Initial TTB Ratings for 2015

Richmond (VA) St. Christopher's CB Garrett Taylor

Here are the initial TTB Ratings for the class of 2015 (ratings explanation).

CB Garrett Taylor - Richmond (VA) St. Christopher's: 85
Taylor has the makings of being a very good player. He has size, speed, leaping ability, physicality, and is reportedly a quality kid. I'm not sure if I see the coverage instincts to pop him up into the 90's, but he should be a very good cornerback or perhaps safety in a few years. (Commitment post.)

CB Shaun Crawford - Lakewood (OH) St. Edward: 79
I like Crawford as a prospect. He has great speed, and he is also very physical for someone his size. I do have some questions about whether he can play man coverage, because he doesn't have a ton of experience doing that in high school. I think a 79 here is a baseline, but if he attends an event like The Opening or the Rivals 5-star Challenge, he could show some of those man coverage skills to sway me upward. (Commitment post.)

S Tyree Kinnel - Huber Heights (OH) Wayne: 74
When I look at Kinnel, I see a high school version of Thomas Gordon. He doesn't wow me with his athletic skills, but he comes up with some solid tackles and seems to be in the right place at the right time. He looks like a solid safety prospect but does not appear to be a star. (Commitment post.)

OG Jon Runyan, Jr. - Natrona Heights (PA) St. Joseph's: 73
Runyan is a decent athlete, but for being the son of a former NFL player, I think he's lacking somewhat in football instincts. He comes out of his stance a little high, doesn't seem to have a great deal of power, and gets overextended at times. As a legacy player, he seems like someone who would stick around, so he would have a while to develop. He's not a player who leaps off the screen, though. (Commitment post.)

K Andrew David - Massillon (OH) Washington: N/A
I don't really know enough about kickers to evaluate them. (Commitment post.)

Final TTB Ratings for 2014

Michael Ferns, Wilton Speight, Jabrill Peppers, Juwann Bushell-Beatty, Bryan Mone, and Jared Wangler

Drum roll, please.

It's that time of year, time for the final TTB Ratings of the 2014 recruiting cycle. Everyone signed his National Letter of Intent back in February, you say? Pshaw. Not Malik McDowell. Nope. McDowell is still holding out and likely to be attending Michigan State in the fall. I was waiting to see if he would compromise with his parents and sign a NLI to Michigan, but that window passed on April 1st.

So here they are. Check out the rating scale (LINK) if you're unfamiliar or just want a refresher. Keep in mind that these ratings take into account the other players on the roster. So for example, the second-best middle linebacker on the roster might find himself sitting on the bench for several years not because he's terrible but because the other guy is really good.

The 2015 TTB Ratings will be coming soon, now that the 2014 cycle is finished.

CB Jabrill Peppers - Paramus (NJ) Catholic: 100
I'm keeping Peppers right where I ranked him initially. He still looks like the best player at his position in the class, and his versatility (he could play safety, return punts and kicks, and perhaps play some offense) makes him an even more valuable commodity. (Commitment post.)

WR Drake Harris - Grand Rapids (MI) Christian: 93
I have no reason to downgrade Harris from where I ranked him after his junior year, except for the fact that he missed his entire senior season with a hamstring injury. The injury concerns me and is still nagging him this spring, but it's impossible for me to say whether that will affect him going forward in his career. Considering injuries can derail anyone's career, I'm going to leave Harris at this rating and hope that he recovers and develops fully. (Commitment post.)

DT Bryan Mone - Salt Lake City (UT) Highland: 79 88
Watching Mone from his junior to his senior year, he looked to have added some weight and lost a step. When he played in the Under Armour All-America Game, I thought he looked slow and a little lethargic, but that was roughly two months after his season ended, so maybe he was just out of shape. Either way, I see a guy on film who can stay low and who uses a violent hand strike to disengage from blockers. While he can probably be whipped into shape a little bit, he's not a nose tackle who will amaze people with his athleticism, but he should be an active clogger up the middle. (Commitment post.)

OG Mason Cole - Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake: 87
Another guy who has already received some practice hype as an early enrollee, I like the way Cole bends and I like his lateral quickness. He has been playing some tackle this spring, but I'm not sure if that's his long-term position because he's not the longest guy around. Wherever he ends up, I think he'll be a good player down the road. (Commitment post.)

LB Michael Ferns - St. Clairsville (OH) St. Clairsville: 83 85
Ferns can be slightly hesitant to diagnose plays, but otherwise, I think he has almost everything the coaches would want in a linebacker. He could be more physical when shedding blocks, but I think that's something that can be taught for him. Otherwise, he runs well, does a good job in space, and is a forceful tackler. (Commitment post.)

WR Freddy Canteen - Elkton (MD) Eastern Christian Academy: N/A 83
Film on Canteen is scarce, and what I saw of him early basically came from his quarterback's (David Sills') highlight tape. I can't say whether spring practice hype has altered my viewpoint on him, but it has been positive. Regardless, I commented on his quickness and route-running ability when he committed, and that seems to be giving Michigan defensive backs problems so far, too. He reminds me of Wes Welker with his quick feet and could be effective in the slot like Roy Roundtree was back in 2010. (Commitment post.)

WR Maurice Ways - Detroit (MI) Country Day: 77 81
I might be a little higher on Ways than the recruiting services, but I really like all three wide receiver recruits in the 2014 class. Ways has reportedly had problems with his hands at certain points, but he didn't concentrate solely on football until his junior year. His hands improved as a senior, and he reminds me of a Marquise Walker type who has good enough speed and size to threaten deep but won't be a big-play machine. (Commitment post.)

LB Chase Winovich - Clairton (PA) Thomas Jefferson: 79
The more I've seen of Winovich, the more I've become convinced that he'll be a solid player. I really see him as a SAM in an Under defense, so I'm not sure exactly how he fits if Michigan goes to an Over look semi-permanently. He definitely needs to get stronger, because he's a willing hitter but ball carriers just don't go down with the ease they should when he hits them. (Commitment post.)

QB Wilton Speight - Richmond (VA) Benedictine: 77
I feel comfortable with this rating. I still don't see "star" written all over Speight, but he should have a couple years under offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier (who will probably be a head coach somewhere by the time Speight graduates), sit behind Devin Gardner and Shane Morris, and then have a couple years to compete for the starting position. He has good arm strength and has improved his mechanics over the past year, and he has already shown good leadership skills with the way he helped recruit in the 2014 class. (Commitment post.)

TE Ian Bunting - Hinsdale (IL) Central: 78 75
Bunting played more tight end as a senior than he did as a junior, when he was exclusively a wideout. He still has a lot to learn about blocking, so it would probably behoove him to redshirt, add some weight, and learn blocking techniques. He doesn't have the physical mentality that I saw out of Butt, so I have some questions about whether he can break tackles and block like a Big Ten Y tight end would need to do. He doesn't have the speed to split out like Devin Funchess has done. (Commitment post.)

DE Lawrence Marshall - Southfield (MI) Southfield: 72 74
Marshall's highlights are a series of plays on which he is unblocked or has to fend off terrible attempts at chop blocks. He does have good speed and leaping ability, but disengaging from blockers is a question mark. For that reason, he reminds me a bit of Mario Ojemudia coming out of high school. I rated Ojemudia as a 78, and he's still looking like he'll be a backup to Frank Clark with two years of eligibility left. I liked Marshall's senior film better than his junior year, but not by a ton. (Commitment post.)

DT Brady Pallante - Naples (FL) Barron Collier: 70 69
I've said before that Pallante reminds me of a slower Mike Martin. He's got the leverage, the hand violence, and the knack for shedding blocks. He won't be the biggest guy, and his lack of explosiveness will prevent him from being the TFL machine that was Martin. I don't see Pallante as a star, but I do see him as a solid rotation player down the road. I'm knocking him down just one peg because I don't see him having much NFL draft potential with his size. (Commitment post.)

OT Juwann Bushell-Beatty - Paramus (NJ) Catholic: 68
After watching his senior highlights and seeing him in the Under Armour All-America Game, Bushell-Beatty looks like a guy who might be more suited to playing inside at guard. I would have concerns about him being quick enough to play on the edge, and he's more of a waist bender than a knee bender. With the other talent surrounding him, I think he might get pushed to the back of the pack, although he could be one of those guys who emerges as an upperclassmen to fill a void. (Commitment post.)

LB Noah Furbush - Kenton (OH) Kenton: 64
Furbush reminds me an awful lot of Brennen Beyer, who has played linebacker and defensive end at Michigan. I was fairly high on Beyer coming out of high school, but his play in college has been somewhat forgettable. Furbush was recruited as MIKE, but he looks like a future defensive end or maybe a SAM linebacker if Michigan runs the Under front. (Commitment post.)

LB Jared Wangler - Warren (MI) De La Salle: 59
Wangler, who played defense mostly as a safety in high school, lacks the foot speed to be a safety in college. He will probably bulk up a little bit and play linebacker. Initially, I thought that he played like a SAM linebacker in a WILL's body, but with Michigan's supposed move to the Over front, I think Wangler fits well as a SAM, period. I think he is limited athletically and doesn't have the biggest frame, but he has a chance because he's a heady, aggressive player. Regardless, the Wolverines have brought in some good talent at linebacker over the past couple years, so it may be tough for Wangler to move past them. (Commitment post.)

S Brandon Watson - Elkton (MD) Eastern Christian Academy: Incomplete
I still have not seen enough of Watson to offer an opinion here. He has been playing safety this spring and reports have been positive, but practice reports are to be taken with a grain of salt. (Commitment post.)

Initial TTB Ratings for 2014

For the last few years, I've been putting together ratings for Michigan's commitments.  When coming up with a rating, I generally try to picture how the player will fit into Michigan's scheme and depth chart.  Certain wide receivers might be all-conference at one school but second-stringers at another.  Here's a link to the explanation of the ratings.  I reserve the right to change these ratings throughout the recruiting cycle, but here's where Michigan's current four commits will start:

OG Mason Cole: 87 (commitment post)

LB Michael Ferns III: 83 (commitment post)

DT Bryan Mone: 79 (commitment post)

QB Wilton Speight: 77 (commitment post)

Final TTB Ratings for 2013

Maurice Hurst, Jr. made the biggest leap in
the final TTB Ratings

Here are the finalized TTB Ratings for the class of 2013.  Discuss!

Derrick Green - RB - Richmond (VA) Hermitage: 92 95
The more I think about the offensive line Michigan is building, the more I think Green is going to have a very good career in a winged helmet.  He could very well be the starter by his sophomore year, if not as a freshman.

Dymonte Thomas - S - Alliance (OH) Marlington: 92 89
I'm downgrading Thomas because I don't know that he's an All-American candidate, which is what a 90+ grade entails.  I think he will still be a very good player and turn into an all-conference player as a strong safety.

Kyle Bosch - OG - Wheaton (IL) St. Francis: 88
I'm going to leave Bosch right where he is.  He looks like an excellent guard prospect, and I like his nastiness.

Shane Morris - QB - Warren (MI) De La Salle: 89 87
Morris still has all the physical schools he has ever had - strong arm, decent athleticism - and has shown with his recruiting that he has some leadership skills.  It just seems like he has some limitations on seeing the whole field and making good decisions.

Patrick Kugler - C - Wexford (PA) North Allegheny: 83 86
With a couple years between Jack Miller and Kugler, the latter should have at least a couple seasons as a starter.  I liked what I saw of him at the Under Armour All-American Game.


Chris Fox - OT - Parker (CO) Ponderosa: 90 85
Fox's ACL tear concerns me some. He's still a big body who's pretty athletic, but I fear that this injury might put him behind some of the other linemen to begin..

Jourdan Lewis - CB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: 86 84
Lewis isn't the biggest, strongest, or fastest recruit out there, but he shows good change of direction and ball skills.  I like him as a college cornerback, but he might be limited beyond that.

Jake Butt - TE - Pickerington (OH) North: 82
I'm leaving Butt right where he is. He's not a "next generation" tight end who can run really fast and jump really high, but he's a very solid prospect.  He should have no problem turning into a good blocker at the very least.

Ben Gedeon - LB - Hudson (OH) Hudson: 82 81
I still like Gedeon, but I have slightly more confidence in Butt as a prospect.  I like turning running backs into linebackers, and he has experience at both positions.

Da'Mario Jones - WR - Westland (MI) John Glenn: 79 81
As Michigan's passing offense improves and they can find more ways to get the ball to receivers, I like Jones's skill set more.  He's not an absolute blazer, but he offers a dimension of speed that some other recent receiver recruits lack.

Henry Poggi - DT - Baltimore (MI) Gilman: 81 79
Watching Poggi in the Under Armour All-American Game, I still think Poggi looks like a good prospect for the college level - he played very well - but I'm not sure he'll have the size or explosion to be a serious NFL prospect down the road.

Maurice Hurst, Jr. - DT - Westwood (MA) Xaverian Brothers: 73 78
I always liked Hurst's athleticism, but I like his energy, too.  After seeing his senior highlights and his performance in the Semper Fi All-American Bowl, I think he has some potential to be a pretty good player down the road.

Csont'e York - WR - Harper Woods (MI) Chandler Park Academy: 79 77
York's rating doesn't change much, but I have less confidence in him than Poggi.  He still has considerable upside because he can go up and get the ball, but he's not a dynamic athlete.

Taco Charlton - DE - Pickerington (OH) Central: 75 76
Charlton has the speed to stick at weakside end, but he keeps growing and growing. I wonder if at some point he might be too heavy to play WDE and end up as a strongside end. Considering some lacking technique, that could be troublesome.

Logan Tuley-Tillman - OT - Peoria (IL) Manual: 79 75
I'm downgrading Tuley-Tillman a little bit because he's so raw.  He's helped by the fact that he's the only left tackle prospect in this class, but it's tough to get a feel for him.  Pass protection is still a huge issue for him as he learns.

Mike McCray II - LB - Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison: 74
This seems to be a pretty good spot for McCray. It's unclear whether he'll finally end up at SAM or MIKE. He's a good athlete, but I have questions about his ability to read plays quickly.  I might be in favor of putting him at SAM, where he would be in a position to attack more often than having to read and react.

Channing Stribling - CB - Matthews (NC) Butler: 73
I thought about bumping up Stribling, but I just don't think I can do it.  He showed his ability to make plays in high school, but I just don't think he has the speed to be a dynamic player in college.  Most of Michigan's good corners over the past 15 years or so have been fast or at least quick, but I don't see that in Stribling.

David Dawson - OG - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: 67 71
I'm bumping Dawson up a little bit, because I think he could be a starter later in his career.  Anyone who becomes a starter with the way Michigan is recruiting has to be pretty good player, but I don't see a particularly high ceiling for him.

Delano Hill - CB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: 71 69
Hill has lots of physical talent, but if he were a great playmaker, he would have been rated higher by the recruiting services.  He seems to be a guy who could be a very good special teamer and earn spot duty in college, but he's a man without a position - is he a corner or a safety? - and there's talent at those spots already.

Wyatt Shallman - RB - Novi (MI) Catholic Central: 65
I think this is a pretty good spot for Shallman.  I don't think he will ever be a starter at running back, although he could be a factor at fullback or U-back in the future.  He also has the ability to contribute on defense, but Shallman and the coaches have been insistent that he'll play offense.

Ross Douglas - CB - Avon (OH) Avon: 63
Douglas was recruited to play slot corner, and when you combine that with his lack of great size, I think he's somewhat limited when projecting him beyond college.  I think he could be a solid slot corner in the same vein as Brandon Harrison.

DeVeon Smith - RB - Warren (OH) Howland: 63
I thought about bumping Smith up because I truly believe that Michigan will be putting together some good rushing seasons in the coming years because of the offensive line, and not totally because of the talent of the running backs.  I do not believe Smith has the speed to be a dynamic running back himself, but he might put up good numbers as a backup and perhaps eventual successor to Green.

Reon Dawson - CB - Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison: 62
Dawson does have some potential to outperform this ranking, but he's behind some of the other guys in technical prowess.  The speed and size are there.  It just depends on how it all comes together.

Khalid Hill - TE - Detroit (MI) East English Village: 68 60
Hill can fill a role on this team, but he has talent ahead of him and his lack of speed or size sort of limits his upside.

Dan Samuelson - OG - Plymouth (IN) Plymouth: 65 59
I think Samuelson will be a quality backup down the road, who could make a spot start and be fine.  However, I think he's someone who might get lost in the shuffle with the rest of the linemen Michigan is getting.

Jaron Dukes - WR - Columbus (OH) Marion Franklin: 70 58
Dukes didn't have a great senior season, and I already had questions about him going into the 2012 season.  He doesn't have great speed, and he doesn't look like a lithe athlete who can make up for that speed deficiency with acrobatics.

Scott Sypniewski - LS - Ottawa (IL) : Incomplete
I don't know enough about long snappers around the country to offer an opinion here.

Initial TTB Ratings for 2013

Here's an update on the TTB Ratings for the 2013 recruits:

S Dymonte Thomas, 92
The combination of Thomas's athleticism with Greg Mattison's defensive system makes me think that Thomas should fill up the stat sheet for Michigan in a couple years.

OT Chris Fox, 90
I really like Fox's attitude as a defensive player, and he's a good athlete, too.  I think he could be a dominant right tackle or even play left tackle in college.

QB Shane Morris, 89
Morris would be rated higher if he had some more quality receivers, but right now his receiving corps looks somewhat average.

OG Kyle Bosch, 88
Bosch looks like a left guard to me.  He seems like a smart, quality kid and could compete for playing time rather early, depending on which position Kyle Kalis plays in the class ahead of him.

CB Jourdan Lewis, 86
Lewis has similar skills to Terry Richardson, whom I also like.  But Lewis is a little bigger, so I'm giving him a slight edge.

TE Jake Butt, 82
Butt isn't the speedy freak of an athlete that seems to be dominating college and NFL football these days, but he's a very good prospect and might look especially good with Morris throwing him the ball.

LB Ben Gedeon, 82
Gedeon could probably play any of the three linebacker positions, but he's an old school player who should be pretty good wherever he plays.

OT Logan Tuley-Tillman, 79
Tuley-Tillman could be great if he adjusts to the college game, or he could struggle to acclimate himself to the finer points of the game.

WR Csont'e York, 79
York is a solid route runner with good size and decent speed.  He should be a solid player but maybe not a future superstar.

DE Taco Charlton, 75
I really like Charlton's athleticism, but he doesn't use his hands well, which concerns me because it's a bit of an instinctual thing.

CB Gareon Conley, 75

WR Jaron Dukes, 70
Dukes could be a mover if he turns out to be faster than he's looked so far.  The ceiling is a little bit low for big, possession receivers.

TE Khalid Hill, 68
The position Hill will play somewhat limits his upside.  He could be a very good role player from the U-back position.

OG David Dawson, 67
With the guards in this class and the one ahead of him, Dawson might get lost in the shuffle for a few years.


RB Wyatt Shallman, 65
Shallman looks like a running back who could put up a lot of scores in short yardage situations.  He's a high floor, low ceiling type of player.

RB Deveon Smith, 63

C Patrick Kugler, Inc.
I have yet to see film on Kugler.

A Note on TTB Ratings

Kyle Kalis is my top-rated recruited from 2012, but not every recruit receives
such high praise.

Recently I have taken a lot of flak for the TTB Ratings (and player reviews) I've been giving.  I'm a big boy and can handle the criticism; I expected criticism when I created the ratings.  However, I have to admit that some of the comments are unfounded and unrealistic.  Many of the complaints have centered around the fact that the coaches like the kids, so why can't I just shut up and enjoy the ride?  Well . . . because coaches are wrong.  And yes, that means I can be wrong, too.  But these are my opinions, not anyone else's.  And if my predictions are wrong, you can always point to a commitment post or a TTB Rating and say "Told ya so!"

Looking from a historical perspective, though, I think some people need to realize that a large number of these kids are bound to fail at football.  It's just the nature of the business.  Some high-profile recruits bomb.  Some low-profile recruits turn into stars.  And vice versa.

Looking at the bottom rung of my TTB Ratings, it says "0-39: Below average backup or special teams contributor."  Keep in mind that the TTB Ratings are trying to predict success at Michigan, not necessarily overall talent.  For example, a guy who I predict might get buried on the bench at Michigan could go to Kent State and play very well.  From 2002-2008, here's a list of all or most of the players who would fit that 0-39 category (essentially, these are complete non-contributors for various reasons): Tom Berishaj, Mike Kolodziej, Quinton McCoy, Kevin Murphy, Will Paul, Jim Presley, Clayton Richard, Pat Sharrow, Jeff Zuttah, Roger Allison, Keston Cheathem, Jeremy Ciulla, Grant DeBenedictis, Brett Gallimore, Marques Walton, Jason Forcier, Brandon Logan, Chris McLaurin, Chris Richards, Justin Schifano, Cory Zirbel, David Cone, Jason Kates, Cobrani Mixon, Quintin Patilla, Quintin Woods, Zion Babb, Artis Chambers, Vince Helmuth, Isaiah Bell, Taylor Hill, Dann O'Neill, Kurt Wermers, and Marcus Witherspoon. 

In a span of seven years, that's 34 guys who were complete busts . . . an average of 4.9 per recruiting cycle.  I realize some of those guys' careers ended early due to injury (Kolodziej, Sharrow, etc.), some transferred, and some got in trouble with the law . . . but some of them just couldn't cut it.  Jason Forcier was buried on the bench here and got buried at Stanford.  Brandon Logan could never see the field despite playing on a depleted football team.  Cone was behind younger players and walk-ons for his entire career.  No matter how you slice it, there are bound to be flops.

Am I a soothsayer?  No.  I can't predict the future.  All I can do is offer an educated opinion based on depth charts and what I see on film.  But I am 99% certain that some of these 4-stars will play like 5-stars, some 5-stars will play like 3-stars, and some 3-stars will become studs.  Nobody knows for sure which players they will be, but we're all bound to be wrong sometimes, and we're all bound to be right sometimes.

The difference between this site and others - whether you like it or not - is that I will share who I think those booms and busts will be.  There are numerous recruiting sites out there that essentially say "I love this kid and think he will be great!" . . . and they say that about every recruit.  That's fine if they want to do that, but I'm not going to put stock in the opinion of any "evaluator" who thinks 99% of these kids are going to be studs.  Imagine if you went to a doctor for your back pain and he said, "Surgery is great, acupuncture is great, chiropractors are great, exercise is great, and meditation is great!  They're all great!"  Or imagine if you went to a financial analyst who wanted you to put your money into every stock out there.  Well, surgery might mess up your back for life, and putting all your money into Groupon might sink your life savings.  Just like you would want a doctor or financial planner to steer you in the right direction, I hope I can steer Michigan fans in the right direction.

I will never root for a Michigan player to fail.  These kids play for Michigan, my alma mater.  I would love for every kid who walks onto the field to be an All-American and get drafted in the first round.  But that's not a realistic expectation, and realistic fans ought to be able to see that.  If my approach to recruiting upsets you, I encourage you to read another website.  That's not because I don't want traffic or that I don't value others' opinions.  I simply think you'll be happier elsewhere . . . and I know I'm unlikely to change.  I welcome other fans' opinions, but getting angry about my ratings is a waste of everyone's time.

2013 TTB Ratings coming soon!

I've been receiving a lot of questions about the TTB Ratings for the class of 2013.  They should be posted either Thursday or Friday, depending on how much time I have this afternoon.  It's been a busy week and I haven't had much time to write lately.  I'm glad people are excited to see them, so I'll get them up as soon as they're completed.

TTB Ratings: Reason Behind the Ratings

Farmington Hills (MI) Harrison DE Mario Ojemudia made a significant
jump in the new TTB ratings

Yesterday I posted the new TTB Ratings for Michigan's class of 2012 (which I reserve the right to change until after Michigan's recruiting class is completed), and obviously, there were some significant changes for a few players.  A couple kids have moved up or down a few points, but today I'll try to explain the reasons behind the biggest movers.

Ondre Pipkins - NT - Kansas City (MO) Park Hill
Pipkins moved up from an 82 to a 90.  I was impressed with Pipkins' performance in the Army All-American Bowl.  He looked to me to be a little bit out of shape, but I guess 330-pound defensive tackles rarely look like they're in shape.  However, when he had the gas to go 100%, he was a terror.  He also showed good athleticism in chasing down quarterback Chad Voytik and wide receiver Stefon Diggs, causing a fumble against the latter.  Pipkins dominated the high school competition in Kansas City, but doing it against elite competition suggests that he'll be able to have success in the Big Ten, too.

Joe Bolden - MIKE - Cincinnati (OH) Colerain
Bolden moved up from a 77 to an 88.  I was slightly disappointed that Bolden couldn't bring down a few more ballcarriers in the Under Armour All-American Game, but he was the week's best tackler in practice and he was very good at diagnosing plays.  I've always liked his decisiveness and intelligence, but he showed throughout the season and the all-star game that he has the speed and athleticism to be a very good Big Ten linebacker.  He needs to add weight and he would benefit from a redshirt year so he can improve his upper body strength.

Jehu Chesson - WR - St. Louis (MO) Ladue Horton Watkins
Chesson moved up from a 77 to an 87.  As I consider the future of Michigan's offense under Brady Hoke and Al Borges, I realize the value of a jump-ball guy like Chesson.  He's excellent at high-pointing the ball and catching it with his hands, and that bodes well for his future for Michigan.  He looks like an Adrian Arrington clone, and without another downfield threat on the squad, he could be that guy who can stretch the field as soon as next season.

Mario Ojemudia - WDE - Farmington Hills (MI) Harrison
Ojemudia moved up from a 67 to a 78.  Ojemudia played defensive end/outside linebacker in the Marine game, and his performance wasn't very impressive . . . but since he mostly played defensive tackle in high school, I'm going to give him a little bit of a pass.  One of his strengths is getting off the ball quickly, and without the ball right under his nose, his reaction time was affected negatively.  However, his senior highlight film shows a guy who can use his hands to get off blocks, and he reminds me of the freshman version of Frank Clark.  Those two are very similar players, and Ojemudia looks like he'll be able to fill that weakside end position nicely.

Blake Bars - C - Nashville (TN) Montgomery Bell
Bars dropped from a 71 to a 62.  I wasn't extremely high on Bars to begin with, because he seems a little slow-footed and doesn't seem like a great athlete.  He looks like more of a backup and maybe a late-career starter as a tackle, but now that Caleb Stacey has decommitted in favor of Cincinnati, that might require the 6'5" Bars to play center.  Since he lacks experience at the position and because of his lack of quickness, I think he might struggle inside.

Jeremy Clark - FS - Madisonville (KY) North Hopkins
Clark moved up from a 49 to a 59.  When I first heard about Clark and saw film on him, I thought he might be a big fish in a small pond.  But the more film I saw of him, the more I think he can make an impact at the next level.  He's a lanky kid who gets by on athleticism, so I think college is going to be a bit of a wake-up call for him.  He probably won't be the type who comes in and lights the world on fire.  He'll have to improve his pursuit angles and he'll have to become a more fundamental tackler, but his height (6'4") and flat-out speed should provide a nice athlete on the back end to work with for four or five years down the road.

Kaleb Ringer - WILL - Clayton (OH) Northmont
Ringer dropped from a 64 to a 39.  As you might be able to tell from his original rating of 64, I wasn't too high on Ringer from the start.  However, the more that I have seen and heard of Ringer, the more I'm concerned about him remaining with the program.  I do think he has the physical talent to be a backup, but let's face it - guys from every recruiting class get lost in the shuffle, become career backups, transfer, etc.  My gut feeling on Ringer is that he'll be one of those guys, especially with all the other talent at linebacker in the 2012 class.

TTB Ratings Update: January 25, 2012

Kyle Kalis is Michigan's top-rated recruit, according to me.

Within the last several months, I instituted a "TTB Rating" system that is somewhat unique to the site but also broader than the recruiting sites' ratings and more specific to Michigan.  

Below you'll find updated ratings for each player.  The ratings with a strikethrough are prior, outdated ratings.

Kyle Kalis - OG - Lakewood (OH) St. Edward's: 95 95
James Ross - WILL - Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary's: 92 94
Ondre Pipkins - NT - Kansas City (MO) Park Hill: 82 90
Joe Bolden - MIKE - Cincinnati (OH) Colerain: 77 88
Jarrod Wilson - FS - Akron (OH) Buchtel: 89 88
Jehu Chesson - WR - St. Louis (MO) Ladue Horton Watkins: 77 87
Erik Magnuson - OT - Carlsbad (CA) La Costa Canyon: 87 87
Tom Strobel - SDE - Mentor (OH) Mentor: 79 85
Royce Jenkins-Stone - MIKE - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: 86 84
Terry Richardson - CB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech: (85) 80
Mario Ojemudia - WDE - Farmington Hills (MI) Harrison: 67 78
Amara Darboh - WR - West Des Moines (IA) Dowling Catholic: 80 77
Devin Funchess - TE - Farmington Hills (MI) Harrison: 75 75
Chris Wormley - SDE - Toledo (OH) Whitmer: 73 73
Ben Braden - OT - Rockford (MI) Rockford: 65 71
Matt Godin - SDE - Novi (MI) Catholic Central: 65 70
A.J. Williams - TE - Cincinnati (OH) Sycamore: Inc. 69
Sione Houma - FB - Salt Lake City (UT) Highland: 69 66
Drake Johnson - RB - Ann Arbor (MI) Pioneer: 73 65
Allen Gant - SS - Sylvania (OH) Southview: 59 63
Blake Bars - C - Nashville (TN) Montgomery Bell: 71 62
Jeremy Clark - FS - Madisonville (KY) North Hopkins: 49 59
Kaleb Ringer - WILL - Clayton (OH) Northmont: 64 39