Plenty of action all week here in Orlando (and frankly, I'm ready to go back to "normal busy" after this), so hitting on a few quick-hitters, mostly recruiting related but some not...
Any perception that Rashan Gary won't pick Michigan because they've been the favorite too long is greatly, greatly unfounded. The kid has wanted to take all five official visits, and is doing so. That at least one of those visits is pretty much openly a "see the world and enjoy yourself" affair (to USC) points out that it's likely he just wants to see the world a bit.
"If I knew where I wanted to go, I would have committed by now," is Gary's now-familiar refrain, and while there's a grain of truth to it, it would be at least as accurate for him to say, "the plan all along has been to see the recruiting process through to its conclusion, regardless of when I figure out where I want to go."
He comes from a family (including a Mom putting her career on pause to finish up grad school) for whom making a January unofficial visit to Michigan is a significant investment, and so that trip is a big sign that the final due diligence is in the works (and that's something no other school is getting the opportunity to show off, which should be telling enough). That Devin Bush and Kareem Walker will be a couple weeks into their Michigan careers when he visits is only a boost.
I have another reason to maintain very high confidence that Michigan will be all-but impossible to beat for Gary, but he and I agreed that it won't be shared unless and until his recruitment ends with a Michigan pledge.
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Both Terrance Davis and Jean Delance spurning Michigan today was a blow to the Maize and Blue - Delance more so than Davis - and the next steps of the OL recruiting plan aren't completely settled. Baltimore Gilman three-star Stephen Spanellis and Texas grad-transfer Jake Raulerson both visit in January. My strong preference would be Raulerson, who has already started at the college level, will have graduated from a good academic institution, and has two year to play two (without needing any to get ready).
That combination makes it easier for Michigan to continue recruiting the 2017 offensive line class - and beyond - without tying up five scholarships at the position in the 2016 group. An instant-impact guy who can give you a couple very good years before ceding way to talented players (to whom Michigan is becoming very attractive in the Jim Harbaugh era - more now than before the season, when his success was a mystery) seems like the right move to me.
That said, if all goes well on Spanellis's visit, assuming it still happens, the expectation would be that the 6-6, 290-pounder would flip from his current commitment to Virginia. That could be a boost at the all-powerful Baltimore Gilman (U-M already has linemate Devery Hamilton as well, and of course the son of the current head coach in Henry Poggi), so there are reasons beyond pure talent that Spanellis could be a choice.
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If Michigan was doing a little bit better in Houston (they have three-star defensive tackle Jordan Elliott, but other players from the Space City have spurned the Maize and Blue), I would feel pretty good about their chance to land four-star linebacker Dontavious Jackson. As things stand, his closeness with fellow linebacker Jeffrey McCulloch, for example, is something that likely ties him to the Lone Star State, even as much as he likes Michigan.
His recruitment isn't over - and Michigan will definitely remain a contender as long as it wants - but we'll see if the deal can be sealed, so to speak.
That Michigan has landed Elliott will definitely help with Houston Episcopal defensive tackle Marvin Wilson, who just so happens to be the top overall player in the country for the 2017 class. The "twin towers" sales pitch is one he'll listen to, and while Michigan has plenty of work to do there, having Wilson's ear at all at this point in the process is a good start.
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Speaking of top-ranked 2017 players named Wilson, Brooklyn (N.Y.) Poly Prep five-star Isaiah Wilson seems extremely likely to end up at U-M, possibly as soon as his unofficial visit for the Feb. 6 Michigan State basketball game. If he doesn't pull the trigger then, Michigan should still be able to remain at or near the top of his list nonetheless.
He's close with plenty of the New Jersey crew bound for Michigan (particularly Kareem Walker and - fingers crossed, of course - Rashan Gary), and that should help. The No. 3 overall player and top offensive tackle looks like a monster in person. He carried some bad weight at the New Jersey Rivals Camp Series stop this spring, but trimmed up and couldn't have been much more physically impressive at check-in for the Under Armour Future 50 event this weekend.
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Should Michigan reel in a kid like that, look for it to open the eyes of a kid like Antioch (Calif.) five-star running back Najee Harris. The No. 5 overall player in the nation is like a cross between Derrick Henry and Brian Westbrook (and I'm only kind of exaggerating), and sounds unlikely to end up at Bama, even though he's committed to the Tide right now.
A strong Michigan class early in the process, particularly on the OL, would open some eyes. That his high school coaches want him to see a bit more - and that they like Michigan under Harbaugh as an option for him - only helps the cause.
He'll be pursued by practically every program in the country, so the battle will be stiff, but at this point, would you put anything past Jim Harbaugh and his assistants?
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One more from the Future 50...
I've been pretty open with you (as he has been with me) that Florida and USC have been the favorites for Detroit Cass Tech wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones. Although those around him have given the impression that not only do they want him to land at the local school, they think it's still likely, I've ticketed him to a warm-weather location.
A bit of new information says "not so fast my friend" in its best Lee Corso voice. The 6-1, 188-pounder and No. 20 player in the country still sounds like he may come back around on U-M. Sure, he'll continue seeing a bit of the world before finally ending the recruiting process. However, it's not just a "going that far from Mom" that could limit the Southern or Western schools, and more ties him to the Midwest. We'll give further details if the situation calls for it.
For now, though, We're feeling like U-M - especially with the way the Wolverines' receivers improved this year, and got a ton of the ball late - will see the pendulum swing back in its direction sooner or later.
Any perception that Rashan Gary won't pick Michigan because they've been the favorite too long is greatly, greatly unfounded. The kid has wanted to take all five official visits, and is doing so. That at least one of those visits is pretty much openly a "see the world and enjoy yourself" affair (to USC) points out that it's likely he just wants to see the world a bit.
"If I knew where I wanted to go, I would have committed by now," is Gary's now-familiar refrain, and while there's a grain of truth to it, it would be at least as accurate for him to say, "the plan all along has been to see the recruiting process through to its conclusion, regardless of when I figure out where I want to go."
He comes from a family (including a Mom putting her career on pause to finish up grad school) for whom making a January unofficial visit to Michigan is a significant investment, and so that trip is a big sign that the final due diligence is in the works (and that's something no other school is getting the opportunity to show off, which should be telling enough). That Devin Bush and Kareem Walker will be a couple weeks into their Michigan careers when he visits is only a boost.
I have another reason to maintain very high confidence that Michigan will be all-but impossible to beat for Gary, but he and I agreed that it won't be shared unless and until his recruitment ends with a Michigan pledge.
---
Both Terrance Davis and Jean Delance spurning Michigan today was a blow to the Maize and Blue - Delance more so than Davis - and the next steps of the OL recruiting plan aren't completely settled. Baltimore Gilman three-star Stephen Spanellis and Texas grad-transfer Jake Raulerson both visit in January. My strong preference would be Raulerson, who has already started at the college level, will have graduated from a good academic institution, and has two year to play two (without needing any to get ready).
That combination makes it easier for Michigan to continue recruiting the 2017 offensive line class - and beyond - without tying up five scholarships at the position in the 2016 group. An instant-impact guy who can give you a couple very good years before ceding way to talented players (to whom Michigan is becoming very attractive in the Jim Harbaugh era - more now than before the season, when his success was a mystery) seems like the right move to me.
That said, if all goes well on Spanellis's visit, assuming it still happens, the expectation would be that the 6-6, 290-pounder would flip from his current commitment to Virginia. That could be a boost at the all-powerful Baltimore Gilman (U-M already has linemate Devery Hamilton as well, and of course the son of the current head coach in Henry Poggi), so there are reasons beyond pure talent that Spanellis could be a choice.
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If Michigan was doing a little bit better in Houston (they have three-star defensive tackle Jordan Elliott, but other players from the Space City have spurned the Maize and Blue), I would feel pretty good about their chance to land four-star linebacker Dontavious Jackson. As things stand, his closeness with fellow linebacker Jeffrey McCulloch, for example, is something that likely ties him to the Lone Star State, even as much as he likes Michigan.
His recruitment isn't over - and Michigan will definitely remain a contender as long as it wants - but we'll see if the deal can be sealed, so to speak.
That Michigan has landed Elliott will definitely help with Houston Episcopal defensive tackle Marvin Wilson, who just so happens to be the top overall player in the country for the 2017 class. The "twin towers" sales pitch is one he'll listen to, and while Michigan has plenty of work to do there, having Wilson's ear at all at this point in the process is a good start.
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Speaking of top-ranked 2017 players named Wilson, Brooklyn (N.Y.) Poly Prep five-star Isaiah Wilson seems extremely likely to end up at U-M, possibly as soon as his unofficial visit for the Feb. 6 Michigan State basketball game. If he doesn't pull the trigger then, Michigan should still be able to remain at or near the top of his list nonetheless.
He's close with plenty of the New Jersey crew bound for Michigan (particularly Kareem Walker and - fingers crossed, of course - Rashan Gary), and that should help. The No. 3 overall player and top offensive tackle looks like a monster in person. He carried some bad weight at the New Jersey Rivals Camp Series stop this spring, but trimmed up and couldn't have been much more physically impressive at check-in for the Under Armour Future 50 event this weekend.
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Should Michigan reel in a kid like that, look for it to open the eyes of a kid like Antioch (Calif.) five-star running back Najee Harris. The No. 5 overall player in the nation is like a cross between Derrick Henry and Brian Westbrook (and I'm only kind of exaggerating), and sounds unlikely to end up at Bama, even though he's committed to the Tide right now.
A strong Michigan class early in the process, particularly on the OL, would open some eyes. That his high school coaches want him to see a bit more - and that they like Michigan under Harbaugh as an option for him - only helps the cause.
He'll be pursued by practically every program in the country, so the battle will be stiff, but at this point, would you put anything past Jim Harbaugh and his assistants?
---
One more from the Future 50...
I've been pretty open with you (as he has been with me) that Florida and USC have been the favorites for Detroit Cass Tech wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones. Although those around him have given the impression that not only do they want him to land at the local school, they think it's still likely, I've ticketed him to a warm-weather location.
A bit of new information says "not so fast my friend" in its best Lee Corso voice. The 6-1, 188-pounder and No. 20 player in the country still sounds like he may come back around on U-M. Sure, he'll continue seeing a bit of the world before finally ending the recruiting process. However, it's not just a "going that far from Mom" that could limit the Southern or Western schools, and more ties him to the Midwest. We'll give further details if the situation calls for it.
For now, though, We're feeling like U-M - especially with the way the Wolverines' receivers improved this year, and got a ton of the ball late - will see the pendulum swing back in its direction sooner or later.