After spending the entire day talking to as many people as I could about the BBQ, I can say that things couldn't have gone much better. I talked with several sources and, of course, got feedback from the recruits themselves to compile the information below.
Scoop From The BBQ
Sandy Hook (Conn.) Newtown three-star inside linebacker commit Ben Mason is very, very stout. He looks every bit of the 6-4, 242 pounds he told me he was in mid July. He’s unranked by Rivals.com but based on his build he’s going to fit the middle of the defense perfectly. His size, bulk, and assumed strength that comes with them gives him an ideal build for taking on lead blockers and blowing up pulling linemen.
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s outside linebacker Joshua Ross and Saint Joseph strongside defensive end Corey Malone-Hatcher are perfect ambassadors as in-state prospects in Michigan’s 2017 class. Both young men are intelligent, mature, and confident in their abilities and personalities off the field. As four-star prospects, they can really bring it on the field though too. Those qualities make them very solid recruiters and that was certainly the case today. One of Jim Harbaugh’s messages to the committed prospects was to get to know uncommitted guys and make them feel at home. Ross and Malone-Hatcher did a great job doing that.
There were a lot of big-time prospects in the house for the BBQ and the overall feeling is that a lot of headway was made with them. Antioch (Calif.) High School running back Najee Harris, Brooklyn (N.Y.) Poly Prep offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson, Pinson (Ala.) Clay wide receiver Nico Collins, Detroit Cass Tech wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Calabasas (Calif.) High School cornerback Darnay Holmes all brought five stars with them to Ann Arbor. It was clear on Twitter during the scavenger hunt that Holmes and Wilson enjoyed themselves. Collins has been to Michigan so many times that he almost seems like a commit already. Peoples-Jones and Harris have similar approaches to the recruiting process in that they don’t get overly caught up in the moment. Harris is currently committed to Alabama but both are highly coveted and very good at keeping things close to the vest.
Harbaugh spent at least 30 minutes with Peoples-Jones in a one-on-one chat and Harris received a lot of attention throughout the day as well.
At one point, after the scavenger hunt and before the actual BBQ, Harris and his mother rolled up to the stadium with Jim Harbaugh at the wheel of the golf cart. This is big for several reasons:
1.) Harris’ mother doesn’t travel hardly at all. The fact that she accompanied her son to Ann Arbor from California speaks to how legitimately interested they are in U-M.
2.) Harbaugh was actively spending time with Harris and his mother making them both feel like a priority throughout the day.
3.) Because of the attention paid, it’s believed that Harris will definitely return to Ann Arbor for an official visit.
He has been described as “a giant running back that can move and run in an incredible way. He’s a Fournette-type of kid,” by someone close to the program. It’s believed that Harris will ultimately stay at Alabama, or flip to USC, UCLA, or Michigan. California is a dark horse as well should Harris choose to stay closer to home.
It’s worth noting that Harris has a phenomenal relationship with NorCal recruiter Jay Harbaugh. The two of them get along extremely well and that is boding well for U-M’s chances.
Michigan may have a puncher’s chance with Harris but it seems to be much more than that with Toledo (Ohio) Central Catholic four-star strongside defensive end James Hudson. The 6-5, 271-pounder certainly looks the part and made his second visit to Michigan in two months this afternoon. The No. 8 strongside defensive end and No. 229 overall player in the nation spent a lot of time walking and talking with Michigan super freshman Rashan Gary. At one point, Hudson also spent a considerable amount of time with Harbaugh discussing what could end up being a commitment to Michigan. While finishing up the visit, Hudson tweeted out that he would be making his announcement on Monday. It certainly seems like Michigan could be the move given that he was just on campus but people around Michigan State’s program seem to be confident as well. Hudson wanted to return home and make his announcement with his family and friends present. The U-M staff feels good but, as always, this is recruiting.
As was noticed with Hudson, Rashan Gary is a phenomenal recruiter. He was spending time with as many visitors as he could and, while the hype around him is attractive by itself, his personality, overall kindness, and desire to be great have prospects looking harder at Michigan just because he’s there. That kid is going to be special on and off the field. Enjoy him while he’s here.
Another person close to Michigan’s program said that Isaiah Wilson is “the biggest human being I’ve ever seen. I’ve been around NFL left tackles and he looks like that already.” The feeling is like we’ve said, it’ll be either Michigan or Alabama for the 6-6, 330-pounder. Being from the north could give U-M the edge in the long run according to our source.
Just two seasons ago Michigan finished 5-7, fired Brady Hoke, and didn’t have much to pitch when it came to recruiting. Alabama on the other hand was reeling in multiple five stars after falling to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff. Now, the Crimson Tide and Wolverines seem to be battling for a lot of the same prospects. A BBQ attendee said it felt like half of the kids there had Michigan and Alabama in their top groups and most of them had the two programs at or near the top. What a difference a Harbaugh can make.
Donovan Peoples-Jones is a tough nut to crack. The 6-1, 188-pounder sounds off on Twitter about his Detroit/Michigan pride, but sometimes seems like he’d like to leave the state and play at a warm-weather school. When interviewed he doesn’t give anything away and in photos from today, he looked less than thrilled. Part of that is just his personality; he’s a pretty reserved kid and just doesn’t get too high or too low. Another part of it is that he’s not in love with what comes along with being a top-flight recruit. At the end of the day, a source tells us it feels like 60-40 in favor of Michigan. The medical avenue that U-M can provide and closeness to his mother and father make Michigan the best choice for DPJ.
Many Michigan fans will look at the BBQ and feel a little disappointed because there were no commitments. When the visitor list is made up mostly of four and five-star prospects, that can happen. A lot of the guys in attendance today would be considered National Signing Day-decision (or close to it) type of recruits. It’s not a bad problem to have and there is absolutely nothing to worry about.
Michigan has four commitments in the 2018 class but none of them made it to the BBQ. Leesburg (Ga.) Lee county three-star safety Otis Reese and Stone Mountain (Ga.) Stephenson four-star offensive guard Jalil Irvin never intended to come but Springfield (Ohio) High School four-star tight end Leonard Taylor and Dayton (Ohio) Dunbar inside linebacker Antwuan Johnson both planned to make it to Ann Arbor. They both had football activities get in the way.
That was also the case with Sacramento (Calif.) Inderkum four-star 2017 tight end Josh Falo, Bullard (Texas) High School four-star 2017 tight end Major Tennison, and Glasgow (Ky.) High School two-star 2017 outside linebacker Steven Franklin. These things happen when kids are traveling on their own dime for unofficial visits. Expect Falo, Tennison, and Franklin to all check out Ann Arbor this fall in an official capacity while the 2018 commits have plenty of time to get to campus.
Michigan is in on some fantastic wide receiver talent and the staff is prepared to take four pass catchers if it plays out that way. Peoples-Jones and Collins are no-brainers. Cheshire (Conn.) Cheshire Academy four-star Tarik Black and Iowa City (Iowa) West three-star Oliver Martin would both also be takes. Martin seemed close to popping today but he held off. After a stellar week in Oregon for Nike’s The Opening for Martin, Highlands Ranch (Colo.) Valor Christian four-star quarterback Dylan McCaffrey personally told the staff to check him out. They did, liked what they saw, and offered him. He now looks like he may be a Michigan lean. McCaffrey, Martin, and Collins were all a part of Team Hypercool in Oregon.
One of the first prospects to arrive at the cookout this morning was Sammamish (Wash.) Skyline four-star offensive tackle Henry Bainvalu. Apparently, his eagerness was a sign of his interest. The 6-4, 277-pounder thoroughly enjoyed his time in Ann Arbor today and was also considering a commitment. The No. 29 offensive tackle in the country held off but will likely return in the fall for an official visit. He gets along extremely well with Jay Harbaugh and has also bonded well with fellow Polynesian, director of player personnel Tony Tuioti. Things are trending well with Bainvalu.
Finally, things are trending down with New Market (Ala.) Buckhorn four-star inside linebacker Will Ignont and Gadsden (Ala.) Gadsden City three-star offensive tackle Toryque Bateman. Their visits today were fine but there are some outside circumstances that have pushed them down the board significantly.
Scoop From The BBQ
Sandy Hook (Conn.) Newtown three-star inside linebacker commit Ben Mason is very, very stout. He looks every bit of the 6-4, 242 pounds he told me he was in mid July. He’s unranked by Rivals.com but based on his build he’s going to fit the middle of the defense perfectly. His size, bulk, and assumed strength that comes with them gives him an ideal build for taking on lead blockers and blowing up pulling linemen.
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s outside linebacker Joshua Ross and Saint Joseph strongside defensive end Corey Malone-Hatcher are perfect ambassadors as in-state prospects in Michigan’s 2017 class. Both young men are intelligent, mature, and confident in their abilities and personalities off the field. As four-star prospects, they can really bring it on the field though too. Those qualities make them very solid recruiters and that was certainly the case today. One of Jim Harbaugh’s messages to the committed prospects was to get to know uncommitted guys and make them feel at home. Ross and Malone-Hatcher did a great job doing that.
There were a lot of big-time prospects in the house for the BBQ and the overall feeling is that a lot of headway was made with them. Antioch (Calif.) High School running back Najee Harris, Brooklyn (N.Y.) Poly Prep offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson, Pinson (Ala.) Clay wide receiver Nico Collins, Detroit Cass Tech wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Calabasas (Calif.) High School cornerback Darnay Holmes all brought five stars with them to Ann Arbor. It was clear on Twitter during the scavenger hunt that Holmes and Wilson enjoyed themselves. Collins has been to Michigan so many times that he almost seems like a commit already. Peoples-Jones and Harris have similar approaches to the recruiting process in that they don’t get overly caught up in the moment. Harris is currently committed to Alabama but both are highly coveted and very good at keeping things close to the vest.
Harbaugh spent at least 30 minutes with Peoples-Jones in a one-on-one chat and Harris received a lot of attention throughout the day as well.
At one point, after the scavenger hunt and before the actual BBQ, Harris and his mother rolled up to the stadium with Jim Harbaugh at the wheel of the golf cart. This is big for several reasons:
1.) Harris’ mother doesn’t travel hardly at all. The fact that she accompanied her son to Ann Arbor from California speaks to how legitimately interested they are in U-M.
2.) Harbaugh was actively spending time with Harris and his mother making them both feel like a priority throughout the day.
3.) Because of the attention paid, it’s believed that Harris will definitely return to Ann Arbor for an official visit.
He has been described as “a giant running back that can move and run in an incredible way. He’s a Fournette-type of kid,” by someone close to the program. It’s believed that Harris will ultimately stay at Alabama, or flip to USC, UCLA, or Michigan. California is a dark horse as well should Harris choose to stay closer to home.
It’s worth noting that Harris has a phenomenal relationship with NorCal recruiter Jay Harbaugh. The two of them get along extremely well and that is boding well for U-M’s chances.
Michigan may have a puncher’s chance with Harris but it seems to be much more than that with Toledo (Ohio) Central Catholic four-star strongside defensive end James Hudson. The 6-5, 271-pounder certainly looks the part and made his second visit to Michigan in two months this afternoon. The No. 8 strongside defensive end and No. 229 overall player in the nation spent a lot of time walking and talking with Michigan super freshman Rashan Gary. At one point, Hudson also spent a considerable amount of time with Harbaugh discussing what could end up being a commitment to Michigan. While finishing up the visit, Hudson tweeted out that he would be making his announcement on Monday. It certainly seems like Michigan could be the move given that he was just on campus but people around Michigan State’s program seem to be confident as well. Hudson wanted to return home and make his announcement with his family and friends present. The U-M staff feels good but, as always, this is recruiting.
As was noticed with Hudson, Rashan Gary is a phenomenal recruiter. He was spending time with as many visitors as he could and, while the hype around him is attractive by itself, his personality, overall kindness, and desire to be great have prospects looking harder at Michigan just because he’s there. That kid is going to be special on and off the field. Enjoy him while he’s here.
Another person close to Michigan’s program said that Isaiah Wilson is “the biggest human being I’ve ever seen. I’ve been around NFL left tackles and he looks like that already.” The feeling is like we’ve said, it’ll be either Michigan or Alabama for the 6-6, 330-pounder. Being from the north could give U-M the edge in the long run according to our source.
Just two seasons ago Michigan finished 5-7, fired Brady Hoke, and didn’t have much to pitch when it came to recruiting. Alabama on the other hand was reeling in multiple five stars after falling to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff. Now, the Crimson Tide and Wolverines seem to be battling for a lot of the same prospects. A BBQ attendee said it felt like half of the kids there had Michigan and Alabama in their top groups and most of them had the two programs at or near the top. What a difference a Harbaugh can make.
Donovan Peoples-Jones is a tough nut to crack. The 6-1, 188-pounder sounds off on Twitter about his Detroit/Michigan pride, but sometimes seems like he’d like to leave the state and play at a warm-weather school. When interviewed he doesn’t give anything away and in photos from today, he looked less than thrilled. Part of that is just his personality; he’s a pretty reserved kid and just doesn’t get too high or too low. Another part of it is that he’s not in love with what comes along with being a top-flight recruit. At the end of the day, a source tells us it feels like 60-40 in favor of Michigan. The medical avenue that U-M can provide and closeness to his mother and father make Michigan the best choice for DPJ.
Many Michigan fans will look at the BBQ and feel a little disappointed because there were no commitments. When the visitor list is made up mostly of four and five-star prospects, that can happen. A lot of the guys in attendance today would be considered National Signing Day-decision (or close to it) type of recruits. It’s not a bad problem to have and there is absolutely nothing to worry about.
Michigan has four commitments in the 2018 class but none of them made it to the BBQ. Leesburg (Ga.) Lee county three-star safety Otis Reese and Stone Mountain (Ga.) Stephenson four-star offensive guard Jalil Irvin never intended to come but Springfield (Ohio) High School four-star tight end Leonard Taylor and Dayton (Ohio) Dunbar inside linebacker Antwuan Johnson both planned to make it to Ann Arbor. They both had football activities get in the way.
That was also the case with Sacramento (Calif.) Inderkum four-star 2017 tight end Josh Falo, Bullard (Texas) High School four-star 2017 tight end Major Tennison, and Glasgow (Ky.) High School two-star 2017 outside linebacker Steven Franklin. These things happen when kids are traveling on their own dime for unofficial visits. Expect Falo, Tennison, and Franklin to all check out Ann Arbor this fall in an official capacity while the 2018 commits have plenty of time to get to campus.
Michigan is in on some fantastic wide receiver talent and the staff is prepared to take four pass catchers if it plays out that way. Peoples-Jones and Collins are no-brainers. Cheshire (Conn.) Cheshire Academy four-star Tarik Black and Iowa City (Iowa) West three-star Oliver Martin would both also be takes. Martin seemed close to popping today but he held off. After a stellar week in Oregon for Nike’s The Opening for Martin, Highlands Ranch (Colo.) Valor Christian four-star quarterback Dylan McCaffrey personally told the staff to check him out. They did, liked what they saw, and offered him. He now looks like he may be a Michigan lean. McCaffrey, Martin, and Collins were all a part of Team Hypercool in Oregon.
One of the first prospects to arrive at the cookout this morning was Sammamish (Wash.) Skyline four-star offensive tackle Henry Bainvalu. Apparently, his eagerness was a sign of his interest. The 6-4, 277-pounder thoroughly enjoyed his time in Ann Arbor today and was also considering a commitment. The No. 29 offensive tackle in the country held off but will likely return in the fall for an official visit. He gets along extremely well with Jay Harbaugh and has also bonded well with fellow Polynesian, director of player personnel Tony Tuioti. Things are trending well with Bainvalu.
Finally, things are trending down with New Market (Ala.) Buckhorn four-star inside linebacker Will Ignont and Gadsden (Ala.) Gadsden City three-star offensive tackle Toryque Bateman. Their visits today were fine but there are some outside circumstances that have pushed them down the board significantly.
