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| Ty Isaac |
Ty Isaac - RB - Joliet (IL) Catholic: Isaac, who is visiting on Tuesday, is a transfer prospect from USC. He was offered as part of the 2013 class and was a 247 Composite 4-star, the #8 all-purpose back, and #54 overall. As a true freshman, he carried the ball 40 times for 236 yards (5.9 yards/carry) and 2 touchdowns, but there are three Trojan running backs returning who were ahead of him on the depth chart last season. Furthermore, Isaac has an ill mother, so he wants to play closer to home. Northwestern and Northern Illinois are both within the 100-mile radius the NCAA has established for players hoping to get a waiver to play immediately; otherwise, he would have to sit out the 2014 season. Illinois, Michigan, and Notre Dame are the other three schools supposedly in competition, but he would have to sit out the 2014 season and wait until 2015 to be eligible. Michigan nabbed Derrick Green and De'Veon Smith in the 2013 class, but more competition would be welcome for a team that is still looking for someone to step up and grab the starting running back job by the horns. Here is my scouting report on Isaac from when he was in high school (LINK). He's now up to 6'3", 225 lbs. UPDATE: Isaac committed to Michigan (LINK).
2015
Grant Newsome - OT - Lawrenceville (NJ) Lawrenceville School: I wrote up a scouting report on Newsome back in March (LINK). He has since picked up an offer from Tennessee, but the general line of thinking is that he is currently trying to decide between Michigan and Penn State. This will be Newsome's second visit to Michigan.
Michael Weber - RB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Weber has been on Michigan's radar for a long time. The 247 Composite 4-star, #9 running back, and #90 overall player recently named a top five that included Michigan, but he also listed a top three inside the top five that did not include the Wolverines.
2016
Justin Layne - WR - Cleveland (OH) Benedictine: Layne is a 6'3", 173 lb. prospect with offers from Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Pitt, and West Virginia. He's a 247 Sports 4-star, the #18 wide receiver, and #88 overall. He claims a 4.44 forty time. Layne will be visiting Ann Arbor for a basketball camp, but he will also be visiting Michigan's football facilities with the coaches. The Wolverines are pursuing Layne's teammate, 2015 linebacker Jerome Baker, but Baker is thought to be leaning toward Ohio State.
The NCAA might not be that strict about the 100 mile thing when South Bend and Champaign aren't much more than that by car. Plus, technically they are 95 and 98 miles away as the crow flies, respectively. Maybe all he needs is a pilot's license...
ReplyDeleteDistance may or may not be a factor, but it doesn't sound like he's real interested in playing for Northwestern or NIU.
Isaac clearly is impressed by prestige and seemed very interested in UM in the last go around. I hope we get him.
I'd love Isaac to play this year, but I'd say his case for a waiver is pretty weak. The issue is not that his mom needs his care, it's just that she can't fly to his games anymore, after some inner-ear problem or surgery. If a player is so concerned about parents attending games, why pick a school 2000 miles away in the first place? I guess you never know with the NCAA. But if they grant him this waiver, there setting a pretty low bar. It's possible that Isaac sees a potential waiver as a "nice-to-have" but not necessary. His main concern was signing with the school that he liked.
DeleteOn a team level though, I think it's probably better for us to have Ty NOT get a waiver this year. We didn't land a 2014 RB recruit, and thing's aren't necessarily looking so hot for 2015 as some of the top recruits (Weber; Harris) seem to have cooled off a bit on us. If Ty sits one year but has 3 years of eligibility left, it basically makes him a 2014 recruit for eligibility purposes--one year behind both Smith and Green. Ty can learn the system, adjust to life in Ann Arbor, and then we'll have a 3 headed monster in the backfield. If Smith or Green catch on and have a monster year this year or next, they could also leave campus early for the NFL. But no mater what, Smith and Green leave campus after the 2016 season, theoretically leaving Ty at the top of the depth chart for at least his senior season. This assumes two things--1) that he doesn't leap frog Smith or Green, and 2) that nobody we recruit in 2015 or later passes up Ty.
ReplyDeleteBottom line is Ty not getting a waiver helps to "spread the wealth" at RB over a few more years. I'd rather not have them all stacked up in the same graduating class if we can avoid it.
On a team level, it's better for us to have the best running back as possible on the field. It doesn't matter if the backs are spread out as far as eligibility goes, because success breeds success. A good running game in 2014 can convince other good running backs to come in 2015 and 2016. If Derrick Green and DeVeon Smith continue to be unable to run the ball consistently, we will lose games, which will hurt recruiting.
DeleteI don't care about spread out guys' eligibility. Winning cures everything.