2015 Season Countdown: #72 Jared Wangler

Jared Wangler (image via MVictors.com)

Name: Jared Wangler
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 230 lbs.
High school: Warren (MI) De La Salle
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #19
Last year: I ranked Wangler #82 and said he would redshirt. He redshirted.

Wangler came in last year as a pretty undersized linebacker at just 218 lbs. With Michigan returning a lot of experienced linebackers, I did not think he would be needed, and he wasn't. He redshirted and bulked up to 230 lbs. by the spring.

This year I still do not expect to see Wangler play a significant role. Michigan has four senior linebackers, an experienced junior (Ben Gedeon), and a couple guys who have seen the field in some capacity (Mike McCray II, Allen Gant). On the positive side for Wangler, one classmate transferred (Michael Ferns), another one has been injured for most of the last year (Noah Furbush), and another has moved to offense (Chase Winovich); additionally, Michigan didn't recruit any linebackers in the 2015 class. So Wangler's long-term prospects are looking up compared to where they were last year, but this year's depth chart looks bleak for him.

Prediction: Backup linebacker, special teamer

2014 Michigan vs. Ohio Border Classic

Noah Furbush

The State of Michigan used to have an all-star football game. Ohio used to have the "Big 33" game that pitted Ohio all-stars against those from Pennsylvania. Now Pennsylvania has been booted out, and Michigan will play Ohio today in the inaugural Michigan vs. Ohio Border Classic. The game will be played at the University of Findlay in Ohio at 1:00 p.m. Some notable players on the rosters are:

MICHIGAN
Jason Alessi - S - Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice: Yale
Byron Bullough - LB - Traverse City (MI) St. Francis: Michigan State
Jalen Embry - CB - Detroit (MI) King: Iowa
Kenny Finley - DT - Muskegon (MI) Muskegon: Western Michigan
Corey Lacanaria - WR - Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice: Ball State
Avonte Maddox - CB - Detroit (MI) King: Pitt
Lawrence Marshall - DE - Southfield (MI) Southfield: Michigan
Chukwuma Okorafor - OT - Southfield (MI) Southfield: Western Michigan
Kyle Rachwal - LB - Lapeer (MI) East: Eastern Michigan
Giovanni Rescigno - QB - Warren (MI) De La Salle: Rutgers
Dylan Roney - LB - Novi (MI) Catholic Central: Navy
Travis Smith - QB - Ithaca (MI) Ithaca: Wake Forest
Jared Wangler - LB - Warren (MI) De La Salle: Michigan
Jalen Watts-Jackson - CB - Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary's: Michigan State

OHIO
Michael Barwick - DT - Cincinnati (OH) Country Day: Indiana
Noah Furbush - LB - Kenton (OH) Kenton: Michigan
Marshon Lattimore - WR - Cleveland (OH) Glenville: Ohio State
Erick Smith - S - Cleveland (OH) Glenville: Ohio State

2014 Season Countdown: #82 Jared Wangler

Jared Wangler

Name: Jared Wangler
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 218 lbs.
High school: Warren (MI) De La Salle
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A 
Last year: Wangler was a senior in high school.
Final TTB Rating: 59

Wangler committed to Michigan in August of 2013 after originally committing to the Penn State Nittany Lions. He was a relatively under-the-radar prospect until Penn State and LSU came along to offer him, and Michigan finally extended an offer to the Wolverine legacy (his father John is a former starting quarterback) after some other options at linebacker picked other schools. He sat on the offer for a couple days before flipping to the maize and blue. The youngest Wangler earned an invitation to the Under Armour All-American Game, though he missed the game itself due to a shoulder injury.

You can see above that I pegged Wangler as a 59 on my scale, which means I see him as a backup option. I think Michigan has recruited a lot of talent in recent classes, and Wangler is not quite up to par, in my opinion. However, you may note that in his commitment post, I wrote: "For him to fit at SAM, I think he would have to play in a 4-3 Over defense, where he could cover the tight end and play in the C gap." News came out this spring that Michigan plans to run more of an Over defense this fall, so perhaps that fits right in with where they picture Wangler helping. Regardless, I think Michigan is pretty well stocked with experienced linebackers for this fall (Cameron Gordon was the only loss to graduation), so Wangler can probably take at least a year to bulk up and mature as a player.

Prediction: Redshirt

National Signing Day schedule for Michigan commits

Paramus (NJ) Catholic cornerback Jabrill Peppers

Here's a list of approximate signing/faxing times for Michigan's commits. When the National Letters of Intent are confirmed to have been sent/received, I will update the post.

Brady Pallante - DT - Naples (FL) Barron Collier: Signed at 7:39 a.m.

Maurice Ways - WR - Detroit (MI) Country Day: Signed at 8:07 a.m.

Ian Bunting - TE - Hinsdale (IL) Central: Signed at 9:40 a.m.

Noah Furbush - LB - Kenton (OH) Kenton: Signed at 8:01 a.m.

Lawrence Marshall - DE - Southfield (MI) Southfield: Signed at 10:53 a.m.

Jared Wangler - LB - Warren (MI) De La Salle: Signed at 9:00 a.m.

Jabrill Peppers - CB - Paramus (NJ) Catholic: Signed at 8:00 a.m.

Chase Winovich - LB - Clairton (PA) Thomas Jefferson: Signed at 7:03 a.m.

Juwann Bushell-Beatty - OT - Paramus (NJ) Catholic: Signed at 8:27 a.m.

Unless Michigan pulls any surprises late in the day (or after today, which is rare), that wraps it up for the 2014 recruiting class.

2014 Under Armour All-American Game analysis

Michael Ferns, Wilton Speight, Jabrill Peppers, Juwann Bushell-Beatty, Bryan Mone, and Jared Wangler at the
2014 Under Armour All-American Game

The 2014 Under Armour All-American Game took place on Thursday afternoon, and it was a showcase for four current Michigan commits. All of Michigan's commits were on Team Nitro, which lost the game by a score of 31-21. Some brief analysis of what I saw:

LB Michael Ferns: Ferns didn't even record a single tackle in this game. Probably because he sat it out due to injury.

QB Wilton Speight: Speight was named a captain for Team Nitro and earned the start at quarterback. He finished just 2/6 for 63 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception. He also had 3 carries for 8 yards. Offensive lines consistently struggle in these games because they don't have time to work together, and that was pretty obvious as Speight never really had a chance to set his feet and scan the field. I thought Speight did a nice job of keeping his eyes downfield when the pressure was coming, which was often. He shows a little bit of mobility, but that's mostly going to be when defenses completely forget about him being 6'6" and able to run a little bit. He's a better runner than John Navarre was, but perhaps a notch below Steven Threet. Speight has a nice overhand delivery from the pocket that defenders will probably struggle to bat down, but he can throw from different angles on the move. He made a poor read on a redzone passing attempt that resulted in a pick for Gardena (CA) Junipero Serra cornerback Adoree' Jackson, but he also made a very nice throw while running to his right for a long gain.

CB Jabrill Peppers: Peppers didn't really make any highlight-reel plays in the game, but he didn't get embarrassed, either. Well, except for one play on which he showed very nice change-of-direction skills only to dive at the Team Highlight receiver's ankles and miss the tackle. Aside from coming up quickly, what I liked about that play was that Peppers hopped right up and attempted to chase down the receiver as he raced down the left sideline. The New Jersey native ended the game with 2 kickoff returns for 65 yards, 3 tackles, and 1 pass for -2 yards out of a Wildcat formation in the first half. Peppers also blocked a field goal at the end of the first half, but that's not exactly allowed in all-star games like this one. Overall, it was a solid but unspectacular showing.

OT Juwann Bushell-Beatty: Of the guys who played, I thought Bushell-Beatty looked like the biggest project. He looked overweight, out of shape, and slow of foot. Of course, he's a high schooler coming off of a long run to a state championship, so I don't expect him to be in peak physical condition at this point in the year. However, he looks like he has a long way to go. He was standing up way too high while run blocking, which severely limited his lateral movement and left him flailing at air. He was also beaten badly on a speed rush that resulted in getting Speight blindsided. It should also be noted that Bushell-Beatty is generally considered a 3-star prospect who was facing some elite talent, and I don't think it's a stretch or an insult to say that he was overmatched.

DT Bryan Mone: I saw less of Mone than anyone else, partly because it was just difficult to see jersey numbers at times. He's large and solidly built, but he's more about power than anything else at this time. Mone has added a lot of weight in the past year or so, and he's lost some of the athleticism that made him such a beast as an underclassman. He does not appear to be a huge threat to be a penetrator, as he mostly eats space at the line of scrimmage. That resulted in 2 tackles during the game.

LB Jared Wangler: Wangler was wandering the sidelines due to a separated shoulder.

WR Drake Harris (not pictured): Harris sat out his entire senior season due to a nagging hamstring injury. Since he was not going to be able to play, he did not attend the game.

2014 Under Armour All-American Game Rosters

The 2014 Under Armour All-American Game rosters were announced the other day. All of Michigan's current commits are on Team Nitro, so that's who you should be rooting for; that includes Wilton Speight, whose competitors for Michigan's lone quarterback offer in the class both will play for Team Highlights (Alabama-bound David Cornwell, Penn State-bound Michael O'Connor). The game will be played on January 2, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. on ESPN.

Here's a list of all of Michigan's offerees on the rosters:

TEAM HIGHLIGHT
Quin Blanding - S - Virginia (Virginia)
Lorenzo Featherston - DE - North Carolina
Leonard Fournette - RB - Louisiana
Myles Garrett - DE - Texas (Texas A&M)
Adoree' Jackson - CB - California
Jamarco Jones - OG - Illinois (Ohio State)
Melvin Keihn - LB - Maryland
Tyler Luatua - TE - California
Damian Prince - OT - Maryland
Jermaine Roberts - CB - Louisiana (Texas)
Cameron Robinson - OT - Louisiana (Alabama)
Bo Scarbrough - RB - Alabama (Alabama)
John Smith - S - California
Jalen Tabor - CB - Washington, DC
Casey Tucker - OT - Arizona
Jacory Washington - TE - Louisiana (LSU)
Dexter Wideman - DT - South Carolina (Florida State)

TEAM NITRO
Jamal Adams - S - Texas
Alex Bars - OT - Tennessee (Notre Dame)
Andy Bauer - OT - Missouri (Missouri)
Jeb Blazevich - TE - North Carolina (Georgia)
Andrew Brown - DT - Virginia (Virginia)
Juwan Bushell-Beatty - OT - New Jersey (Michigan)
Lorenzo Carter - DE - Georgia
K.C. Crosby - TE - South Carolina (South Carolina)
Malachi Dupre - WR - Louisiana
Michael Ferns - LB - Ohio (Michigan)
Da'Shawn Hand - DE - Virginia (Alabama)
Drake Harris - WR - Michigan (Michigan)
Corey Holmes - WR - Florida (Notre Dame)
K.C. McDermott - OT - Florida (Miami)
Isaiah McKenzie - WR - Florida
Bryan Mone - DT - Utah (Michigan)
Sam Mustipher - OG - Maryland (Notre Dame)
Jabrill Peppers - CB - New Jersey (Michigan)
Braden Smith - OT - Kansas
Wilton Speight - QB - Virginia (Michigan)
Jared Wangler - LB - Michigan (Michigan)
Nick Watkins - CB - Texas (Notre Dame)
Quincy Wilson - S - Florida (Florida)

Visitors: Michigan vs. Nebraska

Indianapolis (IN) Lawrence Central LB Darrin Kirkland, Jr. will be the biggest 2015 fish to fry this coming weekend.

Trevon Avery - CB - Grand Blanc (MI) Grand Blanc: Avery is a 6'1", 165 lb. prospect for 2015 with no offers at this time. Scout lists him as a 3-star quarterback. He's the younger brother of Michigan defensive back Courtney Avery and attends the alma mater of redshirt sophomore running back Justice Hayes.

Sam Beal - WR - Grand Rapids (MI) Ottawa Hills: Beal is a 6'2", 170 lb. prospect for 2015 with no offers at this time.

Ray Buford - CB - Southfield (MI) Southfield: Buford is a 5'11", 170 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Eastern Michigan, Ohio, Toledo, and Western Michigan. He's the teammate of 2014 Michigan defensive end commit Lawrence Marshall.

Stefan Claiborne - WR - Clinton Township (MI) Chippewa Valley: Claiborne is a 6'1", 165 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time.

C.J. Conrad - TE - La Grange (OH) Keystone: Conrad is a 6'5", 225 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Akron, Duke, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Toledo. 247's Composite ranking places him as a 4-star, the #8 tight end, and the #256 overall player for his class. As a junior in 2013, he had 59 receptions for 924 yards and 14 touchdowns. (Highlights.)

Noah Furbush - LB - Kenton (OH) Kenton: Furbush committed to Michigan in July. Here's a look at his senior season.

Drake Harris - WR - Grand Rapids (MI) Christian: Harris committed to Michigan in April. He suffered a hamstring injury in August and has not played yet in his senior season.

Jeremy Harris - DE - Temperance (MI) Bedford: Harris is a 6'3", 230 lb. prospect for 2014 with no offers at this time. (Highlights.)

Darrin Kirkland, Jr. - LB - Indianapolis (IN) Lawrence Central: Kirkland is a 6'2", 215 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Illinois, Indiana, and Louisville, among others. 247's Composite ranking has him as a 4-star, the #8 inside linebacker, and the #250 player overall for 2015. (Highlights.)

Daelin Hayes - RB/LB - Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary's: Hayes is a 6'2", 210 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. He's the younger brother of Michigan running back Justice Hayes and attends the alma mater of sophomore linebacker James Ross. (Highlights.)

Joshua Jackson - QB - Saline (MI) Saline: Jackson is a 6'1", 185 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. He's the younger brother of senior wide receiver Jeremy Jackson and the son of running backs coach Fred Jackson. Joshua himself transferred from Ann Arbor Huron to Saline in the middle of this 2013 season and was therefore ineligible to play for most of the year.

Thiyo Lukusa - OT - Traverse City (MI) West: Lukusa is a 6'5", 300 lb. prospect for 2016 with a lone offer from Michigan State. (Highlights.)

Evan Mallory - OG - Brownsburg (IN) Brownsburg: Mallory is a 6'5", 295 lb. prospect for 2015 with no offers at this time. He camped at Michigan in June. (Highlights.)

Corey Malone-Hatcher - DE - St. Joseph's (MI) St. Joseph's: Malone-Hatcher is a 6'3", 205 lb. prospect for 2017 with no offers at this time. (Highlights.)

Alex Malzone - QB - Birmingham (MI) Brother Rice: Malzone is a 6'2", 185 lb. prospect for 2015 with an offer from Bowling Green. He does not appear to be an upper echelon priority for the Wolverines, but he is rumored to be in the running for an offer from the staff if other options fall through. (Highlights.)

Lawrence Marshall - DE - Southfield (MI) Southfield: Marshall committed to Michigan in May. Here's a look at how his senior season went.

Malik McDowell - DE - Southfield (MI) Southfield: McDowell is a 6'7", 290 lb. prospect with offers from all over the country, but is generally considered a Michigan lean. 247's Composite ranking places him as a 4-star, the #3 strongside end, and the #38 player overall.

David Moorman - OT - Northville (MI) Northville: Moorman is a 6'6", 285 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, and Illinois. He was at Michigan State last weekend for their win over Michigan and is generally considered an MSU lean if he gets an offer from the Spartans. (Highlights.)

Brent Morris - WR - Warren (MI) De La Salle: Morris is a 6'3", 195 lb. prospect with no offers. He's the younger brother of freshman quarterback Shane Morris and the teammate of 2014 Michigan commit Jared Wangler.

Giovanni Rescigno - QB - Warren (MI) De La Salle: Rescigno is a 6'3", 220 lb. prospect with no offers. He attends the same school as freshman quarterback Shane Morris and 2014 linebacker commit Jared Wangler. (Highlights.)

Joshua Ross - LB - Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary's: Ross is a 6'0", 194 lb. prospect for 2017 with offers from Michigan State and Oklahoma. He's the younger brother of sophomore linebacker James Ross III.

Grant Sherman - QB - Kenton (OH) Kenton: Sherman is a 6'4", 190 lb. prospect with no offers at this time. He's a teammate of 2014 Michigan linebacker commit Noah Furbush.

Jared Wangler - LB - Warren (MI) De La Salle: Wangler committed to Michigan in August. Here's a look at how his senior season is going, but a separate shoulder has limited him lately.

Maurice Ways - WR - Detroit (MI) Country Day: Ways committed to Michigan in April. Here's a look at the recruit tracker post for his senior season.

Recruit Tracker: Jared Wangler

October 24, 2013: De La Salle beat Detroit (MI) Consortium by a score of 42-20. Wangler did not play due to an injured shoulder. De La Salle is now 5-4.

October 18, 2013: De La Salle lost to Novi (MI) Catholic Central by a score of 20-14. Wangler had 13 tackles, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery; on offense, he caught 6 passes for 30 yards. De La Salle is now 4-4.

October 11, 2013: De La Salle beat Detroit (MI) U of D Jesuit by a score of 49-7. Wangler had 6 tackles. De La Salle is now 4-3.

October 4, 2013: De La Salle beat Dearborn (MI) Fordson by a score of 36-0. Wangler had 4 receptions for 95 yards and 1 touchdown, plus 6 tackles on defense. De La Salle has shut out its last two opponents and is 3-3 on the year.

September 27, 2013: De La Salle beat Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary's by a score of 7-0. Wangler had 5 tackles and 1 pass breakup in the game. De La Salle is now 2-3.

September 20, 2013: De La Salle lost to Birmingham (MI) Brother Rice by a score of 26-24. Wangler had 7 tackles and 1 sack, plus 9 receptions for 111 yards. De La Salle is now 1-3.

September 13, 2013: De La Salle beat Harper Woods (MI) Chandler Park Academy by a score of 42-14. Wangler had 4 tackles and caught a 5-yard pass. De La Salle is now 1-2.

September 6, 2013: De La Salle suffered a forfeit loss. They are now 0-2.

August 31, 2013: Wangler's Warren (MI) De La Salle team lost to Toledo (OH) Central Catholic by a score of 21-14. Wangler had 13 tackles and 1 sack, plus 3 receptions for 16 yards on offense. De La Salle is 0-1 on the year.

Visitors: Michigan vs. Minnesota

Keyon Addison - CB - Saginaw (MI) Saginaw: Addison is a 6'1", 180 lb. prospect for 2014 with no offers at this time.

Trevon Avery - CB - Grand Blanc (MI) Grand Blanc: Avery is a 6'1", 165 lb. prospect for 2015 with no offers at this time. He's the younger brother of Michigan cornerback Courtney Avery.

Cole Chewins - TE - Clarkston (MI) Clarkston: Chewins is a 6'7", 208 lb. prospect for 2015 with no offers at this time.

Jackson Hale - DE - Milford (MI) Milford: Hale is a 6'3", 225 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time.

Drake Harris - WR - Grand Rapids (MI) Christian: Harris committed to Michigan in April. He has yet to play this season due to a hamstring injury.

Lavert Hill - CB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Hill is a 5'9", 160 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. He's the younger brother of Michigan safety Delano Hill.

Joshua Jackson - QB - Saline (MI) Saline: Jackson is a 2016 prospect with no offers at this time. He's the younger brother of Michigan wide receiver Jeremy Jackson and the son of running backs coach Fred Jackson.

Tyree Kinnel - S - Huber Heights (OH) Wayne: Kinnel committed to Michigan in August. Here's a look at how his season is going so far.

Alex Malzone - QB - Birmingham (MI) Brother Rice: Malzone is a 6'2", 185 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Bowling Green and Toledo. He is perhaps the top QB prospect in the state of Michigan for his class.

Jalen Martin - WR - Harper Woods (MI) Chandler Park Academy: Martin is a 6'3", 190 lb. prospect for 2016 with an offer from Eastern Michigan. He's the former teammate of Michigan wide receiver Csont'e York.

Jimmy Martin - LB - Maitland (FL) Orangewood Christian: Martin is a 5'11", 215 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Duke, Florida International, and Western Michigan. He has a sister who plays water polo for the Wolverines. According to 247's Composite rankings, Martin is a 3-star and the #25 inside linebacker in his class.

Riley Neal - QB - Yorktown (IN) Yorktown: Neal is a 6'5", 200 lb. prospect for 2015 with no offers at this time. He has 1,300 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions in six games this season.

Giovanni Rescigno - QB - Warren (MI) De La Salle: Rescigno is a 6'4", 210 lb. prospect for 2014 with no offers at this time. He attends the alma mater of freshman quarterback Shane Morris and is a teammate of 2014 linebacker commit Jared Wangler.

Joshua Ross - LB - Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary's: Ross is a 6'2", 190 lb. prospect for 2017 with no offers at this time. He's the younger brother of Michigan linebacker James Ross. The younger Ross will miss the remainder of his high school season due to an ankle injury.

Nathan Skene - TE - Hartland (MI) Hartland: Skene is a 6'3", 195 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. He's the son of former Michigan offensive lineman Doug Skene.

Jared Wangler - LB - Warren (MI) De La Salle: Wangler committed to Michigan in August. Here's a look at how his senior season is going.

Maurice Ways - WR - Detroit (MI) Country Day: Ways committed to Michigan in April. Here's a glance at how his senior season is going.

Rivals: Pre-season in-state top 20 prospects

The Wolverine released its top 20 in-state prospects for the class of 2014, and the Wolverines are well represented on the list. Here's the list with commitments listed in parentheses and offerees bolded:

1. Malik McDowell - DE - Southfield
2. Damon Webb - CB - Detroit Cass Tech (Ohio State)
3. Drake Harris - WR - Grand Rapids Christian (Michigan)
4. Tyler Wiegers - QB - Detroit Country Day (Rutgers)
5. Jalen Embry - CB - Detroit King
6. Maurice Ways - WR - Detroit Country Day (Michigan)
7. Tim Cason - CB - Clarkston (Western Michigan)
8. Avonte Maddox - ATH - Detroit King (Pitt)
9. Lawrence Marshall - DE - Southfield (Michigan)
10. Byron Bullough - LB - Traverse City St. Francis (Michigan State)
11. Deon Drake - LB - Detroit Cass Tech (Michigan State)
12. Tommy Doles - OT - Grand Rapids Christian (Northwestern)
13. Chance Stewart - QB - Sturgis (Western Michigan)
14. Connor Hayes - OG - Traverse City West (Pitt)
15. Jared Wangler - LB - Warren De La Salle (Michigan)
16. Travis Smith - QB - Ithaca (Toledo)
17. Jalen Watts-Jackson - CB - Orchard Lake St. Mary's (Michigan State)
18. Matt Sokol - TE - Rochester Adams (Michigan State)
19. David Beedle - DT - Clarkston (Michigan State)
20. William White - LB - Detroit Cass Tech

Jared Wangler, Wolverine

Jared Wangler (image via 247 Sports)

Warren (MI) De La Salle linebacker Jared Wangler committed to Michigan on Thursday but kept it on the down low until Friday afternoon. He had previously been committed to Penn State and also had offers from Bowling Green, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan, LSU, Michigan State, Ohio, Toledo, and Western Michigan.

Wangler is a 6'1", 215 lb. linebacker. As a junior in 2012, he had 76 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and 1 interception, which was returned for a touchdown. He also claims a 4.56 forty and a 34.5" vertical leap. He has accepted an invitation to play in the Under Armour All-America Game.

RATINGS
ESPN: 3-star, 77 grade, #63 OLB
Rivals: 2-star OLB
Scout: 3-star, #53 OLB
247 Sports: 3-star, 88 grade, #69 S, #846 overall

Wangler, the son of former Michigan quarterback John, was not offered by Michigan until last week. That offer came on the heels of a couple guys committing to other schools (Jimmie Swain IV to TCU, Richard Yeargin III to Notre Dame), and the coaches obviously wanted a fourth linebacker. He had to think about it for a few days, particularly because he was committed to the Nittany Lions; I imagine that time had more to do with respecting PSU's coaching staff than actually making the decision, which seemed to be a foregone conclusion once the offer came in. Along with being the son of John, he's the brother of freshman preferred walk-on wide receiver Jack and the former teammate of freshman quarterback Shane Morris.

I've said this before, but Jared seems to be a SAM linebacker in a WILL linebacker's body. He has said that the coaches have told him he could play either one, which is a little odd, since they're two very different positions. He seems to diagnose plays pretty quickly, and I would trust him to hold the edge. He does a good job of always moving his feet, so he's able to maintain outside leverage, avoid getting reached, and keep his feet running after contact. He also has some experience playing as a safety, and it's evident that he takes to coaching and fundamentals well; you can see it in his stance, backpedal, and gap responsibilities. He has decent speed for a linebacker.

One "weakness" in regard to the SAM linebacker position is that he is not particularly tall or long, and he does not have a huge frame to bulk up; I think his optimal weight might be around 230 lbs. or so before he gets too heavy for his frame. For reference's sake, Michigan's current starting SAM is 6'3", 240 lb. Jake Ryan. For him to fit at SAM, I think he would have to play in a 4-3 Over defense, where he could cover the tight end and play in the C gap. As for the WILL position, I think Wangler has the mental aptitude but not the speed; he diagnoses the plays quickly, but I think he'll be too slow to slice into the backfield or beat Big Ten running backs to the hole. He also has a tendency to shed blockers with his shoulder rather than using his hands, which will get him into trouble with bigger players.

Overall, I'm not sure where Wangler fits best. He plays like a SAM with the frame of a WILL. I think he could be a quality special teams player, and he is a good, fundamental football player, so I think he can play a role on the team. I'm not sure that he has the physical makeup to be a star at any point, however.

This is Michigan's fourth linebacker commit in the 2014 class and the sixteenth overall (including grayshirt defensive tackle Brady Pallante). Gardena (CA) Junipero Serra linebacker Dwight Williams seems not to be an option, since even these four linebackers seem to be a lot for this class. Williams has been pretty intent on taking an official to Michigan and is a better prospect than any of Michigan's linebacker commits, in my opinion, so it will be interesting to see how the staff handles him.

TTB Rating: 59 (ratings explanation)

Recruiting Update: August 5, 2013

George Campbell, Jr.

COMMITMENTS
Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake wide receiver George Campbell, Jr. committed to Michigan.

Berea (KY) Madison Southern running back Damien Harris committed to Michigan.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2014
Warren (MI) De La Salle linebacker Jared Wangler was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'1", 218 lb. prospect who's committed to Penn State and has offers from Cincinnati, Indiana, Michigan State, and a bunch of MAC schools. He's also the son of former Michigan quarterback John Wangler and the brother of incoming freshman walk-on wideout Jack. As a junior in 2012, he had 76 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and 1 interception, which was returned for a touchdown. 247's Composite ranking places him as a3-star, the #69 overall player, and the #844 player overall. He will play in the Under Armour All-American Game. Michigan is recruiting him as a SAM linebacker, but he's a little short for the position.



ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015
Huber Heights (OH) Wayne safety Tyree Kinnel was offered by Michigan. He's a 6'0", 190 lb. prospect with offers from Arkansas and Kentucky, too. He has visited Michigan several times this offseason and was clearly angling for an offer from Michigan, even mentioning that he was a little bit upset that they hadn't offered. He attends the alma mater of former Michigan players Terrence and Terry Talbott, two brothers who didn't last long in Michigan uniforms, and current Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller. This is a bit of an odd offer because Kinnel is smaller than most of the guys Michigan offers at safety, but he's a solid tackler with decent ball skills. He's a little bit reminiscent of current starting safety Thomas Gordon.

OFF THE BOARD
Scottsdale (AZ) Desert Mountain wide receiver Mark Andrews committed to Oklahoma. The 6'6", 230-pounder really wanted to play wide receiver in college and was a little bit put off by Michigan's intention to turn him into a tight end. The coaches did eventually tell him that he could play wide receiver, but he just wasn't that interested.

New Castle (PA) New Castle safety Malik Hooker committed to Ohio State. Hooker was being recruited as a cornerback by Michigan and could also play wide receiver, but the Buckeyes are taking him as a safety.

Fort Worth (TX) All Saints Episcopal offensive guard Demetrius Knox committed to Ohio State. Knox had previously been committed to Texas, but the chance to get arrested play for Urban Meyer was too enticing.

Lee's Summit (MO) Lee's Summit outside linebacker Jimmie Swain IV committed to TCU. Michigan was recruiting Swain even after the commitment of Noah Furbush, and the offer to Jared Wangler may be the result of Swain committing elsewhere.

Fort Lauderdale (FL) University School defensive end/outside linebacker Richard Yeargin III committed to Notre Dame. Along with Hooker and Swain, Yeargin had Michigan in his small group of finalists.