... in a wide-ranging conversation. Here are some highlights from a 50-minute production, including Jim_S on ...
• Five-star commit Daxton Hill: "I don't think I was surprised. People had been following his recruitment probably about as closely as they follow any five-star kid who Michigan was involved with the past couple of years. It was pretty much expected that it was going to come down to Michigan and Alabama, and reading the tea leaves, you could kind of see that he was a different sort of cat, that what he was looking in different schools wasn't just a function of going to a team that puts the best football product out there every year.
"He was looking for, let's say, a more holistic University experience, including education, friendships, relationships with other players on the team, etc. Once you put all of those other factors on the table … and let's be honest, of the elite, blue chip, five-star athletes, only about 20 percent of them really seriously consider all of these other factors. Of the ones who do, Michigan stands a really good chance of beating out other schools like an Alabama for them.
"He's a rare breed, not just on the field, but he's that rare five-star who is — as the Michigan coaches say — is looking for the 40-year plan, as opposed to the four-year plan.
"He hit my radar in eighth grade, when he was playing at Carver Middle School, and led his middle school team to a 10-0 record. His older brother was already a pretty highly regarded player, who ended up signing in 2016 with Oklahoma State. That's Justice Hill, who as a freshman at Oklahoma State ran for 1,000 yards.
"What's really interesting about Daxton was that he was already shining as an eighth grader at some of these Nike Combines … you see a consistent improvement. Each one of the measureables improves from the year before …
"This past year, he did a 43-inch vertical, and his shuttle was down around four flat, or even sub-four, and his 40 was sub 4.4 as well. Remarkable measureables, a very heady kid. Some people are saying he's the most talented safety that's come into Michigan in at least a quarter of a century.
"For a pure safety, that's probably the case. Jabrill Peppers was very highly recruited, but no one really knew if he was a cornerback, safety, outside linebacker. He was a great, great athlete, probably a bit more violent than a Daxton Hill. But I don't think he had the football instincts or the coverage ability that Daxton Hill has this early.
"He's a really exciting get for Michigan."
• Prospects down the stretch for 2019: "In terms of kids who I think they really, really like, who you wait to take, obviously, Zach Harrison, the defensive end out of Ohio who is a consensus top-five player nationally. It's down to Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan. Nothing has really changed there. The longer this drags on, the better for Michigan, in my view…
"George Karlaftis, who is committed to Purdue, is another outstanding defensive end. He's still in contact with the Michigan coaches. They would definitely take his verbal, should he decide to flip. Purdue got off to an 0-3 start. Unfortunately, they just upset Boston College this past weekend, so that negative momentum has slowed down a bit. If they get back on a losing track, there's a decent chance we could flip him.
"Quavaris Crouch, the linebacker/running back out of Charlotte Harding University High in North Carolina is a kid we like a lot. He's probably more of an edge player. He could even be a weakside defensive end, a [Josh] Uche-type, maybe. He's not as tall as Uche, but he's very quick, aggressive and physical. He could also be used in the backfield, sort of how [sophomore fullback] Ben Mason was used in that one-back set near the goal line. That could be a nice fit, it you want to get him some carries on offense.
"At one point, people thought he was the No. 1 running back in the country, but he really wants to play defense at the next level. I think he's open to seeing time on both sides of the ball, like [sophomore defensive back/receiver] Ambry Thomas. He's a kid we would definitely accept a verbal from down the road.
"The critical position of need for this class — where they've got to get one of these two kids — is offensive tackle. The two at the top of our board are Bryce Benhart, a tackle who has really been a rising star this year. He's out of Lakeville North in Minnesota. He's a big kid, about 6-8, 270, 275, so he's got the frame to add a lot more mass. I like him a lot. And then Trevor Keegan, the top-rated player out of Illinois, Crystal Lake High. He's about 6-6, 325.
"With Keegan, I don't know if he's visited Georgia yet, or will be visiting Georgia. People seem to feel it could be a Michigan-Ohio State-Georgia battle there. If you're reading the tea leaves, Michigan has sort of been in the driver's seat there for the last couple of months.
"Benhart, the feeling was that Nebraska may have been leading. I think he wants to see early playing time, and if he wants to see early playing time, our obliterating them may help their cause, as opposed to hurting it. We obviously have needs for offensive tackles as well. Hopefully, it will help us, because I assume people still want to play for winners."
• Some 2020 options: "There's Makari Paige, a 2020 kid out of West Bloomfield [Mich.], who could be our top safety in that class nationally. He's a really talented player…
"I could see Ian Stewart committing early. He's a 6-4, 195-, 200-pounder, who plays a lot of wide receiver and safety. He could even project as a viper, outside linebacker. He's a kid who has got the frame where he could project at four or five positions. I know he's very, very high on Michigan.
"Michael Drennen, out of Dublin [Ohio] Coffman, which is one of the powers in the Columbus area, is the running back there. We're in very, very good shape with him, particularly because Ohio State recently landed a commitment from a former Ohio native who is now playing down in Arizona at running back.
"Drennen was a Michigan-Ohio State battle, so he's a kid who you want to keep an eye on as being a possible early verbal.
"Myles Hinton, Chris Hinton's younger brother, who might be the top offensive tackle in the 2020 class nationally, is another future five-star. I think this is going to end up being a Michigan-Stanford battle. I would love to see him commit early, but I think this could drag out a bit.
"Those are the ones most likely, in terms of possible future verbals."
Here's the full podcast: https://michigan.rivals.com/news/michigan-wolverines-football-podcast-jim-s-with-john-borton
• Five-star commit Daxton Hill: "I don't think I was surprised. People had been following his recruitment probably about as closely as they follow any five-star kid who Michigan was involved with the past couple of years. It was pretty much expected that it was going to come down to Michigan and Alabama, and reading the tea leaves, you could kind of see that he was a different sort of cat, that what he was looking in different schools wasn't just a function of going to a team that puts the best football product out there every year.
"He was looking for, let's say, a more holistic University experience, including education, friendships, relationships with other players on the team, etc. Once you put all of those other factors on the table … and let's be honest, of the elite, blue chip, five-star athletes, only about 20 percent of them really seriously consider all of these other factors. Of the ones who do, Michigan stands a really good chance of beating out other schools like an Alabama for them.
"He's a rare breed, not just on the field, but he's that rare five-star who is — as the Michigan coaches say — is looking for the 40-year plan, as opposed to the four-year plan.
"He hit my radar in eighth grade, when he was playing at Carver Middle School, and led his middle school team to a 10-0 record. His older brother was already a pretty highly regarded player, who ended up signing in 2016 with Oklahoma State. That's Justice Hill, who as a freshman at Oklahoma State ran for 1,000 yards.
"What's really interesting about Daxton was that he was already shining as an eighth grader at some of these Nike Combines … you see a consistent improvement. Each one of the measureables improves from the year before …
"This past year, he did a 43-inch vertical, and his shuttle was down around four flat, or even sub-four, and his 40 was sub 4.4 as well. Remarkable measureables, a very heady kid. Some people are saying he's the most talented safety that's come into Michigan in at least a quarter of a century.
"For a pure safety, that's probably the case. Jabrill Peppers was very highly recruited, but no one really knew if he was a cornerback, safety, outside linebacker. He was a great, great athlete, probably a bit more violent than a Daxton Hill. But I don't think he had the football instincts or the coverage ability that Daxton Hill has this early.
"He's a really exciting get for Michigan."
• Prospects down the stretch for 2019: "In terms of kids who I think they really, really like, who you wait to take, obviously, Zach Harrison, the defensive end out of Ohio who is a consensus top-five player nationally. It's down to Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan. Nothing has really changed there. The longer this drags on, the better for Michigan, in my view…
"George Karlaftis, who is committed to Purdue, is another outstanding defensive end. He's still in contact with the Michigan coaches. They would definitely take his verbal, should he decide to flip. Purdue got off to an 0-3 start. Unfortunately, they just upset Boston College this past weekend, so that negative momentum has slowed down a bit. If they get back on a losing track, there's a decent chance we could flip him.
"Quavaris Crouch, the linebacker/running back out of Charlotte Harding University High in North Carolina is a kid we like a lot. He's probably more of an edge player. He could even be a weakside defensive end, a [Josh] Uche-type, maybe. He's not as tall as Uche, but he's very quick, aggressive and physical. He could also be used in the backfield, sort of how [sophomore fullback] Ben Mason was used in that one-back set near the goal line. That could be a nice fit, it you want to get him some carries on offense.
"At one point, people thought he was the No. 1 running back in the country, but he really wants to play defense at the next level. I think he's open to seeing time on both sides of the ball, like [sophomore defensive back/receiver] Ambry Thomas. He's a kid we would definitely accept a verbal from down the road.
"The critical position of need for this class — where they've got to get one of these two kids — is offensive tackle. The two at the top of our board are Bryce Benhart, a tackle who has really been a rising star this year. He's out of Lakeville North in Minnesota. He's a big kid, about 6-8, 270, 275, so he's got the frame to add a lot more mass. I like him a lot. And then Trevor Keegan, the top-rated player out of Illinois, Crystal Lake High. He's about 6-6, 325.
"With Keegan, I don't know if he's visited Georgia yet, or will be visiting Georgia. People seem to feel it could be a Michigan-Ohio State-Georgia battle there. If you're reading the tea leaves, Michigan has sort of been in the driver's seat there for the last couple of months.
"Benhart, the feeling was that Nebraska may have been leading. I think he wants to see early playing time, and if he wants to see early playing time, our obliterating them may help their cause, as opposed to hurting it. We obviously have needs for offensive tackles as well. Hopefully, it will help us, because I assume people still want to play for winners."
• Some 2020 options: "There's Makari Paige, a 2020 kid out of West Bloomfield [Mich.], who could be our top safety in that class nationally. He's a really talented player…
"I could see Ian Stewart committing early. He's a 6-4, 195-, 200-pounder, who plays a lot of wide receiver and safety. He could even project as a viper, outside linebacker. He's a kid who has got the frame where he could project at four or five positions. I know he's very, very high on Michigan.
"Michael Drennen, out of Dublin [Ohio] Coffman, which is one of the powers in the Columbus area, is the running back there. We're in very, very good shape with him, particularly because Ohio State recently landed a commitment from a former Ohio native who is now playing down in Arizona at running back.
"Drennen was a Michigan-Ohio State battle, so he's a kid who you want to keep an eye on as being a possible early verbal.
"Myles Hinton, Chris Hinton's younger brother, who might be the top offensive tackle in the 2020 class nationally, is another future five-star. I think this is going to end up being a Michigan-Stanford battle. I would love to see him commit early, but I think this could drag out a bit.
"Those are the ones most likely, in terms of possible future verbals."
Here's the full podcast: https://michigan.rivals.com/news/michigan-wolverines-football-podcast-jim-s-with-john-borton
