Ex-Wolverine Update: Another Pre-Season Edition

Demetrius Hart (#1) has moved on from Alabama to Colorado State (image via 247 Sports)

Former DT Richard Ash: I already reported that Ash will be playing for Western Michigan this fall. What I didn't know until recently is that he will wear the #9 as a defensive tackle. You have to love single-digit numbers on defensive linemen, especially tackles.

Former S Josh Furman: Furman is listed as a 6'2", 202 lb. linebacker for Oklahoma State. He's #1 on the depth chart at "Star," and you can see why they wanted him - his backup is a 6'2", 190 lb. freshman, and the other four players on the linebacker two-deep are one junior, two sophomores, and another freshman. They open against Florida State on August 30th.

Former RB commit Demetrius Hart: Hart is a grad transfer from Alabama to Colorado State. He struggled to break through at Alabama and had some off-the-field troubles, but former Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Jim McElwain is now at CSU. Now Hart is trying to earn the starting gig for the Rams. They open against Colorado on August 29th.

Former LB Kaleb Ringer: Ringer - and his brother - are not listed on Ferris State's football roster this fall.

Former CB commit Anthony Standifer: Standifer was booted from Ole Miss's program after getting into some trouble, and he now appears on the roster of Eastern Illinois (his home state), which plays in the FCS's Ohio Valley Conference.

Former OT commit Denzel Ward: Ward is listed as a 6'8", 353 lb. freshman offensive tackle for Syracuse.

Former DE/DT Ken Wilkins: Wilkins appears on the California University of Pennsylvania football roster as a junior 6'3", 250 lb. defensive lineman. It is a destination for some former big-time football players, including Jeff Knox (a former Pitt player who was booted for attacking a girl who told him she was pregnant) and Desimon Green (a former Texas Tech commit).

Who's left in the 2014 recruiting class?

The Southfield trio of Ray Buford, Lawrence Marshall, and Malik McDowell

This is that crazy (and awkward) time of year when high school seniors get grown men's hearts pumping. There will probably be little fanfare for Michigan on National Signing Day, which is on Wednesday. The thought is that Michigan is trying to get defensive end Malik McDowell, and they'll bank the scholarship for next year if that doesn't work. So the guys on this list won't be picking Michigan, but I'll still be interested to see how they pan out over the next several years.

Lorenzo Carter - DE - Norcross (GA) Norcross: The #18 player nationally, according to the 247 Composite, is leaning toward Georgia with the Bulldogs receiving the final official visit. Unless something crazy happens, I think he ends up a Bulldog.

Malachi Dupre - WR - New Orleans (LA) John Curtis: One spot ahead of Carter in the national rankings, Dupre has had LSU as his leader for a long time. UCLA received the final visit of his recruitment, but the thought is that he will end up in Baton Rouge playing for the Mad Hatter.

Adoree' Jackson - CB - Gardena (CA) Junipero Serra: The #7 player in the land appears to be leaning toward Florida, where he might be able to best pursue dreams of doing the triple jump in the Olympics. USC is the likely second option.

Roderick Johnson - OT - Florissant (MO) Hazelwood Central: The #125 player has been expected to end up at Florida State for a long time, but Ohio State got a visit a couple weeks ago. It would be quite an upset if Johnson committed to the Buckeyes, who may lose offensive lineman Jamarco Jones to Michigan State.

Malik McDowell - DE - Southfield (MI) Southfield: The #32 overall player was a Michigan lean early, but now it seems like he's favoring Michigan State. An uncle wants him to go to Florida State, and Urban Meyer really, really wants him in Columbus. Nobody really knows where he'll pick to go, but chances are dimming for the Wolverines. I think it's a Michigan-MSU battle because either the kid or the parents should win out.

Mattrell McGraw - S - New Orleans (LA) John Curtis: A teammate of Dupre's, the #362 player overall has been rumored to be heading to Oregon for a while. Texas A&M also has a chance.

Steven Parker - S - Jenks (OK) Jenks: The #108 player nationally has been a supposed Oklahoma lock for a long time, despite taking several other visits and expressing interest in others. His final official visit took place this past weekend when he traveled to Auburn.

Damian Prince - OT - District Heights (MD) Bishop McNamara: Prince, a 5-star and the #27 overall player, was thought to be headed to Florida State for a while. However, the Seminoles have fallen off his list, and now it appears to be a two-horse race between Florida and Maryland. His best friend, Jalen Tabor, flipped from Arizona to Florida at the beginning of January, and that may be the push he needs to end up in Gainesville.

Lamont Simmons - CB - Jacksonville (FL) Raines: Simmons is the #970 player overall, but he has an excellent offer list and has taken visits to Auburn, Arkansas, USC, and Penn State over the past two months, with a visit to State College this past weekend. Despite getting the most recent visit, the Trojans will likely get his NLI.

Braden Smith - OG - Olathe (KS) North: Smith is the #63 player overall, and I think he should probably be ranked even higher. Smith doesn't like to talk about recruiting, so he's been difficult to read throughout the process. He visited Michigan last summer and removed the Wolverines from his list immediately. Now the thought is that he'll end up at TCU, which is a somewhat odd choice for such a highly touted recruit. Auburn and Texas A&M also have a shot.

John Smith - S - Long Beach (CA) Poly: The #20 player in the country was looking around when Lane Kiffin was the head coach at USC, despite the fact that he appeared to want to wear a Trojans uniform all along. After Kiffin got fired, USC immediately jumped to the top of his list, according to recruiting gurus. It would be a surprise if he picked Notre Dame, Oregon, or UCLA.

Solomon Thomas - DE - Coppell (TX) Coppell: The country's #25 prospect, Thomas has kind of been all over the place throughout the recruiting process, seeming at times to be headed to Ohio State and Texas. Now he seems likely to end up at Stanford with UCLA having an outside shot.

Denzel Ward - OT - Chicago (IL) Simeon: The #649 player nationally has been all over the place with his recruitment. He has been committed to both Michigan and Purdue, and he moved from Illinois to Florida to a different school in Illinois. The most recent buzz I heard had him likely committing to Syracuse, but he has also visited South Florida and Vanderbilt in recent weeks. I think the coaching change at Vandy will keep him away from Tennessee, so it's the Orangemen vs. the Bulls.

Andrew Williams - DE - McDonough (GA) Eagle's Landing Christian: Williams, the #231 player in the country, has long been considered an Auburn lock, but he has taken visits to Clemson and Georgia in recent weeks. I think it's either Auburn or Georgia.

Richard Yeargin III - DE - Fort Lauderdale (FL) University School: The country's #266 player decommitted from Notre Dame a couple weeks ago, and it was clearly because he was favoring Clemson. Texas offered him a week ago, but he has not visited Austin, so he'll likely be picking the Tigers.

Kenny Young - LB - New Orleans (FL) John Curtis: Ranked #175 nationally, it looks like Young will probably pick UCLA over LSU and Texas A&M. With teammates Dupre and McGraw also making late decisions, it should be an interesting week at Curtis.

Recruiting Update: December 25, 2013

Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake wide receiver George Campbell, Jr. may not be donning those gloves again.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2014
Chicago (IL) Simeon offensive tackle Denzel Ward decommitted from Purdue. Ward was committed to Michigan at one point, moved to Florida without telling the coaches, decommitted from the Wolverines, then committed to Purdue, and is now a free agent again considering Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Florida, and Syracuse. I would hate to wait on him at a restaurant.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2015
Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake wide receiver George Campbell, Jr. decommitted from Michigan. Campbell had been committed to the Wolverines since this summer, but he supposedly has some family members asking him to reconsider and stay closer to home. Campbell has a wide receiver teammate headed to Clemson, a quarterback teammate headed to South Florida, and an offensive lineman (Mason Cole) headed to Michigan. Cole will enroll at Michigan in January and may become less of a presence for Campbell, which is probably not a good sign for the Wolverines. The vibe from recruiting experts is that while Michigan will continue to pursue him and remain an option, things are not looking good for him to come to Ann Arbor. Clemson and Florida seem to loom large, and with Florida's terrible offense this year, I'm looking more at Clemson and their explosive offense as a likely destination.

OFF THE BOARD
La Mirada (CA) La Mirada tight end Tyler Luatua committed to Notre Dame. Luatua was vaguely interested in Michigan early in the process, but the decision reportedly came down to the Fighting Irish or the Alabama Crimson Tide. Luatua is the teammate of 2015 quarterback Kevin Dillman, who has been in contact with Michigan and may be an offer candidate down the road.

Monroeville (PA) Gateway safety Montae Nicholson committed to Michigan State. Nicholson was strongly considering Michigan at one point, but the Wolverines told him a couple months ago that they were no longer recruiting players at his position. Gateway seems to send a lot of players to Ohio State or Pitt, so the Spartans got their foot in the door of a pretty good talent pipeline. I was high on Nicholson as a strong safety type, so it will be interesting to see how he develops in East Lansing.

Bolingbrook (IL) Bolingbrook cornerback Parrker Westphal committed to Northwestern. Westphal was at one time considered a heavy Michigan lean, and various recruiting gurus thought he would be the next guy to commit to Michigan . . . but he never did. He seemed to cool on Michigan a little bit, and the reverse also seemed to be true. It was virtually the same situation as Grand Rapids (MI) Christian center Tommy Doles, although Westphal's recruitment dragged out longer than Doles's.

Denzel Ward, ex-Wolverine

Denzel Ward

Denzel Ward, a 2014 offensive tackle out of Chicago (IL) Hales Franciscan, is no longer a part of Michigan's recruiting class.  The 6'9", 285-pounder committed to Michigan shortly after receiving an offer last year, but things have changed since then.  He was offered by Florida and decided to take a visit there, a move the coaches don't like.  But he also transferred to IMG Academy in Florida, which is a school specifically geared toward athletes who want to develop and train for the next level.  The problem with the transfer is that he reportedly didn't even think to tell the coaches that he was moving from Illinois to Florida.  It's unclear whether the coaches will continue to recruit him, but it appears that the staff decided that he should no longer be considered a commit.

Here's my commitment post on Ward from October.  I have to say that he was nearly going to commit to Purdue until he got the Michigan offer, and then he immediately jumped on the offer from the Wolverines.  He seemed to be making a hasty decision at the time, and in retrospect . . . it still appears to have been a hasty decision.  There's still plenty of time for Michigan to replace Ward in the class, but most of the offered recruits with an eye on Michigan look like guard prospects rather than tackles.  Some new offers will likely have to be sent out to get a tackle to take his place, but Michigan might be able to reel in someone like Andy Bauer, Damian Prince, or Braden Smith.

Scouting Report: Denzel Ward

Chicago (IL) Hales Franciscan offensive tackle Denzel Ward

If you want the bare bones of Chicago (IL) Hales Franciscan offensive tackle Denzel Ward's October commitment to Michigan, you can check out his commitment post.  At that time he hadn't released any film to evaluate, so I couldn't really say much about him.  But now he has released his junior highlights, so let's get down to business with this film.

Strengths: Huge body, listed at 6'9", 295 lbs. . . . Long arms should aid in keeping defenders out of his body . . . Instinctively active feet . . . Moves feet beyond initial contact . . . Impressive knee bend for his height . . . Uses hands fairly well for such an inexperienced player . . . Very athletic . . . Runs well downfield . . . Should be effective on perimeter and at second level . . . Good attitude on finishing drive blocks

Weaknesses: Sometimes takes a false initial step before engaging defender . . . Occasionally overstrides when drive blocking . . . Can get off balance in pass protection, though long arms negate this issue slightly . . . Shows occasional tendency to be a waist bender . . . Leans a little too much in pass protection and can get feet crossed up . . . Needs to stick with pass blocks a little longer and play to the whistle

Projection: Left offensive tackle.  Ward is a prototypical left tackle, but his footwork leaves a little to be desired.  He has the athleticism to be great but is inconsistent with his technique.  That's understandable because he didn't start playing organized football until his junior year.  The potential is there, but it will take some refinement of his technique and some good coaching to help him reach his potential.  I could see him developing into an All-American, but the biggest question is: Will he work at it?  Some guys who start playing football late in high school don't necessarily show the long-term commitment to the sport.  Obviously, nobody knows how much he loves the sport except him, but he could be a premier left tackle if he stays committed to his craft.

Reminds me of: Andrus Peat (freshman offensive tackle at Stanford)

TTB Rating: 86 (rating system)

Recruiting Update: November 20, 2012

Birmingham (MI) Brother Rice linebacker Jon Reschke

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2013
Bloomfield (MI) Brother Rice linebacker Jon Reschke was offered by Michigan.  Reschke is a 6'2", 230 lb. prospect who committed to Michigan State back in February.  This is a bit of an odd offer because Michigan told guys like E.J. Levenberry, Alex Anzalone, and Shane Jones that they were done recruiting linebackers after Ben Gedeon committed.  I do not think the coaches would go back on their word, so this likely means that a 2013 commit is wavering or a current player is going to wrap up his Michigan career earlier than expected.  Reschke himself is a Michigan State legacy, but MSU's season has gone downhill; he's also friends with incoming quarterback Shane Morris.  I was not high on Reschke's junior film, but his senior highlights below show a kid who has improved significantly since his junior year.


ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2014
Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake wide receiver Artavis Scott was offered by Michigan.  Scott is a 5'11", 180 lb. prospect with offers from Florida, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and South Carolina, among others.  He's also the teammate of fellow 2014 offeree Mason Cole, an offensive lineman who said that the offer to Scott helps Michigan's chances.  Both Cole and Scott have visited Michigan this year, which is significant since they came all the way from Florida.

MISCELLANEOUS
Check out the Recruit Tracker series to see how Michigan's 2013 and 2014 commits are doing.

In case you're interested, Duluth (GA) Peachtree Ridge offensive tackle Orlando Brown - the 6'9", 375 lb. behemoth - finally has a highlight film posted.

Also, Chicago (IL) Hales Franciscan offensive tackle Denzel Ward, who is committed to Michigan for 2014, released his film yesterday.  The kid is very athletic, and it's immediately obvious why Michigan offered him.

Recruit Tracker: Denzel Ward

August 25, 2012: Chicago (IL) Hales Franciscan beat Oak Park (IL) Fenwick by a score of 45-0.  Hales Franciscan is now 1-0.

September 1, 2012: Hales Franciscan beat Chicago (IL) Leo by a score of 20-12.  Hales Franciscan is now 2-0.

September 8, 2012: Hales Franciscan beat Chicago (IL) Julian by a score of 34-8.  Hales Franciscan is now 3-0.

September 14, 2012: Hales Franciscan beat Chicago (IL) Gordon Tech by a score of 18-13.  Hales Franciscan is now 4-0.

September 22, 2012: Hales Franciscan beat Lake Forest (IL) Lake Forest Academy by a score of 34-14. Hales Franciscan is now 5-0.

September 28, 2012: Hales Franciscan lost to Chicago (IL) St. Rita by a score of 45-12.  Hales Franciscan is now 5-1.

October 5, 2012: Hales Franciscan lost to Chicago (IL) St. Ignatius by a score of 20-14.  Hales Franciscan is now 5-2.

October 12, 2012: Hales Franciscan beat Westchester (IL) St. Joseph by a score of 69-8.  Hales Franciscan is now 6-2.

October 19, 2012: Hales Franciscan beat Cahokia (IL) Cahokia by a score of 13-0.  Hales Franciscan is now 7-2.

Recruiting Update: October 23, 2012

Denzel Ward and Chantel Jennings

COMMITMENT
Chicago (IL) Hales Franciscan offensive tackle Denzel Ward committed to Michigan.

MISCELLANEOUS
You can check out how the 2013 and 2014 commits are doing this season with our recruit tracker posts.

Here's a list of visitors from Saturday's game against Michigan State.  I've updated a few things since it was posted originally, so you may want to check it out again if you haven't seen it since it first went up.

Denzel Ward, Wolverine

Denzel Ward

Chicago (IL) Hales Franciscan offensive tackle Denzel Ward, a 2014 prospect, committed to Michigan on Saturday.  He chose the Wolverines over an offer from Purdue.

Ward is 6'9" and 290 lbs.  He is not ranked by the recruiting services, and testing results are unavailable at this point.  Ward is in his first year of playing football, and he hasn't released any film yet.  He was offered by the coaching staff last weekend when he visited for Michigan's game against Illinois, and he returned this weekend to give his commitment.

It might be obvious to say, but I have no strong opinion on Ward because I haven't seen any film of him.  I do find it a little surprising that Michigan's coaching staff is taking a flyer on a kid who is so new to football when they have such a great 2013 offensive line recruiting class already in the fold.  It seems like they've established a desire and ability to recruit truly elite talents, so Ward must look like a Hall of Fame athlete if they're willing to take the time to develop him.

If Michigan gets back up to 85 scholarships with the class of 2013, then 17 current Michigan juniors will be scheduled to graduate after the 2013 season.  So Michigan's 2014 freshman class looks to be 17 strong, but as always, the number will probably grow between now and February 2014.  Ward joins linebacker Michael Ferns as Michigan's only other 2014 commit.

UPDATE: Here's a link to Ward's junior highlights and a scouting report.  Film wasn't released until about a month after Ward committed, so these two items were added later.

TTB Rating: 86

Visitors: Michigan vs. Michigan State

This list is fluid, so names may be added or removed as the week goes along.  I'll add write-ups on some of these players as I find time during the week.  (EDIT: Recent news suggests that some of the class of 2013 "official visits" will actually be unofficials because there are so many recruits in town; lots of recruits at one time means there's less time for individual attention, obviously.)

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech DE Joshua Alabi:  Alabi is a 6'4", 245 defensive end/defensive tackle prospect from the class of 2015.  He has no offers at this point, but he is likely to become a highly touted player as his career continues.  He looks as if he'll eventually end up as an interior player.  Alabi visited Michigan for the game against Air Force earlier this fall. (Highlight at the end of this video.)

Cincinnati (OH) Sycamore LB Tinashe Bere:  Bere is a 6'1", 210 lb. inside linebacker prospect from the class of 2014.  He has a lone offer from Illinois, and I doubt that he will be offered by Michigan.  Michigan only seems to be going after elite linebacker prospects, and Bere doesn't appear to fit into that category.  He's the former teammate of freshman tight end A.J. Williams. (Highlights.)

Indianapolis (IN) Pike WR Dominique Booth: Booth is a 6'1", 195 lb. wideout from the class of 2014.  He has offers from Cal, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan State, Missouri, Purdue, and Wisconsin, among others.  As a sophomore in 2011, he had 46 catches for 585 yards and 5 touchdowns. (Highlights.)

St. Charles (IL) East OG Brennan Bosch:  Bosch is a 6'2", 235 lb. offensive line prospect for the class of 2015, so he's just a sophomore.  He is the younger brother of 2013 Michigan offensive guard commit Kyle Bosch; the younger has an offer from Illinois already.

Wheaton (IL) St. Francis OG Kyle Bosch: Bosch committed to Michigan back in February.  This is his official visit.

Columbus (OH) Walnut Ridge DE Robert Bowers: Bowers is a 6'6", 210 lb. defensive end prospect from the class of 2014.  He has a lone offer from Cincinnati.  He's very lanky and a good athlete, but he looks like he'll need to develop physically a little bit if he wants to get big-time offers.  This was Bowers' second visit to Michigan. (Highlights.)

Pickerington (OH) North TE Jake Butt: Butt committed to Michigan back in February.  This is his official visit.

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech QB Jayru Campbell:  Campbell is a 6'3", 190 lb. quarterback from the class of 2015.  He already has offers from Alabama and Notre Dame.  As a freshman in 2011, he had 2,000 passing yards, threw 32 touchdowns, and had just 6 interceptions.  Campbell is the teammate of 2013 commit Jourdan Lewis and the former teammate of freshman linebacker Royce Jenkins-Stone and freshman cornerback Terry Richardson. (Highlights.)

Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake OT Mason Cole: Cole is a 6'5", 275 lb. offensive line prospect from the class of 2014.  He visited Ann Arbor for the BBQ at the Big House back in July, and he has offers from the likes of Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and USC.  Some people have suggested that his previous visit to Michigan vaulted the Wolverines to the top of his list, and a good game against MSU could result in a commitment. (Highlights.)

Massillon (OH) Washington CB Gareon Conley: Conley committed to Michigan back in February.  This is his official visit.

Columbus (OH) Hamilton ATH Micky Crum:  Crum is a 6'4", 212 lb. prospect for the class of 2014 who already has an offer from Bowling Green.  Ohio Preps named him the #19 in-state prospect for his class.  He's planning to play quarterback as a senior next season, but right now he's playing tight end and linebacker.  I could see him playing tight end or SAM at the next level. (Highlights.)

Massillon (OH) Washington OG Nathaniel Devers: Devers is a 6'3", 265 lb. offensive guard prospect from the class of 2014.  He has a lone offer from Toledo.  Devers has visited Michigan previously, but did not earn an offer at the time.  His teammate is Gareon Conley.(Highlights.)

Grand Rapids (MI) Christian OG Tommy Doles: Doles is a 6'5", 245 lb. offensive line prospect from the class of 2014.  He has already been offered by Iowa State and Michigan, though his lack of bulk might be preventing him from more offers.  Being a highly coveted prospect might depend on how much weight he can add in the next several months, but he's a very athletic kid with a high motor.  Michigan is considered to be his leader.

Avon (OH) Avon CB Ross Douglas: Douglas committed to Michigan back in July.  Here's a look at how his senior season is going.

Columbus (OH) Marion-Franklin WR Jaron Dukes: Dukes committed to Michigan in May.  This is his official visit.

Crystal Lake (IL) Prairie Ridge OT Shane Evans:  Evans is a 6'4", 250 lb. prospect from the class of 2014.  He has no offers at this time.

Muskegon (MI) Muskegon DT Kenny Finley:  Finley is a 6'3", 265 lb. defensive tackle prospect from the class of 2014.  Muskegon is the alma mater of former Michigan defensive tackle Terrance Taylor, and the school has produced several other FBS prospects in recent years.

Parker (CO) Ponderosa OT Chris Fox: Fox committed to Michigan back in February.

Hudson (OH) Hudson LB Ben Gedeon: Gedeon committed to Michigan back in April.  Check out how his senior season is going.

Richmond (VA) Hermitage RB Derrick Green:  Green is a 6'1", 225 lb. running back who has been offered by Michigan, along with most of the big-time programs across the country.  I did a couple scouting reports on Green (one live, one from video).  Green has had several different teams high on his list (Alabama, Auburn, Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, etc.), but one constant has been Michigan.  Both of his other presumed leaders at this point - Auburn and Tennessee - are having iffy or poor seasons, so a good performance against Michigan State this weekend could vault Michigan into the lead if he's looking for a program headed in the right direct.  This is his official visit.

Woodbridge (VA) Woodbridge DE Da'Shawn Hand:  Hand is a 6'4", 245 lb. prospect from the class of 2014.  He already has offers from most of the big-time programs around the nation.  He's also generally considered to be the top overall recruit in his class.  The fact that he's driving up from Virginia during the season suggests that his interest in Michigan is strong, so hopefully the Wolverines can make a good impression on Saturday. UPDATE: Hand is no longer planning to attend Saturday's game. (Highlights.)

Berea (KY) Madison Southern RB Damien Harris: Harris is a 5'11", 201 lb. tailback prospect from the class of 2015.  He's one of just two current sophomores to have an offer from the Wolverines.  As a freshman in 2011, he had 62 carries for 742 yards (12.0 yards/carry) and 12 touchdowns.  This will be his second time visiting Michigan, and his highlights are very impressive from early in his sophomore season:


Huber Heights (OH) Wayne LB Dorian Hendrix:  Hendrix is a 6'1", 215 lb. linebacker prospect from the class of 2014.  He attends the alma mater of former Michigan cornerback Terrence Talbott and defensive tackle Terry Talbott.  Hendrix already has offers from Bowling Green, Illinois, and Toledo, among others.  Ohio Preps lists him as the #11 player in the state of Ohio for 2014.  He looks to me like a middle linebacker prospect, but I'm not sure that Michigan will be looking for many more linebackers in the 2014 class. (Highlights.)

Detroit (MI) East English Village TE Khalid Hill:  Hill committed to Michigan back in February.  This is his official visit.

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech RB/LB Gary Hosey:  Hosey is a 6'0", 225 lb. prospect from the class of 2014.  He does not have any offers at this point.  Michigan is looking at him as a potential running back recruit, but I don't think he has the speed to be a BCS-level tailback; fullback might be more likely, but I'm not sure how many scholarships the Wolverines coaching staff will allot for fullbacks, with Sione Houma already on the roster and Wyatt Shallman coming in 2013.

Pickerington (OH) North RB Godwin Igwebuike: Igwebuike is a 5'11", 185 lb. running back who's the teammate of 2013 defensive end commit Jake Butt.  He has offers from Cincinnati, Illinois, Nebraska, Pitt, and Wisconsin, and he's currently committed to Northwestern, so he's no slouch.  If Michigan can't reel in Derrick Green, Igwebuike might be a backup plan. (Highlights.)

Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison RB Ashton Jackson:  Jackson is a 5'11", 180 lb. running back from the class of 2014.  He has offers from Cincinnati, Illinois, and Purdue, among others.  His teammate is 2013 Michigan linebacker commit Mike McCray.  As a sophomore in 2011, Jackson had 1,100 yards rushing and 18 rushing touchdowns. (Highlights.)

Westland (MI) John Glenn WR Da'Mario Jones:  Jones is a 6'2", 185 lb. wide receiver who is currently committed to Central Michigan.  He also has offers from Bowling Green and Toledo, but he appears to be a backup plan option in case the recruitment of Crete (IL) Crete-Monee wide receiver LaQuon Treadwell falls through. (Highlights.)

Cleveland (OH) Glenville OG Marcelys Jones:  Jones is a 6'4", 325 lb. offensive guard prospect from the class of 2014.  He does not have a Michigan offer, but he has been offered by Indiana and Ohio State; a Michigan offer might not be too far in the future.  Glenville is the alma mater of sophomore defensive end Frank Clark and freshman defensive tackle Willie Henry.

Cincinnati (OH) La Salle WR Derek Kief:  Kief is a 6'5", 185 lb. receiver from the class of 2014.  He already has offers from Cincinnati, Illinois, and Indiana, among others.  As a sophomore in 2011, he had 48 catches for 680 yards (14.1 yards/catch) and 10 touchdowns.  He's a taller guy with good ball skills, sort of like Jaron Dukes with a little more speed. (Highlights.)

Muskegon (MI) Muskegon OG Malik King: King is a 6'4", 275 lb. offensive guard.

Huber Heights (OH) Wayne CB Tyree Kinnel: Kinnel is a 5'11", 170 lb. corner from the class of 2014.  He does not have any offers at this time.  He also visited Michigan last weekend for the Illinois game, and  (Highlights.)

Wexford (PA) North Allegheny C Patrick Kugler: Kugler committed to Michigan back in February.  This is his official visit.

Red Oak (TX) Red Oak S Ronnie Larue:  Larue is a 6'0", 185 lb. high school quarterback who is being looked at by Michigan to play strong safety.  The 2014 prospect claims a 4.58 forty and a 4.03 shuttle time, as well as a 280 lb. bench; those numbers are pretty impressive for a small-ish high school quarterback. (Highlights.)

Cleveland (OH) Glenville WR Marshon Lattimore:  Lattimore is a 6'0", 175 lb. wideout with offers from Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Michigan, and others.  He attends Ohio State pipeline Glenville, but Michigan has made inroads at the school in the past couple recruiting classes. (Highlights.)

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech CB Jourdan Lewis: Lewis committed to Michigan back in February.  This is his official visit.

Westerville (OH) South TE Darryl Long:  Long is a 6'4", 220 lb. tight end from the 2014 class.  He plays some wide receiver in high school, but he'll likely move to tight end; at Michigan he would probably be a U-back like Devin Funchess.  Long's lone offer so far is from Ohio. (Highlights.)

Woodbridge (VA) Woodbridge QB Mike Majette: Majette is a 5'10", 176 lb. quarterback from the class of 2015.  He's the teammate of 2014 defensive prospect of Da'Shawn Hand.  He already has an offer from West Virginia, but he's likely a little small (at this point) to be considered a legitimate prospect to play quarterback at Michigan.  Michigan would likely look at him more as a defensive back.  UPDATE: Majett is no longer planning to attend Saturday's game.  (Highlights.)

Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison WR Kendric Mallory:  Mallory is a 6'2", 174 lb. receiver in the class of 2014.  He has an offer from Illinois and is the teammate of 2013 Michigan linebacker commit Mike McCray. (Highlights.)

Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison LB Mike McCray II:  McCray committed to Michigan back in February.  This is his official visit.

Warren (MI) De La Salle QB Shane Morris: Morris committed to Michigan in May of 2011.  This is Morris's official visit.

Monroeville (PA) Gateway S Montae Nicholson:  Nicholson is a 6'2", 200 lb. safety from the class of 2014.  He has visited Michigan previously and earned an offer at Michigan's summer camp back in June; he also has offers from Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers, and West Virginia, among others.  Nicholson would likely play strong safety at a place like Michigan. (Highlight.)

Monroeville (PA) Gateway WR Ricky Rogers:  Rogers is a 6'2", 192 lb. receiver from the class of 2014.  He already has offers from Pitt, Rutgers, and West Virginia.  Rogers has some speed and the ability to go up and get the ball, but he's not an upper echelon talent.  He may earn an offer down the road, but I don't think he's a guy that Michigan will offer this early in the process.  (Highlight.)

Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake WR Artavis Scott:  Scott is a 5'11", 180 lb. receiver from the class of 2014.  His teammate is Mason Cole, an offensive tackle with a Michigan offer.  So far Scott has offers from Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and West Virginia, among others.  I think there's a very strong chance that Michigan offers Scott on the visit, though I doubt he would jump on the opportunity to commit.

Marion (OH) Harding RB L.J. Scott:  Scott is a 5'10", 210 lb. running back prospect with an offer from Kent State; he also reportedly has an offer from the Wolverines, though that might not be a "committable" offer.  He's a 2014 prospect who had 1,000 yards and 8 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2011. (Highlights.)

Novi (MI) Catholic Central RB Wyatt Shallman: Shallman committed to Michigan back in February.

Cleveland (OH) Glenville S Erick Smith:  Smith is a 6'1", 185 lb. safety prospect for the class of 2014.  His lone offer at this point is from Georgia Tech.  I would not be surprised to see him earn a Michigan offer in the future, although he might not be a guy who needs to be offered right this instant. (Highlights.)

Middletown (OH) Middletown TE Chance Sorrell:  Sorrell is a 6'6", 229 lb. tight end prospect from the class of 2014.  He has no offers at this point, and he suffered a broken ankle this season, so those offers might not come anytime soon.  He's a big kid who looks a bit like Craig Roh on the field, a good-but-not-great athlete.  I don't think he'll be offered by Michigan at this stage, but he could be an option down the road. (Highlights.)

Sylvania (OH) Southview DT Ryan Stout:  Stout is a 6'5", 245 lb. defensive tackle prospect from the class of 2014.  He has offers from Akron, Bowling Green, and Toledo.  Southview is the alma mater of freshman safety Allen Gant.  In his first five games this season, Stout had 45 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks. (Highlights.)

Louisville (KY) Central S Donald Styles: Styles is a 5'10", 180 lb. safety prospect without any offers at this time.  However, he's a solid hitter with decent speed, and he looks to me like an FBS prospect, though maybe not fast enough for elite level offers. (Highlights.)

Ottawa (IL) Marquette LS Scott Sypniewski: Sypniewski committed to Michigan in June.

Alliance (OH) Marlington S Dymonte Thomas: Thomas committed to Michigan last year.  Here's a look at how his senior year is going.  This is his official visit.

Monroeville (PA) Gateway TE/LB Brenon Thrift: Thrift is a 6'3", 230 lb. prospect for 2014.  He already has offers from Pitt and West Virginia.  He visited Michigan back in the summer, but WVU is his current leader. (Highlights.)

Peoria (IL) Manual OT Logan Tuley-Tillman: Tuley-Tillman committed to Michigan back in February.  This is his official visit.

Crete (IL) Crete-Monee WR LaQuon Treadwell: I scouted Treadwell prior to the beginning of the 2012 season, and nothing he's done as a senior has diminished my thoughts on him.  He's one of the top few receivers in the country and has the ability to be a possession guy or a big-play guy, whichever type is needed for the program.  UPDATE: Treadwell did not make it to Ann Arbor.

Chicago (IL) Hales Franciscan OT Denzel Ward:  Ward is a 6'9", 295 lb. offensive tackle from the class of 2014 who was offered by Michigan when he visited Ann Arbor last weekend.  There's some buzz about him possibly committing this weekend, although he said after last weekend's visit that he wanted to consider his options and have a discussion with his parents.  There's no film on him yet, so I have no analysis on how he plays the game.  He also has an offer from Purdue.

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech CB Damon Webb: Webb is a 5'11", 170 lb. prospect from the class of 2014.  LSU, Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State are all major players in his recruitment, though LSU and Michigan seem to be out front.  He could also play wide receiver at the next level, though his physicality suggests that he has a higher ceiling on defense.

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech RB Mikey Weber: Weber is a 5'10", 195 lb. prospect from the class of 2015.  He was hurt as a freshman and for part of this season, but there's some buzz around him due to the speed he has showcased at times.  He has no offers at this point, but a sophomore running back with his speed and physical development is likely to get some good looks at Cass Tech soon.

Detroit (MI) Country Day QB Tyler Wiegers:  Wiegers is a 6'4", 197 lb. quarterback from the class of 2014 who holds offers from Toledo and Western Michigan.  He doesn't have the best arm and isn't a great athlete, but I like the way Wiegers commands the offense and his accuracy, and he also has a decent arm.  If Michigan is going to take a guy in 2014 who's a backup type, I think Wiegers could fill that role.  He's not a superstar and isn't a guy who will unite the fan base like Shane Morris, but that might not be what the coaches are looking for in 2014. (Highlights.)

Minster (OH) Minster TE Ethan Wolf: Wolf is a 6'6", 221 lb. prospect for the class of 2014.  He has offers from Cincinnati, Illinois, and Toledo, among others.  As a sophomore in 2011, he had 20 receptions for 392 yards.

Harper Woods (MI) Chandler Park Academy WR Csont'e York: York committed to Michigan back in May.  This is York's official visit.

Recruiting Update: October 16, 2012

Denzel Ward with Wolverine Nation's Chantel Jennings

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2013
Detroit (MI) Cass Tech offensive guard David Dawson decommitted from Michigan.  He will visit Florida next weekend, and there's a very strong chance that he will end up committing to the Gators, as he's been flirting with visiting Gainesville for months.  Check out his decommitment post for more analysis.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2014
Chicago (IL) Hales Franciscan offensive tackle Denzel Ward was offered by Michigan.  He's a 6'9", 295 lb. kid with an offer from Purdue as well.  Ward's cousin is quarterback Robert Gregory, who attended Chicago (IL) Simeon and chose Purdue last winter; Simeon is also the alma mater of Michigan offensive guard Chris Bryant.

MISCELLANEOUS
247 Sports updated their top 247 prospects for the class of 2013.  Check out the rankings changes.

Here's the visitors list from Saturday's game against Illinois, which also includes some analysis of the various players.