Recruiting Update: December 4, 2014

Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic quarterback
Jarrett Guarantano (image via 247Sports.com)

Even though head coach Brady Hoke was let go on Tuesday, the recruiting must go on. Michigan has about two months before National Signing Day, and they have just six commits in the class of 2015. It will be a small class, so it is still salvageable with a good hire. Former Michigan offensive coordinator (and Central Michigan head coach) Mike DeBord is handling day-to-day activities of the head football coach, and the rest of the staff has been told to stop contacting recruits. Mattison is nearing retirement age and repeatedly said that he only came back to Michigan to work with Hoke, so it's not a surprise that he would be headed out the door. It's unclear whether the other staff members will be asked to interview for the new regime or not.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015
Avon (CT) Old Farms tight end Chris Clark decommitted from Michigan (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
Oradell (NJ) Bergen Catholic quarterback Jarrett Guarantano was offered by Michigan, according to Rivals. He's a 6'4", 200 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Michigan State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #6 pro-style quarterback, and #108 overall. As a junior in 2014, he was 97/153 for 1,163 yards and 14 touchdowns, plus he had 547 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns on the ground. Despite being rated as a pro-style guy, he's a decent - but not dynamic - runner, and Ohio State appears to be the frontrunner right now.



Hit the jump for some commitments elsewhere and some miscellaneous tidbits.

Recruiting Update: October 29, 2014

Oak Park (MI) Oak Park safety John Kelly (image via Scout.com)

DECOMMITMENT
Richmond (VA) St. Christopher's cornerback Garrett Taylor decommitted from Michigan. Taylor had committed to Michigan (LINK) this past spring, but in recent weeks, he had set official visits to Ohio State and Penn State. Taylor tore his ACL prior to the beginning of his senior season, so he hasn't played and won't play this year. However, he is still getting attention from heavy hitters, and he will not be considering Michigan going forward. He's currently a 247 Composite 4-star, the #12 cornerback, and #107 overall.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015
Oak Park (MI) Oak Park safety John Kelly was offered by Michigan. He's a 5'9", 191 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan State, Minnesota, and some MAC schools. He's a 247 Composite 3-star, the #63 athlete, #661 overall, and #9 in-state. Kelly was offered after cornerback Taylor's decommitment, but Michigan wants Kelly as a safety. He also plays running back in high school. Kelly claims a 4.6 forty and while he's not a burner, he is a good all-around player. Initial readings have him leaning toward Michigan State, and his comments upon receiving the Michigan offer were not particularly overwhelming in favor of the Wolverines. He may visit this coming weekend for the game against Indiana.

Lawrenceville (GA) Central Gwinnett outside linebacker Adonis Thomas decommitted from Florida. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #10 outside linebacker, and #171 overall. Thomas has never shown much interest in Michigan, seems to like Alabama, and has scheduled visits to Oregon and LSU.

Hit the jump for players who committed elsewhere and some other miscellaneous tidbits.

Recruiting Update: September 2, 2014

Darian Roseboro

COMMITMENT
Lincolnton (NC) Lincolnton defensive end Darian Roseboro committed to Michigan (LINK).

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
Towson (MD) St. Frances Academy defensive end Rahshaun Smith was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'3", 225 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Maryland, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Virginia Tech, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #3 weakside end, and #50 overall. Smith has excellent get-off, long arms, and good change of direction, but he's raw and needs to learn to play with leverage and using his hands. He appears to be wide open, has visited several schools, and could end up anywhere.


OFF THE BOARD
Memphis (TN) Whitehaven linebacker Joshua McMillon committed to Alabama. He was down to Michigan and the Crimson Tide, but when he decided not to visit for the late July BBQ at the Big House, the writing was on the wall.

MISCELLANEOUS
Richmond (VA) St. Christopher's cornerback Garrett Taylor tore his ACL in pre-season practice, so he will miss the 2014 season. Taylor, in case you didn't know, is a 2015 Michigan commit. With the way ACL recoveries go, he should be ready to play by his freshman year in college.

Here's a list of visitors for the Appalachian State game (LINK).

The recruit tracker tag (LINK) has updates on Michigan commits' high school seasons, including Alex Malzone and Darrin Kirkland, Jr.

Recruit Tracker: Garrett Taylor

Garrett Taylor

August 26, 2014: Taylor tore his ACL in practice prior to the year, so he will miss the entire 2014 football season.

Rivals 100 for 2015 updated

Garrett Taylor

The Rivals 100 for 2015 has been updated (LINK). Here's what it looked like back in May (LINK).
Movement for Michigan commits:

- Garrett Taylor remains at #48
- Brian Cole jumps from #106 to #89

5-stars:
2. Josh Rosen - QB - California (UCLA)
3. Iman Marshall - CB - California
5. Josh Sweat - DE - Virginia
10. Damien Harris - RB - Kentucky
12. CeCe Jefferson - DE - Florida
13. Tyron Johnson - WR - Louisiana
14. Kevin Toliver II - CB - Florida (LSU)
15. Minkah Fitzpatrick - CB - New Jersey (Alabama)
16. Mitch Hyatt - OT - Georgia (Clemson)
17. Jacques Patrick - RB - Florida
18. Ray-Ray McCloud III - ATH - Florida (Clemson)
19. Rasheem Green - DT - California
22. Malik Jefferson - LB - Texas
24. Rashad Roundtree - S - Georgia
27. Drew Richmond - OT - Tennessee
29. Christian Kirk - WR - Arizona
30. Keisean Lucier-South - DE - California

4-star:
31. Terry Beckner, Jr. - DT - Illinois
36. Jerome Baker - LB - Ohio (Florida)
37. Blake Barnett - QB - Texas (Alabama)
41. Isaiah Prince - OT - Maryland
42. Darian Roseboro - DE - North Carolina
43. Kendall Sheffield - CB - Texas
45. DaMarkus Lodge - WR - Texas (Texas A&M)
47. Soso Jamabo - RB - Texas
48. Garrett Taylor - CB - Virginia (Michigan)
49. Justin Hilliard - LB - Ohio (Ohio State)
50. Jarrett Stidham - QB - Texas (Texas Tech)
51. Osa Masina - LB - Utah
54. Chris Clark - TE - Connecticut (Michigan)
57. Shy Tuttle - DT - North Carolina
64. Preston Williams - WR - Georgia (Tennessee)
66. Ronald Jones II - RB - Texas (Oklahoma State)
74. Deondre Francois - QB - Florida (Florida State)
78. George Campbell, Jr. - WR - Florida
85. Clelin Ferrell - DE - Virginia (Clemson)
89. Brian Cole - ATH - Michigan (Michigan)
90. Marcus Lewis - CB - Washington, DC
94. Jake Fruhmorgen - OT - Florida (Clemson)

ESPN 300 for 2015 updated

Saginaw (MI) Heritage wide receiver Brian Cole is the #139 player in the country.

ESPN released their updated top 300 players for 2015. Here's what it looked like back in June (LINK). Movement for Michigan commits:

- Chris Clark drops from #108 to #109
- Garrett Taylor drops from #110 to #111
- Brian Cole drops from #137 to #139
- Tyree Kinnel drops from #188 to #192
- Grant Newsome drops from #240 to #242
- Darrin Kirkland, Jr. drops from #263 to #266

5-stars:
1. Josh Sweat - DE - Virginia
4. Terry Beckner, Jr. - DE - Illinois
5. Kevin Toliver II - CB - Florida (LSU)
7. CeCe Jefferson - DE - Florida
8. Iman Marshall - CB - California
9. Kendall Sheffield - CB - Texas
10. George Campbell - ATH - Florida
11. Justin Hilliard - LB - Ohio (Ohio State)
15. Tim Settle - DT - Virginia
16. Blake Barnett - QB - California (Alabama)
17. Mitch Hyatt - OT - Georgia (Clemson)
18. Jashon Cornell - DE - Minnesota (Ohio State)

4-stars:
19. Josh Rosen - QB - California (UCLA)
22. Rasheem Greene - DT - California
27. Minkah Fitzpatrick - CB - New Jersey (Alabama)
28. Keisean Lucier-South - DE - California
30. Damien Harris - RB - Kentucky
31. Shy Tuttle - DT - North Carolina
32. Soso Jamabo - RB - Texas
33. Preston Williams - WR - Georgia (Tennessee)
36. Christian Kirk - WR - Arizona
38. Jarrett Stidham - QB - Texas (Texas Tech)
39. Malik Jefferson - LB - Texas
41. Jeffery Holland - LB - Florida
45. Keenan Walker - OT - Arizona (Arizona)
46. Jacques Patrick - RB - Florida
54. Arden Key - DE - Georgia
55. Deondre Francois - QB - Florida
58. Ronald Jones II - RB - Texas (Oklahoma State)
61. Matt Burrell, Jr. - OT - Virginia
63. Adonis Thomas - LB - Georgia
64. Drew Richmond - OT - Tennessee
69. Abdul Bello - OT - Florida (Florida State)
70. DaMarkus Lodge - WR - Texas (Texas A&M)
72. Jerome Baker - ATH - Ohio (Florida)
73. Hale Hentges - TE - Missouri (Alabama)
75. Devonaire Clarington - TE - Florida
79. Jaylon Lane - CB - Texas (Oklahoma State)
80. Rashad Roundtree - S - Georgia
82. Anthony Wheeler - LB - Texas
84. Dexter Williams - RB - Florida (Miami)
86. Johnny Frasier - RB - North Carolina
90. Jalen Dalton - DE - North Carolina
95. Jake Fruhmorgen - OT - Florida (Clemson)
98. Christian Pellage - OT - Florida
99. Hjalte Froholdt - DT - Florida
103. Sterling Jenkins - OT - Pennsylvania (Penn State)
105. Ryan Bates - OT - Pennsylvania (Penn State)
106. Clelin Ferrell - DE - Virginia (Clemson)
108. Tyler Jordan - OG - Florida (Florida)
109. Chris Clark - TE - Connecticut (Michigan)
111. Garrett Taylor - CB - Virginia (Michigan)
124. Osa Masina - LB - Utah
135. Ty'Son Williams - RB - South Carolina
136. Kirk Merritt - ATH - Louisiana
138. Jordan Whitehead - CB - Pennsylvania
139. Brian Cole - ATH - Michigan (Michigan)
141. Devante Peete - WR - Florida
150. Ray-Ray McCloud III - ATH - Florida (Clemson)
152. Marcus Lewis - CB - Washington, D.C.
161. Shaun Crawford - CB - Ohio (Notre Dame)
163. Joshua McMillon - LB - Tennessee
165. Darian Roseboro - DE - North Carolina
168. John Reid - CB - Pennsylvania
169. Michael Weber - RB - Michigan
191. Juwan Johnson - WR - New Jersey (Penn State)
192. Tyree Kinnel - S - Ohio (Michigan)
227. Rashard Causey, Jr. - CB - Florida (Florida Atlantic)
236. Isaiah Prince - OT - Maryland
238. Pat Allen - OT - Maryland
242. Grant Newsome - OT - New Jersey (Michigan)
256. Cameron Townsend - LB - Texas
259. Cameron Ordway - CB - Tennessee
266. Darrin Kirkland, Jr. - LB - Indiana (Michigan)

ESPN 300 for 2015 updated

Avon (CT) Old Farms tight end Chris Clark is
Michigan's highest rated commit (image via 247 Sports)

ESPN released an updated list of top 300 prospects for 2015. Here's what it looked like back in April (LINK). Movement for Michigan commits:

- Chris Clark fell from #104 to #108
- Garrett Taylor fell from #106 to #110
- Tyree Kinnel fell from #182 to #188
- Grant Newsome fell from #235 to #240
- Darrin Kirkland, Jr. jumped from #265 to #263

Here are the rest of Michigan's offerees:

5-stars:
3. Kevin Toliver II - CB - Florida (LSU)
4. Josh Sweat - DE - Virginia
6. Terry Beckner, Jr. - DE - Illinois
7. Mitch Hyatt - OT - Georgia (Clemson)
9. Tim Settle - DT - Virginia
10. Kendall Sheffield - CB - Texas
11. George Campbell - ATH - Florida
13. Justin Hilliard - LB - Ohio
16. Jashon Cornell - DE - Minnesota

4-stars:
17. Rasheem Green - DT - California
18. Keisean Lucier-South - DE - California
19. Josh Rosen - QB - California (UCLA)
20. Iman Marshall - CB - California
22. Shy Tuttle - DT - North Carolina
24. Jeffery Holland - LB - Florida
27. Tyron Johnson - WR - Louisiana
28. Damien Harris - RB - Kentucky
29. Preston Williams - WR - Georgia (Tennessee)
32. Minkah Fitzpatrick - CB - New Jersey (Alabama)
38. Jarrett Stidham - QB - Texas (Texas Tech)
39. Malik Jefferson - LB - Texas
43. Matt Burrell, Jr. - OT - Virginia
47. Christian Kirk - WR - Arizona
49. Deondre Francois - QB - Florida
50. Jacques Patrick - RB - Florida
52. Ronald Jones II - RB - Texas (Oklahoma State)
56. Blake Barnett - QB - California (Alabama)
57. Adonis Thomas - LB - Georgia
58. Hale Hentges - TE - Missouri (Alabama)
59. Drew Richmond - OT - Tennessee
63. Abdul Bello - OT - Florida
65. DaMarkus Lodge - WR - Texas (Texas A&M)
68. Jerome Baker - LB - Ohio
70. Devonaire Clarington - TE - Florida
71. Soso Jamabo - RB - Texas
74. Jaylon Lane - CB - Texas (Oklahoma State)
75. Rashad Roundtree - S - Georgia
77. Anthony Wheeler - LB - Texas
79. Dexter Williams - RB - Florida (Miami)
81. Johnny Frasier - RB - North Carolina
86. Jake Fruhmorgen - OT - Florida (Clemson)
90. Jalen Dalton - DE - North Carolina
94. Keenan Walker - OT - Arizona (Arizona)
97. Sterling Jenkins - OT - Pennsylvania (Penn State)
98. Christian Pellage - OT - Florida
99. Hjalte Froholdt - DT - Ohio (Arkansas)
104. Ryan Bates - OT - Pennsylvania (Penn State)
105. Clelin Ferrell - DE - Virginia (Clemson)
107. Tyler Jordan - OG - Florida (Florida)
108. Chris Clark - TE - Connecticut (Michigan)
110. Garrett Taylor - CB - Virginia (Michigan)
122. Osa Masina - LB - Utah
135. Ty'Son Williams - RB - South Carolina
136. Jordan Whitehead - CB - Pennsylvania
137. Brian Cole - ATH - Michigan
139. Devante Peete - WR - Florida
150. Marcus Lewis - S - Washington, D.C. (Florida)
153. Mike Weber - RB - Michigan
155. Ray-Ray McCloud III - RB - Florida
157. Shaun Crawford - CB - Ohio (Notre Dame)
159. Joshua McMillon - LB - Tennessee
161. Darian Roseboro - DT - North Carolina
164. John Reid - CB - Pennsylvania
187. Juwan Johnson - WR - New Jersey (Penn State)
188. Tyree Kinnel - S - Ohio (Michigan)
223. Rashard Causey, Jr. - CB - Florida (Florida Atlantic)
233. Isaiah Prince - OT - Maryland
235. Pat Allen - OT - Maryland
240. Grant Newsome - OT - New Jersey (Michigan)
255. Cameron Townsend - LB - Texas
258. Cameron Ordway - CB - Tennessee
263. Darrin Kirkland, Jr. - LB - Indiana (Michigan)

Rivals 100 updated for 2015

Garrett Taylor is Rivals' #48 player in the country

Rivals updated its top 100 prospects for 2015 on Monday. Here's what it looked like back in February. Michigan has one commit on this list, that being Virginia cornerback Garrett Taylor at #48. Former Michigan commits Damien Harris and George Campbell check in at #4 and #42, respectively.

5-stars:
2. Josh Rosen - QB - California (UCLA)
4. Damien Harris - RB - Kentucky
5. Iman Marshall - CB - California
6. Tyron Johnson - WR - Louisiana
8. Kevin Toliver II - CB - Florida (LSU)
9. Minkah Fitzpatrick - CB - New Jersey (Alabama)
11. Josh Sweat - DE - Virginia
13. Rasheem Green - DT - California
18. Jacques Patrick - RB - Florida
19. Malik Jefferson - LB - Texas
20. Rashad Roundtree - S - Georgia
22. Mitch Hyatt - OT - Georgia (Clemson)

4-stars:
26. Ray-Ray McCloud II - RB - Florida
30. Christian Kirk - WR - Arizona
32. Terry Beckner, Jr. - DT - Illinois
33. Kendall Sheffield - CB - Texas
35. Keisean Lucier-South - DE - California
36. Jerome Baker - ATH - Ohio
39. DaMarkus Lodge - WR - Texas
40. Drew Richmond - OT - Tennessee
41. Isaiah Prince - OT - Maryland
42. George Campbell - WR - Florida
43. Ronald Jones II - RB - Texas (Oklahoma State)
45. Soso Jamabo - RB - Texas
47. Jalen Dalton - DE - North Carolina
48. Garrett Taylor - CB - Virginia (Michigan)
49. Justin Hilliard - LB - Ohio
50. Jarrett Stidham - QB - Texas (Texas Tech)
55. Blake Barnett - QB - California (Notre Dame)
58. Osa Masina - LB - Utah
60. Shy Tuttle - DT - North Carolina
62. Tim Settle - DT - Virginia
63. Preston Williams - WR - Georgia (Tennessee)
64. Jeffrey Holland - LB - Florida
69. Sterling Jenkins - OT - Pennsylvania (Penn State)
76. Jashon Cornell - DE - Minnesota
77. Clelin Ferrell - DE - Virginia
79. Darian Roseboro - DE - North Carolina
84. Marcus Lewis - CB - Washington, DC (Florida)
87. Jake Fruhmorgen - OT - Florida (Clemson)
95. Pat Allen - OT - Maryland

ESPN 300 for 2015 updated

Richmond (VA) St. Christopher's cornerback Garrett Taylor
is Michigan's top-rated commit

ESPN released its updated top 300 players for the class of 2015. Here's what it looked like back in November.

Movement for Michigan commits:
- Garrett Taylor appears at #106. He did not have an offer in November, so I'm not sure where he was ranked.
- Shaun Crawford fell from #73 to #154
- Tyree Kinnel jumps into the top 300 at #182 overall

3. Kevin Toliver II - CB - Florida (LSU)
4. Josh Sweat - DE - Virginia
6. Terry Beckner, Jr. - DE - Illinois
7. Mitch Hyatt - OT - Georgia (Clemson)
10. Tim Settle - DT - Virginia
11. George Campbell - WR - Florida
12. Kendall Sheffield - CB - Texas
13. Justin Hilliard - LB - Ohio
16. Jashon Cornell - DE - Minnesota
17. Rasheem Green - DT - California
18. Keisean Lucier-South - DE - California
19. Josh Rosen - QB - California (UCLA)
20. Iman Marshall - CB - California
22. Shy Tuttle - DT - North Carolina
24. Jeff Holland - LB - Florida
26. Tyron Johnson - WR - Louisiana
27. Damien Harris - RB - Kentucky
31. Minkah Fitzpatrick - CB - New Jersey
37. Jarrett Stidham - QB - Texas (Texas Tech)
38. Malik Jefferson - LB - Texas
45. Christian Kirk - WR - Arizona
48. Jacques Patrick - RB - Florida
50. Ronald Jones II - RB - Texas (Oklahoma State)
54. Blake Barnett - QB - California (Notre Dame)
55. Adonis Thomas - LB - Georgia
56. Hale Hentges - TE - Missouri
58. Drew Richmond - OT - Tennessee
63. DaMarkus Lodge - WR - Texas
65. Sterling Jenkins - OT - Pennsylvania
66. Jerome Baker, Jr. - LB - Ohio
69. Devonaire Clarington - TE - Florida
70. Soso Jamabo - RB - Texas
76. Anthony Wheeler - LB - Texas
80. Johnny Frasier - RB - North Carolina
81. Hjalte Froholdt - DT - Ohio (Arkansas)
83. Jake Fruhmorgen - OT - Florida (Clemson)
90. Jalen Dalton - DE - North Carolina
93. Keenan Walker - OT - Arizona
95. Christian Pellage - OT - Florida
100. Ryan Bates - OT - Pennsylvania (Penn State)
101. Clelin Ferrell - DE - Virginia
104. Chris Clark - TE - Connecticut
106. Garrett Taylor - CB - Virginia (Michigan)
116. Devante Peete - WR - Florida
122. Osa Masina - LB - Utah
135. Ty'Son Williams - RB - South Carolina
136. Jordan Whitehead - CB - Pennsylvania
137. Brian Cole - ATH - Michigan
152. Michael Weber - RB - Michigan
154. Shaun Crawford - CB - Ohio (Michigan)
158. Joshua McMillon - LB - Tennessee
159. Darian Roseboro - DE - North Carolina
162. John Reid - CB - Pennsylvania
181. Juwan Johnson - WR - New Jersey (Penn State)
182. Tyree Kinnel - S - Ohio (Michigan)
219. Rashard Causey, Jr. - CB - Florida
235. Grant Newsome - OT - New Jersey
250. Cameron Townsend - LB - Texas
265. Darrin Kirkland, Jr. - LB - Indiana
283. Josh Barajas - LB - Indiana (Penn State)
300. Asmar Bilal - LB - Indiana

Initial TTB Ratings for 2015

Richmond (VA) St. Christopher's CB Garrett Taylor

Here are the initial TTB Ratings for the class of 2015 (ratings explanation).

CB Garrett Taylor - Richmond (VA) St. Christopher's: 85
Taylor has the makings of being a very good player. He has size, speed, leaping ability, physicality, and is reportedly a quality kid. I'm not sure if I see the coverage instincts to pop him up into the 90's, but he should be a very good cornerback or perhaps safety in a few years. (Commitment post.)

CB Shaun Crawford - Lakewood (OH) St. Edward: 79
I like Crawford as a prospect. He has great speed, and he is also very physical for someone his size. I do have some questions about whether he can play man coverage, because he doesn't have a ton of experience doing that in high school. I think a 79 here is a baseline, but if he attends an event like The Opening or the Rivals 5-star Challenge, he could show some of those man coverage skills to sway me upward. (Commitment post.)

S Tyree Kinnel - Huber Heights (OH) Wayne: 74
When I look at Kinnel, I see a high school version of Thomas Gordon. He doesn't wow me with his athletic skills, but he comes up with some solid tackles and seems to be in the right place at the right time. He looks like a solid safety prospect but does not appear to be a star. (Commitment post.)

OG Jon Runyan, Jr. - Natrona Heights (PA) St. Joseph's: 73
Runyan is a decent athlete, but for being the son of a former NFL player, I think he's lacking somewhat in football instincts. He comes out of his stance a little high, doesn't seem to have a great deal of power, and gets overextended at times. As a legacy player, he seems like someone who would stick around, so he would have a while to develop. He's not a player who leaps off the screen, though. (Commitment post.)

K Andrew David - Massillon (OH) Washington: N/A
I don't really know enough about kickers to evaluate them. (Commitment post.)

Recruiting Update: March 31, 2014

Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius defensive end Dre'Mont Jones (#86) (image via 247 Sports)

COMMITMENT
Richmond (VA) St. Christopher's cornerback Garrett Taylor committed to Michigan last Monday.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015
Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius defensive end Dre'Mont Jones was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'5", 250 lb. prospect with offers from Cincinnati, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Ohio State. He's also a 247 Composite 4-star, the #14 strongside end, #294 overall, and the #15 player in the Buckeye State. Jones is quick off the ball but he could be one of those guys who grows into a 3-tech defensive tackle. Michigan has gone after several St. Ignatius prospects in recent years, but the last one they landed was linebacker Jake Ryan in the 2010 class. Jones himself appears to be leaning heavily toward Ohio State.

OFF THE BOARD
Merrillville (IN) Andrean linebacker Josh Barajas committed to Penn State. Michigan had been in his top three, but Penn State pulled ahead on a recent visit. This may open the door for a player like Indianapolis (IN) Lawrence Central linebacker Darrin Kirkland, Jr. to be offered, and Michigan would likely jump to the top of Kirkland's list.

Dallas (TX) South Oak Cliff safety Prentice McKinney committed to Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish and Michigan were supposedly his top two, but obviously, the Irish pulled ahead. He has yet to visit South Bend, and sometimes those types of commitments are a little iffy before all is said and done.

MISCELLANEOUS
Here's a short list of this past weekend's visitors.

I did a scouting report on Lawrenceville (NJ) Lawrenceville School offensive tackle Grant Newsome.

Over at Recruiting Season, I profiled Avonte' Bell, Parker Underwood, Shahid Bellamy, Cameron Lewis, and Thiyo Lukusa. If you have a teammate or player who's a Division I prospect and has yet to be profiled, drop me an e-mail or leave a comment.

Garrett Taylor, Wolverine

Richmond (VA) St. Christopher's cornerback Garrett Taylor
(image via 247 Sports)

Richmond (VA) St. Christopher's cornerback Garrett Taylor committed to Michigan on Monday afternoon. He chose the Wolverines over offers from Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Maryland, Miami, Michigan State, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Penn State, South Carolina, South Florida, Stanford, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

He's a 6'1", 188 lb. player who claims a 4.5 forty. As a sophomore in 2012, he had 24 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 4 interceptions; he also had 14 catches for 260 yards and 2 touchdowns. I have been unable to find stats from his junior year.

RATINGS
ESPN: 4-star, 82 grade, #7 CB, #73 overall, #4 in-state
Rivals: 4-star, #6 CB, #41 overall, #1 in-state
Scout: 4-star, #36 CB, #282 overall
247 Sports: 4-star, 96 grade, #6 CB, #79 overall, #4 in-state

Taylor, who is friends with Michigan freshman quarterback Wilton Speight, visited Michigan last summer after Speight had already committed to the Wolverines. Despite not having an offer from the Wolverines, Taylor maintained interest. When the offer came a few weeks ago, Taylor promptly scheduled another unofficial to Ann Arbor for mid-March. He decided to commit on that trip and announced it via Twitter.

Taylor is a tall, lanky cornerback who can match up well with the bigger receivers he might face. He uses his long arms well to disrupt receivers and to rake the ball out from receivers who might be able to reel in catches against corners with a shorter wingspan. Taylor also has good leaping ability and times his jumps well, so he can be effective in the redzone and on back-shoulder throws. One of his best qualities is his hitting/tackling ability, which makes him a force off the edge and against wide receiver screens, bubble screens, etc. As a tackler I think he might be on par with the likes of Leon Hall or Ty Law, two Wolverines from yesteryear who were tough to run through.

As for negatives, Taylor has some things to work on and is not a finished product. He plays a little high, which slows down his transition time. He also crosses up his feet sometimes, so there are lots of footwork issues. Fortunately, cornerbacks are typically such good athletes that learning footwork is just something that takes time and repetition. Taylor also lacks great speed and reminds me a little bit of safety Thomas Gordon in his gait. Gordon ran a 4.49 at his recent pro day, but he wasn't the fastest safety around.

Overall, Taylor is a quality prospect whose physicality and length should make up for a slight deficiency in speed. He would project to boundary corner in a field/boundary system, although Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mattison went more with a left cornerback/right cornerback system in 2013. He could also play safety with his size and physicality, but I think he has the natural skills to stick at cornerback.

Taylor is the fifth commit in the class of 2015 and joins Shaun Crawford as the two committed cornerbacks. In a class that is roughly 13 strong right now, I doubt that Michigan would take another corner. The Wolverines have had pretty good success in recruiting cornerbacks lately, and there might be two open spots for the 2015 season after Raymon Taylor graduates and with Blake Countess a potential early entrant into the NFL. Of course, Garrett Taylor will also have to contend with talented young players in the form of Channing Stribling, Jourdan Lewis, and Jabrill Peppers. Michigan has had quite a bit of success in Richmond lately with 2013 running back Derrick Green and 2014 quarterback Speight, to go along with past players like David Terrell and Brandon Minor.

TTB Rating: I will not assign TTB Ratings until the 2014 class is completed. So basically, I'm waiting to see what Malik McDowell does.

Recruiting Update: March 24, 2014

Sumter (SC) Crestwood running back Ty'Son Williams (image via SC Now)

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015
Sumter (SC) Crestwood running back Ty'Son Williams was offered by Michigan. Williams is a 5'11", 200 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Georgia, North Carolina, North Carolina State, and South Carolina, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #24 running back, and #313 overall. As a junior in 2013, he had 81 carries for 848 yards and 15 touchdowns, plus 8 catches for 118 yards. Williams has some good speed and decent vision, but sometimes he seems to lack the necessary balance for the cuts he wants to make; he's a little stiff and often seems to be about to fall down.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary's linebacker Daelin Hayes was offered by Michigan. Hayes is a 6'3", 225 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan State and Tennessee. He missed a large part of his sophomore season due to injury. Hayes is the cousin of Michigan redshirt junior running back Justice Hayes, but he's also teammates with Tyson Smith (class of 2015, committed to Michigan State) and Joshua Ross (class of 2017, uncommitted), so there are pulls in multiple directions. The younger Hayes plays running back, too, but the Wolverines offered him as an outside linebacker.

OFF THE BOARD
Charlotte (NC) South Mecklenburg safety Stephen Griffin committed to Tennessee. Griffin picked up the Michigan offer about a month ago but did not appear to be strongly interested.

Glassboro (NJ) Glassboro wide receiver Juwan Johnson committed to Penn State. Johnson is a tall, physical receiver with pretty good speed, so Michigan will have to contend with him for the next several years. Johnson had expressed passing interest in the Wolverines but was not likely to join the class at any point.

Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco quarterback Josh Rosen committed to UCLA. His pledge was not a surprise at all, but he had made a surprise visit to Ann Arbor the weekend before announcing his commitment. The visit went well but he was always someone who wanted to stay close to home and disavowed the cold weather he would face in Michigan. Some sources have suggested that if Jim Mora, Jr. leaves for another job or if Bruins starter Brett Hundley sticks around for his senior year in 2015, Michigan (and others) might be back in the hunt for Rosen's services. By the time any of that transpired, however, the Wolverines would likely already have a commitment from another quarterback prospect.

MISCELLANEOUS
Here's a list of visitors who made it to Ann Arbor this past week/weekend.

I did a scouting report on Detroit (MI) Cass Tech running back Michael Weber.

Richmond (VA) St. Christopher's cornerback Garrett Taylor is announcing his college decision at 12:30 p.m. today via Twitter. Most people expect him to choose Michigan with Stanford being the other possibility.

Last week I posted profiles on Trevon Avery, Khari Willis, Dior Johnson, Junior McMullen, and Grant Perry on Recruiting Season.

Visitors: March 14-16, 2014

Richmond (VA) St. Christopher cornerback Garrett Taylor
(image via 247 Sports)

2015
C.J. Conrad - TE - La Grange (OH) Keystone: Conrad is a 6'5", 225 lb. prospect with offers from Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Pitt, and Syracuse, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #8 tight end, and the #208 player overall. He recently named Kentucky as his leader, but offers from bigger programs could very well have an impact him, including one from Michigan. He also visited Ann Arbor for the Ohio State game last fall. As a junior in 2013, he had 59 receptions for 924 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Justin Hilliard - LB - Cincinnati (OH) St. Xavier: I did a scouting report on Hilliard earlier this offseason. He has recently pulled in an offer from USC, and he took a junior day visit to Notre Dame, which left a good impression. His top group consists of Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa (where his older brother signed last month), Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Oklahoma.

Alex Malzone - QB - Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice: Malzone's interest in Michigan has been well documented, and he has visited Ann Arbor numerous times. The 6'3", 200 lb. prospect has pulled in offers from Pitt and Wake Forest in recent weeks, but it seems pretty clear that he would jump at the chance to wear the winged helmet. Michigan is looking for a quarterback in the 2015 class, and it's pretty clear they'll have to expand their search because the four current offerees are unlikely to end up playing for Michigan.

David Moorman - OT - Northville (MI) Northville: Moorman is a 6'5", 275 lb. prospect with offers from Cincinnati and a handful of MAC schools. He's a 247 Composite 3-star, the #46 offensive tackle, and the #394 player overall. Moorman has been making the rounds to Big Ten schools (Illinois, Michigan State, Wisconsin) but so far hasn't been extended any big-time offers. I would not expect the Wolverines to offer on the visit, either, but he may be worth watching down the road if Michigan strikes out on other targets.

Josh Rosen - QB - Bellflower (CA) St. John Bosco: Rosen is a 6'4", 205 lb. prospect with offers from Cal, Florida State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas, UCLA, and USC, among others. He's a 247 Composite 5-star, the #1 pro-style quarterback, and the #5 prospect overall. I did a scouting report on him back in January. He has set his decision date for March 20th, and he is widely expected to choose UCLA unless Michigan gives him a reason to delay or alter his choice.

David Sills - QB - Elkton (MD) Eastern Christian Academy: Sills is a 6'3", 180 lb. prospect who holds a Michigan offer but has been committed to USC since February of 2010. The Trojans also received a commitment from quarterback Ricky Town in January, who is unanimously considered a superior player. Sills has two class of 2014 teammates (wide receiver Freddy Canteen and safety Brandon Watson) who enrolled early in January, so that may be a draw for Sills, who is a 247 Composite 3-star, the #21 pro-style quarterback, and the #483 player overall. I recently did a scouting report on 2015 quarterbacks, and Sills came in at #18 out of 20 players being courted by Michigan.

Garrett Taylor - CB - Richmond (VA) St. Christopher: Taylor is a 6'1", 188 lb. prospect with offers from LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, South Carolina, Stanford, and Tennessee, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #8 cornerback, and #92 overall. Taylor played against Michigan freshman quarterback Wilton Speight in high school, and he may be the most likely offered cornerback to commit to the Wolverines.

Reagan Williams - LB - Jackson (OH) Jackson: Williams is a 6'3", 232 lb. prospect with offers from Indiana, Purdue, and a few MAC schools. He's a 247 Composite 3-star, the #18 inside linebacker, and #472 overall.

2017
Jonathan Berghorst - DE - Zeeland (MI) East: Berghorst is a 6'2", 210 lb. prospect with no offers at this time.

Recruiting Update: February 24, 2014

Charlotte (NC) South Mecklenburg
safety Stephen Griffin

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015
Charlotte (NC) South Mecklenburg safety Stephen Griffin was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'3", 187 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Duke, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Tennessee, and Wake Forest, among others. Only two recruiting services have rated him, but he's a 247 Composite 3-star, the #63 cornerback, and #789 overall. He claims a 37" vertical, a 275 lb. bench, and a 395 lb. squat. Griffin is a hard hitter who will probably be well over 200 lbs. by the time he fills out, so I think he'll be a safety in college. As a junior in 2013, he had 80 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions (1 touchdown), 1 fumble recovery, and 2 fumbles forced; he was also 43/82 passing for 565 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions and rushed 83 times for 583 yards and 3 touchdowns.

New Orleans (LA) Warren Easton wide receiver Tyron Johnson was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'3", 190 lb. prospect with offers from Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #4 wide receiver, #42 overall, and #1 in his state. Johnson has a good frame, very good speed, and excellent change-of-direction skills for a guy his size. As often is the case, LSU appears to lead with Texas A&M also in hot pursuit.

Washington (DC) Gonzaga cornerback Marcus Lewis was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'1", 187 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Maryland, Ohio State, and Virginia Tech, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #12 athlete, and #111 overall. Lewis claims a 4.38 forty, but I have reservations about that time. Lewis plays corner for his high school team, and while that's still a possibility in college, he looks a little too stiff to me to play corner at a big-time program on the next level. My guess is that he will develop into a safety, and I believe he has the size and physicality to do that well.

Brooksville (FL) Nature Coast Tech offensive tackle Christian Pellage was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'7", 271 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Central Florida, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Ohio State, and Oklahoma, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #19 offensive tackle, and #185 overall.  He claims a 4.88 forty, a 32" vertical, a 285 lb. bench, and a 500 lb. squat. He appears to play in a very run-oriented offense, but he has nice bend and quick feet, and he looks like a future left tackle.

Richmond (VA) St. Christopher's cornerback Garrett Taylor was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'1", 188 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Stanford, Tennessee, Virginia, and Virginia Tech, among others. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #9 cornerback, and the #90 player overall, and he claims a 4.5 forty, a 255 lb. bench, and a 400 lb. squat. Taylor has inconsistent technique and is a little stiff for cornerback, so he's another kid who might be a safety down the road. He plays in the same league as freshman quarterback Wilton Speight did, and he's teammates with highly touted defensive end/outside linebacker Ricky DeBerry.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
New Orleans (LA) John Curtis offensive tackle Willie Allen was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'6", 265 lb. prospect with offers from Florida, LSU, and Tulane. Michigan went after three of his teammates in the 2014 class: wide receiver Malachi Dupre (LSU), linebacker Kenny Young (UCLA), and safety Mattrell McGraw (Oregon). Allen is an athletic kid who has yet to fill out and needs to learn technique, but the raw athleticism is there to develop.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017
Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary's linebacker Joshua Ross was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'0", 194 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan State and Oklahoma. He missed the second half of his freshman season due to a broken ankle, but obviously he showed enough during the first half of the year to garner some offers. Ross is the younger brother of Michigan junior linebacker James Ross and looks a lot like him in his stance.

East St. Louis (IL) East St. Louis wide receiver Jeff Thomas was offered by Michigan. He's a 5'10", 170 lb. prospect with offers from Illinois and Kansas. As a freshman in 2013, he had 54 catches for 944 yards (17.5 yards/catch) and 12 touchdowns. Thomas has blazing speed and looks like a Percy Harvin clone. He was teammates with 2014 linebacker Kyron Watson (Kansas).

MISCELLANEOUS
Here's a list of this past weekend's visitors. Thiyo Lukusa considered committing on the visit, but Coach Hoke convinced him that it would make sense to take other visits and be 100% positive before committing. He's a 2016 kid, so he has plenty of time to decide.

The Top 247, Rivals 100, and Rivals 250 were all updated last week.