2015 Season Countdown: #40 Maurice Ways

Maurice Ways

Name: Maurice Ways
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 205 lbs.
High school: Beverly Hills (MI) Detroit Country Day
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #85
Last year: I ranked Ways #70 and said he would redshirt. He redshirted.

Ways was a bit of a late bloomer coming out of high school. Early in his high school career, he was splitting his time between basketball and football, and he thought he might make a career out of his court exploits. In his final two years, he decided to concentrate on football and realized that there are a lot of talented guys out there who are 6'4". It made sense to predict a redshirt for him last year as he continued his adjustment to playing wide receiver at a high level.

Ways is not lacking in physical skills. He has the height, the build, the speed, and the leaping ability to be a standout in the Big Ten. The biggest question mark about him has been his hands. He had a case of the dropsies in high school, and those problems have reportedly persisted in the early stages of his college career. Michigan's receiving corps is almost totally unproven, and I think Ways has the potential to be a major player going forward. That may not happen this year - or ever - but someone has to step up, so it might as well be him. One of this staff's strengths is supposedly their ability to coach up undeveloped players, and I think Ways's physical assets make him a prime candidate to benefit.

Prediction: Backup wide receiver

Video: Rising Stars 4th of July Holiday Shootout Highlights

This workout took place over the Fourth of July weekend and included a bunch of Michigan players and products from in-state, including Jabrill Peppers, Devin Funchess, Maurice Ways, Damon Webb (Ohio State), Tim Cason (Purdue), etc.

2014 Season Countdown: #70 Maurice Ways

Maurice Ways

Name: Maurice Ways
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 195 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Country Day
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Ways was a senior in high school. He finished as a 247 Composite 3-star, the #77 wide receiver, and #494 overall. He had 55 receptions for 1,261 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Final TTB Rating: 77

Ways had a bit of an underwhelming offer list when he committed to Michigan last April (Iowa, Pitt, Rutgers, some MAC schools), but for the life of me, I can't figure out why he wouldn't be a 4-star recruit to the recruiting services. Ways struggled with catching the ball early in his high school career, but that issue improved as he gave up basketball and concentrated on football. A tall guy with good leaping ability and speed makes for a huge catch radius. Either way, he enters a phase of his career where star ratings don't matter anymore.

Ways is perhaps more physically ready to play as a freshman than the other two wide receivers in his class, but Freddy Canteen had the spring to get ready and brings an element of speed that is somewhat lacking in the experienced players. Whether Ways plays or not depends largely upon how deep the coaching staff wants to go with the receivers. At least one receiver seems to play each year with no discernible benefit (Junior Hemingway, Toney Clemons, Drew Dileo, Jeremy Jackson, Da'Mario Jones, Csont'e York, etc.), and Ways could be that guy in 2014. Canteen appears to have a definite role on the team, but the Wolverines replace three senior wide receivers from last year (Jackson, Dileo, Jeremy Gallon). The return of redshirt sophomore Amara Darboh from his foot injury fills one more spot, so Ways will find himself in a battle with the likes of York, Jones, and Jaron Dukes for scraps of playing time. It would make sense to redshirt him, but the most logical thing doesn't always happen.

Prediction: Redshirt

Final TTB Ratings for 2014

Michael Ferns, Wilton Speight, Jabrill Peppers, Juwann Bushell-Beatty, Bryan Mone, and Jared Wangler

Drum roll, please.

It's that time of year, time for the final TTB Ratings of the 2014 recruiting cycle. Everyone signed his National Letter of Intent back in February, you say? Pshaw. Not Malik McDowell. Nope. McDowell is still holding out and likely to be attending Michigan State in the fall. I was waiting to see if he would compromise with his parents and sign a NLI to Michigan, but that window passed on April 1st.

So here they are. Check out the rating scale (LINK) if you're unfamiliar or just want a refresher. Keep in mind that these ratings take into account the other players on the roster. So for example, the second-best middle linebacker on the roster might find himself sitting on the bench for several years not because he's terrible but because the other guy is really good.

The 2015 TTB Ratings will be coming soon, now that the 2014 cycle is finished.

CB Jabrill Peppers - Paramus (NJ) Catholic: 100
I'm keeping Peppers right where I ranked him initially. He still looks like the best player at his position in the class, and his versatility (he could play safety, return punts and kicks, and perhaps play some offense) makes him an even more valuable commodity. (Commitment post.)

WR Drake Harris - Grand Rapids (MI) Christian: 93
I have no reason to downgrade Harris from where I ranked him after his junior year, except for the fact that he missed his entire senior season with a hamstring injury. The injury concerns me and is still nagging him this spring, but it's impossible for me to say whether that will affect him going forward in his career. Considering injuries can derail anyone's career, I'm going to leave Harris at this rating and hope that he recovers and develops fully. (Commitment post.)

DT Bryan Mone - Salt Lake City (UT) Highland: 79 88
Watching Mone from his junior to his senior year, he looked to have added some weight and lost a step. When he played in the Under Armour All-America Game, I thought he looked slow and a little lethargic, but that was roughly two months after his season ended, so maybe he was just out of shape. Either way, I see a guy on film who can stay low and who uses a violent hand strike to disengage from blockers. While he can probably be whipped into shape a little bit, he's not a nose tackle who will amaze people with his athleticism, but he should be an active clogger up the middle. (Commitment post.)

OG Mason Cole - Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake: 87
Another guy who has already received some practice hype as an early enrollee, I like the way Cole bends and I like his lateral quickness. He has been playing some tackle this spring, but I'm not sure if that's his long-term position because he's not the longest guy around. Wherever he ends up, I think he'll be a good player down the road. (Commitment post.)

LB Michael Ferns - St. Clairsville (OH) St. Clairsville: 83 85
Ferns can be slightly hesitant to diagnose plays, but otherwise, I think he has almost everything the coaches would want in a linebacker. He could be more physical when shedding blocks, but I think that's something that can be taught for him. Otherwise, he runs well, does a good job in space, and is a forceful tackler. (Commitment post.)

WR Freddy Canteen - Elkton (MD) Eastern Christian Academy: N/A 83
Film on Canteen is scarce, and what I saw of him early basically came from his quarterback's (David Sills') highlight tape. I can't say whether spring practice hype has altered my viewpoint on him, but it has been positive. Regardless, I commented on his quickness and route-running ability when he committed, and that seems to be giving Michigan defensive backs problems so far, too. He reminds me of Wes Welker with his quick feet and could be effective in the slot like Roy Roundtree was back in 2010. (Commitment post.)

WR Maurice Ways - Detroit (MI) Country Day: 77 81
I might be a little higher on Ways than the recruiting services, but I really like all three wide receiver recruits in the 2014 class. Ways has reportedly had problems with his hands at certain points, but he didn't concentrate solely on football until his junior year. His hands improved as a senior, and he reminds me of a Marquise Walker type who has good enough speed and size to threaten deep but won't be a big-play machine. (Commitment post.)

LB Chase Winovich - Clairton (PA) Thomas Jefferson: 79
The more I've seen of Winovich, the more I've become convinced that he'll be a solid player. I really see him as a SAM in an Under defense, so I'm not sure exactly how he fits if Michigan goes to an Over look semi-permanently. He definitely needs to get stronger, because he's a willing hitter but ball carriers just don't go down with the ease they should when he hits them. (Commitment post.)

QB Wilton Speight - Richmond (VA) Benedictine: 77
I feel comfortable with this rating. I still don't see "star" written all over Speight, but he should have a couple years under offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier (who will probably be a head coach somewhere by the time Speight graduates), sit behind Devin Gardner and Shane Morris, and then have a couple years to compete for the starting position. He has good arm strength and has improved his mechanics over the past year, and he has already shown good leadership skills with the way he helped recruit in the 2014 class. (Commitment post.)

TE Ian Bunting - Hinsdale (IL) Central: 78 75
Bunting played more tight end as a senior than he did as a junior, when he was exclusively a wideout. He still has a lot to learn about blocking, so it would probably behoove him to redshirt, add some weight, and learn blocking techniques. He doesn't have the physical mentality that I saw out of Butt, so I have some questions about whether he can break tackles and block like a Big Ten Y tight end would need to do. He doesn't have the speed to split out like Devin Funchess has done. (Commitment post.)

DE Lawrence Marshall - Southfield (MI) Southfield: 72 74
Marshall's highlights are a series of plays on which he is unblocked or has to fend off terrible attempts at chop blocks. He does have good speed and leaping ability, but disengaging from blockers is a question mark. For that reason, he reminds me a bit of Mario Ojemudia coming out of high school. I rated Ojemudia as a 78, and he's still looking like he'll be a backup to Frank Clark with two years of eligibility left. I liked Marshall's senior film better than his junior year, but not by a ton. (Commitment post.)

DT Brady Pallante - Naples (FL) Barron Collier: 70 69
I've said before that Pallante reminds me of a slower Mike Martin. He's got the leverage, the hand violence, and the knack for shedding blocks. He won't be the biggest guy, and his lack of explosiveness will prevent him from being the TFL machine that was Martin. I don't see Pallante as a star, but I do see him as a solid rotation player down the road. I'm knocking him down just one peg because I don't see him having much NFL draft potential with his size. (Commitment post.)

OT Juwann Bushell-Beatty - Paramus (NJ) Catholic: 68
After watching his senior highlights and seeing him in the Under Armour All-America Game, Bushell-Beatty looks like a guy who might be more suited to playing inside at guard. I would have concerns about him being quick enough to play on the edge, and he's more of a waist bender than a knee bender. With the other talent surrounding him, I think he might get pushed to the back of the pack, although he could be one of those guys who emerges as an upperclassmen to fill a void. (Commitment post.)

LB Noah Furbush - Kenton (OH) Kenton: 64
Furbush reminds me an awful lot of Brennen Beyer, who has played linebacker and defensive end at Michigan. I was fairly high on Beyer coming out of high school, but his play in college has been somewhat forgettable. Furbush was recruited as MIKE, but he looks like a future defensive end or maybe a SAM linebacker if Michigan runs the Under front. (Commitment post.)

LB Jared Wangler - Warren (MI) De La Salle: 59
Wangler, who played defense mostly as a safety in high school, lacks the foot speed to be a safety in college. He will probably bulk up a little bit and play linebacker. Initially, I thought that he played like a SAM linebacker in a WILL's body, but with Michigan's supposed move to the Over front, I think Wangler fits well as a SAM, period. I think he is limited athletically and doesn't have the biggest frame, but he has a chance because he's a heady, aggressive player. Regardless, the Wolverines have brought in some good talent at linebacker over the past couple years, so it may be tough for Wangler to move past them. (Commitment post.)

S Brandon Watson - Elkton (MD) Eastern Christian Academy: Incomplete
I still have not seen enough of Watson to offer an opinion here. He has been playing safety this spring and reports have been positive, but practice reports are to be taken with a grain of salt. (Commitment post.)

2014 Recruiting Awards

Michigan signee Jabrill Peppers

It's that time of year again, where I pick out the best and least best of the recruiting class and we can argue about it for the next four or five years. Here's a look back at my choices over the last five years (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013). And on with the show:

Best Overall Recruit: CB Jabrill Peppers
Peppers is the 247 Composite #3 player in the country and for good reason. Michigan's lone 5-star in the class, he won four state championships in his four years of high school football. He has the ability to play four positions (RB, WR, CB, S) in college, although he was recruited as a corner; Michigan will also probably use him in the return game. Peppers has the size, speed, and competitive attitude to be an All-American and a high draft pick in a few years.

Best Offensive Recruit: WR Drake Harris
I think this wide receiver class is loaded with Harris, Maurice Ways, and Freddy Canteen. In my opinion, these three could turn out to be almost as good as the trio of Braylon Edwards, Jason Avant, and Steve Breaston playing together in the mid-2000's. Harris has the best coordination, speed, and athleticism of the group, so as long as he stays healthy, I think he'll be the top guy on this side of the ball.

Best Defensive Recruit: CB Jabrill Peppers
See above.

Recruit Most Likely to Make an Early Impact: CB Jabrill Peppers
Peppers will instantly be one of the four best athletes in the secondary, so it's a question of where and how soon he should play. Whether he plays corner, safety, or slot corner, he should be on the field as soon as he arrives on campus. I do want to pump the breaks on him being an instant starter at corner because technique is so important, but he could play over the slot if the coaches want him there. He might also be able to challenge Dennis Norfleet for kick return duties, and both of Michigan's punt returners (Drew Dileo, Jeremy Gallon) graduated, so that job will be an open competition, too.

Fastest Recruit: CB Jabrill Peppers
This is like a broken record, so I'll also mention that Drake Harris can leave some people in the dust if he recovers from his hamstring issues.

Strongest Recruit: DT Brady Pallante
Pallante benches 370 lbs. and squats 580 lbs., but his best quality is probably the leverage he's able to use on the defensive line. Fellow defensive tackle Bryan Mone is significantly larger, but Pallante plays like a guy who's 30 lbs. heavier.

Best Under-the-Radar Recruit: WR Maurice Ways
This is a really tough choice between Pallante and Ways, but both are pretty modest 3-stars in the 247 Composite rankings. I'm going with Ways because I think he will be the more acclaimed player of the two. He reminds me of Michigan's 6'3", 215 lb. receivers of yesteryear. If Michigan has a good quarterback situation down the road, I think Ways could be a 1,000-yard receiver.

Most Overrated Recruit: DT Bryan Mone
Perhaps more so than in other recent years, I think most of these guys are ranked just about right, with Ways and Pallante being the exceptions. I was extremely high on Mone early in his recruitment, and his junior film was very exciting. However, he gained a lot of weight before his senior year, didn't put up great stats, and then didn't stand out at the Under Armour All-American Game. I think Mone is probably ranked fairly accurately by the recruiting sites (#111 in the 247 Composite), but Michigan fans expecting instant domination are probably in for a bit of a disappointment.

Most Likely to Redshirt: OT Juwann Bushell-Beatty
Bushell-Beatty is a developmental prospect, and his performance at the Under Armour All-American Game solidified that position for me. He's not a great natural athlete, and he was out of shape in early January. He needs to redistribute some weight, get stronger, work on his footwork, etc. Provided that Michigan's line can stay healthy (an iffy proposition considering redshirt sophomore Erik Magnuson is missing the entire spring), Bushell-Beatty will probably be planted firmly on the sideline this season.

Personal Favorite Recruit: WR Maurice Ways
This is a tough choice, too. There are several guys that I could pick, and the obvious choice for most people is probably Peppers. I also like Mone (his family story is inspiring), WR Freddy Canteen (a somewhat under-the-radar route running specialist), and Pallante (the classic underdog). But I was high on Ways from the first time I saw his film, a lot of people disagreed with me, and he seems to have a good attitude when it comes to improving, blocking, etc.

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.

Visitors: December 13-15, 2013

Paramus (NJ) Catholic cornerback Jabrill Peppers

The following recruits will be visiting Michigan this coming weekend. It's each player's official visit, although several of them have visited campus numerous times.

Ian Bunting - TE - Hinsdale (IL) Central: Bunting committed to Michigan in April.

Juwann Bushell-Beatty - OT - Paramus (NJ) Catholic: Bushell-Beatty committed to Michigan in April. He just won his second straight New Jersey state championship.

Mason Cole - OG - Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake: Cole committed to Michigan in February.

Shaun Crawford - CB - Lakewood (OH) St. Edward: Crawford committed to Michigan in August.

Vic Enwere - RB - Sugar Land (TX) Fort Bend Austin: I did a scouting report on Enwere a couple weeks ago. He is currently a soft commit to Cal despite never having visited campus.

Michael Ferns - LB - St. Clairsville (OH) St. Clairsville: Ferns committed to Michigan in August 2012. UPDATE: Ferns is no longer visiting this weekend.

Noah Furbush - LB - Kenton (OH) Kenton: Furbush committed to Michigan in July.

Drake Harris - WR - Grand Rapids (MI) Christian: Harris committed to Michigan in April. He missed his entire senior season due to a hamstring injury.

Lawrence Marshall - DE - Southfield (MI) Southfield: Marshall committed to Michigan in May.

Brady Pallante - DT - Naples (FL) Barron Collier: Pallante committed to Michigan in April.

Jabrill Peppers - CB - Paramus (NJ) Catholic: Peppers committed to Michigan in May. He just won his fourth straight state championship in New Jersey.

Wilton Speight - QB - Richmond (VA) Collegiate: Speight committed to Michigan in February.

Jared Wangler - LB - Warren (MI) De La Salle: Wangler committed to Michigan in August.

Maurice Ways - WR - Detroit (MI) Country Day: Ways committed to Michigan in April.

Chase Winovich - LB - Clairton (PA) Thomas Jefferson: Winovich committed to Michigan in June.

Senior Highlights: Maurice Ways

Recruit Tracker: Maurice Ways

Final senior season stats: 55 receptions, 1,261 yards, 22.9 yards/catch, 16 total touchdowns

November 15, 2013: Country Day lost to Marine City (MI) Marine City by a score of 33-28 on a questionable last-second touchdown. Ways had 9 catches for 189 yards and 3 touchdowns. Country Day ends the year with a record of 8-4.

November 8, 2013: Country Day beat Pontiac (MI) Notre Dame by a score of 49-27. Ways had 8 catches for 190 yards and 3 touchdowns, plus a 40-yard run. On the year he has 46 receptions for 1,072 yards and 12 touchdowns. Country Day is now 8-3.

November 1, 2013: Country Day beat Clawson (MI) Clawson by a score of 49-14. Ways did not have a catch in the game. Country Day is now 7-3.

October 25, 2013: Country Day beat Brighton (MI) Brighton by a score of 35-16. Ways had 5 catches for 181 yards and 2 touchdowns (from 50 and 97 yards). He's now sitting at 38 catches for 882 yards and 9 total touchdowns. Country Day is now 6-3 entering the playoffs.

October 18, 2013: Country Day beat Belleville (MI) Belleville by a score of 40-14. Ways had 3 catches for 84 yards. He now has 33 catches for 701 yards and 7 total touchdowns. Country Day is 5-3.

October 10, 2013: Country Day beat Flushing (MI) Flushing by a score of 42-7. Ways had 4 catches for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns. He now has 30 catches for 617 yards and 7 total touchdowns. Country Day is 4-3.

October 3, 2013: Country Day beat Detroit (MI) Chavez Academy by a score of 56-6. Ways had 3 catches for 49 yards, plus a 19-yard touchdown run. He now has 26 receptions for 504 yards and 5 total touchdowns. Country Day is now 3-3 on the year.

September 27, 2013: Country Day beat Escanaba (MI) Escanaba by a score of 34-7. Ways had 5 catches for 105 yards and 1 touchdown. Ways now has 23 catches for 455 yards and 4 touchdowns. Country Day improved to 2-3.

September 20, 2013: Country Day beat Detroit (MI) Pershing by a score of 42-0. Ways had 3 catches for 43 yards and 1 touchdown. He now has 18 receptions for 350 yards and 3 touchdowns. Country Day won its first game this year and sits at 1-3.

September 12, 2013: Country Day lost to Detroit (MI) Loyola by a score of 20-14. Ways had 1 catch for 30 yards. He has 15 receptions for 307 yards and 2 touchdowns. Country Day is now 0-3.

September 7, 2013: Country Day lost to Detroit (MI) U of D Jesuit by a score of 28-27. Ways had 8 catches for 102 yards and 1 touchdown. He now has 14 receptions for 277 yards and 2 touchdowns on the year, but Country Day is 0-2.

August 29, 2013: Ways's Detroit (MI) Country Day squad last to Zeeland (MI) West by a score of 44-28. Ways had 6 receptions for 175 yards and 1 touchdown. Country Day is now 0-1.

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.

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.

Visitors: Michigan vs. Central Michigan

Defensive end Malik McDowell, who has since transferred from Loyola to Southfield

Joshua Alabi - DT - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Alabi is a 6'4", 260 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, among others.

Trevon Avery - CB - Grand Blanc (MI) Grand Blanc: Avery is a 5'9", 160 lb. prospect for 2015 with no offers at this time. He's the younger brother of senior defensive back Courtney Avery.

Cory Contini - WR - Dover (OH) Dover: Contini is a 6'1", 170 lb. prospect for 2015 with no offers at this time.

Desmond Fitzpatrick - WR - Farmington (MI) Farmington: Fitzpatrick is a 5'11", 165 lb. prospect for 2016 with offers from Indiana, Ohio, and Toledo. He transferred to Farmington from crosstown Harrison this offseason.

KeShawn Gilmore - S - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Gilmore is a 6'2", 190 lb. prospect for 2015 with no offers at this time. He may take over this fall for former Technician Delano Hill, a current freshman at Michigan.

Drake Harris - WR - Grand Rapids (MI) Christian: Harris committed to Michigan in April. He injured his hamstring in a scrimmage last week and will be out for 4-6 weeks.

LaVert Hill - CB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Hill is a 5'11", 165 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. He's the younger brother of freshman safety Delano Hill.

Lawrence Marshall - DE - Southfield (MI) Southfield: Marshall committed to Michigan in May.

Jalen Martin - WR - Harper Woods (MI) Chandler Park: Martin is a 6'3", 190 lb. prospect for 2016 with a lone offer from Eastern Michigan. He's the former teammate of freshman wide receiver Csont'e York. Martin had 5 receiving touchdowns as a freshman in 2012.

Malik McDowell - DE - Southfield (MI) Southfield: McDowell is a 6'6", 292 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, USC, and a bunch of others. He attended the BBQ at the Big House in late July, and word around that time was that he got close to committing to the Wolverines. McDowell transferred to Southfield this summer and will be teammates with Marshall.

Donovan Peoples-Jones - WR - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Peoples-Jones is a 6'0", 169 lb. prospect for 2017 with no offers at this time.

David Reese - DE - Farmington (MI) Farmington: Reese is a 6'1", 235 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. He could play inside linebacker, but might grow into a defensive end in the next few years.

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 sophomore linebacker James Ross.

Nathan Skene - TE - Hartland (MI) Hartland: Skene is a 6'3", 190 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time. He's the son of former Michigan offensive lineman Doug Skene.

Tyriq Thompson - LB - Detroit (MI) King: Thompson is a 6'0", 206 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Illinois and Wisconsin. He's the son of former Michigan defensive back Clarence Thompson.

Demetric Vance - WR - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Vance is a 6'2", 180 lb. prospect for 2016 with no offers at this time.

Maurice Ways - WR - Detroit (MI) Country Day: Ways committed to Michigan in late April.

Michael Weber - RB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Weber is a 5'10", 205 lb. prospect for 2015 with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Tennessee, among others. He was considered to be Michigan lean until fellow 2015 running back Damien Harris committed to the Wolverines, which may not leave enough room in the class for Weber.

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

Visitors: May 10-12, 2013

Cleveland (OH) St. Benedictine
athlete Jerome Baker

Jerome Baker - ATH - Cleveland (OH) Benedictine: Baker is a 6'1", 205 lb. prospect with offers from Florida, Ohio State, Penn State, and Tennessee, among others.  He also claims a 4.52 forty, which is impressive for a rising junior of his size.  The class of 2015 prospect does not yet have a Michigan offer, but he will probably get one on the visit.  Baker plays running back and linebacker for Benediction, but he looks most like an inside linebacker (MIKE or WILL) from Michigan's eyes.  UPDATE: Baker is no longer visiting this weekend.

Michael Ferns III - LB - St. Clairsville (OH) St. Clairsville: Ferns committed to Michigan last August. He recently accepted an invitation to play in the 2014 Under Armour All-American Game.

Drake Harris - WR - Grand Rapids (MI) Christian: Harris committed to Michigan last month.  He was recently invited to Nike's The Opening and will also play in the Under Armour game.

Lawrence Marshall - DE - Southfield (MI) Southfield:  Marshall is a 6'4", 225 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, among others.  He committed to Ohio State for a couple days, but he's no longer considering the Buckeyes.  He recently announced a top five of Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and USC, but most analysts think MSU leads with Michigan a step behind.

Wilton Speight - QB - Richmond (VA) Collegiate: Speight committed to Michigan in February.  He, too, will play in the Under Armour game.

Maurice Ways - WR - Detroit (MI) Country Day: Ways committed to Michigan last month.

Chase Winovich - LB - Clairton (PA) Thomas Jefferson: Winovich is a 6'4", 215 lb. prospect with offers from Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, and Pitt, among others.  He claims a 4.65 forty and checks in on 247's Composite ranking as a 3-star, the #41 OLB, and the #551 player overall.  Winovich was offered by the Wolverines in early April, immediately after a couple other SAM prospects (Kyle Berger, Sam Hubbard) committed to Ohio State.  He visited Michigan last fall and shortly after being offered last month, so this will be his third visit in the last seven months.  Ohio State and Pitt appear to be the two biggest contenders, along with Michigan.

Maurice Ways, Wolverine

Detroit (MI) Country Day wide receiver Maurice Ways

Detroit (MI) Country Day wide receiver Maurice Ways committed to Michigan on Thursday.  He chose the Wolverines over offers from Iowa, Kansas, Pitt, Rutgers, and a bunch of MAC teams.

Ways is a 6'3", 195-pounder.  As a junior in 2012, he had 51 receptions for 957 yards and 9 touchdowns.

RATINGS
ESPN: N/A
Rivals: 3-star, #54 WR
Scout: 3-star, #51 WR
247 Sports: 3-star, 87 grade, #84 WR

Ways was picking up a steady stream of MAC offers along with a few mid-level BCS teams until the Wolverines offered a couple weekends ago.  The writing seemed to be on the wall that he would commit to Michigan fairly soon, but Pitt went ahead and offered, anyway.  He visited Michigan again and committed to the coaches.

There's a lot to like about Ways.  He's a tall, lanky kid with the ability to get the ball at its highest point.  He has good straight line speed and the ability to take the top off the defense, due to both his speed and size.  He shows a natural ability to adjust to the ball in the air, whether he's boxing out defensive backs, accelerating through the ball, or getting his hands in the right position for the catch.  He can go high or low to get the ball and makes a lot of great catches.  With some added weight, he will be very difficult for cornerbacks to check at the line of scrimmage and tackle head on; that will also only help him as a blocker, and he's already a pretty willing and able in that area, where he keeps a wide base, moves his feet, and uses his hands well.

What Ways lacks most is lateral quickness and the ability to make people miss; he's not the type of player you want to see returning punts or the guy who will catch short passes and turn them into long gains.  There have also been reports that Ways is inconsistent catching the ball; the highlights obviously show a kid who can make some very difficult catches, so the ability is there, but perhaps not the concentration.

I think Ways can have a good future at Michigan if he achieves the consistency required to get on the field.  I'm not worried about his athleticism, despite his lack of short-area quickness.  The talk about the pass drops is slightly concerning, but that's not something that can be discerned through highlight videos.  At the very least, he can be used as a blocker who can stretch the field; in the best case scenario, I think he has All-Big Ten potential.  I'm not the first one to say this, but his build, gait, speed, and athleticism remind me of former Michigan receiver Braylon Edwards.

Ways is the seventh commitment in the 2014 class and the second receiver, joining Drake Harris; he is also the first scholarship player from Country Day since linebacker Kenny Demens in 2008.  That school has also produced players like 2014 QB Tyler Wiegers (committed to Rutgers), 2013 DT Poet Thomas (Texas Tech), 2011 WR Kenny Knight (Illinois), current Miami Heat small forward Shane Battier, and former Michigan basketball player Chris Webber.

TTB Rating: 77 (ratings explanation)

Visitors: April 26-28, 2013

Washington (DC) Friendship Collegiate cornerback Jalen Tabor (#1)

Daejuan Funderburk - S - Washington (DC) Friendship Collegiate: Funderburke is a 6'1", 180 lb. prospect with offers from Florida State, Miami, Rutgers, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, among others.  He claims a 4.5 forty and according to the 247 Composite ranking, he's a 3-star, the #43 safety, and the #546 player overall.  He shows decent speed and change of direction, and he could play corner or free safety in college.

Dimitri Lee - CB - Washington (DC) Friendship Collegiate: Lee is a 5'9", 185 lb. prospect with no offers at this time.  Lee is a little stiff in the hips and is a thick kid, so he might be more of a strong safety or slot corner at the next level.

Jimmy Martin - LB - Maitland (FL) Orangewood Christian: Martin is a 5'11", 203 lb. prospect for the class of 2015 with no offers at this time.  He also visited Michigan for a game back in September 2012.  He claims a 4.62 forty and as a sophomore in 2012, he had 113 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries.  He also had 604 rushing yards, 121 receiving yards, and 8 total touchdowns.  Martin plays small school competition, so his numbers should be taken with a grain of salt; he would likely project to middle linebacker or perhaps fullback at the next level.

Chigozie Onyekwere - WR - Washington (DC) Friendship Collegiate: Onyekwere is a 5'11", 190 lb. prospect with a lone offer from North Carolina State.  He's a 3-star prospect with a 4.5 forty whom 247's Composite ranking places as a 3-star and the #154 wideout.

Jalen Tabor - CB - Washington (DC) Friendship Collegiate: Tabor is a 6'1", 182 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Virginia Tech, and numerous others.  As a junior in 2012, he had 27 tackles, 8 interceptions, and 1 interception returned for a touchdown.  The 247 Composite ranking places him as a 5-star, the #4 cornerback, and the #16 player overall.  This will be Tabor's first visit to Michigan's campus, and the Wolverines appear to be playing from well behind on this one.  Teammate D'Andre Payne, who has a Michigan offer, committed to Tennessee; other Friendship products have been offered by Michigan in recent years, including linebacker Yannick Ngakoue (Maryland) and defensive tackle Eddie Goldman (Florida State).  Tabor is expect to follow Goldman to Tallahassee.


Maurice Ways - WR - Detroit (MI) Country Day: Ways is a 6'3", 195 lb. prospect who earned a Michigan offer late last week.  He just earned an offer from Pitt, which joined Iowa, Kansas, and several others.  As a junior in 2012, Ways had 51 receptions for 957 yards and 9 touchdowns.  Many people are expecting Ways to commit to Michigan soon, if not on his visit.

Recruiting Update: April 23, 2013

Detroit (MI) Country Day wide receiver Maurice Ways

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2014
Fort Worth (TX) All Saint's Episcopal offensive guard Demetrius Knox decommitted from Texas.  Knox is a 6'4", 290 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Florida State, Miami, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and numerous others.  According to 247's Composite ranking, he's a 4-star, the #4 offensive guard, and the #77 player overall.  I do not expect Michigan to garner much attention from Knox this time around, either.

New Orleans (LA) John Curtis safety Mattrell McGraw was offered by Michigan.  He's a 6'0", 186 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oregon, and many others.  According to the 247 Composite rankings, he's a 3-star, the #51 safety, and the #593 player overall.  As a junior in 2012, he had 65 tackles, 1 sack, 4 interceptions (2 returned for touchdowns), 13 pass breakups, and 2 forced fumbles.  He also claims a 4.46 forty, and I think he has the speed and change of direction to play cornerback in some schemes.  John Curtis is the same school as a couple other Michigan offerees, wide receiver Malachi Dupre and linebacker Kenny Young.

Chandler (AZ) Hamilton offensive tackle Casey Tucker decommitted from USC.  He's a 6'6", 270 lb. prospect with offers from Arizona State, Arkansas, Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma, among others.  According to the 247 Composite rankings, he's a 4-star, the #6 offensive tackle, and the #55 player overall; he's committed play in the Under Armour All-America Game.  He has expressed an interest in revisiting Michigan's offer, so the Wolverines might be able to make a move.  Hamilton is the same school that former Michigan targets Cole Luke (Notre Dame) and Christian Westerman (Auburn) attended.

Detroit (MI) Country Day wide receiver Maurice Ways was offered by Michigan.  Ways is a 6'3", 195 lb. prospect with offers from Iowa, Kansas, Rutgers, and most of the MAC.  As a junior in 2012, he had 51 receptions for 952 yards and 9 touchdowns.  According to the 247 Composite rankings, he's a 3-star, the #76 wideout, and the #583 player overall.  Ways isn't the most agile or quickest receiver, but he's a good sized kid with a nice frame, good speed, and the ability to go up and get the ball.  Country Day is the alma mater of Michigan linebacker Kenny Demens.


ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015
East St. Louis (IL) East St. Louis defensive end Terry Beckner, Jr. was offered by Michigan.  He's a 6'5", 260 lb. prospect with offers from Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Purdue.  Beckner is the teammate of 2014 linebacker offeree Kyron Watson, who has named Michigan his leader.

MISCELLANEOUS
ESPN released its top 150 players for the class of 2014.

Here's a list of visitors from last weekend.

247 Sports released its updated Top 247 for the class of 2014.