Redskins, racking up 200 quarterback sacks and 11 Pro Bowls in 19 seasons.

Kodi Whitfield (son of Bob Whitfield)
Kodi, from Los Angeles (CA) Loyola, is a 6'2", 197 lb. wide receiver who is headed to Stanford.  His dad Bob Whitfield was a 6'5", 318 lb. offensive tackle who was picked #8 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 1992, also out of Stanford.  Bob played for the Falcons, Jaguars, and Giants before retiring after the 2006 season.  He made one Pro Bowl with the Falcons during his career.

Other children of notable athletes:
Michigan offensive lineman signee Kyle Kalis (son of Todd Kalis)
Stanford offensive tackle signee Andrus Peat (son of Todd Peat)
Auburn quarterback signee Zeke Pike (son of Mark Pike)

247 Sports: Big Ten Superlatives

Melanie Iglesias smiles in celebration of Michigan's awesome recruiting class

247 Sports released their "Big Ten Superlatives" for the 2012 recruiting class, and Michigan's class is obviously well respected by their analysts.

Ondre Pipkins is mentioned as one of three players who should make an immediate impact, and Michigan has more players (10) on the All Big Ten list than any other school, including Ohio State (7), which finished second.  Wisconsin had two, and one was picked from each of Michigan State, Minnesota, and Nebraska.

Ask a Question: Jehu Chesson

Jehu Chesson joins the Michigan football team at a position in need of another playmaker. Chesson is a three-star wide receiver to the primary recruiting sites, yet many scouts and coaches believe that Jehu is a much better player than those three stars indicate. Take his TTB commitment post and updated rating as examples. I'll be talking with Jehu this Saturday, so if you have a question for him, leave it the "comments" section below, and I'll address it in the interview.

Final Team Ranking for Class of 2012

Kyle Kalis is the headliner of a stellar 2012 class for Michigan
(image via Cleveland.com)

Michigan's - and the country's - recruiting class is finishing up for the class of 2012.  There are still some outstanding commitments from guys on Michigan's radar, such as Stefon Diggs, Alex Kozan, and Anthony Standifer.  Some of those guys could shake up the team rankings a bit, but with National Signing Day having come and gone, here's where Michigan stands to the major recruiting services.

ESPN: #7
Maxpreps: #4
Rivals: #7
Scout: #4
247 Sports: #8

That's a pretty good haul for a team coming off a 15-22 stretch from 2008-2010.  Of course, Michigan won the Sugar Bowl and went 11-2 during this past season, but many of Michigan's top recruits (Joe Bolden, Royce Jenkins-Stone, Kyle Kalis, Ondre Pipkins, Terry Richardson, James Ross, etc.) were committed well before they knew how good Michigan would be in 2011.

EDIT: After I scheduled this post for publication, I wandered over to MGoBlog and saw that Seth did a very in-depth look at Michigan's recent recruiting classes.  Head over there if you want a more detailed analysis of where Michigan's recruits and classes rank over the past several years.