2015 Season Countdown: #27 Delano Hill

Delano Hill

Name: Delano Hill
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 204 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Position: Safety
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #44
Last year: I ranked Hill #31 and said he would be a backup safety. He made five starts with 20 tackles and 1 fumble recovery.

It's hard to believe that Hill is already a junior. Much like Ben Gedeon, he seemed like a guy who could use a redshirt year to acclimate to the college game and then make an impact down the road. But last year indeed, he was a true sophomore who played a good chunk of time in the revolving door at safety. Five players made starts at the two safety positions, and injuries were not a major problem except in the case of Jarrod Wilson. The coaching staff simply didn't see anyone separating himself. Hill had an okay year but never stood out as a player, and his biggest impact came when he recovered a fumble against Michigan State.

Jabrill Peppers has moved to safety, and people are pointing to him as the quarterback and potential star of the defense. Unfortunately for Hill, they play roughly the same position. With Wilson starting at one safety and Peppers at the other, Hill should be a sub in nickel packages when Peppers bumps down to slot corner. Michigan will probably spend more than a third of their defensive snaps in the nickel, so Hill should get another big chunk of playing time. The word on Hill is that he's a very good athlete, but I have never seen great instincts or playmaking ability on his part, even when he was in high school. He should have plenty of chances to change our minds this year.

Prediction: Nickel safety; 25 tackles

Spring Practice Rumblings

Mason Cole might not be blocking many edge rushers this season

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Based on recent developments and leaks, I'll toss out some of the recent rumblings from practice, which you can feel free to dissect/discuss.

Quarterback: Different sources will say different things. I don't really have much to add to that, except it seems like Shane Morris is mentioned most often as looking the best.

Running back: Ty Isaac had questions about his toughness coming out of high school, but he has played through some things this spring; however, he has been suffering from hand and hamstring injuries, so he is limited. Derrick Green has also been injured, and Drake Johnson is coming off that ACL tear. The one constant has been De'Veon Smith, who has been earning praise for his vision and attitude. It's not really a secret that Smith can have a sullen disposition at times.

Fullback: With Sione Houma out due to injury, it's still Joe Kerridge, Brady Pallante, and Chase Winovich getting reps at this spot.

Hit the jump for the rest of the positions.

Michigan vs. Indiana Awards

Drake Johnson (image via MLive.com)

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Drake Johnson. Johnson had 16 carries for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns. His longest run was a 32-yard burst, and he had several runs that gained chunks of yards. A caveat applies due to the weak opponent, but he has more speed than De'Veon Smith, more power than Justice Hayes, and better vision than Smith or the currently injured Derrick Green. This likely will not be a flash-in-the-pan appearance for Johnson. While success will be harder to find, I would not be surprised if he's the starter next week at Northwestern.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . De'Veon Smith. Smith has had ample opportunities this season, playing in all nine games, getting the second-most carries on the team (77, compared to Derrick Green's 82), and not doing a great deal with those chances. Sure, he leads the team with 5 touchdowns, but he's a short-yardage and goal-line runner. Perhaps he should be leading the team in touchdowns even if everyone were healthy, because he's able to plow through linebackers and defensive backs for some extra yards. But Smith's vision isn't Mike Hart-like, which many fans said early in the season, and he's not quick enough through the holes that he sees. On a team that lacks big plays, your bell cow at running back shouldn't be a guy so ponderous.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Willie Henry. Henry got hurt against Michigan State last week, and I am not sold on his replacement, Chris Wormley. Wormley seems to be good for one or two good plays a game, but he's not consistent enough. Wormley's motor has always been a question mark for me, and I have yet to see him play a full game of good football.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Delano Hill. Hill was in on 3 tackles this past Saturday, but he was again missing tackles and getting out of position at free safety. He did have a nice blitz in the third quarter, but otherwise, I was not impressed. I don't know the answer, but Hill isn't it right now. He has been a liability the past two weeks, although the impact in this game was minimal because of the opponent.

Play of the game . . . Drake Johnson's 16-yard touchdown run to end Michigan's scoring. Johnson burst up the middle, juked a defender to the right, and then high-stepped through a tackle attempt before crossing the goal line. It was a fun ending and a welcome sight for a team that has lacked suddenness at the running back position. Honorable mention for this award goes to Amara Darboh for blowing through a solid tackle attempt on a quick screen. Not a ton of yardage, but fun to watch.

MVP of the game . . . Drake Johnson. He offered Michigan fans some excitement when there was very little else to get the heart pumping. De'Veon Smith wasn't getting the job done, and Justice Hayes is mediocre. Jake Ryan also had a very good game (11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles), but the linebacker position hasn't been as concerning as the running backs.

Michigan 34, Indiana 10

Drake Johnson (image via CBS Detroit)

Drake Johnson to the rescue. Thank goodness that Johnson appeared to rescue us from watching De'Veon Smith churn out somewhere between -2 and 2 yards. I have always been skeptical of Smith as a feature back. Indiana has a poor defense, and Smith managed just 21 yards on 7 carries before a minor ankle injury sidelined him. Smith is a short-yardage back and that's about it, so I wish Michigan would stop trying to use him as a feature back. In stepped Johnson, who ran for career highs with 16 carries, 122 yards, and 2 touchdowns. He showed good burst on several plays, and while the only truly impressive run was the 16-yard touchdown to cap his day, it was better than any other running back has looked this year, save perhaps Derrick Green.

Move De'Veon Smith to the bottom of the depth chart. Michigan has been struggling to get big plays all season, and Smith is not the guy who offers big-play potential. You can see that he is either coached to get upfield, or he just doesn't trust his speed - which he shouldn't, because he's slow. Smith is a between-the-tackles runner who isn't quick enough to get through the generally small cracks that the offensive line is opening up inside. If Michigan wants a more diverse attack - one that can attack both inside and outside - the coaches have to use Johnson and Justice Hayes more.

Devin Gardner played like Northwestern 2013. Gardner threw just one interception in this game, but it was an ugly one where he missed the free safety sitting in the middle of the field and tried to soft-toss a post into the arms of Devin Funchess. The ball never even came close. Gardner had several other throws that could have or should have been intercepted. He did enough to win the game, but if Indiana had capitalized on some of the mistakes, it could have been another ugly outcome. His mechanics are all over the place, and his decision-making has been questionable for a while. He has lost trust in his offensive line to keep him healthy, and he has lost trust in his body after being so beaten up. Gardner (22/29 for 220 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception) still looks gimpy after spraining his ankle three weeks ago, so he may not be fully healthy for the rest of the year.

Michigan needs safety help. Safety is a position that does require experience, in my opinion, so you can't rush success. However, I am deeply concerned about the safeties here in 2014 and going forward. Jarrod Wilson has been pretty solid as an in-the-box safety, but Michigan's free safety position continues to leak yardage. I thought Delano Hill's angles and tackling were once again lacking in this one. He has taken over for Jeremy Clark, who had some of the same issues. Other options include freshman Brandon Watson (who is redshirting), sophomore Dymonte Thomas (who is injured), and 2015 commit Tyree Kinnel. With Wilson graduating after next season, I don't know which one of those guys will step up, but those two spots have been big question marks for a good chunk of the past 15 years or so. You would think Michigan could develop a star safety at some point, even if just by accident. Any discussion of the best safeties in that time probably includes names like Thomas Gordon, Jordan Kovacs, Jamar Adams, and Ernest Shazor. That's a solid group, but nobody stands out.

Indiana is kind of just bad. I wanted to watch this game, see Michigan win, and come to the conclusion that the Wolverines just put it all together and demolished a decent team after realizing the error of their ways in a 35-11 loss to Michigan State. Unfortunately, that's not the case. The defense is pretty good, the special teams are mediocre, and the offense is bad. Indiana is essentially on its fourth-string quarterback (Nate Sudfeld and Chris Covington are injured; Tre Roberson transferred to an FCS school before the season) and played the fifth-string guy for a stretch in this one. The offensive line is decent, slot receiver Shane Wynn is pretty good, and running back Tevin Coleman is very good - when not fumbling the ball - but the rest of the team is bad. Glen Mason kept saying that Indiana's defense looks more aggressive, but it didn't add up to much. I think head coach Kevin Wilson is a great offensive mind, but he doesn't have much to work with.

It's fun to watch Jake Ryan. Ryan had 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 2 forced fumbles in this one. He's as fun to watch as any Michigan linebacker in my memory. The guy is now up to 79 tackles (#5 in the conference) and 12.5 tackles for loss (tied for #2) on the year.

What does this mean going forward? Nothing. Michigan has a pretty good defense, no consistent offensive playmakers, and lots of injuries and issues to sort through. They need to win two of their last three against Northwestern, Maryland, and Ohio State to be bowl eligible. They have at least a good chance against the Wildcats and Terrapins, and I guess anything can happen against the Buckeyes. I still don't think Brady Hoke can save his job at this point, but it would be great to see him - and the program - save some dignity by earning bowl eligibility.

Michigan vs. Michigan State Awards

Jake Ryan

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Devin Gardner running the ball. Gardner is the best runner on the team. Better than Devin Funchess, better than Justice Hayes, better than De'Veon Smith, better than Dennis Norfleet, better than a healthy Derrick Green. Gardner sprained his ankle against Penn State, so I guess I understand if the coaches were trying to protect him against Michigan State. Regardless, this team can't pass the ball consistently, and there's very little running game. Gardner ran the ball 4 times for -18 yards (including 2 sacks). He has to be a part of the rushing attack if Michigan wants to find success.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . A.J. Williams. He's not a good blocker, he's too slow to be any kind of running threat, and he doesn't have good hands. If Michigan can't put a better tight end out there - if Keith Heitzman really can't do it, if the coaches are set on redshirting Ian Bunting - then they should just spread defenses out more and hope the running backs or Gardner can find creases. Williams is a liability.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Raymon Taylor at safety. I think the time has come to make an adjustment in the defensive secondary. I do not believe this will actually happen, but Michigan needs better safety play. Jeremy Clark is a liability, and Delano Hill isn't ready to play safety at this level. Hill got completely lost in man coverage when he allowed MSU wide receiver Tony Lippett a 70-yard catch-and-run touchdown, and Hill got trucked by quarterback Connor Cook. The Wolverines need more consistent play at safety, and Clark/Hill aren't going to give it to them this year.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Delano Hill. I have never been a fan of Hill, and he has yet to make a play that seems to warrant his playing time. He did luck into a fumble recovery after Jarrod Wilson forced the ball out and it bounced into Hill's hands, but that's not enough.

Play of the game . . . so few options. I'll go with Chris Wormley's 8-yard sack on Connor Cook. It was Wormley's only entry on the stat sheet, but it was a somewhat impressive bull rush right through the Michigan State offensive guard, pushing him back into Cook.

MVP of the game . . . Jake Ryan. He had 12 tackles and 1 tackle for loss. That's the best I can come up with. Nobody stood out. The quarterback was bad, the offensive line was bad, the wide receivers dropped all kinds of balls, the defensive line got pushed around, and the secondary couldn't tackle.

2014 Season Countdown: #31 Delano Hill

Delano Hill (image via GoBlueWolverine.com)

Name: Delano Hill
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 205 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Position: Safety
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #44
Last year: I ranked Hill #72 and said he would see some special teams action. He played on special teams in every game and saw action in one game on defense, making 1 total tackle.

Hill came into college as somewhat of a physical freak, with his high school coaches talking about his speed and hitting ability. What he lacked was technical refinement. Last year he was deemed worthy of running downfield on coverage teams, but he made just 1 tackle. Starting free safety Thomas Gordon graduated, backup Josh Furman transferred, and cornerback/safety Courtney Avery graduated, too. By the time spring rolled around, the door had opened for Hill to run with the first unit alongside junior Jarrod Wilson at safety.

This fall will be very interesting in the defensive backfield, where Michigan has a glut of capable cornerbacks and a bunch of unproven safeties. Wilson has one spot all but locked down, but the strong safety position comes down to Hill, redshirt sophomore Jeremy Clark, sophomore Dymonte Thomas, and perhaps freshman Jabrill Peppers. While the coaches have rotated defensive linemen, linebackers, and even cornerbacks rather freely, the safeties have generally been every-down players. Scuttlebutt out of Schembechler Hall this spring suggested that Hill was the most trusted safety by the coaches. Personally, I have doubts that his discipline has been shored up in just one year of college, but regardless of which safety wins the job, he's going to be young and/or inexperienced. This looks like a job that might be in flux throughout the year, but with Hill as the potential starter, he's potentially valuable.

Prediction: 30 tackles, 1 interception

Video: Jourdan Lewis, Delano Hill talk spring ball

Hit the jump for Delano Hill's interview.

Class of 2013 Redshirts

Derrick Green (#27) carries the ball against Central Michigan

Here's an updated list of the freshmen who have played thus far in 2013 and the freshmen who are on pace to redshirt. Offensive guard Kyle Bosch, who is expected to start at left guard against Michigan State, is the most recent addition to the first list.

FRESHMEN WHO HAVE PLAYED
OG Kyle Bosch
TE Jake Butt
DE Taco Charlton
LB Ben Gedeon
RB Derrick Green
S Delano Hill
WR Da'Mario Jones
CB Jourdan Lewis
QB Shane Morris
RB De'Veon Smith
CB Channing Stribling
S Dymonte Thomas
WR Csont'e York

FRESHMEN WHO ARE REDSHIRTING (SO FAR)
OG David Dawson
FS Reon Dawson
CB Ross Douglas
WR Jaron Dukes
OT Chris Fox
TE Khalid Hill
DT Maurice Hurst, Jr.
C Patrick Kugler
LB Mike McCray
DT Henry Poggi
OG Dan Samuelson
FB Wyatt Shallman
LS Scott Sypniewski
OT Logan Tuley-Tillman

2013 Season Countdown: #72 Delano Hill

Jourdan Lewis and Delano Hill at Nike's The Opening

Name: Delano Hill
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 200 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Position: Safety
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Hill was a senior in high school. I gave him a TTB Rating of 69.

Hill was an Iowa commit without a Michigan offer for a long time, but he finally got offered in December and committed a few days later. The thing with Hill was never about his measurables (he has good size, a good 40 time, good leaping ability, etc.) but the question about him from Michigan's end seemed to be about his playmaking ability. For such a good athlete at a pipeline high school, it was odd to some that Michigan didn't show much interest earlier in the process. They made up ground in a hurry, though.

Michigan's coaches told Hill that he would get a shot to play cornerback - presumably slot corner or maybe boundary corner - but most people seem to think he'll end up as a strong safety, including yours truly. With his size and speed, he could very well end up playing on special teams. And as the team tries to develop safety depth for once Thomas Gordon graduates, I think Hill might see some time on defense in garbage time situations.

Prediction: Special teams action

Nike's The Opening participants: Michigan

Jourdan Lewis and Delano Hill were two of Michigan's ten eventual signees to participate in Nike's The Opening

2013
Ian Bunting, TE - Hinsdale, IL
Drake Harris, WR - Grand Rapids, MI

2012
Kyle Bosch, OG - Wheaton, IL
Jake Butt, TE - Pickerington, OH
Taco Charlton, DE - Pickerington, OH
David Dawson, OG - Detroit, MI
Ross Douglas, CB - Avon, OH
Derrick Green, RB - Richmond, VA
Delano Hill, S - Detroit, MI
Jourdan Lewis, CB - Detroit, MI
Mike McCray II, LB - Trotwood, OH
Shane Morris, QB - Warren, MI

2013 Recruiting Awards

Derrick Green is dressed properly for the occasion

You can go ahead and glance back at my 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 recruiting award posts.

Best Overall Recruit: RB Derrick Green
Green is widely considered to be the top recruit in Michigan's class, and running backs are often fairly easy to scout.  Based on the way Michigan is recruiting the offensive line, I think there's a good chance that Green becomes an All-Big Ten player and perhaps an All-American.  That kind of performance at a place like Michigan would likely set him up for a high NFL Draft pick.

Best Offensive Recruit: RB Derrick Green
Considering the above paragraph, this is obvious.

Best Defensive Recruit: S Dymonte Thomas
Thomas is listed at 6'2", 192 lbs.  He has good speed and shows excellent hitting ability.  I was particularly impressed with him as a hitter/tackler during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.  I think his long-term potential might be somewhat limited because he hasn't spent much time in coverage, and NFL teams love those ball hawks.  But as for playing strong safety in college, Thomas looks like an excellent prospect.  I'm excited about his future.

Recruit Most Likely to Make an Early Impact: RB Derrick Green
Until Green committed a couple weeks ago, I would have chosen tight end Jake Butt.  However, Green enters the program when Michigan is looking for a viable #2 tailback, if not a starter while Fitzgerald Toussaint recovers from his broken leg.  I don't think it's out of the question for Green to be the leading rusher in 2013.

Fastest Recruit: CB Delano Hill
Hill is a workout warrior who puts up good numbers, and while his speed doesn't always show up on the field, he did have a laser-timed 4.44 time in the forty.  There really aren't a whole lot of blazing-fast players in this class.  A couple of the cornerbacks - including Hill - might end up at safety, and a couple of the wide receivers are bigger, slower guys.  None of these guys has speed that jumps out at you, but there are a few guys who can scoot a little bit - Green, Hill, Thomas, Ross Douglas, Reon Dawson, and Da'Mario Jones.

Strongest Recruit: OG Kyle Bosch
Bosch is a big, thick kid who probably doesn't need to add much size before seeing the field.  He enrolled early at Michigan, and insiders are already saying that he might be in line for a little bit of playing time as a true freshman.  While I'm not sure that will be necessary (unless there are injuries), it's still a positive tidbit about his future.

Best Under-the-Radar Recruit: WR Da'Mario Jones
Jones is a 6'2", 185 lb. receiver with good speed.  He needs some polishing, but his speed should allow him to be a deep threat a little more than several other guys on the roster.  When he committed to Michigan, he was sitting on several MAC offers and one from New Mexico.

Most Overrated Recruit: CB Delano Hill
Hill is a 4-star to three of the major recruiting sites (ESPN ranks him as a 3-star), but I think he's closer to a 3-star prospect.  He is a very good athlete, but I'm not sure he has the football instincts and playmaking ability to justify those 4-star rankings.

Most Likely to Redshirt: OT Chris Fox
Fox, who tore his ACL toward the end of his senior season, will miss some developmental time while he recovers.  Additionally, Michigan returns both starting tackles (Taylor Lewan, Michael Schofield) and has a couple decent redshirt freshmen (Ben Braden, Erik Magnuson), so there's not much need for Fox to play this year.

Personal Favorite Recruit: S Dymonte Thomas
Thomas was a two-way star in high school who put up excellent numbers on both sides of the ball.  He also seems to be a heady kid who reportedly improved quickly during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, so I think he'll be fun to watch.  Jordan Kovacs was fun to watch over the past couple seasons, and Thomas should eventually take that strong safety position and play at an even higher level.

Scout: Class of 2013 Michigan Final State Rankings

Warren (MI) De La Salle quarterback Shane Morris is the top player in the state

Scout finalized its 2013 in-state rankings.  Here are some notes on a few players of Michigan interest:

1. Shane Morris - QB - Warren (MI) De La Salle: Offered, committed to Michigan.
2. Steven Elmer - OT - Midland (MI) Midland: Offered, committed to Notre Dame.
3. Jourdan Lewis - CB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Offered, committed to Michigan.
4. Jon Reschke - LB - Bloomfield (MI) Brother Rice: Offered, committed to Michigan State.
5. David Dawson - OG - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Offered, committed to Michigan.
6. Dennis Finley - OT - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Offered, committed to Michigan State.
7. Delano Hill - S - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Offered, committed to Michigan.
8. Wyatt Shallman - FB - Novi (MI) Catholic Central: Offered, committed to Michigan.
9. Khalid Hill - TE - Detroit (MI) East English Village: Offered, committed to Michigan.
13. Da'Mario Jones - WR - Westland (MI) John Glenn: Offered, committed to Michigan.
23. Berkley Edwards - RB - Chelsea (MI) Chelsea: Brother of former Michigan WR Braylon Edwards, committed to Minnesota.
26. Andre Turner - DE - Harper Woods (MI) Chandler Park: Teammate of WR commit Csont'e York, committed to Western Michigan.
28. DeJuan Rogers - CB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Teammate of commits Lewis, Dawson, and D. Hill; committed to Toledo.
37. Josh Cox - S - Warren (MI) De La Salle: Teammate of QB commit Shane Morris; committed to Central Michigan.
64. Matt Linehan - QB - Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary's: Son of Detroit Lions OC Scott Linehan, committed to Idaho.

Detroit News Blue Chip list for 2013

Shane Morris is the top player in Michigan, according to the Detroit News

The Detroit News released its "blue chip" list for 2013, and unsurprisingly, there's a handful of future Wolverines on the list.  A quick rundown:

1. Shane Morris - QB - Warren (MI) De La Salle: Committed to Michigan.
2. David Dawson - OG - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Committed to Michigan.
3. Steve Elmer - OT - Midland (MI) Midland: Committed to Notre Dame.
4. Jourdan Lewis - CB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Committed to Michigan.
5. Jon Reschke - LB - Birmingham (MI) Brother Rice: Committed to Michigan State.
6. Wyatt Shallman - RB - Novi (MI) Catholic Central: Committed to Michigan.
7. Cameron Dillard - OG - Plymouth (MI) Canton: Committed to Florida.
8. Gerald Holmes - RB - Flint (MI) Carman-Ainsworth: Committed to Michigan State.
9. Delano Hill - CB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Committed to Michigan.
10. Khalid Hill - TE - Detroit (MI) East English Village: Committed to Michigan.
11. Da'Mario Jones - WR - Westland (MI) John Glenn: Committed to Michigan.
12. Dennis Finley - OT - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Committed to Michigan State.
13. Csont'e York - WR - Harper Woods (MI) Chandler Park: Committed to Michigan.
14. Kenton Gibbs - DT - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Uncommitted.
15. Luke Maclean - LB - Grand Blanc (MI) Grand Blanc: Committed to Pitt.

So Michigan has 8 of the top 15 players in the state for the class of 2013, in addition to 8 of the 15 from last year.

Visitors: January 11-13, 2013

Corona (CA) Centennial offensive guard Cameron Hunt

Reon Dawson - CB - Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison: Dawson is a 6'2", 175 lb. cornerback who committed to Illinois back in May.  When former Michigan commit Gareon Conley started wavering, the Wolverines offered Dawson, who is the teammate of Michigan linebacker commit Mike McCray II.  I have seen suggestions that Dawson is likely to stay committed to the Illini, but getting him on campus again could always make a difference.  This is his official visit. (Highlights.)

Delano Hill - CB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: Hill committed to Michigan in December after an unofficial visit to the campus.  This is his official visit.

Cameron Hunt - OG - Corona (CA) Centennial: Here's a scouting report I wrote up on Hunt back in November.  He played in the Under Armour All-America Game on Friday night and earned positive reviews for his technique, but he's still pretty thin and probably a couple years away from being bulky enough to play at the college level.  There have been some rumblings from 2013 commits that it's just a matter of time until Hunt commits to Michigan, and he reportedly hung out with the Michigan-bound guys during the week.  I would not be surprised if he commits over the weekend.  This is his official visit.

Patrick Kugler - C - Wexford (PA) North Allegheny: Kugler committed to Michigan back in February and participated in the Under Armour All-America Game last weekend.  He was originally scheduled to take his official visit on January 18, but he reportedly wants to be in town at the same time as Hunt, with whom Kugler bonded at the Under Armour game.  This is his official visit.

J.J. McGrath - K - Macomb (MI) Lutheran North: McGrath is a 6'3", 228 lb. kicker with a lone offer from Air Force.  As a senior in 2012, he was 8/11 on field goals with makes from 57, 54, 53, 50, and 49 yards.  He also averaged 43.8 yards per punt.  Michigan already has three kickers on scholarship, but two will be seniors and the third will be a junior in 2013; there's also a chance that senior punter Will Hagerup has worn out his welcome after being suspended three times throughout his career.  McGrath also visited in September for the game against Air Force. (Highlights.)

Dan Samuelson - OG - Plymouth (IN) Plymouth: Samuelson is a 6'5", 290 lb. offensive guard prospect who is currently committed to Nebraska.  He was also previously committed to Pitt and holds offers from Illinois and Minnesota.  Samuelson visited Michigan on their huge recruiting weekend of December 15, and he has already stated that he plans to announce his "decision" of whether to flip to Michigan or remain committed to the Cornhuskers on Monday, January 14.  In my opinion, Hunt is the superior prospect and if Michigan plans to take just one more lineman, I would hope Hunt commits before Samuelson. (Highlights.)

Recruiting Update: December 17, 2012

Westerville (OH) South safety/linebacker/receiver/quarterback Marcus Ball (image via This Week News)

COMMITMENTS
Detroit (MI) Cass Tech offensive guard David Dawson re-committed to Michigan.

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech cornerback/safety Delano Hill changed his commitment from Iowa to Michigan.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2013
Westerville (OH) South linebacker Marcus Ball was offered by Michigan.  Ball is a 6'3", 205 lb. prospect who is being recruited by Michigan as a linebacker, though most other schools have told him they want him as a safety.  Back in November he committed to Wisconsin, where his brother Ray is an offensive tackle (and was recruited by Michigan a couple years ago).  He also has offers from Arizona State, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Penn State, West Virginia, and others.  As a junior in 2011, he threw for 1,300 yards, ran for 500 yards, and had 7 interceptions on defense.  He played safety in high school but appears to be a SAM linebacker prospect, and no matter where he ends up playing, I think he would outgrow the safety position. (Highlights.)

Spotsylvania (VA) Chancellor cornerback Chris Holmes was offered by Michigan.  He's a 6'2", 187 lb. prospect who could play boundary corner or safety.  Holmes committed to North Carolina State back in July and holds offers from Clemson, Illinois, South Carolina, and West Virginia.  The Wolfpack just replaced head coach Tom O'Brien with former Northern Illinois coach Dave Doeren, so there might be an opening to create a relationship. (Highlights.)

Brantford (Ont.) Pauline Johnson offensive tackle David Knevel was offered by Michigan.  He's a 6'8", 290 lb. prospect who is supposed to announce his college decision on Tuesday, which is reported to be between Alabama, Nebraska, and West Virginia.  It's unclear whether Michigan's offer will change that announcement date or factor into his decision, but he has not visited Ann Arbor and has already used all five of his official visits allowed (to the three above schools along with Washington State and Wisconsin).  Of course, Ontario is significantly closer than any of those other schools, so a 3.5- or 4-hour car ride might be feasible.

Arvada (CO) Ralston Valley offensive tackle Dan Skipper was offered by Michigan.  He's a 6'10", 295 lb. prospect who would likely be limited to tackle.  Skipper committed to Tennessee back in June and holds offers from Arizona State, Colorado, Northwestern, and Oregon State, among several others.  Tennessee and the home state Colorado Buffaloes are going through coaching transitions, which might open the door for Skipper to join the class.  Despite the re-commitment of Dawson, Michigan appears to be considering taking a sixth offensive lineman in the class, likely a tackle. (Highlights.)

Belton (TX) Belton tight end Durham Smythe decommitted from Texas.  Michigan does not appear to be back in the hunt, but it looks like a re-commitment to Texas is probably out the window.  Florida, Stanford, and Notre Dame all appear to be strong possibilities as of now.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2014
Broken Arrow (OK) Broken Arrow running back Devon Thomas was offered by Michigan.  Thomas is a 5'10", 190 lb. prospect with offers from Clemson, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and others, but he committed to Oklahoma State on Saturday.  Thomas is the teammate of 2014 quarterback Coleman Key, who has visited Michigan and is supposedly on the short list of quarterbacks being evaluated for an offer. (Highlights.)

OFF THE BOARD
Fort Lauderdale (FL) University School defensive tackle Maquedius Bain committed to LSU.  Bain never visited Michigan and was not a serious option at this point, although I do really like him as a prospect.

MISCELLANEOUS
Here's a list of players who visited this past weekend.

St. Clairsville (OH) St. Clairsville linebacker Michael Ferns, a 2014 commit, released his junior season highlights.

Delano Hill, Wolverine

Jourdan Lewis and Delano Hill at The Opening last summer

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech safety Delano Hill committed to Michigan on Saturday.  He had previously been committed to Iowa while also holding offers from Illinois, Pitt, and Syracuse.

Hill is a 6'1", 198 lb. prospect.  He claims a 4.44 forty, a 4.34 shuttle time, and a 32" vertical.  As a senior in 2012, he had 60 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 1 touchdown return.

RATINGS
ESPN: 3-star S, 79 grade, #23 S
Rivals: 4-star S, #23 S
Scout: 4-star S, #24 S
247 Sports: 4-star S, 90 grade, #24 S

Hill visited Michigan back in the spring, but Michigan's coaches didn't give him a ton of recruiting attention throughout the process and did not appear to be on the path to offering him a scholarship.  Iowa, which does a good job of recruiting the Detroit area, swooped in with an offer that  he accepted back in July.  The Hawkeyes had a poor season, going 4-8 as the team adjusted to several new assistant coaches.  It's unclear whether this lack of success had an effect on Hill's decision, but he was offered by the Wolverines this past week and visited Ann Arbor for a bowl practice on Friday.  By Saturday morning he had selected the Wolverines.

Cass Tech head coach Thomas Wilcher claims that Hill is the best pure athlete on his high school team, which includes several Division I prospects like cornerback Jourdan Lewis, cornerback Damon Webb, running back/linebacker Deon Drake, and running back Mikey Weber (along with several others).  Hill reportedly ran a 4.40 at Nike's The Opening in July.  His speed is well documented and shows up in games, too, which isn't always the case for guys who have good forty times.  He has good length and leaping ability, which should prove to be an asset in coverage.

My biggest question mark about Hill - and this is significant to me because it might determine his future position - is his tackling ability.  While some scouting reports tout his tackling ability, I don't see it on film.  He's not a very aggressive tackler and doesn't display a natural instinct to stay in front of runners.  Rather than squaring up ball carriers for solid hits, he tends to reach.  And while I have seen a clip or two of him being physical with shedding blocks during his senior season, that was a problem for him as a junior.

Normally, I am not a fan of moving a player back in the defense; witness the way Josh Furman has struggled with going from outside linebacker in high school to safety in college.  As a high school strong safety, moving to cornerback could be too much of a shift to overcome.  However, Hill's lack of physicality makes me think that his best position could be boundary corner.  Unless he gets significantly stronger and more aggressive, he could be a liability as the last line of defense.

At this point in the recruiting process, Hill is the type of player that often fills out a roster.  While he's not a truly elite athlete, he offers some upside due to raw athleticism and the potential to help out on special teams.  This is not a player whom you expect to come in and challenge for a starting job immediately.  He helps to fill the void left by Gareon Conley (who decommitted in favor of Ohio State) and potentially softens the blow of losing out on Seffner (FL) Armwood defensive back Leon McQuay III, an elite prospect who is also heavily considering Florida State, USC, and Vanderbilt.  This gives the Wolverines 24 commitments in the class of 2013, a group that should reach 25 or more.

TTB Rating: 71 (ratings explantion)