Monday, November 4, 2024

Shamari Earls, Wolverine

 

Shamari Earls (image via Twitter)

Chester (VA) Thomas Dale cornerback Shamari Earls flipped from Georgia to Michigan. He picked the Wolverines over other offers from Alabama, Miami, Tennessee, and USC, among others.

Earls is listed at 6'2" and 180 pounds on 247 Sports, although I have heard he's closer to 200 pounds now; an article on 247 Sports says he's 203 pounds. As a junior in 2023, he caught 29 passes for 715 yards and 8 touchdowns; he also made 25 tackles and 3 interceptions. He runs a 10.8 in the meters and a 21.78 in the 200 meters, and both his high jump (6'2") and long jump (23'10 3/4") numbers are pretty good.

RANKINGS
ESPN: 4-star, 84 grade, #9 CB, #71 overall
On3: 4-star, 96 grade, #4 CB, #23 overall
Rivals: 3-star, 5.7 grade, #46 CB
247 Sports: 4-star, 94 grade, #9 CB, #67 overall

Hit the jump for more.


Defensive backs coach Lamar Morgan reeled in Earls despite a roller coaster of a recruitment. Earls initially committed to South Carolina before flipping to Georgia. Then he silently committed to Michigan, delayed a public announcement due to a late overture by Georgia, and then finally went public with his commitment to the Wolverines late during the week. Considering all the ups and downs, I wouldn't necessarily write his name in pen for Michigan's class until he enrolls.

As for the play on the field, Earls is a big body who almost looks too thick to be a cornerback. He's tall and long at 6'2". I'm interested to see how his body will develop; he could potentially add weight at his size and maybe become a safety, or he may be able to redistribute some of his body makeup and stay roughly the same size. In the mold of Will Johnson, he's a guy who sometimes doesn't look like he's moving fast because he takes such long strides, but his speed is good enough to be successful at the next level. He shows some nice body control and seems to know he's bigger and stronger than most of the skill players around him.

On the negative side, I have some questions about his ability to flip hips and change direction. He does not show the quickest footwork and sometimes even seems sluggish when it comes to planting and changing direction. Is it because he can't do it or doesn't want/know to do it? I would tend toward the latter, and hopefully higher expectations and better coaching at the college level can improve that technique. That extends to his tackling, as I think he lacks physicality and aggression when it comes to meeting ball carriers; he tends to try to go low and grab on to ankles rather than trying to be an enforcer.

Overall, Earls looks like a very good piece of the puzzle for the 2025 class. With the size and skills I see on his film, I would almost project him to safety, but I don't think his tackling is on par with what's necessary at the position. Unless that can be improved, I think he's a cornerback all the way. He appears to be an Aamir Hall-level tackler (not great) with Will Johnson-type size and athleticism (pretty darn good). With Johnson looking like a good bet to head to the NFL next season and Hall out of eligibility, there's a good chance Earls could step in next season and be CB2 or CB3. Generally, starting a freshman at cornerback is problematic, so it would be nice if someone else can step in and let him develop a little bit first.

Michigan now has 18 commitments in the class of 2025. Earls would be the first signee from Virginia since safety Brandyn Hillman in the class of 2023, and the first player from Thomas Dale to play for the Wolverines.

TTB Rating: 83

28 comments:

  1. Hard to follow recruiting when guys are a year from campus and 2-4 from playing (if ever)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not the only thing you struggle to follow

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    2. Buttl I'm pretty good at picking apart your bullsh:t
      #exposed

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    3. You should have stopped at the first 4 letters when you were right.

      Delete
  2. If he sticks through his commitment and is on the team in September, I think he may have a good chance at CB2 or CB3. The size should help him out to play early, but yeah, that's kind of big for a CB. Tackling matters everywhere and can be taught, so a move to safety may happen eventually.

    I have a hypothesis that Wink is not necessarily playing the best guys for college but filtering through an NFL lens of physical attributes. Zeke Berry and Mason Curtis playing over Walker comes to mind as a potential example though admittedly not one that screams obvious error. Anyway, that may be to Earls advantage.

    Nice recruiting get but in this day and age the get isn't a get until the next summer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Man, questioning the coaches is the cool thing to do these days

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    2. troll. fantasy. too small.

      Delete
    3. Lmao, truth hurts: it's been a season of Lank concessions

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    4. jellly winning his version of fantasy football, league of 1

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    5. JE is always winning


      Is it okay to question the coaches or not? They spend more time with the players. They see them every day. They know player strengths & weaknesses, and how they fit in the system. They see them in practice & off-season ... All of this is why you've cried for years against questioning the coaches

      Which is it?

      Delete
    6. I questioned Harbaugh on injuries in 2015 and many times since and other issues.

      #fantasy

      When challenged to cite an example of a bad Harbaugh depth chart call, the best you could come up with was Juwann Bushell-Beatty. Who wasn't good. For all the times you said he was wrong, that's the best you got?

      #harbaugh was right you were not

      This staff is not Harbaugh or even Hoke or Rich Rod.
      Did you know that? Jim Harbaugh, Sherrone Moore, different guys, with different resumes, and different staffs.

      How many times have I said trust these coaches?

      Another jeLLLLLLLLLy fantasy. Hold it up.

      Delete
    7. You haven't explained Trust the Coaches, but add more exceptions/excuses for Lank ...

      JBB? I don't recall specifically mentioning him & only him ... what happened to receipts, LIAR

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    8. The truth hurts jelly. You don't like it, so you call it a lie. Nobody but you believes you.

      Delete
    9. no links ... no quotes ... no data

      LyinLank, goin with feelings

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    10. The only one telling lies is jelly.

      Trust the coaches was always about the issues raised about the Michigan depth chart. you made up a lie - that coaches should never be questioned about anything. That's your fantasy lil fella. and now you're making up another lie that THESE coaches are above being questioned. They haven't earned my trust, far from it.

      When challenged to come up with examples of Harbaugh or even Hoke being wrong on the depth chart -- JBB was best you could come up with. If I'm wrong -- go ahead and identify a Harbaugh depth chart error that you correctly called out in advance. #trust the coaches

      Hold it up.

      Delete
    11. So trust the coaches was only about depth charts, nothing else? No links or quotes to back that up? LyinLank is a well earned name



      Nolan Ulizio being benched for JBB is a perfect example. Hoke started Shane Morris, who sucked and never started again. A more recent example would be your boy, who got benched after falling behind mighty Rutger - replaced by a short guy w/noodle arm - who won the game and then held that position while JJ developed (earning our first B1G Title in almost two decades). You asked, I answered (3x) ... I bet you dodge & make excuses
      n0tbUiLtf0rtHiS

      Delete
    12. @jelly

      You got any quotes to say otherwise? Or just your imagination fantasy?

      The example that I've cited many times (which you cry about "trust the doctors lank!?!?!?") is my criticism of the Harbaugh's approach on injuries, going back through to Pipkins and St Juste early on.

      Responded to this. many times. I can pull those quotes any time but what's the point? You lie, dodge, and "forget" because you'd rather argue with your imagination. You're such a "competitor"! Only way you win is to take on a lesser opponent just like in middle school and before you dropped out of high school. Just like at the basketball courts of the suburban rec center.

      Well I ain't the one. Take your fantasies elsewhere. #toosmall #2ooDuMb

      ---------------------------------
      As for depth chart challenges.... LOL

      Like I said -- JBB is the best you got!

      You argued otherwise but here you and...that's still the best you got.

      Shane Morris was a guy that FANS called for. He's an example of trust the coaches because Hoke stuck with Gardner despite fans calling for the shiny 5-star backup. Morris didn't start until the bowl game against Kansas State when Gardner was injured. The coaches were right!

      I don't know what the 3rd option is but I assume that word salad is Cade McNamara? The guy who lost the starting job to JJ McCarthy when JJ was a sophomore. The coaches were right! Cade sucks and JJ is in the NFL.

      Or maybe you mean playing Milton (an NFL QB) over McNamara (not good enough to start at Iowa) -- the coaches were right there too, until Milton's performance tanked post-injury in 2020. He redeemed himself since, despite your denials and lies, successfully guiding Tennessee to a top 15 finish, winning an Orange Bowl MVP, and getting drafted by the Patriots (where he won a backup job over a guy you called out as superior LOLOLOL).

      The coaches were right! Again!

      Except, for your guy JBB who was....not very good! But probably a bit better than Ulizio! So there's that one example for you where the coaches probably didn't make the right call (except when ultimately they did it just took a few weeks too long).

      The number of depth chart questions that can be legitimately thrown at Moore and Campbell in half a season are greater than the entirety of the Rodriguez-Hoke-Harbaugh eras combined. Probably a reason for that is that that trio were all established, proven, winning head coaches, who knew what they were doing and deserved our respect, even if they weren't the guys to take Michigan to a championship level -- they were solid coaches who earned some trust. Moore has not

      That's why you haven't heard me say "trust the coaches" with these coaches, after a single game, not once. Another jelllly fantasy. Another jelllly L, pretending.

      ----------------------------

      No dodges here. No lies here. The coaches I said to trust on the depth chart, deserved our trust, and the best you have to counter the argument I made is Juwan Freaking Bushell Effing Beatty.

      All after you LIED and pretended like you can't "recall" what I was talking about when bringing up JBB. LOLOLOLOL

      Hold it up!

      #toosmall
      #outsmarted

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    13. me: so now you're saying 'trust the coaches' was ONLY about depth charts? Do you have any links or quotes?

      LyinLank: no YOU don't have any links or quotes ...

      I guess we're at an impasse? I mean, you're only response to me calling you out is a childish "no you😭"


      *YOU are a lesser competition ... inferior in every way, and too scared to prove otherwise


      on doctors, you never answered: should coaches ignore medical advice, and place financial projections ahead of Michigan Doctors input? Waiting for another dodge ...


      I gave you THREE examples:
      Did hoke start Shane Morris or not? Yes he did
      Did hoke start Nolan Ulizio or not? Yes he did
      Did Harbaugh start your boy, fall behind against Rutger(!), and make a switch that resulted in a Win? Yes he did

      In each of the above cases, the right decision was the switch. Historical fact, whether it hurts your feelings or not. No lies told: I said I did not recall mentioning Beatty and ONLY Beatty ... prove me wrong BOY ... you can't & won't! I'll wait for your dodge


      Inferior in every way BOY ... prove me wrong

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    14. @Jelllllllly

      How about you prove YOUR accusation instead? Making up fake quotes and fake interpretations of those quotes is your thing. Go ahead and prove them.

      We already know you can't.

      --

      Delete
    15. @jellllllllly

      "Did hoke start Nolan Ulizio or not? Yes he did"
      JBB over Ulizio is the point you are trying to argue with dumdum. I said this was the best example of a coach being wrong that you can come up with. Remember, you're trying to come up with something better. Try to keep up.

      Hoke started Morris as an injury replacement. He did NOT evaluate his depth chart and say Morris is better at football than Gardner and choose to play a healthy Morris of a healthy Gardner. Injury replacement in 2013 and (widely speculated) injury replacement in 2014. Gardner played, yes, just as he played on broken foot vs OSU, but he was also clearly compromised by the multitude of hits and sacks. Same issue you glossed over while Milton played with a broken thumb in 2020. Before thumb injury - good. After thumb injury - not good. Seasons since got him starting at tennessee, winning orange bowl mvp, and drafted into the NFL. Maybe the thumb was relevant! Same issue as Edwards getting 22 carries to Corum's 2 in 2022.

      Injuries affect performance sometimes. NUANCE lil fella.

      Milton was hurt. Gardner was hurt. Ulizio wasn't.

      Moore isn't making a "decision to switch" on starting Davis Warren over Jack Tuttle after Illinois. Tuttle was injured, even though he played against Illinois, he was injured. Moore DID make a "decision to switch" when he started Orji over Warren for Minnesota (when both were healthy). That was performance. Same when he pulled Orji for Tuttle against Washington.

      Ulizio is still the best you got of a coach making a bad call on the depth chart. Like I said, BETBOY. All those words and you haven't said a thing. Just insults and fantasies.

      Delete
    16. the three examples? I just did ...
      #denial
      #LyinLank


      on Doctors? How would I prove what YOU believe dummy? All you have to do is NOT dodge
      #tooeasy


      with your new narrowed position on "trust the coaches," how exactly would I prove that this is what you actually believe?
      #desparate
      #n0tbUilTf0rtHiS






      Come up with something better? That's awfully subjective ... almost like the LIAR is reeeaching ...


      Now you know why hoke started Morris? And, just the other day it was because of the fans ... which is it? Backpedaling & desparate as I corner you. This is fun


      Milton was hurt. Guess what? In sports, everyone is hurt ... he wasn't injured, and could/did play. The thumb isn't why he threw passes directly at defenders, or was scared to run. He got benched because he was ineffective & couldn't move the offense, and transferred because he got benched for a less worse player


      Hoke started Ulizio
      Hoke started Morris
      Hoke started your boy

      You asked, I answered. As predicted on 12 Nov at 8:24AM, you're making excuses
      #iwasright


      Yet another dodge: I did not recall mentioning Beatty and ONLY Beatty ... you called that a lie, but cannot prove it
      #lyinlank

      Delete
    17. Same position as always. Everything else is your fantasy.

      Nobody said they didn't start dumdum. Edwards started in 2022 also. Right call by Harbaugh. Corum could/did play after his injury. Everyone is injured. LOL.

      Fans called for Morris. Starz in their eyes. Blaming personnel decisions. But then an injury forced Morris to start and he stunk. Coaches were right - again!

      Ulizio is the best you got. Like I said. Like you know. but jelllly gonna jellllly. Hold it up.

      Delete
    18. still dodging on the Doctors ... dang I beat this boy badly!



      still dodging on your position ... I got this boy talking out of both sides his neck!



      the entire discussion is about which starts did coaches got wrong ... you wanted ONE, I gave you THREE ... now you wanna talk Edwards/Corum? Devastating defeat - get your white flag boy!

      you are guessing on Shane Morris. Gardner started the game prior, was benched, and then Morris got the start. Gardner came in and moved the offense, earning the start for the next game. Hoke made his choice of QB1, and was wrong: https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2014/09/devin_gardner_or_shane_morris.html

      Back then, you 'questioned the coach' on that decision, and it had nothing to do with injury: https://touchthebanner.blogspot.com/2014/09/minnesota-30-michigan-14.html?m=1


      #je4thewin
      #inferior2adumdum

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    19. "the entire discussion is about which starts did coaches got wrong"

      No actually it is not about starts specifically. It is about depth chart decisions. Starting Edwards over Corum at the close of 2022 is not a depth chart decision, it's a effectiveness decision based on an injury issue - Corum played hurt after Illinois and it didn't work. Injuries matter. Injuries vary in severity and effect.

      Morris was starting because Gardner was hurt. The difference is that the FANS wanted Morris to start but nobody wanted Edwards to start over Corum.

      The fans were proven wrong when Hoke was FORCED BY INJURY to start Morris.

      https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2013/12/video_michigans_shane_morris_s.html

      Oh you meant 2014? You should have said that instead of your word salad jumble. It's not MY guess - it's something widely speculated on, including by one your X's and O's experts. Again, if it looks like a dumbass dropout and sounds like a dumbass dropout it's probably a dumbass dropout.

      Here's the quote:

      "…this is a broken QB. MLive's Nick Baumgardner, amongst others, speculated that Gardner's throws were so bad that the most obvious explanation was that he was hurt, and honestly wouldn't be surprised. We'll find out after the season when people are pleading for Hoke's job.
      So… that's bad. I have no further analysis other than it is bad when your QB looks like a malfunctioning t-shirt cannon."

      Here's the link:
      https://mgoblog.com/content/upon-further-review-2014-offense-vs-utah

      Gardner was playing through injury and his effectiveness suffered. The fans wanted a change, Morris over Gardner, when they got it due to injury, they were proven wrong. TWICE! The coaches were right. TWICE! The fans were wrong to call for a change.

      The coaches were wrong to keep Morris in the Minny concussion game too.

      Where weren't they right? Ulizio over JBB. You got that one! I credited you for it right away. Hold up the smallest W, your earned it lil guy. Unfortunately it's right next to your giant stack of Ls

      Including this latest one. Hold that baby up!

      Meanwhile let me know when I said "the coaches are right!" about this staff? Still nothing? While you try to dig back to archives a decade old and find nothing?

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    20. @jeLLLLLLLLLy

      FWIW – I 100% agree that coaches can be criticized. Everyone makes mistakes and can learn. Practice tells you a lot but games are different. It’s not black and white. “Always” is always wrong.

      I criticize coaches myself. Approach to injury management. Scholarship allocations. Playcalling. I wouldn’t be reading this post if I thought it was always wrong to criticize coaches.

      Where I take umbrage with many fans is the constant criticism of personnel decisions. It’s particularly acute with Michigan fans but it’s universal. And fans are usually wrong. Almost always wrong? We don’t get to see practice, and even if we did, we wouldn’t be as good as the guys getting paid 7 figures to make the calls.

      The backup QB talk happens every year. Every dang year. It may be 1% of fans or 50% of fans but it happens. Some people booed Patterson? C’mon.

      I don’t know that it’s ever been validated at Michigan. Peters probably got closest but he wasn’t exactly good and the coaches were proven right to be afraid of letting him do anything risky.

      The RB talk happens every year – ditto. These bold calls for backups are proven to be wrong across multiple coaching staffs, teams, leagues.

      Sometimes – most times – the things that went wrong went wrong for reasons other than personnel. That’s lazy thinking, IMO. It’s knee-jerk.

      There’s an inherent naive optimism to this. Bit of hope in the face of evidence. Easy fix. Seeing what you hope to see. Human nature I guess but I think our coaching staff has been good enough to have earned a bit more respect.

      ---------------

      Does that sound like a new perspective to you jellllly? Does that sound like a dodge? It was posted in 2019.

      https://touch-the-banner.com/michigan-vs-middle-tennessee-state-awards/

      5 years ago! And now you want to fantasize about jedubs.
      You have no memory, only fantasies.
      LOL

      Hold it up.



      Gardner and Milton were hurt. Corum was hurt. That's the relevance. Sometimes backups take over for starters not because they are totally 100% unavailable but because an injury has their performance compromised. That's not a depth chart decision that's putting Amir Hall in because Will Johnson can't play. Can't play at all or can't play well can be the same thing. It's an injury decision, not a depth chart decision.

      When the coaches play a backup over a compromised starter affected by injury that isn't a depth chart decision, that's an assessment of a guys health affecting his play.

      You beg for nuance but then you insist on black and white. Which is it? LOL. Injuries matter lil guy. Maybe you knew that 20 years ago when you played high school ball, but you probably forgot. You probably don't play hurt at the sacramento rec center with your "friends".

      I'm not guessing on Morris/Gardner -- he was called for by fans! It was reported by journalists. It was discussed by X's and O's experts. Links above! Deny all you want lieboy. Nobody believes you. And your link that has "nothing to do with injury" talks about concussions and leg injuries, specifically. Liar LOL.

      https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2014/10/11/6963605/devin-gardner-injury-michigan-penn-state

      All these attempts and you just fail fail and fail.
      Hold it up again.

      The best you got is JBB and I know that hurts but it's what it is.
      You aren't built for this.

      Delete
    21. TLDR
      Questioning coaches has been fine all along. No need for excuses & exceptions

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