2015 BBQ at the Big House Visitors

Detroit (MI) King wide receiver Donnie Corley

Michigan's coaching staff will be holding the annual BBQ at the Big House on August 2, 2015. The tradition was started by Rich Rodriguez and has normally been held in July, so this is a later date than normal. It could get interesting seeing how many players can travel from a long distance, because high school football practices usually begin at the start of August. Regardless, there are several players scheduled to attend, including a posse from Maryland and the New Jersey area.

2016
Ben Bredeson - OT - Hartland (WI) Arrowhead: Bredeson committed to Michigan in June (LINK).

Donnie Corley - WR - Detroit (MI) King: Corley is a 6'2", 180 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Tennessee, and USC, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #18 wide receiver, and #114 overall. Reports differ on how seriously he is considering Michigan, but Michigan State and Tennessee seem to be high on his list.

Terrance Davis - OG - Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha: Davis is a 6'4", 305 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Maryland, and Michigan, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #2 offensive guard, and #76 overall. He has been rumored to be a silent commit to Michigan, but Maryland and others are in the mix. UPDATE: Davis did not make it to Ann Arbor.

Hit the jump for several more prospects, including kids all the way through the class of 2019.

Visitors: July 17-19, 2015

Gibsonton (FL) East Bay cornerback K.J. Sails

Chris Brown of Smart Football  has put out a new book called The Art of Smart Football. You can find it on Amazon (LINK).
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Tony Butler - CB - Lakewood (OH) St. Edward: Butler is a 6'2", 195 lb. prospect who decommitted from Pitt recently; he also has offers from Arizona State, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, and others. He's a 247 Composite 3-star, the #57 cornerback, and #622 overall. His former head coach, Rick Finotti, was hired to be Michigan's director of football operations this past winter by Jim Harbaugh. Butler is thought to be leaning toward committing to the Wolverines.

Marlon Davidson - DE - Montgomery (AL) Greenville: Davidson is a 6'3", 260 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Michigan, and several others. He's a 247 Composite 5-star, the #3 strongside end, and #22 overall. He attended Michigan's satellite camp in Prattville, AL, and has expressed interest in Michigan. However, he is an Auburn legacy and considered to be a lean to the Tigers. UPDATE: For the second time in two months, a visit from Davidson has been canceled/postponed. He was supposed to visit Michigan in mid-June and mid-July, but instead he is visiting Auburn and Georgia this weekend.

Brad Hawkins, Jr. - WR - Camden (NJ) Camden: Hawkins committed to Michigan earlier this month (LINK). He is also expected to return for Michigan's BBQ at the Big House on August 2.

Ron Johnson, Jr. - DE - Camden (NJ) Camden: Johnson committed to Michigan in June (LINK). He will visit for the BBQ at the Big House, too.

K.J. Sails - S - Gibsonton (FL) East Bay: Sails is a 5'11", 170 lb. prospect with offers from Iowa, Rutgers, and Wisconsin, among others. He's a 247 Composite 3-star, the #57 cornerback, and #622 overall.

Brad Hawkins Jr., Wolverine

Camden (NJ) Camden wide receiver Brad Hawkins (image via NJ.com)

Camden (NJ) Camden wide receiver Brad Hawkins committed to Michigan on Friday. He chose the Wolverines over offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, Florida, Miami, Michigan State, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Rutgers, and South Carolina, among others.

Hawkins is 6'1", 202 lbs. As a junior in 2014, he caught 51 passes for 748 yards and 11 touchdowns, ran 39 times for 255 yards and 2 touchdowns, and had 40 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 3 interceptions (all returned for touchdowns) on defense. As a sophomore in 2013, he caught 45 passes for 805 yards and 14 touchdowns.

RATINGS
ESPN: 4-star, 82 grade, #25 WR, #191 overall
Rivals: 4-star, #42 WR, #206 overall
Scout: 4-star, #38 WR, #224 overall
247 Sports: 4-star, 92 grade, #37 WR, #198 overall

Hawkins was offered during the Brady Hoke tenure, and things between the two parties were pretty rosy to begin. When Jim Harbaugh was hired, he didn't waste much time before trying to pick up where Hoke had left off. Harbaugh made a strong push for several kids in New Jersey, which had already paid off for Michigan with the commitment of Hawkins's teammate, Ron Johnson, Jr., last week. (Michigan also offered their 2017 teammate, center Cesar Ruiz). Shortly after Johnson's pledge, Hawkins announced that he would be committing on July 3. He also plans to visit Michigan on July 16, which was a giveaway that this commitment would go in favor of the Wolverines.

Hawkins is a decent-sized wide receiver; while not particularly tall, he has a thick frame that won't need much time to develop before he can contribute at the next level. He does not have blazing speed, but he is a smooth runner with a low center of gravity, so he can change directions fluidly without losing much speed. He shows good body control and is able to adjust when the ball is in the air, and he also has a knack for coming down with contested balls. He's not fazed by traffic, guys waving their hands in front of his face, etc. Once he gets the ball in his hands, he is a strong runner who will get upfield and gain what he can while running through an occasional tackle or two.

On the negative side, Hawkins is not the cleanest route runner and will have to improve in that area in order to get separation from college defensive backs. He could improve his releases off the line of scrimmage, including using his hands to fend off physical corners. He also likes to catch the ball in his body when he's able, which is not a great habit; however, he does show an ability to catch the ball outside the frame of his body when necessary, so it should just be a matter of changing his mindset a little bit. Hawkins also has a little bit of a flamboyant streak that shows him taunting opponents, jogging across the goal line, etc., things that could get him flagged at the next level.

Overall, he is a strong pickup for Michigan's 2016 wide receiver class. Michigan needs an immediate influx of talent at the receiver positions, and he can be one piece of that. The Wolverines have some talented kids who have not been able to put it all together on the field yet, and if they don't show it by 2016, guys like Hawkins and Indianapolis (IN) Ben Davis slot receiver Chris Evans could push their way up the depth chart. I like what the Wolverines are doing at the wide receiver position. They could potentially end up with Hawkins, Evans, and Egg Harbor City (NJ) Cedar Creek wide receiver Ahmir Mitchell in the class, and that's a group that could be productive in similar ways to the Jason Avant-Steve Breaston-Braylon Edwards trio from the early 2000s.

Michigan is now up to 21 commitments in the 2016 class. They will probably take one more receiver, and that player could be Mitchell; Winchester (IN) Winchester athlete Kiante Enis could eventually end up at wide receiver or slot receiver, too. Many 2016 recruits have been using the #fab25 hashtag, and it's completely feasible for the Wolverines to reach that threshold or go beyond. We saw Ondre Pipkins announce his transfer earlier this week, and more dominos will fall before all is said and done. In theory, there are only 14 seniors graduating and thus 14 spots, but realistically, that number will continue to grow before and after the season.

TTB Rating: 80 (ratings explanation)

2016 Recruiting Update: July 1, 2015

Miami (FL) Miami wide receiver Keyshawn "Pie" Young (#1, image via Canes Warning)

COMMITMENTS
Baltimore (MD) Gilman offensive tackle Devery Hamilton committed to Michigan (LINK).

Camden (NJ) Camden defensive end Ron Johnson, Jr. committed to Michigan (LINK).

Montreal (Quebec) CEGEP du Vieux cornerback Benjamin St-Juste committed to Michigan (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
Vienna (GA) Dooly County defensive end Antonneous Clayton was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'4", 218 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Notre Dame, and Ole Miss, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #9 weakside end, and #110 overall. He's a very raw player but has an explosive first couple steps. He's a long shot to even make it to Ann Arbor and wants to decide by the end of the summer.

Dade City (FL) Pasco cornerback Jayvaughn Myers was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'1", 185 lb. prospect with offers from Auburn, Florida, and Florida State, among others. He's a 247 Composite 3-star, the #38 cornerback, and #439 overall. As a junior in 2014, he made 31 tackles, 5 pass breakups, and 1 sack. He claims a 4.5 forty. Myers was in Michigan for the Sound Mind Sound Body camp at the beginning of June. He is the half-brother of Tampa (FL) Catholic wide receiver Nate Craig-Myers, who is considered by some to be the top receiver in the 2016 class. Florida State probably has the best shot to land Jayvaughn.

Hit the jump for a couple more 2016 offers, some guys who went off the board, and then some random bits.

Visitors: June 26-28, 2015

Egg Harbor City (NJ) Cedar Creek wide receiver Ahmir Mitchell

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With the exception of Gary, the players below will be in town Wednesday through Friday.

2016
Rashan Gary - DT - Paramus (NJ) Catholic: I wrote a scouting report on Gary back in May (LINK). His Crystal Ball has 44% of votes in favor of Alabama and 38% for Michigan.

Brad Hawkins - WR - Camden (NJ) Camden: Hawkins is a 6'1", 202 lb. prospect with offers from Auburn, Florida, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Rutgers, and South Carolina, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #38 wide receiver, #203 overall, and #7 in the Garden State. As a junior in 2014, he caught 51 passes for 748 yards and 11 touchdowns while also rushing for 255 yards and 2 scores; on defense, he made 40 tackles and 3 picks, all 3 of which he returned for touchdowns. Michigan and South Carolina seem to be the two front-runners. UPDATE: Hawkins rescheduled his visit for July 18th.

Hit the jump for the rest of the visitors.

Visitors: March 20-22, 2015

Detroit (MI) King wide receiver Donnie Corley

Johnathan Berghorst - DE - Zeeland (MI) East: Berghorst, a 2017 prospect, is a 6'3", 245 lb. end with no offers at this time. He has visited Michigan numerous times, and while it's rare that guys hang around Michigan a ton and don't eventually get some kind of chance, nothing really stands out about Berghorst on film. He does still have two years of high school ball left to play, though.

Jalen Cochran - DE - Canton (MI) Canton: Cochran is a 6'4", 225 lb. prospect with offers from Iowa and a few MAC schools. He's a 247 Sports 3-star. Cochran is largely under the radar so far, but I believe he's perhaps a pretty big sleeper and could earn some big-time offers by the time everything wraps up.

Donnie Corley - WR - Detroit (MI) King: Corley is a 6'2", 180 lb. prospect with offers from LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Ole miss, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #20 wide receiver, and #109 overall. Michigan was outside of his released top five because he had not built much of a relationship with the new coaching staff, but Harbaugh's crew is working their way back up the ladder. Corley is visiting Tuesday, March 17.

Brad Hawkins - WR - Camden (MI) Camden: Hawkins is a 6'2", 205 lb. prospect with offers from Florida, Michigan, Notre Dame, Pitt, Rutgers, and South Carolina, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #33 wide receiver, and #161 overall. Currently he appears to be favoring the Gamecocks, but he does not look to be in a hurry to make a decision, so Michigan still has a chance to work their way to the top.

Hit the jump for several more visitors.

Recruiting Update: May 26, 2014

Potomac (MD) Bullis quarterback Dwayne Haskins, Jr. is Michigan's first 2016 offer at the position (image via Gazette)

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015
Lakewood (OH) St. Edward's cornerback Shaun Crawford decommitted from Michigan.

Raleigh (NC) Millbrook defensive end Kengera Daniel was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'5", 250 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Miami, and Tennessee, among others. He's a 247 Composite 3-star, the #18 weakside end, and #402 overall. He claims a 4.89 forty and had 89 tackles, 13 sacks, and 1 interception as a junior in 2013. I think Daniel looks more like a strongside end with the potential even to grow into a 3-tech defensive tackle eventually.

Virginia Beach (VA) Ocean Lakes wide receiver Jaason Lewis decommitted from UCLA. The 6'3", 233 lb. prospect is a 247 Composite 4-star, the #15 athlete, and #178 overall. Lewis could play a number of positions, from wide receiver to running back to tight end to linebacker to defensive end. Rivals' Mike Farrell hinted that there might be a couple more commitments during Lewis's recruitment, and the most recent Crystal Ball prediction is to Arizona State. As of this time, Michigan is not under consideration.

Dallas (TX) Bishop Dunne wide receiver Anthony "A.D." Miller was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'4", 175 lb. prospect with offers from Miami, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oregon, Oregon State, and Washington, among others. He's a 247 Composite 3-star, the #128 wide receiver, and #1062 overall. As a junior in 2013, he had 34 catches for 482 yards and 10 touchdowns. Miller is a tall, lanky receiver without great speed but with good body control and hands. Michigan recruited cornerback Nick Watkins (Notre Dame) out of Bishop Dunne in the 2014 class.

Nixa (MO) Nixa running back Alec Murphy was offered by Michigan . . . perhaps. Rivals is the only site reporting the offer right now, and this is not the first time that an offer to Murphy has been reported by a recruiting site. If the Wolverines have not extended an offer, then they are almost surely dancing around the idea of doing so. Murphy is a 6'1", 228 lb. prospect with offers from Illinois, Iowa, Kansas State, Mississippi State, and Purdue, among others. He's a 247 Composite 3-star, the #65 running back, and #804 overall. As a junior in 2013, he had 209 carries for 1,793 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. Murphy is a big, powerful back who lacks great long speed.

Pulaski (TN) Giles cornerback Cameron Ordway was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'0", 174 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, LSU, Florida State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, and Tennessee, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #22 cornerback, and #234 overall. As a junior in 2013, he had 75 tackles and 9 interceptions. Ordway is a lanky, hard-hitting corner who could also play free safety at the next level.

This is another long update, so hit the jump for 2016 news and some random tidbits.