Scouting Report: Dorian O'Daniel

Olney (MD) Good Counsel RB/LB Dorian O'Daniel

Name: Dorian O'Daniel
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 205 lbs.
Class: 2013
Position: Linebacker
School: Olney (MD) Good Counsel

Notes: Holds offers from Auburn, Cal, Florida, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina State, Ohio, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Rutgers, Syracuse, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wisconsin . . . In 2011 he had 40 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks; also rushed 125 times for 901 yards and 17 touchdowns . . . Claims a 4.55 forty yard dash . . . Rivals 4-star, #37 overall . . . Scout 4-star . . . 247 Sports 4-star, 94 grade, #13 OLB, #102 overall . . . Teammate of 2013 target Kendall Fuller; 2012 targets Wes Brown (Maryland) and Stefon Diggs (Maryland); and current Michigan cornerback Blake Countess

Strengths: Excellent athlete . . . Good straight line speed . . . Fast enough to chase down plays from behind . . . Low center of gravity helps him bounce off tacklers . . . Can pack a punch when he squares up the ball carrier . . . Potentially devastating blitzer with his ability to attack and change direction

Weaknesses: A little clunky when running the ball . . . Doesn't have great hips or footwork . . . Rarely uses his hands to shed blockers . . . Avoids too many blocks rather than attacking blockers . . . Does not consistently bring his feet with him when tackling . . . Gets a little loose with his tackling fundamentals . . . Could get better at diagnosing plays . . . Attacks the line of scrimmage a little tentatively at times

Projection: Weakside linebacker or strong safety.  He could also move to middle linebacker if he bulks up.  On athleticism alone, O'Daniel looks like a 4-star prospect.  But he doesn't show the instincts or the fundamental base to rise much higher than that, in my opinion.  He could certainly improve at shedding blocks, but if that improvement doesn't occur, he might be a candidate to move to the strong safety position.  He has good speed and can make plays when a blocker isn't accounting for him.  I also think that I should mention a concern about his highlight video: when O'Daniel makes a good play, his teammates tend to ignore him or turn and jog for the sideline.  I did not see those same teammate reactions when Stefon Diggs and Wes Brown made good plays, so I guess that leaves me with a question of how well he gets along with his teammates and how much they respect him.

Reminds me of: Frankie Telfort

Rivals: U.S. Army National All-Combine Team

Olney (MD) Good Counsel linebacker Dorian O'Daniel

The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is always accompanied by a combine, an event that recruitniks and scouts drool over.  Here's a look at Rivals' All-Combine Offense, which includes 2013 offeree Monaca (PA) Central Valley WR Robert Foster and honorable mention in-state prospects like Chelsea (MI) Chelsea RB Berkley Edwards, Howell (MI) Howell TE Pete Cender, and Flint (MI) Powers Catholic OG Vinnie Palazeti.

As for the defense, Michigan has targeted Louisville (KY) Trinity DE Jason Hatcher, Olney (MD) Good Counsel LB Dorian O'Daniel, and Olney (MD) Good Counsel CB Kendall Fuller.  In-state prospects made honorable mention on defense, too: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech DT Kenton Gibbs and Grand Blanc (MI) Grand Blanc LB Luke Maclean.

Recruiting Update: December 11, 2011

Ellie Gonsalves wants to wish you a happy Sunday.

COMMITMENT
West Des Moines (IA) Dowling Catholic wide receiver Amara Darboh committed to Michigan on Monday.  You can read his commitment post here.

ADDED TO THE BOARD
Olney (MD) Good Counsel cornerback Kendall Fuller, a 2013 prospect, was offered by Michigan last week.  He's 6'0", 185 lbs. and has reported 4.5 speed in the forty.  Fuller already has offers from Cal, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, and several others.  Fuller is a speedy corner with excellent ball skills, but he lacks maturity on the field.  He doesn't run his feet when he tackles, he doesn't wrap up, and he's a little DeSean Jackson-ish with the way he jogs into the endzone on breakaways.  These issues are correctable, but they're a bit concerning.

Seffner (FL) Armwood safety Leon McQuay III, a 2013 prospect, was offered by Michigan this past week.  McQuay is a 6'1", 177-pounder with offers from Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, among others.  Michigan has unsuccessfully recruited Armwood before and McQuay is likely to stay in state, so I won't be getting my hopes up.

Olney (MD) Good Counsel linebacker Dorian O'Daniel, a 2013 prospect, received a Michigan offer last week.  He's a 6'1", 205 lb. weakside linebacker prospect with excellent speed.  He holds offers from Cal, Florida, Iowa, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and several others.  O'Daniel attends the alma mater of freshman cornerback Blake Countess and is teammates with a couple of 2012 prospects Michigan has offered, wide receiver Stefon Diggs and running back Wes Brown, neither of whom is expected to commit to the Wolverines.

Warren (OH) Howland running back DeVeon Smith, a 2013 prospect, was offered by Michigan late last week.  The 5'11", 195 lb. Smith ran for approximately 2,200 yards and averaged around 13 yards per carry, according to him.  Michigan is Smith's first offer.  His older brother, Lance Smith, played running back for Wisconsin a few years ago but was kicked off the team for legal issues.

Crete (IL) Crete-Monee cornerback Anthony Standifer decommitted from Michigan late this week.  Rumors swirled that the departure was grade-related, although Standifer's mother has refuted that claim.  Standifer is the second prospect to exit Michigan's class in recent weeks, following Lyndhurst (OH) Brush tight end/defensive end Pharaoh Brown.


OFF THE BOARD
Lake Forest (IL) Lake Forest Academy defensive tackle Faith Ekakitie committed to Iowa on Wednesday.  Ekakitie is a 6'2", 255-pounder who was offered by the Wolverines several months ago but never showed significant interest.  He also held offers from Arizona, Illinois, Nebraska, Oregon, Stanford, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.  He joins Lombard (IL) Montini defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson, who was also offered by Michigan, as part of Iowa's recruiting haul.

Lakewood (CA) Lakewood wide receiver Darius Powe committed to Cal on Friday.  Powe is a 6'2", 186 lb. wideout who held offers from Arizona, Nebraska, Oregon, and Stanford, among others.  He ought to combine with quarterback Zach Kline and fellow wide receiver Bryce Treggs to create a very nice passing attack for the Golden Bears over the next few seasons.  Looking at Cal's recruiting class, they also have a linebacker named Hardy Nickerson, Jr., whose father played for several teams in the NFL, most notably the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.