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| Cornerback Devin Butler visited Michigan this past weekend |
Owensboro (KY) Apollo offensive tackle Hunter Bivin committed to Notre Dame over the weekend. The 6'7", 288 lb. lineman forged a friendship with Michigan's incoming safety Jeremy Clark, who played high school football nearby in Kentucky. But with a full offensive line class, Michigan was no longer an option for Bivin.
Philadelphia (PA) William Penn Charter offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey committed to Notre Dame over the weekend. The 6'9", 280-pounder also held offers from Florida, Florida State, Miami, Penn State, Pitt, and Wisconsin, among others. Much like Bivin, Michigan has no more room for offensive linemen at this point.
New Lenox (IL) Lincoln-Way West offensive tackle Colin McGovern committed to Notre Dame over the weekend, too. It's the chic thing to do. McGovern also had offers from Alabama, Nebraska, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and several others. See Bivin and McGlinchey above.
WEEKEND VISITORS
I was out of town this weekend, so I didn't get a chance to put together a list of weekend visitors on Friday. However, there were a handful of kids in town:
- Washington (DC) Gonzaga cornerback Devin Butler
- Pickerington (OH) North tight end Jake Butt (already committed)
- Detroit (MI) Cass Tech quarterback Jayru Campbell (2015)
- Columbus (OH) Marion Franklin wide receiver Jaron Dukes (already committed)
- Detroit (MI) Cass Tech defensive back Johnny Miggins (2014)
- Detroit (MI) Cass Tech wide receiver Damon Webb (2014)
Butler is the most significant of those recruits, since he's a 6'1", 185 lb. cornerback and Michigan needs a player like him in this class. The coaching staff struck out on some big corners in the 2012 class and are pursuing guys who are 6'0" or taller to pair with 2013 commit Jourdan Lewis.
Didn't they already get one in Gareon Conley?
ReplyDeleteYes, but they're looking for another. I guess that's not clear in the post.
DeleteWhat's your take on 3 CBs in this small-ish class. With most predicting that this class reaches 22 we need 2 more WRs, an NT, one more LB, and then 2 spots for best players available (Isaaz, Cravens, Levenberry) Where does this 3rd CB even fit in?
DeleteI'm not sure we need two more receivers. I think one more might suffice. That puts us at 17. A nose tackle gives us 18. Beyond that Michigan's "needs" are more of luxuries. We took a bunch of linebackers in February and already have McCray. Isaac would be a third running back in this class. Cravens is a safety, and we just got three safeties in February. There were NEEDS when Rich Rodriguez was a coach. Once you get close to hitting 85 scholarships again, you have some spots to play with and take the best players available. That's about where Michigan is now. Take the best kid(s) available and figure out your needs for 2014.
DeleteWhy do other schools even bother offering Cass Tech. kids?
ReplyDeleteIt worked for Oregon (Dior Mathis), and it works for the kids that Michigan doesn't get around to offering (Daniel Easterly, Kishon Wilcher, etc.).
DeleteIt actually works for Iowa too. They will probably get guys like Delano Hill and Kenton Gibbs in the 2013 class. In 2013 Iowa got Ruben Lile and Laron Taylor from Cass Tech.
DeleteAs I mentioned above, Mathis was the only guy with a Michigan offer who went elsewhere (in recent years). Gibbs, Hill, Lile, Taylor, Easterly, Wilcher, etc. were never offered by Michigan.
DeleteMy point was never about those kids having Michigan offers. I was mainly making more of a point to Beef because other teams, especially Iowa, has had recent success at pulling kids out of Cass Tech.
DeleteGotcha.
Deletewho is Damon Webbs fav? He transfered into Cass. Looks like a PTP'er.
DeleteWebb hasn't been covered a ton, but I would be surprised if he had a leader other than Michigan.
DeleteAlthough this invites speculation -- informed, but speculative still -- which DTs do you suppose we get? Poggi seems a good guess. Other(s)?
ReplyDeleteI think Poggi is a pretty good bet, but I think Michigan is going to have to offer some more nose tackles. None of the guys currently offered seem extremely interested in Michigan at this point.
DeleteWhat about Greg Webb? Do you not see him at NT?
DeleteI do think Webb is a NT, but I don't think he's Michigan-bound.
DeleteWho are the guys that you want offered at NT?
DeleteThere aren't many. I think it might be a good idea to offer Lowell Lotulelei out of Utah, though.
DeleteMagnus,
ReplyDeleteWhat is your take on Butler as a CB prospect? I heard that he has only been playing football for a few years now.
I believe he started playing as a sophomore, so 2011 was his second year. Butler is a good boundary corner prospect, I think. He has pretty good makeup speed, changes direction fairly well for a tall kid, and will be a solid tackler once he bulks up and learns better technique. I don't think he's a superstar, but I do think he could be pretty good. I'm definitely not opposed to the coaches continuing to pursue him.
Delete"I'm definitely not opposed to the coaches continuing to pursue him."
ReplyDeleteWOW! High praise from Thunder/Magnus! So, I can assume he'll get at least a 68 rating if he commits, right?
/foolin' around
I love the idea of taking 3 corners, especially if they're bigger guys. I'd like the staff to take the recruiting-by-volume approach they apply to RB and LB. Corners are very important - you need 2 on the field always and often need a 3rd. Often, they don't need to red-shirted, so you can/should recruit more of them. Finally, many can switch to safety as they develop and get bigger - more of an issue with early commitments now. You can't turn Courtney Avery into a safety, but the bigger corners with some tackling ability make for playmakers at safety. Like shifting DE to DT, LB to DE, and S to LB -- this gets more speed on the field. The coaches should apply the same attitude they have about RBs (they're the best athletes on their teams, we can move them around after they arrive and see the depth chart) to CBs, because they're also the best athletes available and can be moved around.
ReplyDeleteI know people feel like we're set for a while with Countess, freshman, and committed recruits but there's too much uncertainty with recruits (in general) and too much importance at the position to every feel totally comfortable. For example, I'd guess Countess is headed for early NFL entry based on the talent and ability he flashed as a freshman. Meaning a 2013 recruit could be replacing him early in their career.
Why is Devin Butler wearing Michigan gear if Penn State is listed as his Favorite?
ReplyDeleteThat seems like a question only Butler could answer.
Delete