We’ll start this segment with basketball, since we promised big news (and said we expected it to come this week) …
This is recruiting news, and we expect it to be made public Sunday, now — that’s the current plan. It’s a matter of ‘when,’ not ‘if,’ and it will all make sense once it comes out.
This is a sensitive one, and has been treated as such. Regardless, it’s more good news for a program that continues to ascend.
At present, the Wolverines have room for one player in the 2018 class (if they choose to go that route with a transfer … currently, there are very limited options, and we don’t expect it). But there’s only one currently available between the 2018 and 2019 classes.
2018-19
1: Charles Matthews, 6-6 Jr.* SF
2: Jon Teske, 6-11 Jr. C
3: Xavier Simpson, 5-11 Jr. PG
4: Austin Davis, 6-10 So.* C
5: Jordan Poole, 6-3 So. SG
6: Eli Brooks, 6-1 So. PG/SG
7: Isaiah Livers, 6-8 So. PF
8: David DeJulius, 6-0 Fr. PG
9: Brandon Johns, 6-8 Fr. PF
10: Ignas Brazdeikis, 6-7 Fr. SF
11: Colin Castleton, 6-11 Fr. C
12: Adrien Nunez, 6-5 Fr. SG
13: Open
2019-20
1: Charles Matthews, 6-6 5th-Sr. SF
2: Jon Teske, 6-11 Sr. C
3: Xavier Simpson, 5-11 Sr. PG
4: Austin Davis, 6-10 Jr.* C
5: Jordan Poole, 6-3 Jr. SG
6: Eli Brooks, 6-1 Jr. PG/SG
7: Isaiah Livers, 6-8 Jr. PF
8: David DeJulius, 6-0 So. PG
9: Brandon Johns, 6-8 So. PF
10: Ignas Brazdeikis, 6-7 Fr. SF
11: Colin Castleton, 6-11 Fr. C
12: Adrien Nunez, 6-5 Fr. SG
13: Open
We expect Charles Matthews to return for his redshirt junior year, and we get the sense that it would be a surprise to those close to the program if he didn’t. He had to postpone some workouts for NBA teams due to a minor injury, which might have pushed his decision date back a bit, but we think he will be back in maize and blue for one more year.
So does our NBA front office executive source, who asked to remain anonymous. He was shocked that there was any possibility of Matthews leaving college for the NBA. He said he hasn’t heard anything about him throughout the pre-draft process and figured there’d be more noise for someone as athletic as him.
He reiterated that he believes returning to Michigan is the best move for Matthews. So far, Matthews has worked out for the Denver Nuggets.
We also strongly believe this would be his last season with the program, however, meaning the Wolverines would have two spots open. Here’s the rub, though … head coach John Beilein won’t oversign by more than one, most likely, and the recruits that have been offered are well aware. Those who have been offered include Bettendorf (Iowa) four-star (possibly future five-star, Rivals.com No. 30 overall) point guard D.J. Carton, Glens Falls (N.Y.) standout shooting guard Joe Girard (No. 79), Texas forward Jalen Wilson (No. 39), future five star Keion Brooks of Fort Wayne (Ind.) and Detroit Old Redford four-star combo guard Mark “Rocket” Watts.
One to keep an eye on, and a kid that’s played it really close to the vest — Cole Anthony, Rivals.com’s No. 4 junior nationally. Anthony, some of long time NBA player and current CBS analyst Greg Anthony, is obviously elite, and the bluebloods are after him.
Some close to it, however, believe Michigan has a real shot here. Beilein and his staff have been watching the kid closely this spring, as has everyone else, and he just might be that recruitable five-star who happens to be a great fit at U-M.
The Wolverines are in very good shape for a number of 2019s, and we expect two in the fold by the end of summer. Ultimately, this could very well be a three-man class. As we’ve said many, many times and has been proven, there’s almost always attrition.
Continuing with hoops recruiting …
Michigan did not heavily pursue Romeo Weems, who pledged to DePaul, even though the Wolverines did offer early. They had others they were more interested in, No. 1, and Weems did not fit the profile of someone who was ‘busting down the door to get to Michigan,’ which is what Beilein is looking for.
U-M wasn’t going to land five-star Tyrese Maxey, either, though the Kentucky-bound prospect did do his part to call the coaches on his list. Those close to it said Maxey was extremely impressed with Beilein’s message to him — to honor the commitment and ‘tear it up at Kentucky,’ and that he’d be watching him.
Not all coaches are that way, of course, and there are times it comes back to bite them. It’s a small inner circle of AAU coaches, families etc. among the elite of college basketball recruiting, and there’s been one guy in particular who has rubbed a few kids and their people the wrong way. It’s paying off for other schools in the Midwest.
Finally, former Michigan big man Moe Wagner is rocketing up the draft boards. Our same source (NBA executive) says Wagner has worked on his body over the last month or two and lost five percent of his body fat. He’s now is the mid-single digits for body fat and has added muscle.
“He looks shredded. Super athletic,” the executive said.
He added that Wagner had a great workout with the Washington Wizards, who pick 15th in the first round. They would love to take Wagner in that spot, but at this point are unsure if he will be available. The belief is that he could end up a late lottery pick, but going 15th to the Wizards would be a nice landing spot.
Wagner has also worked out for the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets. The Bulls pick 7th and 22nd in the first round, while the Nets pick 29th.
One other Big Ten player our exec says is moving quickly up the board is Maryland’s Kevin Huerter. The Terrapins would hate to lose him, and he loves the school … however, he now has something to think about.
****
There’s not much to report on the football front at this point. The team is off until the end of the month, at which point they’ll come back to school for summer workouts (though several are already here).
There will be a few more transfers, but we won’t go into detail. Some might surprise you, others wont. There’s a lot of competition right now, and some guys are starting to see the writing on the wall.
On the recruiting front, one of the most talked-about lineman in Michigan’s 2019 class has been Paw Paw (Mich.) High offensive tackle Karsen Barnhart. Rivals currently rates him as just a three-star, but at 6-5, 285, many feel he is a bit of a hidden gem in the ’19 class.
One high school coach who has become quite familiar with the lineman has been Edwardsburg’s Kevin Bartz, whose Eddies squads have faced Paw Paw and Barnhart the past two years. Bartz explained that one aspect stands out above all the others when he watches Barnhart play.
“His size,” Bartz said. “When you watch him on film, he’s the guy they really try to run behind. They actually moved him to an offensive end this year, and since they run a T-style type of offense, he was basically playing a glorified tackle position — just a little wider out.
“He just caves down defensive linemen when you watch him, kind of like a bulldozer. We knew we had to have good-sized bodies on his side of the field, otherwise we would’ve gotten pummeled.”
Bartz’s Edwardsburg squad has been the school doing the pummeling, though, beating Paw Paw 52-0 last year and 30-3 in 2016.
Despite the blowouts each year, Bartz said he has really seen Barnhart grow from his sophomore to junior year.
“I definitely noticed a difference in his level of play, in that he played lower,” Bartz explained. “As a sophomore, he played upright a lot and exposed his chest, leaving a target for smaller guys to get underneath him. This past year, though, he played more at a pad level and stayed lower, which made it difficult for guys to match up with him.
“His physicality is his biggest strength out there. We have a unique situation, because two of his cousins actually play for me at Edwardsburg. In fact, one of them — Chris Griffin — was an all-state lineman and linebacker, so it’s pretty cool seeing those two go up against each other the last few years.”
When asked if Barnhart was the best offensive lineman Bartz and his squad saw in 2017, he actually had a pretty interesting answer.
“Well, we went all the way to the state finals last year, and the kid going to Michigan from Grand Rapids Catholic Central [four-star offensive tackle Jalen Mayfield] is the best lineman I’ve seen in my 20-plus years of coaching — he’s that good,” Bartz noted. “We also saw a few D-1 linemen from River Rouge and Lansing Sexton, but Barnhart was definitely one of the top lineman in our league.”
With that being said, Bartz did note a few areas he felt Barnhart could improve his game.
“He needs to get better conditioned,” the Edwardsburg head coach said. “They have him playing both sides of the ball at Paw Paw, so the more he’s on the field, the better off they are. They had him playing defensive tackle too, but I think he’ll be an offensive lineman in college.
“Conditioning would be the one area I would say he needs to improve on, just so he can stay on the field for longer periods at a time.
“I think he could play either guard or tackle in college. He’s already a big kid who will put on more size, so it just depends on how well he maintains his foot quickness once they start putting mass on him.
“He already has really good foot quickness, and I know that’s something D-1 schools look for, so I think that’s what will allow him to succeed at the next level.”
More football recruiting …
Greenwood (S.C.) Emerald three-star tight end Luke Deal is one of Michigan’s top targets at the position and the Wolverine staff got the last crack at the 6-5, 235-pounder. Tight ends coach Sherrone Moore was at Deal’s school yesterday and certainly made it known that Deal is a wanted man in Ann Arbor.
Someone very close to it spoke about U-M’s chances with the No. 24 tight end in the country.
“Sherrone is good at what he does, and he’s going in there with the intention of landing Deal,” our source said. “They feel pretty good, but a couple of other programs have a good chance with him too. Clemson is out. It’s either going to be Michigan, Notre Dame or Auburn.”
No one seems to know exactly who Deal is picking, but all three schools seem to have a legitimate shot. Auburn might be pacing the group, but Moore did get a chance to convince him that Ann Arbor is the spot for him.
Michigan commit Cade McNamara has also been working on Deal, and the two did bond well during their recent visit to Ann Arbor a little while back.
If Deal does end up in Auburn or South Bend, the Michigan staff will hit the ground running in its pursuit of other targets. One prospect who’s been extremely hot as of late is Fairfield (Ohio) High three-star Erick All. The 6-4, 215-pounder is listed as a wide receiver by Rivals.com, but Moore and Michigan like him at tight end.
Michigan is trying to make him feel wanted, but so are many other programs in the same time frame. Notre Dame, Florida State, Wisconsin, Duke and Minnesota, along with Michigan, have offered the Ohio product within the last month. Ohio State has not thrown its hat into the ring yet, but could and would obviously become a major player.
Michigan is still looking for a potential second quarterback in the 2019 class. McNamara is solidly in the fold but there aren’t any other realistic options with an offer at this time. Calera (Ala.) High three-star pro-style quarterback Cornelious Brown IV is starting to look like a potential future offer holder. The 6-5, 180-pounder is gearing up to see Jim Harbaugh soon and is excited about the opportunity.
“I’m throwing for Coach Harbaugh on June 1,” Brown said. “Coach Pep [Hamilton] likes me a whole lot and wants to offer me but Harbaugh wants to see me throw live before making it official.”
Michigan would immediately become Brown’s biggest offer on paper and would also jump to the top of his his leader board. Someone very close to Brown feels good about U-M’s chances should they extend the offer.
“If he gets offered they go straight to the top of the list,” our source said. “It would be an LSU vs. Duke vs. Michigan race and if I had to guess, he ends up in Ann Arbor.”
Landing a second quarterback isn’t necessarily a necessity but it’s clear that Harbaugh and Co. would like to have two signal callers in the group. McNamara is going to be billed as the headliner, but finding someone to push him is important to the staff.
This is recruiting news, and we expect it to be made public Sunday, now — that’s the current plan. It’s a matter of ‘when,’ not ‘if,’ and it will all make sense once it comes out.
This is a sensitive one, and has been treated as such. Regardless, it’s more good news for a program that continues to ascend.
At present, the Wolverines have room for one player in the 2018 class (if they choose to go that route with a transfer … currently, there are very limited options, and we don’t expect it). But there’s only one currently available between the 2018 and 2019 classes.
2018-19
1: Charles Matthews, 6-6 Jr.* SF
2: Jon Teske, 6-11 Jr. C
3: Xavier Simpson, 5-11 Jr. PG
4: Austin Davis, 6-10 So.* C
5: Jordan Poole, 6-3 So. SG
6: Eli Brooks, 6-1 So. PG/SG
7: Isaiah Livers, 6-8 So. PF
8: David DeJulius, 6-0 Fr. PG
9: Brandon Johns, 6-8 Fr. PF
10: Ignas Brazdeikis, 6-7 Fr. SF
11: Colin Castleton, 6-11 Fr. C
12: Adrien Nunez, 6-5 Fr. SG
13: Open
2019-20
1: Charles Matthews, 6-6 5th-Sr. SF
2: Jon Teske, 6-11 Sr. C
3: Xavier Simpson, 5-11 Sr. PG
4: Austin Davis, 6-10 Jr.* C
5: Jordan Poole, 6-3 Jr. SG
6: Eli Brooks, 6-1 Jr. PG/SG
7: Isaiah Livers, 6-8 Jr. PF
8: David DeJulius, 6-0 So. PG
9: Brandon Johns, 6-8 So. PF
10: Ignas Brazdeikis, 6-7 Fr. SF
11: Colin Castleton, 6-11 Fr. C
12: Adrien Nunez, 6-5 Fr. SG
13: Open
We expect Charles Matthews to return for his redshirt junior year, and we get the sense that it would be a surprise to those close to the program if he didn’t. He had to postpone some workouts for NBA teams due to a minor injury, which might have pushed his decision date back a bit, but we think he will be back in maize and blue for one more year.
So does our NBA front office executive source, who asked to remain anonymous. He was shocked that there was any possibility of Matthews leaving college for the NBA. He said he hasn’t heard anything about him throughout the pre-draft process and figured there’d be more noise for someone as athletic as him.
He reiterated that he believes returning to Michigan is the best move for Matthews. So far, Matthews has worked out for the Denver Nuggets.
We also strongly believe this would be his last season with the program, however, meaning the Wolverines would have two spots open. Here’s the rub, though … head coach John Beilein won’t oversign by more than one, most likely, and the recruits that have been offered are well aware. Those who have been offered include Bettendorf (Iowa) four-star (possibly future five-star, Rivals.com No. 30 overall) point guard D.J. Carton, Glens Falls (N.Y.) standout shooting guard Joe Girard (No. 79), Texas forward Jalen Wilson (No. 39), future five star Keion Brooks of Fort Wayne (Ind.) and Detroit Old Redford four-star combo guard Mark “Rocket” Watts.
One to keep an eye on, and a kid that’s played it really close to the vest — Cole Anthony, Rivals.com’s No. 4 junior nationally. Anthony, some of long time NBA player and current CBS analyst Greg Anthony, is obviously elite, and the bluebloods are after him.
Some close to it, however, believe Michigan has a real shot here. Beilein and his staff have been watching the kid closely this spring, as has everyone else, and he just might be that recruitable five-star who happens to be a great fit at U-M.
The Wolverines are in very good shape for a number of 2019s, and we expect two in the fold by the end of summer. Ultimately, this could very well be a three-man class. As we’ve said many, many times and has been proven, there’s almost always attrition.
Continuing with hoops recruiting …
Michigan did not heavily pursue Romeo Weems, who pledged to DePaul, even though the Wolverines did offer early. They had others they were more interested in, No. 1, and Weems did not fit the profile of someone who was ‘busting down the door to get to Michigan,’ which is what Beilein is looking for.
U-M wasn’t going to land five-star Tyrese Maxey, either, though the Kentucky-bound prospect did do his part to call the coaches on his list. Those close to it said Maxey was extremely impressed with Beilein’s message to him — to honor the commitment and ‘tear it up at Kentucky,’ and that he’d be watching him.
Not all coaches are that way, of course, and there are times it comes back to bite them. It’s a small inner circle of AAU coaches, families etc. among the elite of college basketball recruiting, and there’s been one guy in particular who has rubbed a few kids and their people the wrong way. It’s paying off for other schools in the Midwest.
Finally, former Michigan big man Moe Wagner is rocketing up the draft boards. Our same source (NBA executive) says Wagner has worked on his body over the last month or two and lost five percent of his body fat. He’s now is the mid-single digits for body fat and has added muscle.
“He looks shredded. Super athletic,” the executive said.
He added that Wagner had a great workout with the Washington Wizards, who pick 15th in the first round. They would love to take Wagner in that spot, but at this point are unsure if he will be available. The belief is that he could end up a late lottery pick, but going 15th to the Wizards would be a nice landing spot.
Wagner has also worked out for the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets. The Bulls pick 7th and 22nd in the first round, while the Nets pick 29th.
One other Big Ten player our exec says is moving quickly up the board is Maryland’s Kevin Huerter. The Terrapins would hate to lose him, and he loves the school … however, he now has something to think about.
****
There’s not much to report on the football front at this point. The team is off until the end of the month, at which point they’ll come back to school for summer workouts (though several are already here).
There will be a few more transfers, but we won’t go into detail. Some might surprise you, others wont. There’s a lot of competition right now, and some guys are starting to see the writing on the wall.
On the recruiting front, one of the most talked-about lineman in Michigan’s 2019 class has been Paw Paw (Mich.) High offensive tackle Karsen Barnhart. Rivals currently rates him as just a three-star, but at 6-5, 285, many feel he is a bit of a hidden gem in the ’19 class.
One high school coach who has become quite familiar with the lineman has been Edwardsburg’s Kevin Bartz, whose Eddies squads have faced Paw Paw and Barnhart the past two years. Bartz explained that one aspect stands out above all the others when he watches Barnhart play.
“His size,” Bartz said. “When you watch him on film, he’s the guy they really try to run behind. They actually moved him to an offensive end this year, and since they run a T-style type of offense, he was basically playing a glorified tackle position — just a little wider out.
“He just caves down defensive linemen when you watch him, kind of like a bulldozer. We knew we had to have good-sized bodies on his side of the field, otherwise we would’ve gotten pummeled.”
Bartz’s Edwardsburg squad has been the school doing the pummeling, though, beating Paw Paw 52-0 last year and 30-3 in 2016.
Despite the blowouts each year, Bartz said he has really seen Barnhart grow from his sophomore to junior year.
“I definitely noticed a difference in his level of play, in that he played lower,” Bartz explained. “As a sophomore, he played upright a lot and exposed his chest, leaving a target for smaller guys to get underneath him. This past year, though, he played more at a pad level and stayed lower, which made it difficult for guys to match up with him.
“His physicality is his biggest strength out there. We have a unique situation, because two of his cousins actually play for me at Edwardsburg. In fact, one of them — Chris Griffin — was an all-state lineman and linebacker, so it’s pretty cool seeing those two go up against each other the last few years.”
When asked if Barnhart was the best offensive lineman Bartz and his squad saw in 2017, he actually had a pretty interesting answer.
“Well, we went all the way to the state finals last year, and the kid going to Michigan from Grand Rapids Catholic Central [four-star offensive tackle Jalen Mayfield] is the best lineman I’ve seen in my 20-plus years of coaching — he’s that good,” Bartz noted. “We also saw a few D-1 linemen from River Rouge and Lansing Sexton, but Barnhart was definitely one of the top lineman in our league.”
With that being said, Bartz did note a few areas he felt Barnhart could improve his game.
“He needs to get better conditioned,” the Edwardsburg head coach said. “They have him playing both sides of the ball at Paw Paw, so the more he’s on the field, the better off they are. They had him playing defensive tackle too, but I think he’ll be an offensive lineman in college.
“Conditioning would be the one area I would say he needs to improve on, just so he can stay on the field for longer periods at a time.
“I think he could play either guard or tackle in college. He’s already a big kid who will put on more size, so it just depends on how well he maintains his foot quickness once they start putting mass on him.
“He already has really good foot quickness, and I know that’s something D-1 schools look for, so I think that’s what will allow him to succeed at the next level.”
More football recruiting …
Greenwood (S.C.) Emerald three-star tight end Luke Deal is one of Michigan’s top targets at the position and the Wolverine staff got the last crack at the 6-5, 235-pounder. Tight ends coach Sherrone Moore was at Deal’s school yesterday and certainly made it known that Deal is a wanted man in Ann Arbor.
Someone very close to it spoke about U-M’s chances with the No. 24 tight end in the country.
“Sherrone is good at what he does, and he’s going in there with the intention of landing Deal,” our source said. “They feel pretty good, but a couple of other programs have a good chance with him too. Clemson is out. It’s either going to be Michigan, Notre Dame or Auburn.”
No one seems to know exactly who Deal is picking, but all three schools seem to have a legitimate shot. Auburn might be pacing the group, but Moore did get a chance to convince him that Ann Arbor is the spot for him.
Michigan commit Cade McNamara has also been working on Deal, and the two did bond well during their recent visit to Ann Arbor a little while back.
If Deal does end up in Auburn or South Bend, the Michigan staff will hit the ground running in its pursuit of other targets. One prospect who’s been extremely hot as of late is Fairfield (Ohio) High three-star Erick All. The 6-4, 215-pounder is listed as a wide receiver by Rivals.com, but Moore and Michigan like him at tight end.
Michigan is trying to make him feel wanted, but so are many other programs in the same time frame. Notre Dame, Florida State, Wisconsin, Duke and Minnesota, along with Michigan, have offered the Ohio product within the last month. Ohio State has not thrown its hat into the ring yet, but could and would obviously become a major player.
Michigan is still looking for a potential second quarterback in the 2019 class. McNamara is solidly in the fold but there aren’t any other realistic options with an offer at this time. Calera (Ala.) High three-star pro-style quarterback Cornelious Brown IV is starting to look like a potential future offer holder. The 6-5, 180-pounder is gearing up to see Jim Harbaugh soon and is excited about the opportunity.
“I’m throwing for Coach Harbaugh on June 1,” Brown said. “Coach Pep [Hamilton] likes me a whole lot and wants to offer me but Harbaugh wants to see me throw live before making it official.”
Michigan would immediately become Brown’s biggest offer on paper and would also jump to the top of his his leader board. Someone very close to Brown feels good about U-M’s chances should they extend the offer.
“If he gets offered they go straight to the top of the list,” our source said. “It would be an LSU vs. Duke vs. Michigan race and if I had to guess, he ends up in Ann Arbor.”
Landing a second quarterback isn’t necessarily a necessity but it’s clear that Harbaugh and Co. would like to have two signal callers in the group. McNamara is going to be billed as the headliner, but finding someone to push him is important to the staff.
Last edited:
