Michael Ferns III, Ex-Wolverine

Michael Ferns (front middle, image via Times Leader)

Rising sophomore linebacker Michael Ferns III has left Michigan's football program, most likely headed for West Virginia. He redshirted as a freshman this past season.

Ferns was Michigan's first commitment in the class of 2014 and committed in August 2012, almost six months prior to the next guy (Wilton Speight). Ferns spearheaded a project to send "Team 135" t-shirts to every new Michigan commit for the remainder of the class. Meanwhile, he was a stalwart at St. Clairsville (OH) St. Clairsville and earned some national notoriety for running out of bounds at the 1-yard line to allow a grieving high school teammate to score a touchdown. He finished the recruiting cycle as a 247 Composite 4-star, the #6 inside linebacker, and #158 overall.

Ferns was listed at 6'3", 239 lbs. and was playing middle linebacker, although he was reportedly really struggling to adjust to the college game. He was buried on the depth chart behind several promising inside linebackers, including a few who will be returning in 2015 (fifth year senior Desmond Morgan, senior Joe Bolden, junior Ben Gedeon, and redshirt sophomore Mike McCray II) and even some classmates.

The depth chart may have less to do with the transfer than some expect. Ferns was recruited to Michigan by Brady Hoke and sold on the "Team 135" thing, and now that whole idea has lost some of its luster. Also, Michael has a younger brother named Brendan, a 2016 linebacker who has not been offered by the Wolverines. The reasons for the lack of an offer are unclear (he's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #2 inside linebacker, and #74 overall), but that was probably causing some friction, anyway. Brendan holds offers from Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, and West Virginia, and part of the plan could be to play together in Morgantown; 247 Sports' Crystal Ball prediction for Brendan has him at 64% for Ohio State.

Regardless, Michael Ferns is the first casualty from the 2014 class. The Wolverines have three other linebackers remaining from the 2014 class, and the aforementioned inside linebackers have the position pretty well under control. This move would not appear to affect Michigan's defense in the long run, and it opens up another spot in the 2015 class (LINK). Right now it looks like Michigan can comfortably fit 12 players into the class, but that number could grow in the coming weeks, depending on Michigan's coaching situation. I have heard rumors of a few other players also considering transfers, and I would guess that at least one or two of them come to fruition.

2014 Season Countdown: #65 Michael Ferns III

Michael Ferns III

Name: Michael Ferns III
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 233 lbs.
High school: St. Clairsville (OH) St. Clairsville
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #51
Last year: Ferns was a senior in high school. He had 144 tackles, 4 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. He was a 247 Composite 4-star, the #6 inside linebacker, #158 overall, and #6 in-state.
Final TTB Rating: 83

Ferns committed to the Wolverines in August of 2012 and became the lead recruiter for his class, developing a system where a t-shirt was sent to each new commit of the 2014 class. He kept things going on the football field, too, and was selected to the Under Armour All-America Game, though he couldn't participate due to injury. He also has a younger brother, Brendan, who is a touted recruit for the 2016 class.

When Ferns was recruited, I thought he was a MIKE/SAM tweener, but Michigan's move to the 4-3 Over defense suggests that he's probably a middle linebacker, as long as the base defense remains similar. The starter at MIKE is Jake Ryan, and the primary backup should be sophomore Ben Gedeon. However, the coaching staff will probably go three-deep, especially because Ryan graduates and they will want to groom a backup to Gedeon for 2015. Ferns will probably be battling redshirt freshman Mike McCray II to be the third middle linebacker, and one or both might get some reps at WILL linebacker behind Desmond Morgan and Joe Bolden, a position that's in the same situation with Morgan graduating after this season. Ferns could also be a special teamer.

Prediction: Backup linebacker

Video: Ferns, Cole talk spring ball

Hit the jump for Mason Cole's interview.

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.)

Final Rivals 250 for 2014 released

Drake Harris is the #115 player in the country, according to Rivals

Rivals released their final list of top 250 players today. They released the top 100 yesterday. Here's what it looked like in December. Movement for Michigan commits:

- Drake Harris drops from #106 to #115
- Michael Ferns drops from #202 to #211
- Bryan Mone dropped from #185 to being off the list

The rest of Michigan's offerees:

103. Bryson Allen-Williams - LB - Georgia (South Carolina)
113. K.C. McDermott - OT - Florida (Miami)
115. Drake Harris - WR - Michigan (Michigan)
120. Daniel Helm - TE - Illinois (Tennessee)
121. Demarre Kitt - WR - Georgia (Clemson)
126. Adarius Pickett - CB - California (UCLA)
133. Kalen Ballage - ATH - Colorado (Arizona State)
134. Marshon Lattimore - ATH - Ohio (Ohio State)
135. Montae Nicholson - S - Pennsylvania (Michigan State)
137. Andy Bauer - OT - Missouri (Missouri)
138. Otaro Alaka - LB - Texas (Texas)
151. Jacory Washington - TE - Louisiana (LSU)
162. Bentley Spain - OT - North Carolina (North Carolina)
167. Dravon Henry - ATH - Pennsylvania (West Virginia)
176. Mark Andrews - WR - Arizona (Oklahoma)
186. Nick Watkins - CB - Texas (Notre Dame)
203. Sam Mustipher - OG - Maryland (Notre Dame)
208. Wesley Green - CB - Georgia
211. Michael Ferns - LB - Ohio (Michigan)
220. Roderick Johnson - OT - Missouri
224. Corey Holmes - WR - Florida (Notre Dame)
226. Melvin Keihn - LB - Maryland (Virginia Tech)
230. D'Andre Payne - CB - Washington, DC (Tennessee)
233. Jay Hayes - DT - New York (Notre Dame)
234. Parrker Westphal - CB - Illinois (Northwestern)
237. Dexter Wideman - DT - South Carolina (South Carolina)
246. K.J. Williams - WR - Pennsylvania (Syracuse)
248. Saeed Blacknall - WR - New Jersey (Rutgers)

Final Scout 300 for 2014 released

Grand Rapids (MI) Christian wide receiver Drake Harris moved up two spots in the Scout 300 despite missing his senior season due to injury.

Scout released its final list of top 300 prospects for the class of 2014. Here's what it looked like through last month. Movement for Michigan commits:

- Jabrill Peppers moved up from #4 to #3
- Drake Harris moved up from #54 to #52
- Bryan Mone moved up from #90 to #88
- Lawrence Marshall moved up one spot from #105 to #104
- Freddy Canteen dropped one spot from #171 to #172
- Michael Ferns dropped one spot from #178 to #179
- Mason Cole dropped from #249 to #253
- Chase Winovich dropped from #281 to #291

Here are the rest of Michigan's offerees:

5-stars:
1. Leonard Fournette - RB - Louisiana (LSU)
2. Cameron Robinson - OT - Louisiana (Alabama)
3. Jabrill Peppers - CB - New Jersey (Michigan)
5. Myles Garrett - DE - Texas (Texas A&M)
6. Adoree' Jackson - CB - California
8. Jamal Adams - S - Texas (LSU)
10. John Smith - S - California
12. Da'Shawn Hand - DE - Virginia (Alabama)
15. Quin Blanding - S - Virginia (Virginia)
17. Andrew Brown - DT - Virginia (Virginia)
18. Joe Mixon - RB - California (Oklahoma)
20. Solomon Thomas - DE - Texas
22. Casey Tucker - OT - Arizona
23. Lorenzo Carter - DE - Georgia
25. Bo Scarbrough - RB - Alabama (Alabama)
26. Braden Smith - OG - Kansas
27. Malachi Dupre - WR - Louisiana
29. Sam Hubbard - OLB - Ohio (Ohio State)
31. K.C. McDermott - OT - Florida (Miami)
34. Nyles Morgan - ILB - Illinois (Notre Dame)
36. Malik McDowell - DE - Michigan

4-stars:
41. Jalen Tabor - CB - Washington, DC (Florida)
42. Damon Webb - CB - Michigan (Ohio State)
43. Erick Smith - S - Ohio (Ohio State)
47. Edward Paris - CB - Texas (LSU)
49. Jalen Brown - WR - Arizona (Oregon)
51. Marshon Lattimore - CB - Ohio (Ohio State)
52. Drake Harris - WR - Michigan (Michigan)
55. Elijah Hood - RB - North Carolina (North Carolina)
59. Damian Prince - OT - Maryland
61. Mark Andrews - WR - Arizona (Oklahoma)
63. Jamarco Jones - OT - Illinois (Ohio State)
66. Josh Malone - WR - Tennessee (Tennessee)
67. Kyle Berger - OLB - Ohio (Ohio State)
69. Saeed Blacknall - WR - New Jersey (Rutgers)
75. Jalen Hurd - RB - Tennessee (Tennessee)
76. Dante Booker - OLB - Ohio (Ohio State)
78. Jeff Jones - RB - Minnesota (Minnesota)
81. Christian McCaffrey - RB - Colorado (Stanford)
83. Khairi Clark - DT - Florida (Florida)
86. Roderick Johnson - OT - Missouri
88. Bryan Mone - DT - Utah (Michigan)
102. Artavis Scott - WR - Florida (Clemson)
103. Parrker Westphal - S - Illinois (Northwestern)
104. Lawrence Marshall - DE - Michigan (Michigan)
107. Demetrius Knox - OG - Texas (Ohio State)
112. Steven Parker - S - Oklahoma
134. Sam Mustipher - OG - Maryland (Notre Dame)
138. Bryson Allen-Williams - OLB - Georgia (South Carolina)
143. Adarius Pickett - CB - California (UCLA)
144. Brandon Simmons - S - Texas (Stanford)
150. Kenny Young - MLB - Louisiana
158. Daniel Helm - TE - Illinois (Tennessee)
159. Bentley Spain - OT - North Carolina (North Carolina)
170. Shai McKenzie - RB - Pennsylvania (Virginia Tech)
172. Freddy Canteen - WR - Maryland (Michigan)
177. Dravon Henry - CB - Pennsylvania (West Virginia)
179. Michael Ferns - MLB - Ohio (Michigan)
180. Otaro Alaka - OLB - Texas (Texas)
187. Demarre Kitt - WR - Georgia (Clemson)
191. Jeb Blazevich - TE - North Carolina (Georgia)
195. Richard Yeargin - OLB - Florida (Notre Dame)
200. Corey Holmes - WR - Florida (Notre Dame)
202. Alex Bars - OT - Tennessee (Notre Dame)
204. Montae Nicholson - S - Pennsylvania (Michigan State)
205. Nick Watkins - CB - Texas (Notre Dame)
206. Jacory Washington - TE - Louisiana (LSU)
209. Wesley Green - CB - Georgia
222. Devon Thomas - RB - Oklahoma (Oklahoma State)
227. D'Andre Payne - CB - Washington, DC (Tennessee)
233. Jay Hayes - DT - New York (Notre Dame)
239. Marcus Allen - S - Maryland (Penn State)
247. Ja'Von Harrison - WR - Florida (Virginia Tech)
253. Mason Cole - OT - Florida (Michigan)
258. Malik Hooker - WR - Pennsylvania (Ohio State)
266. Dexter Wideman - DT - South Carolina (South Carolina)
268. Jackson Barton - OT - Utah (Utah)
272. Kiy Hester - S - New Jersey (Miami)
281. Chase Winovich - OLB - Pennsylvania (Michigan)
283. K.J. Williams - WR - Pennsylvania (Syracuse)
296. Juwann Winfree - WR - New Jersey (Maryland)
298. Conor Sheehy - DE - Wisconsin (Wisconsin)

Final ESPN 300 released for 2014

Michael Ferns (#10), Wilton Speight (#19), Jabrill Peppers (#5), Juwann Bushell-Beatty (#73), and Bryan Mone (#52)
all appear in the final ESPN 300 for 2014; Jared Wangler (#2) is not ranked on the list

ESPN made its final update to their list of the top 300 prospects in the nation. Here's what the ESPN 300 looked like in August, and here's the movement for Michigan's commits since then:

- Drake Harris dropped from #72 to #85
- Bryan Mone dropped from #76 to #91
- Lawrence Marshall dropped from #112 to #121
- Michael Ferns dropped from #123 to #129
- Juwann Bushell-Beatty dropped from #122 to #142
- Mason Cole dropped from #146 to #165
- Ian Bunting dropped from #118 to #200
- Wilton Speight dropped from #128 to #257

Here's the rest of Michigan's offerees:

5-stars:
1. Leonard Fournette - RB - Louisiana (LSU)
2. Jabrill Peppers - CB - New Jersey (Michigan)
3. Cameron Robinson - OT - Louisiana (Alabama)
4. Myles Garrett - DE - Texas (Texas A&M)
5. Andrew Brown - DT - Virginia (Virginia)
6. Da'Shawn Hand - DE - Virginia (Alabama)
9. Adoree' Jackson - CB - California
10. Quin Blanding - S - Virginia (Virginia)
11. Jalen Tabor - CB - Washington, DC (Florida)
12. Bo Scarbrough - ATH - Alabama (Alabama)
14. Lorenzo Carter - DE - Georgia

4-stars:
17. Malachi Dupre - WR - Louisiana
18. Jamal Adams - S - Texas (LSU)
24. John Smith - S - California
25. Solomon Thomas - DE - Texas
26. Damian Prince - OT - Maryland
33. Lorenzo Featherston - DE - North Carolina (Florida State)
36. K.C. McDermott - OT - Florida (Miami)
39. Casey Tucker - OT - Arizona
43. Josh Malone - WR - Tennessee (Tennessee)
45. Marshon Lattimore - ATH - Ohio (Ohio State)
50. Edward Paris, Jr. - S - Texas (LSU)
53. Joe Mixon - RB - California (Oklahoma)
58. Damon Webb - CB - Michigan (Ohio State)
60. Malik McDowell - DE - Michigan
70. Jalen Hurd - RB - Tennessee (Tennessee)
72. Nyles Morgan - LB - Illinois (Notre Dame)
74. Jamarco Jones - OT - Illinois (Ohio State)
76. Alex Bars - OT - Tennessee (Notre Dame)
80. Elijah Hood - RB - North Carolina (North Carolina)
83. Artavis Scott - WR - Florida (Clemson)
85. Drake Harris - WR - Michigan (Michigan)
91. Bryan Mone - DT - Utah (Michigan)
94. Corey Holmes - WR - Florida (Notre Dame)
95. Parrker Westphal - CB - Illinois (Northwestern)
99. Andy Bauer - OT - Missouri (Missouri)
101. Jeb Blazevich - TE - North Carolina (Georgia)
107. Tyler Luatua - TE - California (Notre Dame)
118. Saeed Blacknall - WR - New Jersey (Rutgers)
120. Wesley Green - CB - Georgia
121. Lawrence Marshall - DE - Michigan (Michigan)
123. Nick Watkins - CB - Texas (Notre Dame)
127. Braden Smith - OG - Kansas
129. Michael Ferns - LB - Ohio (Michigan)
130. Dante Booker, Jr. - LB - Ohio (Ohio State)
136. Kyron Watson - LB - Illinois (Kansas)
137. Jeff Jones - RB - Minnesota (Minnesota)
139. Steven Parker - S - Oklahoma
140. Dravon Henry - ATH - Pennsylvania (West Virginia)
142. Juwann Bushell-Beatty - OT - New Jersey (Michigan)
143. Kevin Crosby - TE - South Carolina (South Carolina)
144. Bentley Spain - OT - North Carolina (North Carolina)
158. Roderick Johnson - OT - Missouri
162. Bryson Allen-Williams - LB - Georgia (South Carolina)
165. Mason Cole - OG - Florida (Michigan)
167. Demarre Kitt - WR - Georgia (Clemson)
169. Jacory Washington - TE - Louisiana (LSU)
172. Demetrius Knox - OG - Texas (Ohio State)
174. Andrew Williams - DE - Georgia
179. Dexter Wideman - DT - South Carolina (South Carolina)
180. Dwight Williams - LB - California (UCLA)
183. Erick Smith - S - Ohio (Ohio State)
184. Adarius Pickett - CB - California (UCLA)
187. Otaro Alaka - LB - Texas (Texas)
194. Mattrell McGraw - S - Louisiana
196. Kiy Hester - ATH - New Jersey (Miami)
200. Ian Bunting - TE - Illinois (Michigan)
204. Devon Thomas - RB - Oklahoma (Oklahoma State)
211. Khairi Clark - DT - Florida (Florida)
218. Christian McCaffrey - ATH - Colorado (Stanford)
244. Montae Nicholson - ATH - Pennsylvania (Michigan State)
246. Darrion Owens - LB - Florida (Miami)
250. Jermaine Roberts - CB - Louisiana (Texas)
257. Wilton Speight - QB - Virginia (Michigan)
262. Brandon Simmons - S - Texas (Stanford)
269. D'Andre Payne - CB - Washington, DC (Tennessee)
270. Garrett Dickerson - TE - New Jersey (Northwestern)
274. Nic Weishar - TE - Illinois (Notre Dame)
278. Jalen Brown - WR - Arizona (Oregon)
282. Jonathan Hilliman - RB - New Jersey (Boston College)
286. Isaiah McKenzie - ATH - Florida
292. Quincy Wilson - S - Florida (Florida)
295. Mark Andrews - WR - Arizona (Oklahoma)

Final Top 247 for 2014 released

Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake offensive guard Mason Cole jumped 25 spots in the latest Top 247

247 Sports finalized its top 247 players for 2014. Here's what it looked like back in October. Movement for Michigan commits:

- Jabrill Peppers dropped from #3 to #4
- Bryan Mone dropped from #46 to #82
- Mason Cole jumped from #111 to #86
- Drake Harris dropped from #43 to #87
- Michael Ferns dropped from #191 to #197
- Lawrence Marshall jumped from #229 to #220
- Ian Bunting dropped from #224 to #229
- Juwann Bushell-Beatty dropped off the list

5-stars:
1. Myles Garrett - DE - Texas (Texas A&M)
2. Leonard Fournette - RB - Louisiana (LSU)
3. Cameron Robinson - OT - Louisiana (Alabama)
4. Jabrill Peppers - ATH - New Jersey (Michigan)
7. Da'Shawn Hand - DE - Virginia (Alabama)
8. Quin Blanding - S - Virginia (Virginia)
9. Andrew Brown - DT - Virginia (Virginia)
13. Dante Booker - LB - Ohio (Ohio State)
19. Jalen Tabor - CB - Washington, DC (Florida)
20. Lorenzo Carter - DE - Georgia
24. Adoree' Jackson - CB - California
27. Joe Mixon - RB - California (Oklahoma)
30. Malachi Dupre - WR - Louisiana
32. Jalen Hurd - RB - Tennessee (Tennessee)

4-stars:
35. Bo Scarbrough - ATH - Alabama (Alabama)
38. Malik McDowell - DE - Michigan
40. Damian Prince - OT - Maryland
41. Solomon Thomas - DE - Texas
43. Damon Webb - CB - Michigan (Ohio State)
44. Marshon Lattimore - ATH - Ohio (Ohio State)
45. John Smith - ATH - California
49. Josh Malone - WR - Tennessee (Tennessee)
55. Jeff Jones - RB - Minnesota (Minnesota)
59. K.C. McDermott - OT - Florida (Miami)
61. Erick Smith - S - Ohio State (Ohio State)
63. Edward Paris - S - Texas (LSU)
64. Dexter Wideman - DT - South Carolina (South Carolina)
75. Jamarco Jones - OT - Illinois (Ohio State)
77. Elijah Hood - RB - North Carolina (North Carolina)
82. Bryan Mone - DT - Utah (Michigan)
86. Mason Cole - OG - Florida (Michigan)
87. Drake Harris - WR - Michigan (Michigan)
88. Artavis Scott - WR - Florida (Clemson)
95. Bryson Allen-Williams - LB - Georgia (South Carolina)
97. Nyles Morgan - LB - Illinois (Notre Dame)
103. Bentley Spain - OT - North Carolina (North Carolina)
111. Mark Andrews - WR - Arizona (Oklahoma)
121. Braden Smith - OG - Kansas
122. Roderick Johnson - OT - Missouri
123. Sam Hubbard - ATH - Ohio (Ohio State)
124. Lorenzo Featherston - DE - North Carolina (Florida State)
127. Garrett Dickerson - DE - New Jersey (Northwestern)
133. Kyle Berger - LB - Ohio (Ohio State)
142. Jalen Brown - WR - Arizona (Oregon)
150. Isaiah McKenzie - WR - Florida
154. Alex Bars - OT - Tennessee (Notre Dame)
155. Devon Thomas - RB - Oklahoma (Oklahoma State)
159. Demetriux Knox - OG - Texas (Ohio State)
163. Dravon Henry - ATH - Pennsylvania (West Virginia)
174. Adarius Pickett - CB - California (UCLA)
184. Wesley Green - CB - Georgia
190. Parrker Westphal - CB - Illinois (Northwestern)
192. Jay Hayes - DT - New York (Notre Dame)
196. Saeed Blacknall - WR - New Jersey (Rutgers)
197. Michael Ferns - LB - Ohio (Michigan)
199. Darrion Owens - LB - Florida (Miami)
212. Nic Weishar - TE - Illinois (Notre Dame)
220. Lawrence Marshall - DE - Michigan (Michigan)
221. Kenny Young - LB - Louisiana
222. Otaro Alaka - LB - Texas (Texas)
223. Juwann Winfree - WR - New Jersey (Maryland)
229. Ian Bunting - TE - Illinois (Michigan)
230. Khairi Clark - DT - Florida (Florida)
231. Steven Parker - S - Oklahoma
238. Shai McKenzie - RB - Pennsylvania (Virginia Tech)
243. Montae Nicholson - S - Pennsylvania (Michigan State)

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)

Scout 300 for 2014 updated

Freddy Canteen is Michigan's big mover, jumping to #171 from outside the top 300

I don't follow Scout as much as the other three recruiting sites, but it recently came to my attention that the Scout 300 has been updated since my last post on their rankings. Movement for Michigan commits since July:

- Jabrill Peppers jumped from #6 to #4
- Drake Harris fell from #30 to #54
- Bryan Mone jumped from #96 to #90
- Freddy Canteen jumped from outside the list to #171
- Michael Ferns fell from #149 to #178
- Mason Cole jumped from #259 to #249
- Chase Winovich fell from #232 to #277

5-stars:
1. Leonard Fournette - RB - Louisiana
2. Cameron Robinson - OT - Louisiana
4. Jabrill Peppers - CB - New Jersey (Michigan)
5. Adoree' Jackson - CB - California
6. Juju Smith - S - California
7. Jamal Adams - S - Texas
9. Lorenzo Carter - DE - Georgia
10. Da'Shawn Hand - DE - Virginia (Alabama)
15. Quin Blanding - S - Virginia (Virginia)
18. Joe Mixon - RB - California
19. Andrew Brown - DT - Virginia (Virginia)
21. Solomon Thomas - DE - Texas
22. Malachi Dupre - WR - Louisiana
23. Myles Garrett - DE - Texas (Texas A&M)
24. Braden Smith - OT - Kansas
28. Casey Tucker - OT - Arizona
30. K.C. McDermott - OT - Florida (Miami)
33. Sam Hubbard - OLB - Ohio (Ohio State)
35. Nyles Morgan - MLB - Illinois

4-stars:
37. Jalen Tabor - CB - Washington, D.C.
38. Damon Webb - CB - Michigan (Ohio State)
42. Malik McDowell - DE - Michigan
43. Edward Paris - CB - Texas (LSU)
44. Marshon Lattimore - CB - Ohio
45. Jalen Brown - WR - Arizona (Oregon)
49. Bo Scarbrough - RB - Alabama (Alabama)
54. Drake Harris - WR - Michigan (Michigan)
57. Elijah Hood - RB - North Carolina (North Carolina)
58. Khairi Clark - DT - Florida (Florida)
61. Jamarco Jones - OT - Illinois (Ohio State)
63. Damian Prince - OT - Maryland
67. Erick Smith - S - Ohio
68. Kyle Berger - OLB - Ohio (Ohio State)
70. Josh Malone - WR - Tennessee (Tennessee)
71. Mark Andrews - WR - Arizona (Oklahoma)
72. Saeed Blacknall - WR - New Jersey (Rutgers)
75. Roderick Johnson - OT - Missouri
79. Jalen Hurd - RB - Tennessee (Tennessee)
81. Dante Booker - OLB - Ohio (Ohio State)
84. Christian McCaffrey - RB - Colorado (Stanford)
90. Bryan Mone - DT - Utah (Michigan)
104. Parrker Westphal - S - Illinois
105. Lawrence Marshall - DE - Michigan (Michigan)
108. Steven Parker - S - Oklahoma
113. Demetrius Knox - OG - Texas (Ohio State)
121. Dravon Henry - CB - Pennsylvania (West Virginia)
136. Sam Mustipher - OG - Maryland (Notre Dame)
141. Artavis Scott - WR - Florida (Clemson)
145. Bryson Allen-Williams - OLB - Georgia
147. Brandon Simmons - S - Texas (Stanford)
155. Nick Watkins - CB - Texas (Notre Dame)
157. Daniel Helm - TE - Illinois (Tennessee)
158. Bentley Spain - OT - North Carolina (North Carolina)
169. Shai McKenzie - RB - Pennsylvania
171. Freddy Canteen - WR - Maryland (Michigan)
175. Andy Bauer - OT - Misssouri (Missouri)
176. Adarius Pickett - CB - California (UCLA)
177. Wesley Green - CB - Georgia
178. Michael Ferns - MLB - Ohio (Michigan)
186. Demarre Kitt - WR - Georgia (Clemson)
190. Jeb Blazevich - TE - North Carolina (Georgia)
194. Richard Yeargin - OLB - Florida (Notre Dame)
199. Corey Holmes - WR - Florida (Notre Dame)
201. Alex Bars - OT - Tennessee (Notre Dame)
203. Montae Nicholson - S - Pennsylvania
205. Jacory Washington - TE - Louisiana (LSU)
209. Dexter Wideman - DT - South Carolina (South Carolina)
213. D'Andre Payne - CB - Washington, DC (Tennessee)
220. Devon Thomas - RB - Oklahoma (Oklahoma State)
231. Jay Hayes - DT - New York (Notre Dame)
237. Marcus Allen - S - Maryland (Penn State)
244. Ja'Von Harrison - WR - Florida (Virginia Tech)
249. Mason Cole - OT - Florida (Michigan)
254. Malik Hooker - WR - Pennsylvania (Ohio State)
264. Jackson Barton - OT - Utah (Utah)
268. Kiy Hester - S - New Jersey (Miami)
277. Chase Winovich - OLB - Pennsylvania (Michigan)
279. K.J. Williams - WR - Pennsylvania (Syracuse)
282. Jimmie Swain - OLB - Missouri
283. Kenny Young - MLB - Louisiana
294. Juwann Winfree - WR - New Jersey (Maryland)
298. Conor Sheehy - DE - Wisconsin (Wisconsin)

Rivals 250 for 2014 updated

Grand Rapids (MI) Christian wide receiver Drake Harris is the #106 player in the country

Rivals updated its top 250 players for 2014. Yesterday they released the top 100. Here's what the 250 looked like back in August.

Movement for Michigan commits:

- Drake Harris dropped from #62 to #106
- Mason Cole dropped from #122 to #129
- Bryan Mone dropped from #180 to #185
- Michael Ferns dropped from #189 to #202

Here's the full list of Michigan targets on the list:

106. Drake Harris - WR - Michigan (Michigan)
107. Jalen Brown - WR - Arizona (Oregon)
110. Jamarco Jones - OG - Illinois (Ohio State)
114. Daniel Helm - TE - Illinois (Tennessee)
116. Demarre Kitt - WR - Georgia (Clemson)
121. Andy Bauer - OT - Missouri (Missouri)
122. Erick Smith - S - Ohio
126. Adarius Pickett - CB - California (UCLA)
129. Mason Cole - OG - Florida (Michigan)
133. Kalen Ballage - ATH - Colorado
135. Montae Nicholson - S - Pennsylvania
137. Christian McCaffrey - RB - Colorado (Stanford)
138. Otaro Alaka - LB - Texas (Texas)
139. Kenny Young - LB - Louisiana
147. Quincy Wilson - CB - Florida (Florida)
149. Dravon Henry - S - Pennsylvania
150. Dwight Williams - LB - California
161. Nick Watkins - CB - Texas (Notre Dame)
163. Bentley Spain - OT - North Carolina (North Carolina)
181. Jeb Blazevich - TE - North Carolina (Georgia)
185. Bryan Mone - DT - Utah (Michigan)
202. Michael Ferns - LB - Ohio (Michigan)
203. Wesley Green - CB - Georgia (South Carolina)
218. Roderick Johnson - OT - Missouri
223. Melvin Keihn - LB - Maryland
224. D'Andre Payne - CB - Washington, DC (Tennessee)
228. Jay Hayes - DT - New York (Notre Dame)
229. Parrker Westphal - CB - Illinois
232. Nic Weishar - TE - Illinois (Notre Dame)
235. K.J. Williams - WR - Pennsylvania (Syracuse)
236. Dexter Wideman - DT - South Carolina (Florida State)
239. Saeed Blacknall - WR - New Jersey (Rutgers)
248. Kiy Hester - S - New Jersey
250. Andrew Williams - DE - Georgia

2013 High School Butkus Award Watch List

Michael Ferns

The 2013 High School Butkus Award Semi-Finalists were released, and there are a number of familiar names on the list. All of the following players have been offered by Michigan:

Kyle Berger - LB - Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius: Committed to Ohio State
Dante Booker - LB - Akron (OH) St. Vincent-St. Mary: Committed to Ohio State
Michael Ferns - LB - St. Clairsville (OH) St. Clairsville: Committed to Michigan
Nyles Morgan - LB - Crete (IL) Monee: Undecided
Dwight Williams - LB - Junipero (CA) Gardena Serra: Undecided

247 Sports: Top 247 for 2014 updated

Jabrill Peppers is the #3 player in the country

247 Sports released its updated top 247 players for the class of 2014. Here's what it looked like back in July.

Movement for Michigan commits:
- Drake Harris moves up from #44 to #43
- Bryan Mone jumps from #49 to #46
- Mason Cole moves up from #112 to #111
- Michael Ferns drops from #188 to #191
- Lawrence Marshall moves up from #231 to #229

1. Cameron Robinson - OT - Louisiana (Alabama)
2. Leonard Fournette - RB - Louisiana
3. Jabrill Peppers - CB - New jersey (Michigan)
4. Lorenzo Carter - DE - Georgia
5. Andrew Brown - DT - Virginia (Virginia)
6. Da'Shawn Hand - DE - Virginia
8. Quin Blanding - S - Virginia (Virginia)
9. Myles Garrett - DE - Texas
12. Joe Mixon - RB - California
16. Dante Booker - LB - Ohio (Ohio State)
17. Damian Prince - OT - Maryland
22. Jalen Hurd - RB - Tennessee (Tennessee)
24. Adoree' Jackson - CB - California
26. Edward Paris - S - Texas (LSU)
30. John Smith - S - California
34. Marshon Lattimore - CB - Ohio
36. Malachi Dupre - WR - Louisiana
37. Solomon Thomas - DE - Texas
42. Jalen Tabor - CB - Washington, DC
43. Drake Harris - WR - Michigan (Michigan)
44. Jamarco Jones - OG - Illinois (Ohio State)
45. Lorenzo Featherston - DE - North Carolina
46. Bryan Mone - DT - Utah (Michigan)
50. K.C. McDermott - OT - Florida (Miami)
52. Bo Scarbrough - ATH - Alabama (Alabama)
53. Malik McDowell - DE - Michigan
61. Josh Malone - WR - Tennessee
71. Jamal Adams - S - Texas
75. Mark Andrews - WR - Arizona (Oklahoma)
76. Elijah Hood - RB - North Carolina (North Carolina)
80. Damon Webb - CB - Michigan (Ohio State)
82. Roderick Johnson - OT - Missouri
86. Nyles Morgan - LB - Illinois
87. Andy Bauer - OT - Missouri (Mississippi)
90. Braden Smith - OG - Kansas
93. Kyle Berger - LB - Ohio (Ohio State)
111. Mason Cole - OG - Florida (Michigan)
112. Dwight Williams - LB - California
119. Bentley Spain - OT - North Carolina (North Carolina)
133. Saeed Blacknall - WR - New Jersey (Maryland)
135. Demetrius Knox - OG - Texas (Ohio State)
137. Derrick Nnadi - DT - Virginia
140. Devon Thomas - RB - Oklahoma (Oklahoma State)
144. Artavis Scott - WR - Florida (Clemson)
145. Parrker Westphal - CB - Illinois
149. Dexter Wideman - DT - South Carolina (Florida State)
158. Montae Nicholson - S - Pennsylvania
167. Adarius Pickett - CB - California (UCLA)
169. Garrett Dickerson - TE - New Jersey
172. Alex Bars - OT - Tennessee (Notre Dame)
175. Tyler Luatua - TE - California
181. Wesley Green - CB - Georgia
182. Bryson Allen-Williams - LB - Georgia (South Carolina)
183. Jay Hayes - DT - New York (Notre Dame)
186. K.J. Williams - WR - Pennsylvania (Syracuse)
187. Otaro Alaka - LB - Texas (Texas)
191. Michael Ferns - LB - Ohio (Michigan)
200. Joe Henderson - DE - Ohio (Tennessee)
202. D'Andre Payne - CB - Washington, DC (Tennessee)
207. Shai McKenzie - RB - Pennsylvania
208. Juwann Bushell-Beatty - OT - New Jersey (Michigan)
211. Nic Weishar - TE - Illinois (Notre Dame)
214. Darrion Owens - LB - Florida (Miami)
215. Demarre Kitt - WR - Georgia (Clemson)
217. Juwann Winfree - WR - New Jersey (Maryland)
219. Sam Hubbard - ATH - Ohio (Ohio State)
220. Steven Parker - S - Oklahoma
224. Ian Bunting - TE - Illinois (Michigan)
229. Lawrence Marshall - DE - Michigan (Michigan)
230. Kenny Young - LB - Louisiana
233. T'Kevian Rockwell - LB - Texas (Baylor)

Recruit Tracker: Michael Ferns III

Michael Ferns III

November 1, 2013: St. Clairsville beat Union (OH) Local by a score of 41-7. Ferns missed the game due to his shoulder injury. The Red Devils are now 9-1.

October 25, 2013: St. Clairsville beat Rayland (OH) Buckeye Local by a score of 51-3. Ferns missed the game due to injury. St. Clairsville is 8-1.

October 18, 2013: St. Clairsville beat Richmond (OH) Edison by a score of 49-12. Ferns missed a third straight game. The Red Devils are now 7-1.

October 11, 2013: St. Clairsville lost to Bellaire (OH) Bellaire by a score of 38-28. Ferns also missed this game, and the team suffered its first loss. They're now 6-1.

October 4, 2013: St. Clairsville beat Cadiz (OH) Harrison Central by a score of 40-7. Ferns sat out the game due to injury, but the team improved to 6-0, anyway.

September 27, 2013: St. Clairsville beat Wintersville (OH) Indian Creek by a score of 21-0. Ferns had 2 offensive touchdowns and 20 tackles, bringing him to 62 for the year. St. Clairsville is now 5-0.

September 20, 2013: St. Clairsville beat Martins Ferry (OH) Martins Ferry by a score of 35-14. Ferns had 12 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 forced fumble. He also had 6 carries for 16 yards on offense. He now has 42 tackles on the season and 26 carries for 204 yards and 1 touchdown. St. Clairsville is now 4-0.

September 13, 2013: St. Clairsville beat Phoenixville (PA) Renaissance Christian by a score of 27-20. Ferns had 15 tackles, 1 forced fumble, and 1 pass breakup, along with a 32-yard touchdown run. He now has 30 tackles and 1 forced fumble; 20 carries for 188 yards and 1 touchdown; and caught 5 passes for 91 yards. St. Clairsville is 3-0.

September 6, 2013: St. Clairsville beat Cleveland (OH) Young by a score of 49-0. St. Clairsville is 2-0.

August 30, 2013: Ferns's St. Clairsville (OH) St. Clairsville team beat Uhrichsville (OH) Claymont by a score of 24-21. St. Clairsville is 1-0.

Rivals 250 for 2014 updated

The Rivals 250 was updated for 2014. Here's what it looked like back in May, and the Rivals 100 was announced yesterday. Movement for Michigan commits:

- Mason Cole dropped from #118 to #122
- Bryan Mone moved up from #181 to #180
- Michael Ferns III dropped from #128 to #189

105. Andy Bauer - OT - Missouri (Mississippi)
108. Jamarco Jones - OT - Illinois (Ohio State)
110. Daniel Helm - TE - Illinois (Tennessee)
113. Demarre Kitt - WR - Georgia (Clemson)
122. Mason Cole - OG - Florida (Michigan)
124. Adarius Pickett - CB - California
126. Montae Nicholson - S - Pennsylvania
133. Kalen Ballage - ATH - Colorado
136. Otaro Alaka - LB - Texas (Texas)
137. Khairi Clark - DT - Florida (Florida)
139. Dexter Wideman - DT - South Carolina (Florida State)
148. Quincy Wilson - S - Florida (Florida)
152. Bentley Spain - OT - North Carolina (North Carolina)
153. K.J. Williams - WR - Pennsylvania (Syracuse)
160. Nick Watkins - CB - Texas
164. Devon Thomas - RB - Oklahoma (Oklahoma State)
166. Dravon Henry - CB - Pennsylvania
169. Tyler Luatua - TE - California
175. Jeb Blazevich - TE - North Carolina (Georgia)
176. Shai McKenzie - RB - Pennsylvania
180. Bryan Mone - DT - Utah (Michigan)
189. Michael Ferns - LB - Ohio (Michigan)
190. Kenny Young - LB - Louisiana
192. Wesley Green - CB - Georgia (South Carolina)
195. Erick Smith - S - Ohio
207. Roderick Johnson - OT - Missouri
208. D'Andre Payne - CB - Washington, DC (Tennessee)
209. Christian McCaffrey - RB - Colorado (Stanford)
224. Kyle Berger - LB - Ohio (Ohio State)
230. T'Kevian Rockwell - LB - Texas (Baylor)
231. Corey Holmes - WR - Florida (Notre Dame)
233. Parrker Westphal - CB - Illinois
236. Saeed Blacknall - WR - New Jersey (Rutgers)
238. Garrett Dickerson - TE - New Jersey
245. Brandon Simmons - S - Texas (Stanford)

ESPN 300 for 2014 updated

Jabrill Peppers

ESPN updated its top 300 players for 2014. Here's what it looked like back in June. Here's the movement for the Michigan commits:

- Drake Harris dropped from #71 to #72
- Bryan Mone dropped from #73 to #76
- Lawrence Marshall dropped from #110 to #112
- Ian Bunting dropped from #116 to #118
- Juwann Bushell-Beatty dropped from #121 to #122
- Michael Ferns dropped from #122 to #123
- Wilton Speight dropped from #127 to #128

5-stars:
1. Leonard Fournette - RB - Louisiana
2. Jabrill Peppers - CB - New Jersey (Michigan)
3. Cameron Robinson - OT - Louisiana
4. Da'Shawn Hand - DE - Virginia
5. Andrew Brown - DT - Virginia (Virginia)
6. Adoree' Jackson - CB - California
7. Myles Garrett - DE - Texas
10. Quin Blanding - S - Virginia (Virginia)
11. Lorenzo Carter - DE - Georgia

4-stars:
17. Jalen Tabor - CB - Washington, D.C.
20. Bo Scarbrough - ATH - Alabama (Alabama)
22. Damian Prince - OT - Maryland
25. Jamal Adams - S - Texas
26. Malachi Dupre - WR - Louisiana
27. Lorenzo Featherston - DE - North Carolina
31. Solomon Thomas - DE - Texas
38. Casey Tucker - OT - Arizona
39. Jalen Hurd - RB - Tennessee (Tennessee)
41. John Smith - ATH - California
45. K.C. McDermott - OT - Florida (Miami)
47. Elijah Hood - RB - North Carolina (Notre Dame)
51. Marshon Lattimore - ATH - Ohio
52. Alex Bars - OT - Tennessee (Notre Dame)
54. Edward Paris, Jr. - S - Texas (LSU)
57. Andy Bauer - OT - Missouri (Mississippi)
58. Damon Webb - CB - Michigan (Ohio State)
62. Nick Watkins - CB - Texas
64. Nyles Morgan - LB - Illinois
66. Jamarco Jones - OT - Illinois (Ohio State)
67. Malik McDowell - DT - Michigan
68. Tyler Luatua - TE - California
72. Drake Harris - WR - Michigan (Michigan)
76. Bryan Mone - DT - Utah (Michigan)
77. Corey Holmes - WR - Florida (Notre Dame)
84. Artavis Scott - WR - Florida (Clemson)
88. Kevin Crosby - TE - South Carolina (South Carolina)
90. Ja'von Harrison - ATH - Florida (Virginia Tech)
92. Parrker Westphal - CB - Illinois
94. Jeb Blazevich - TE - North Carolina (Georgia)
99. Josh Malone - WR - Tennessee
100. Joe Mixon - RB - California
104. Demarre Kitt - WR - Georgia (Clemson)
105. Kyron Watson - LB - Illinois (Kansas)
112. Lawrence Marshall - DE - Michigan (Michigan)
113. Saeed Blacknall - WR - New Jersey
115. Wesley Green - CB - Georgia (South Carolina)
118. Ian Bunting - TE - Illinois (Michigan)
121. Braden Smith - OT - Kansas
122. Juwann Bushell-Beatty - OT - New Jersey (Michigan)
123. Micheal Ferns - LB - Ohio (Michigan)
128. Wilton Speight - QB - Virginia (Michigan)
131. Dravon Henry - ATH - Pennsylvania
134. Bentley Spain - OT - North Carolina (North Carolina)
139. Roderick Johnson - OT - Missouri
146. Mason Cole - OT - Florida (Michigan)
156. Dante Booker - LB - Ohio (Ohio State)
162. Khairi Clark - DT - Florida (Florida)
163. Jacory Washington - TE - Louisiana (LSU)
166. Demetrius Knox - OG - Texas (Ohio State)
168. Andrew Williams - DE - Georgia
172. Jermaine Roberts - CB - Louisiana (Texas)
174. Bryson Allen-Williams - LB - Georgia (South Carolina)
177. Dwight Williams - LB - California
179. Adarius Pickett - CB - California
180. Dexter Wideman - DT - South Carolina (Florida State)
181. Otaro Alaka - LB - Texas (Texas)
193. Mattrell McGraw - S - Louisiana
196. Kiy Hester - ATH - New Jersey (Rutgers)
203. Quincy Wilson - S - Florida
208. Devon Thomas - RB - Oklahoma (Oklahoma State)
231. Erick Smith - S - Ohio
237. Steven Parker - S - Oklahoma
252. Montae Nicholson - S - Pennsylvania
264. Christian McCaffrey - RB - Colorado (Stanford)
271. Petera Wilson - LB - Tennessee
274. Brandon Simmons - S - Texas (Stanford)
278. D'Andre Payne - CB - Wahshington, D.C. (Tennessee)
279. Garrett Dickerson - TE - New Jersey
281. Kyle Berger - LB - Ohio (Ohio State)
286. Jonathan Hilliman - RB - New Jersey
295. Mark Andrews - WR - Arizona (Oklahoma)

2013 Butkus Award watch list

The Butkus Award watch list for 2013 was released on Monday, and there are several players of note to Michigan fans:

Chris Borland - Wisconsin
Jonathan Brown - Illinois
Max Bullough - Michigan State
Carlo Calabrese - Notre Dame
Glenn Carson - Penn State
Dan Fox - Notre Dame
Anthony Hitchens - Iowa
Christian Kirksey - Iowa
James Morris - Iowa
Ryan Shazier - Ohio State
Prince Shembo - Notre Dame

There's also a Butkus Award given to high schoolers, and a watch list that includes 2014 commit Michael Ferns III, along with a bunch of other Michigan targets.

247 Sports Top 247 for 2014 updated

Ian Bunting

247 Sports updated its 2014 top 247 players. Here's what it looked like back in May.

Movement for Michigan commits:

- Jabrill Peppers jumped from #8 to #3
- Drake Harris dropped from #37 to #44
- Mason Cole dropped from #106 to #112
- Michael Ferns dropped from #179 to #188
- Juwann Bushell-Beatty jumped from #222 to #205
- Ian Bunting jumps from off the list to #224
- Lawrence Marshall dropped from #217 to #231

5-stars:
1. Cameron Robinson - OT - Louisiana
2. Leonard Fournette - RB - Louisiana
3. Jabrill Peppers - CB - New Jersey (Michigan)
4. Lorenzo Carter - DE - Georgia
5. Da'Shawn Hand - DE - Virginia
6. Andrew Brown - DT - Virginia (Virginia)
8. Quin Blanding - S - Virginia (Virginia)
9. Myles Garrett - DE - Texas
12. Joe Mixon - RB - California
16. Dante Booker - LB - Ohio (Ohio State)
17. Damian Prince - OT - Maryland
22. Jalen Hurd - RB - Tennessee (Tennessee)
24. Adoree' Jackson - CB - California
26. Edward Paris - S - Texas (LSU)
30. John Smith - ATH - California

4-stars:
34. Marson Lattimore - CB - Ohio
36. Malachi Dupre - WR - Louisiana
37. Solomon Thomas - DE - Texas
39. Bo Scarbrough - ATH - Alabama (Alabama)
43. Jalen Tabor - CB - Washington, D.C.
44. Drake Harris - WR - Michigan (Michigan)
45. Malik McDowell - DE - Michigan
46. Jamarco Jones - OG - Illinois (Ohio State)
47. Lorenzo Featherston - DE - North Carolina
49. Bryan Mone - DT - Utah (Michigan)
52. K.C. McDermott - OT - Florida (Miami)
61. Josh Malone - WR - Tennessee
71. Jamal Adams - S - Texas
75. Mark Andrews - WR - Arizona
76. Elijah Hood - RB - North Carolina (Notre Dame)
80. Damon Webb - CB - Michigan (Ohio State)
82. Roderick Johnson - OT - Missouri
86. Nyles Morgan - LB - Illinois
87. Andy Bauer - OT - Missouri (Mississippi)
91. Braden Smith - OT - Kansas
94. Kyle Berger - LB - Ohio (Ohio State)
112. Mason Cole - OG - Florida (Michigan)
113. Dwight Williams - LB - California
120. Bentley Spain - OT - North Carolina
133. Saeed Blacknall - WR - New Jersey
135. Demetrius Knox - OG - Texas
140. Devon Thomas - RB - Oklahoma (Oklahoma State)
144. Artavis Scott - WR - Florida (Clemson)
145. Parrker Westphal - CB - Illinois
149. Dexter Wideman - DT - South Carolina
158. Montae Nicholson - S - Pennsylvania
167. Adarius Pickett - CB - California
169. Garrett Dickerson - DE - New Jersey
171. Alex Bars - OT - Tennessee (Notre Dame)
175. Tyler Luatua - TE - California
181. Wesley Green - CB - Georgia (South Carolina)
182. Bryson Allen-Williams - LB - Georgia (South Carolina)
183. Jay Hayes - DT - New York (Notre Dame)
185. K.J. Williams - WR - Pennsylvania (Syracuse)
186. Otaro Alaka - LB - Texas (Texas)
188. Michael Ferns III - LB - Ohio (Michigan)
197. Joe Henderson - DE - Ohio (Tennessee)
198. D'Andre Payne - CB - Washington, D.C. (Tennessee)
204. Shai McKenzie - RB - Pennsylvania
205. Juwann Bushell-Beatty - OT - New Jersey (Michigan)
211. Nic Weishar - TE - Illinois (Notre Dame)
214. Darrion Owens - LB - Florida (Miami)
215. Demarree Kitt - WR - Georgia (Clemson)
217. Juwann Winfree - WR - New Jersey
219. Sam Hubbard - LB - Ohio (Ohio State)
220. Steven Parker - S - Oklahoma
224. Ian Bunting - TE - Illinois (Michigan)
231. Lawrence Marshall - DE - Michigan (Michigan)
232. Kenny Young - LB - Louisiana
233. Jalen Brown - WR - Arizona
235. T'Kevian Rockwell - LB - Texas (Baylor)

Scout 300 updated for 2014

Jabrill Peppers is now the #6 player in the nation

Scout released its updated top 300 prospects for the class of 2014. Here's what it looked like in June.

Movement for Michigan commits:

- Jabrill Peppers jumped from #7 to #6
- Drake Harris dropped from #28 to #30
- Bryan Mone dropped from #94 to #96
- Lawrence Marshall dropped from #103 to #105
- Michael Ferns dropped from #146 to #149
- Chase Winovich dropped from #230 to #232
- Mason Cole dropped from #251 to #259

5-stars:
1. Leonard Fournette - RB - Louisiana
2. Cameron Robinson - OT - Louisiana
3. Lorenzo Carter - DE - Georgia
5. Braden Smith - OT - Kansas
6. Jabrill Peppers - CB - New Jersey (Michigan)
7. Adoree' Jackson - CB - California
8. John Smith - S - California
9. Jamal Adams - S - Texas
11. Da'Shawn Hand - DE - Virginia
15. Quin Blanding - S - Virginia (Virginia)
17. K.C. McDermott - OT - Florida (Miami)
18. Joe Mixon - RB - California
21. Casey Tucker - OT - Arizona
22. Andrew Brown - DT - Virginia (Virginia)
25. Malachi Dupre - WR - Louisiana

4-stars:
28. Jalen Tabor - CB - Washington, D.C.
30. Drake Harris - WR - Michigan (Michigan)
31. Solomon Thomas - DE - Texas
33. Damian Prince - OT - Maryland
34. Malik McDowell - DE - Michigan
35. Marshon Lattimore - WR - Ohio
36. Damon Webb - CB - Michigan (Ohio State)
37. Khairi Clark - DT - Florida (Florida)
41. Nyles Morgan - MLB - Illinois
45. Edward Paris - CB - Texas (LSU)
48. Kyle Berger - OLB - Ohio (Ohio State)
49. Jalen Brown - WR - Arizona
53. Jamarco Jones - OT - Illinois (Ohio State)
55. Myles Garrett - DE - Texas
57. Jalen Hurd - RB - Tennessee (Tennessee)
59. Nick Watkins - CB - Texas
64. Mark Andrews - WR - Arizona
66. Bo Scarbrough - RB - Alabama (Alabama)
70. Parrker Westphal - CB - Illinois
71. Sam Mustipher - OG - Maryland (Notre Dame)
76. Saeed Blacknall - WR - New Jersey
77. Elijah Hood - RB - North Carolina (Notre Dame)
82. Tyler Luatua - TE - California
85. Sam Hubbard - OLB - Ohio (Ohio State)
89. Christian McCaffrey - RB - Colorado (Stanford)
92. Dravon Henry - CB - Pennsylvania
94. Brandon Simmons - S - Texas (Stanford)
96. Bryan Mone - DT - Utah (Michigan)
97. Andy Bauer - OG - Missouri (Mississippi)
102. Roderick Johnson - OT - Missouri
103. Josh Malone - WR - Tennessee
105. Lawrence Marshall - DE - Michigan (Michigan)
112. Demarre Kitt - WR - Georgia (Clemson)
117. Shai McKenzie - RB - Pennsylvania
119. Demetrius Knox - OG - Texas
126. Dwight Williams - OLB - California
138. Artavis Scott - WR - Florida (Clemson)
140. Bryson Allen-Williams - OLB - Georgia (South Carolina)
141. Dante Booker - OLB - Ohio (Ohio State)
149. Michael Ferns III - MLB - Ohio (Michigan)
150. Montae Nicholson - S - Pennsylvania
152. Ja'Von Harrison - S - Florida (Virginia Tech)
154. Erick Smith - S - Ohio
165. Kiy Hester - S - New Jersey (Rutgers)
166. Steven Parker - S - Oklahoma
170. Bentley Spain - OT - North Carolina
173. Garrett Dickerson - TE - New Jersey
174. Daniel Helm - TE - Illinois (Tennessee)
177. Dexter Wideman - DT - South Carolina
188. Jay Hayes - DT - New York (Notre Dame)
189. Devon Thomas - RB - Oklahoma (Oklahoma State)
192. Richard Yeargin III - OLB - Florida
194. Wesley Green - CB - Georgia (South Carolina)
196. Alex Bars - OT - Tennessee (Notre Dame)
199. Adarius Pickett - CB - California
203. Lorenzo Featherston - DE - North Carolina
205. Corey Holmes - WR - Florida
207. D'Andre Payne - CB - Washington, D.C. (Tennessee)
217. Conor Sheehy - DE - Wisconsin (Wisconsin)
218. Marcus Allen - S - Maryland (Penn State)
221. Jacory Washington - TE - Louisiana (LSU)
224. Jeb Blazevich - TE - North Carolina (Georgia)
229. Petera Wilson - MLB - Tennessee
232. Chase Winovich - OLB - Pennsylvania (Michigan)
250. K.J. Williams - WR - Pennsylvania (Syracuse)
254. T'Kevian Rockwell - OLB - Texas (Baylor)
258. Juwann Winfree - WR - New Jersey
259. Mason Cole - OG - Florida (Michigan)
261. Jackson Barton - OT - Utah (Utah)
275. Troy Vincent, Jr. - CB - Maryland (Penn State)
294. Malik Hooker - WR - Pennsylvania