Some random thoughts on Michigan football and recruiting. No particular order:
Scholarship Management
In the modern era of football with 85 scholarship limitations it is critical for programs to be able to replenish talent on a regular basis. Annual class sizes are capped at 25, however early entries can be backdated to prior years. This means that if schools were to sign a maximum number of prospects each year and hypothetically redshirt all of them the total number of signees over a five year cycle could be as high as 125, perhaps even a bit more with backdating. The gap between this hypothetical number of 125 and the overall number of 85 is almost 50%. This means that in order for schools to be able to regularly replenish talent there must be a certain amount of attrition.
There are several ways in which coaches handle roster management. First, as with cholesterol, there is good attrition and bad attrition.
Good attrition is cycling out the, to put it bluntly, “dead wood” among the scholarship players in order to make room for a new generation of prospects. These are the players who have not substantially contributed or are not expected to be major contributors in the future. At times, it may even include kids that have started but are expected to be passed over by superior talents. It may also include kids who have been injured. There is no fixed rule in defining what is “dead wood” and what is not. In general, it simply means that the player is “processed out” because the staff would rather use the scholarship on a younger prospect. Sometimes these “processed” players end up performing very well at their future schools or even make it to the NFL. Think Thomas Rawls, Josh Furman and Mike Cox.
Bad attrition entails players leaving early that coaching staff wanted to stay for athletic reasons. This includes kids leaving early for the NFL or being kicked out of school for academic/disciplinary reasons. Hers we get into a fine line between what is good or bad. For instance, to me Brian Cole is bad attrition because there is no question that he was on track to contribute when he was dismissed from the team due to disciplinary reasons. On the other hand, Ondre Pipkins was good attrition because he was pretty much encouraged to look elsewhere due to his injuries. There is a bit of a fine line between the two, but my key criterion is “expectation to contribute to the team based on athletic ability at the time of departure”.
So let’s take a look at the yearly attrition (non-walk ons only) at Michigan since Brady Hoke took over for Rich Rodriguez after the 2010 season:
After 2015 Season (Harbaugh)
Total attrition: 11
Good attrition: 9
Bad attrition: 2 (Henry and Cole)
TB Ross Douglas 4
CB Terry Richardson 5
DT Willie Henry 5
TB Derrick Green4
OLB Allen Gant 5
S Brian Cole 1r
DT/TETom Strobel 5
T Blake Bars 5
WR Da'Mario Jones 4
WR Jaron Dukes 3r
FS Reon Dawson 3r
After 2014 Season (Harbaugh, but first 3 left before Harbaugh named coach)
Total attrition: 13
Good attrition: 9
Bad attrition: 4 (Funchess, Miller, Countess, Tuley-Tillman)
WR Devin Funchess 4
LB Michael Ferns 1r
G Kyle Bosch 2r
TB Justice Hayes 5
QB Russell Bellomy 5
TE Keith Heitzman 5
C Jack Miller 5
CB Blake Countess 5
DT Ondre Pipkins 4
WR Dennis Norfleet 4
G Chris Fox 2r
OL Dan Samuelson 2r
OT Logan Tuley-Tillman 2r
After 2013 Season (Hoke)
Total attrition: 6
Good attrition: 6
Bad attrition: 0
RB Thomas Rawls 4
S Josh Furman 5
DT Richard Ash 5
G Chris Bryant 3r
TE Jordan Paskorz 5
WR Csont'e York 1r
After 2012 Season (Hoke)
Total attrition: 5
Good attrition: 5
Bad attrition: 0
DT Kenny Wilkins 3r
LB Kaleb Ringer 1r
SS Marvin Robinson 4
LB Mike Jones 5
LB Antonio Poole 2r
After 2011 Season (Hoke)
Total attrition: 11
Good attrition: 10
Bad attrition: 1 (Stonum)
LB Isaiah Bell 3r
WR Darryl Stonum 5
RB Michael Cox 5
WR Terrence Robinson 5
C Rocko Khoury 3r
DL Chris Rock 1r
CB Terrence Talbott 3
S Tamani Carter 1r
WR Ricardo Miller2r
FB Stephen Hopkins 3
WR Jerald Robinson 2r
After 2010 Season (Hoke)
Total attrition: 8
Good attrition: 6
Bad attrition: 2 (Christian and Johnson)
WR Je’Ron Stokes3
TE Chris Barnett 1
T Tony Posada 1
CB Greg Brown 1
CB Cullen Christian 2
WR D.J. Williamson 1r
S Carvin Johnson 2
S Ray Vinopal 2
What do these figures tell us? First, it is the norm to see substantial turnover once there is a change in coaching staff. There were 19 total departures in Hoke’s first two years (16 good, 3 bad). In Harbaugh’s first two years there have thus far been 24 (18 good and 6 bad). I say thus far because the attrition count for Harbaugh’s first two-year cycle will continue under my formula until the final regular season game of the 2016 season, so we are still comparing apples to oranges and the Harbaugh figure could quite easily rise to 30+ over the next 8 months).
These numbers are quite revealing. First in that Brady Hoke essentially changed schemes when taking over so a certain attrition had to be expected. Harbaugh runs an offense similar to Hoke’s so one would have assumed lesser attrition due to lack of scheme changes. This has not been the case. Second, the talent level of the RichRod recruited athletes was much lower than the kids recruited by Hoke, especially in the disastrous 2010 class. So here again one would assume more attrition under Hoke than under Harbaugh. Third, the kids RichRod recruited were often not good academic or cultural fits at Michigan. Many, such as Cornelius Jones, Demar Dorsey, Davion Rogers, Austin White and Antonio Kinard did not even make it on campus in order to transfer out. Say what you want about Hoke, but he brought in more high character kids in addition to kids from the Midwest who have been a better cultural fit at Michigan. Yet despite this, again there is substantially more attrition under Harbaugh than under Hoke.
Of even more interest is that in Hoke’s second two year cycle there were only 11 total departures, all of them good attrition. This suggests a couple of things. First, a lack of upper class talent and hence no early NFL departures (Hoke had a so-called “win” here in getting Taylor Lewan to remain for his fifth year). Second, and more importantly in terms of the long-term outlook of the program, such lack of attrition meant that many “dead wood” type of players were not cycling out of the program quickly enough and the result was two consecutive recruiting class of 17 or less (classes of 2014 and 2015). Bringing in something like 31 players over a two year period while a school such as Mississippi or Tennessee was bringing that number in over ONE YEAR was simply a methodology that was guaranteed to not lead to sustainable future success for Michigan football.
With Jim Harbaugh there has been a 180 degree shift when it comes to schlolarship management. While Hoke would pretty much let a prospect sit for four or even five years on the pine until his eligibility expired, Harbaugh has made it clear that if you are not good enough to play after a certain period of time you may want to consider looking elsewhere or remaining at Michigan and not play football. It is all about competition. Compete to play. Winners play, losers don’t play. Everything is completely transparent between coaching staff and players. As one former Harbaugh player at Satnford said the other day, the players know where they are ranked vis-à-vis the other players. They are told every day. Heck, they were even drafted by the coaches for the spring game.
So under Harbaugh, some players will look elsewhere in order to gain playing time. Others will remain at Michigan on medical scholarships (interesting how this is used as an “elegant” way to guarantee and education for the non-performers. It seems to be pretty easy to document some sort of injury if a kid really wants to remain at the school). Michigan will not pull a scholarship for a non-performer, however than does not mean that the staff will not be up front with each and every plyer as to his future.
At the end of the day, the tangible benefit to Michigan football in properly managing attrition will be more scholarships to give out to PROSPECTS on Signing Day. Instead of years with 20 or less scholarships to had out, look for classes to regularly approach 25 as prospects who sign with Michigan cycle through the system, some developing into real players and others being processed out to focus on their education or play at a more suitable level. Such is competition.
Scholarships Available for the Class of 2017
With the departures of Dukes and Dawson Michigan currently has 67 scholarship players with eligibility to return in 2017. This translates to 18 current a available scholarships, a very high number for this early stage of the recruiting cycle and not taking into consideration projected future attrition, including fifth year kids not being invited back. Here is a list of players with eligibility remaining in 2017 who may be on the bubble depending on 2016 performance:
Shane Morris: Doubt he return for fifth year if he does not win the starting job
Andrew David: Will likely be passed up by Nordin. Has shown little thus far
Scot Sypniewski: Will Harbaugh keep a long snapper for a fifth year? Perhaps.
Wyatt Shallman: Can he pass up Poggi or Hill at FB as a running alternative?
Alex Malzone: Already far behind in the QB race
Brady Pallante: Has not shown much thus far but lack of DT depth in ’17 may help his cause
Freddy Canteen: Severe injury may see him processed out
Brandon Watson: Will Watson remain if Canteen processed and he is passed up by Washington?
Given the above, I could easily see this class numbering 25+ come Signing Day.
Fourteen Class of 2018 Prospects Most Likely to end up at Michigan
It is very, very early to project the Class of 2018, especially as Harbaugh tends to prolong the recruiting timeline as he scours coast-to-coast for the top prospect. Still, there are some low-hanging fruit who have the skill set to be offered and heavily recruited by Michigan. Ten of the below 14 prospects already have Michigan offers. Three, Woodard, Mallory and Hutchinson, are sons of former Michigan players. Two are from Detroit pipeline program Cass Tech. One, Finn Dirstine, is a stud teammate of A.J. Dillon. One, Johnson, is already committed and his teammate, Leonard Taylor, is considering committing soon. One, Cam Taylor, is from pipeline program Prattville and has tested through the roof this spring but Michigan offered him when he was a true unknown. One, McCall, is a teammate of '17 verbal Hall. Two are twins brothers from pipeline state New Jersey. how many eventually end up signing with Michigan? I would guess about 8, and a 50% plus hit rate at this very early stage of the '18 cycle would be quite impressive.
Name: Finn Dirstine
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: OL
Height: 6'5
Weight: 321
Forty: 4.81
City/School: Groton Lawrence Academy
State: Massachusetts
College Commitment:
Top Offers: BC, UMASS, MIA
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/Finn_Dirstine73 https://instagram.com/finn_dirstine/ Head coach (Paul Zukauskas): https://twitter.com/zukie66 Lawrence Academy, PO Box 992 Groton, MA | 01450 | Phone: 978-448-1580 | Fax: 978-448-1548
National Ranking Position: 16
Rating: 5
Freshman Local Honors: HM-ISL
Combines: 2015: Ht:6'4"Wt:321 lbs40:4.8 secsShuttle:4.9Vertical:20 inches
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4524227/finn-dirstine 8th:
News And Notes: Same program as Michigan verbal A.J. Dillon..............One of the top prospects in New England..............Sophomore starter at T & DT on a 8-3 5A team...........Freshman starter at T & DT on a 8-1 NEPSAC B team..........Great size, quick feet, aggressive. Breakout frosh season. Best projects as a guard. Power Five talent..............40YD DASH 4.81 SHUTTLE 4.90 VERTICAL 20.5".................Impressive at July 2015 Penn State camp...............Very impressive at summer 2014 Boston FBU.............His head coach is former Boston College and Cleveland Brown Offensive Lineman Paul Zukauskas.........As of June he had offers from Miami, BC and UMass and was also hearing from Michigan, Maryland, Syracuse and Penn State
Name: Marquan McCall
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: OL
Height: 6'3
Weight: 321
Forty: 5.88
City/School: Oak Park
State: Michigan
College Commitment:
Top Offers: MICH>AKRON, MIA (OH), CIN, WMU, CMU, TEN, MS, ILL
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/MccallMarquan Oak Park High, 13701 Oak Park Blvd Oak Park, MI 48237-2091 Phone: 248-691-8412 Fax: 248-691-8445
National Ranking Position: 17
Rating: 5
Sophomore Local Honors: 2-Detroit News-North (OL); 2-Oakland Press-County (OL)
Combines: May2015: Marquan McCall OL 18 MI Oak Park (MI) 6-1.5 321 5.88 33 19.8
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/6456505/marquan-mccall
News And Notes: One of the top prospects in Michigan.....................Sophomore starter on the OL.................He transferred from Detroit Cody to Oak Park after his freshman season...............Freshman starter on the line for a 5-4 team and in 6 games he had 9 tackles, 13 assists and 1 sack.............Good size, aggressive, strong, moves well laterally, fast, nasty demeanor on the field. Has huge hands. Thick build. Best projects as a guard. Road-grader. Has shed some bad weight as a sophomore. Power Five big-time talent.............His coach says that the sky is the limit for him................Very impressive at December 2015 Detroit Adidas Invitational................Very impressive at June 2015 Macomb (MI) Sound Mind Sound Body Camp (Michigan offer)..............He attended the May 2015 Columbus Nike The Opening Camp.............Very impressive at March 2015 McCook (IL) Adidas Top 10 Showcase............He visited Michigan in April 2015 for the spring game..............He visited Michigan and Michigan State in August 2015..........He visited Michigan for the September 2015 BYU game..............He visited Michigan for the October 2015 Northwestern game..........He visited Michigan for October 2015 Michigan State game.............As of October Michigan was his leader
Name: Cameron Rising
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: QB
Position: QB
Height: 6'1
Weight: 190
Forty: 4.80
City/School: Newbury Park
State: California
College Commitment:
Top Offers: WASH ST, CAL, ORE ST, FRES ST, AZ ST, HOU, AZ, MICH, LSU, SD ST, NEB
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/CameronRising https://www.facebook.com/cameron.rising Newbury Park High, 456 N Reino Rd Newbury Park, CA 91320 Phone: (805) 498-3676 Fax: (805) 499-3549
National Ranking Position: 7
Rating: 5
National Honors: 2-MaxPreps-Soph-AA (QB)
Sophomore Local Honors: Los Angeles Daily News-Area Newcomer of the Year; 1-CIF-Southern Section-Division (QB); CalHiSports.com All-State Nominee
Combines: February 2016 L.A. Nike The Opening: Cameron Rising QB 18 CA Newbury Park 6-1 190 4.80 4.41 37.0 28.9 81.99
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4457043/cameron-rising
News And Notes: One of the top QBs in California.....................As a sophomore QB on a 6-5 team he completed 191 of 319 passes for 3,213 yards (.599), 40 TDs and just 1 INT, and had 79 carries for 756 yards (9.6ypc) and 11 TDs............Key sophomore to watch (QB).................One of 2 freshmen on a 11-3 team (QB) and he was the freshman team starter..............Dual-threat QB. Nice frame, strong and accurate arm, runs well, athletic, humble. Breakout soph season. Power Five talent.........."He is pretty special," assistant coach Doug Dagan said in September 2015. "He is only gonna keep getting better and better."...............81.99 SPARQ at February 2016 L.A. Nike The Opening........................As a sophomore in a 58-34 win over Agoura he completed 13 of 17 passes for 388 yards and six touchdowns. He ran for 148 yards and one touchdown..............Plays basketball and participates in track and field.............As of July he was hearing from most of the Pac-10................His older brother Tyson committed to Arizona Stzate in December 2015..................As of September he had an offer from Washington State. Washington State also offered his older brother, Tyson, a 290-pound lineman at Ventura College...........As of December he had offers from WASH ST, CAL, ORE ST, FRES ST, AZ ST, HOU, AZ
Name: Cam Taylor
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: WR
Position: WR/DB/QB
Height: 6'0
Weight: 194
Forty: 4.56
City/School: Prattville
State: Alabama
College Commitment:
Top Offers: MICH, CIN
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/CamJuice4 Prattville High, PO Box 680810 Prattville, AL 36068 Phone: 334-365-8804 Fax: 334-358-0011
National Ranking Position: 18
Rating: 5
Combines: March 2016 Atlanta Nike The Opening: Cameron Taylor WR 18 AL Prattville 5-10 193 4.58 4.26 35.5 34.5 101.37
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3776586/cam-taylor
News And Notes: One of the top prospects in Alabama..................Sophomore contributor at WR on a 6-4 7A team and he had 1 reception for 26 yards and 1 carry for 5 yards...........One of 2 freshmen on a 11-3 7A team (QB/WR/SS).............Versatile skill athlete whois a dual-threat QB/WR/DB. Good speed and athleticism. Starting to emerge as a sophomore. Power Five talent................Great 101.37 SPARQ at March 2016 Atlanta Nike The Opening
Name: Al'vonte Woodard
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: WR
Position: WR
Height: 6'1
Weight: 180
Forty: 4.60
City/School: Houston Lamar
State: Texas
College Commitment:
Top Offers: KAN, HOU, TULSA
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/vonte_4 https://twitter.com/fastmoney__ https://www.facebook.com/alvonte.woodard Lamar High, 3325 Westheimer Rd Houston, TX 77098-1099 Phone: 713-535-3740 Fax: 713-535-3769
National Ranking Position: 29
Rating: 5
Sophomore Local Honors: 1-District-6A (WR)
Combines: March 2016 Dallas Nike The Opening: Al'vonte Woodard 18 WR TX Lamar (Houston) 6-1 180 4.60 4.64 35.0 33.4 83.76; March 2015: Alvonte Woodard WR 2018 Lamar High School TX 6-0.0 177 4.65 4.66 31.5 31.3 71.64
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4842779/alvonte-woodard
News And Notes: One of the top WRs in Texas....................Final soph stats on a 11-2 6A team: 21 receptions for 472 yards and 4 TDs.................Sophomore starter at WR on a 6-1 6A team and he had 16 receptions for 303 yards (18.9 avg) and 4 TDs...............One of 2 freshmen on a 10-3 6A team (WR).................Tall WR with great speed and ball skills. Runs great routes. Shifty and can make acrobatic catches. Breakout soph campaign. Power Five talent............Very impressive at the March 2016 Dallas Nike The Opening............Very impressive at March 2016 New Orleans Rivals Camp......................Very impressive at the February 2016 Houston Next Level Athlete Showcase................71.64 SPARQ at March 2015 Dallas Nike Combine..............40YD DASH 4.43 SHUTTLE 4.17 VERTICAL 34" BENCH PRESS 230lbs SQUAT 405lbs 100m 10.8 400m 49.7.........The son of former Michigan WR Allen Woodard.........As of September he liked Baylor, Michigan, Texas and Texas A&M
Name: Will Mallory
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: TE
Position: TE/WR/LB
Height: 6'6
Weight: 200
Forty:
City/School: Jacksonville Providence
State: Florida
College Commitment:
Top Offers: MICH
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/WillMallory_25 Providence High, 2701 Hodges Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32224-1264 Phone: 904-223-5270 Fax: 904-223-3028
National Ranking Position: 8
Rating: 5
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4445768/will-mallory
News And Notes: One of the top jumbo athletes in Florida...................Sophomore starter at WR/TE on a 3-7 3A team and in stats reported for 5 game he had 7 receptions for 251 yards (35.9 avg) and 3 TDs.................Freshman starter (TE/WR/OLB) on a 8-3 3A team................One of 3 freshmen on the preseason roster of a 6-5 3A team (OLB/TE)..................Great frame, good feet, soft hands, breakout frosh campaign. May best project as a TE once he fills out. Great bloodlines. Power Five talent..........Plays basketball...............The son of former Michigan LB Mike Mallory, the special teams coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and grandson of former college head coach Billl Mallory..........Offered by Michigan in April 2015 as a freshman.........He visited Michigan in May 2015
Name: Leonard Taylor
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: DL
Position: DL/OL/TE
Height: 6'5
Weight: 273
Forty: 5.10
City/School: Springfield
State: Ohio
College Commitment:
Top Offers: KY, LOU, MICH, PSU, CIN, NEB, PUR, PSU, TEN, OH ST, ND
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/Lenny_T_20 https://twitter.com/Money_Team937 https://www.facebook.com/leonard.taylor.7927 Springfield High School, 701 E. Home , Springfield, Ohio 45503 Tel: 937-505-4319 Fax (937) 342-4110
National Ranking Position: 8
Rating: 5
Combines: May2015: Leonard Taylor TE 18 OH Springfield (OH) 6-4.5 250 4.86 31.5 22.3
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4237664/leonard-taylor
News And Notes: One of the top prospects in Ohio............Sophomore starter on a 3-7 DI team and he was a starter (TE/DE).............One of 15 freshmen on a 2-8 DI team (TE/DE/QB) and he had 3 receptions for 16 yards and 4 carries for 2 yards. He started at TE & DE .............Great size, quick feet, moves well, very athletic. Power Five big-timer...........Measured in at 6'4 3/4'' 273 at the January 2016 Army All-American Combine...........He attended the May 2015 Columbus Nike The Opening Camp...............Forward in basketball and he is very talented.......Offered by Kentucky as a freshman to play TE..........As of April 2015 he was hearing from Kentucky (offer), Boston College and Cincinnati...............As of September he liked OH St over MICH ST, PSU, AL, and IA
Name: Aidan Hutchinson
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: DL
Position: DL/LSN
Height: 6'5
Weight: 234
Forty: 5.11
City/School: Dearborn Divine Child
State: Michigan
College Commitment:
Top Offers: LSU, MICH
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/aidanhutch28 Divine Child High, 1001 N Silvery Ln Dearborn, MI 48128-1596 Phone: 313-562-1990 Fax: 313-562-9361
National Ranking Position: 18
Sophomore Local Honors: 1-Dearborn Press and Guide-Dearborn; 2-Detroit Catholic League
Combines: February 2016 Orlando Nike The Opening: Aidan Hutchinson Divine Child DL 18 6-5.0 234 5.11 4.60 37.5 27.0 75.63
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4157812/aidan-hutchinson
News And Notes: One of the top prospects in Michigan.............One of 4 sophomores on a 4-5 team and he started at DE and recorded 51 tackles, nine of which went for a loss, along with two sacks and a pair of forced fumbles (DE/LSN).................As a freshman he moved up to varsity for the playoffs..............Great frame, quick feet, athletic, good bloodlines, good motor and intensity. Put together well. Power Five talent...............His coaches feel that he will be a high-level recruit. Divine Child coach John Filiatraut said Hutchinson was “tough, physical and relentless”...............The son of former Michigan DL Chris Hucthinson..........Visited CMU in February...............Will visit Michigan in the spring of 2016..........As of January he had heard from Michigan, Vanderbilt and Tennessee
Name: Jayson Ademilola
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: DL
Position: DL/LB/OL
Height: 6'3
Weight: 261
Forty:
City/School: Jersey City St. Peter's Prep
State: New Jersey
College Commitment:
Top Offers: BC, MIA, RUT, UVA, UCONN, MICH, GA, AUB, PSU, TEMP, MICH ST, MD
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/jaysonademilola St. Peter's Prep, 144 Grand St Jersey City, NJ 07302 Phone: 201-547-6450 Fax: 201-547-6479
National Ranking Position: 14
Rating: 5
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4278332/jayson-ademilola
News And Notes: One of the top prospects in New Jersey....................Sophomore starter at DE on a 5-2 Non-Public Group 4 team and he had 11 tackles, 4 assists, 3 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 hurries and 2 PBUs..........One of 4 freshmen on a 11-1 Group 4 team (DE/OLB/G) and he had 1 tackle, 2 assists and 3 hurries............Key freshman to watch...........Great frame, fast and strong. Rapidly filling out and growing into a DL. Strong hands and fine instincts. Power Five big-time talent..................Twin brother of Justin..........As an 8th-grader he threw the discus 96 feet and the shot put 41-9...........Offered by BC in January of his freshman year.........Visited Auburn in July 2015........Visited Michigan for August 2015 Barbecue at the Big House..........As of June he was very interested in Michigan
Name: Justin Ademilola
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: LB
Position: LB/DL/TE
Height: 6'3
Weight: 225
Forty:
City/School: Jersey City St. Peter's Prep
State: New Jersey
College Commitment:
Top Offers: UVA, BC, UCONN, RUT, MICH, GA, AUB, PSU, TEMP, MICH ST
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/justin4747 St. Peter's Prep, 144 Grand St Jersey City, NJ 07302 Phone: 201-547-6450 Fax: 201-547-6479
National Ranking Position: 5
Rating: 5
National Honors: 2-MaxPreps-Soph-AA (LB)
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4278339/justin-ademilola
News And Notes: One of the top prospects in New Jersey..............As a sophomore he recorded 46 tackles and two sacks............Sophomore starter at TE & OLB on a 5-2 Non-Public Group 4 team and he had 14 tackles, 6 assists, 4 TFL, 1 sack, 4 hurries and 1 FR.........One of 4 freshmen on a 11-1 Group 4 team..........Key freshman to watch............Great frame, fast and strong. Great instincts and nice burst. Fine upside. Power Five big-timer..................Twin brother of Jayson.........Visited Auburn in July 2015.................Visited Michigan for August 2015 Barbecue at the Big House...............As of June he was very interested in Michigan
Name: Antwuan Johnson
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: LB
Position: LB
Height: 6'1
Weight: 281
Forty: 4.79
City/School: Springfield
State: Ohio
College Commitment: Michigan
Top Offers: KY, LOU, BG, MICH, CIN
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/antwuan21 Springfield High School, 701 E. Home , Springfield, Ohio 45503 Tel: 937-505-4319 Fax (937) 342-4110
National Ranking Position: 9
Rating: 5
Sophomore Local Honors: 1-GWOC Central
Freshman Local Honors: 2-GWOC Central
Combines: May2015: Antwuan Johnson LB 18 OH Springfield (OH) 5-11 213 4.89 4.3 33 33.1 87.45.............2015: Ht:6'1"Wt:210 lbs40:5.2 secsShuttle:4.5Vertical:27 inches
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4237795/antwuan-johnson
News And Notes: One of the top prospects in Ohio..............He committed to Michigan on March 21, 2016................As a sophomore MLB on a 3-7 DI team he had 37 tackles, 69 assists and 4 PBUs.................Freshman starter at MLB on a 2-8 DI team and he had 26 tackles, 26 assists, 2 FFs and 2 FRs...........Talented two-way player. Outstanding MLB with a great frame and range. Can go StS. Tough against the run. Downhill LB with great size, good power, nice COD, solid speed. Power Five big-time talent...............Very impressive at the February 2016 Indianapolis Best of the Midwest Combine...............87.45 SPARQ the May 2015 Columbus Nike The Opening Camp...........Impressive at June 2014 MSR Showcase..............40yd Dash 4.59 Shuttle 4.29 Vertical 33" Bench Press 245lbs Squat 290lbs..............Varsity PF in basketball as a freshman...........As of April 2015 he favored Miami and had an offer from Kentucky............As of September he liked KY, LOU, MIA, LSU, AL, OH ST, and MICH ST...............As of March he favored Michigan
Name: DeAndre Square
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: LB
Position: LB/DB/ATH
Height: 6'1
Weight: 205
Forty:
City/School: Detroit Cass Tech
State: Michigan
College Commitment:
Top Offers: CIN, SYR
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/d_square10 Cass Tech High, 2421 2nd Ave Detroit, MI 48201-2601 Phone: 313-596-3900 Fax: 313-596-3877
National Ranking Position: 43
Rating: 5
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4088139/deandre-square 8th:
News And Notes: One of the top LBs in Michigan.........................Sophomore starter at LB on a 8-2 Class 1 team................One of 5 freshmen on a powerful 10-0 team (FS/SS)..................One of the top youth league players in Michigan............Skilled, speedy and athletic two-way player. Moves well laterally and has great instincts. Rapidly growing into an OLB. Long arms. Power Five talent.............Camped at Penn State in July 2015...................Very impressive at July 2015 Detroit Colts Invitational 7-on-7...............Very impressive at May 2015 Midwest Elite Exposure Camp (Second Team LB)...............Attended March 2015 Tom Lemming Ann Arbor Photo Shoot................As an 8th-grader on a 7-0 West 7 Rams team he rushed for 754 yards and 11 TDs and caught 15 passes for 283 yards...........3.2 GPA in junior high...............Visited Michigan for September 2015 Oregon State game
Name: Kalon Gervin
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: DB
Position: DB/WR
Height: 5'11
Weight: 175
Forty: 4.40
City/School: Detroit Cass Tech
State: Michigan
College Commitment:
Top Offers: MICH>AKRON, TOL, ILL, IA ST, PSU, UAB, USF, EMU, PITT, SYR, TEN, MICH ST, CAL
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/Kalon_Gervin https://www.facebook.com/kalon.gervin https://twitter.com/PursuingKG https://twitter.com/KalonGervin Cass Tech High, 2421 2nd Ave Detroit, MI 48201-2601 Phone: 313-596-3900 Fax: 313-596-3877
National Ranking Position: 22
Rating: 5
National Honors: MaxPreps Class of 2018 Top 100 Watch List (July 2014)
Combines: May2015: Kalon Gervin DB 18 MI Cass Tech 5-10.5 171 4.62 4.35 29.5 30.6 75.72..........6/28 Kalon Gervin White 8 Four Corners Montessori MI CB WR 5'9.5 69.5 155 4.66 4.68 8'10 27 118.5 91.5 ..........6/9 Kalon Gervin B24 8 Four Corners Montessori Academy MI CB WR 5'10 70 154 4.9 4.7 8'4 28 118 90
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4088089/kalon-gervin 8th:
News And Notes: One of the top prospects in Michigan.............Sophomore starter at CB on a 8-2 Class 1 team................He decided to remain at Cass Tech for his sophomore season after having announced that he would transfer to King in early August................Freshman contributor at CB for a powerful 10-0 team and he had 25 tackles, 4 PBUs and started 6 games.............OVery fast and athletic two-way prospect from Southfield. A sprinter in track who has fine speed and quickness. May best project as a CB with his fluid hips and great recovery speed. Real ball hawk and has a high football IQ. Nice frame, physical. Emerged early at powerful CT. Huge upside................Invited to January 2016 U.S. Army National Combine............Attended July 2015 Ohio State Friday Night Lights................Very impressive at July 2015 Penn State camp (4.4 forty)............Very impressive at June 2015 Toledo Camp (4.3 forty/offer)...............Very impressive at June 2015 Michigan State Camp.............75.72 SPARQ the May 2015 Columbus Nike The Opening Camp................Impressive at May 2015 Chicago Nike The Opening Camp................Attended March 2015 Tom Lemming Ann Arbor Photo Shoot.................One of the top freshman sprinters in Michigan: 9 kalon Gervin 11.26a MI Detroit Cass Tech MHSAA LP Regional 06-1 @ GP South Fri, May 15...................Ranked as one of the top top underclassmen at the 10 2014 NUC Five Star Camps.........Youth all-star.............One of the top junior high prospects in America................Key rising 8th-grader to watch (ATH).....................Rare 7th-grader to particpate at the July 2013 Norman (OK) NUC Ultimate 100 Top Prospect Elite Camp.............Among the top performers at the June 2013 NUC Ultimate 100 Midwest: 7th-9TH Grade DB MVP (8'11 Broad Jump, 27" Vertical 4.66 40).............June 2013 Ann Arbor NUC 8th-9TH Grade Fastest Man (8'4 Broad Jump, 28" Vertical 4.90 40 4.70 Shuttle)-............... 11.3 100 meters....................Cousin of former NBA star George Gervin...................He visited Michigan State in February 2015.............He visited Michigan for the April 2015 Spring game..............Visited Michigan for September 2015 Oregon State game............He visited Michigan for October 2015 Michigan State game.............He visited Illinois in October 2015.............As of February 2015 he was hearing from the likes of Michigan State, Tennessee, Cincinnati, Bowling Green, Ohio State, and Michigan.........As of January he favored Michigan
Name: Xavier Henderson
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: DB
Position: DB/WR
Height: 6'0
Weight: 175
Forty: 4.70
City/School: Pickerington Central
State: Ohio
College Commitment:
Top Offers: KY, CIN, TOL, MIA (OH), ESTN KY
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/Xhenn5 Pickerington Central High, 300 Opportunity Wy Pickerington, OH 43147 Phone: (614) 833-3025 Fax: (614) 833-3062
National Ranking Position: 45
Rating: 5
Combines: May2015: Xavier Henderson DB 18 OH Pickerington Central 5-11.5 170 4.92 4.43 34 33.7 75.72
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4178336/xavier-henderson
News And Notes: One of the top prospects in Ohio..........................Sophomore starter at CB on a 8-3 DI team (CB/WR).............Will start as a sophomore on a 11-1 DI team..................One of 5 freshmen on a 11-1 DI team (RB/SS/CB).........................Great recovery speed, solid in coverage, fluid hips, can turn and run, solid open-field tackler, physical for his size, anticipates well. Power Five talent...........34.5 vertical...............75.72 SPARQ at the May 2015 Columbus Nike Combine............Michigan fan...........He visited Kentucky for October 2015 Tennessee game..............Plans to visit Michigan and Ohio State in spring 2016
Scholarship Management
In the modern era of football with 85 scholarship limitations it is critical for programs to be able to replenish talent on a regular basis. Annual class sizes are capped at 25, however early entries can be backdated to prior years. This means that if schools were to sign a maximum number of prospects each year and hypothetically redshirt all of them the total number of signees over a five year cycle could be as high as 125, perhaps even a bit more with backdating. The gap between this hypothetical number of 125 and the overall number of 85 is almost 50%. This means that in order for schools to be able to regularly replenish talent there must be a certain amount of attrition.
There are several ways in which coaches handle roster management. First, as with cholesterol, there is good attrition and bad attrition.
Good attrition is cycling out the, to put it bluntly, “dead wood” among the scholarship players in order to make room for a new generation of prospects. These are the players who have not substantially contributed or are not expected to be major contributors in the future. At times, it may even include kids that have started but are expected to be passed over by superior talents. It may also include kids who have been injured. There is no fixed rule in defining what is “dead wood” and what is not. In general, it simply means that the player is “processed out” because the staff would rather use the scholarship on a younger prospect. Sometimes these “processed” players end up performing very well at their future schools or even make it to the NFL. Think Thomas Rawls, Josh Furman and Mike Cox.
Bad attrition entails players leaving early that coaching staff wanted to stay for athletic reasons. This includes kids leaving early for the NFL or being kicked out of school for academic/disciplinary reasons. Hers we get into a fine line between what is good or bad. For instance, to me Brian Cole is bad attrition because there is no question that he was on track to contribute when he was dismissed from the team due to disciplinary reasons. On the other hand, Ondre Pipkins was good attrition because he was pretty much encouraged to look elsewhere due to his injuries. There is a bit of a fine line between the two, but my key criterion is “expectation to contribute to the team based on athletic ability at the time of departure”.
So let’s take a look at the yearly attrition (non-walk ons only) at Michigan since Brady Hoke took over for Rich Rodriguez after the 2010 season:
After 2015 Season (Harbaugh)
Total attrition: 11
Good attrition: 9
Bad attrition: 2 (Henry and Cole)
TB Ross Douglas 4
CB Terry Richardson 5
DT Willie Henry 5
TB Derrick Green4
OLB Allen Gant 5
S Brian Cole 1r
DT/TETom Strobel 5
T Blake Bars 5
WR Da'Mario Jones 4
WR Jaron Dukes 3r
FS Reon Dawson 3r
After 2014 Season (Harbaugh, but first 3 left before Harbaugh named coach)
Total attrition: 13
Good attrition: 9
Bad attrition: 4 (Funchess, Miller, Countess, Tuley-Tillman)
WR Devin Funchess 4
LB Michael Ferns 1r
G Kyle Bosch 2r
TB Justice Hayes 5
QB Russell Bellomy 5
TE Keith Heitzman 5
C Jack Miller 5
CB Blake Countess 5
DT Ondre Pipkins 4
WR Dennis Norfleet 4
G Chris Fox 2r
OL Dan Samuelson 2r
OT Logan Tuley-Tillman 2r
After 2013 Season (Hoke)
Total attrition: 6
Good attrition: 6
Bad attrition: 0
RB Thomas Rawls 4
S Josh Furman 5
DT Richard Ash 5
G Chris Bryant 3r
TE Jordan Paskorz 5
WR Csont'e York 1r
After 2012 Season (Hoke)
Total attrition: 5
Good attrition: 5
Bad attrition: 0
DT Kenny Wilkins 3r
LB Kaleb Ringer 1r
SS Marvin Robinson 4
LB Mike Jones 5
LB Antonio Poole 2r
After 2011 Season (Hoke)
Total attrition: 11
Good attrition: 10
Bad attrition: 1 (Stonum)
LB Isaiah Bell 3r
WR Darryl Stonum 5
RB Michael Cox 5
WR Terrence Robinson 5
C Rocko Khoury 3r
DL Chris Rock 1r
CB Terrence Talbott 3
S Tamani Carter 1r
WR Ricardo Miller2r
FB Stephen Hopkins 3
WR Jerald Robinson 2r
After 2010 Season (Hoke)
Total attrition: 8
Good attrition: 6
Bad attrition: 2 (Christian and Johnson)
WR Je’Ron Stokes3
TE Chris Barnett 1
T Tony Posada 1
CB Greg Brown 1
CB Cullen Christian 2
WR D.J. Williamson 1r
S Carvin Johnson 2
S Ray Vinopal 2
What do these figures tell us? First, it is the norm to see substantial turnover once there is a change in coaching staff. There were 19 total departures in Hoke’s first two years (16 good, 3 bad). In Harbaugh’s first two years there have thus far been 24 (18 good and 6 bad). I say thus far because the attrition count for Harbaugh’s first two-year cycle will continue under my formula until the final regular season game of the 2016 season, so we are still comparing apples to oranges and the Harbaugh figure could quite easily rise to 30+ over the next 8 months).
These numbers are quite revealing. First in that Brady Hoke essentially changed schemes when taking over so a certain attrition had to be expected. Harbaugh runs an offense similar to Hoke’s so one would have assumed lesser attrition due to lack of scheme changes. This has not been the case. Second, the talent level of the RichRod recruited athletes was much lower than the kids recruited by Hoke, especially in the disastrous 2010 class. So here again one would assume more attrition under Hoke than under Harbaugh. Third, the kids RichRod recruited were often not good academic or cultural fits at Michigan. Many, such as Cornelius Jones, Demar Dorsey, Davion Rogers, Austin White and Antonio Kinard did not even make it on campus in order to transfer out. Say what you want about Hoke, but he brought in more high character kids in addition to kids from the Midwest who have been a better cultural fit at Michigan. Yet despite this, again there is substantially more attrition under Harbaugh than under Hoke.
Of even more interest is that in Hoke’s second two year cycle there were only 11 total departures, all of them good attrition. This suggests a couple of things. First, a lack of upper class talent and hence no early NFL departures (Hoke had a so-called “win” here in getting Taylor Lewan to remain for his fifth year). Second, and more importantly in terms of the long-term outlook of the program, such lack of attrition meant that many “dead wood” type of players were not cycling out of the program quickly enough and the result was two consecutive recruiting class of 17 or less (classes of 2014 and 2015). Bringing in something like 31 players over a two year period while a school such as Mississippi or Tennessee was bringing that number in over ONE YEAR was simply a methodology that was guaranteed to not lead to sustainable future success for Michigan football.
With Jim Harbaugh there has been a 180 degree shift when it comes to schlolarship management. While Hoke would pretty much let a prospect sit for four or even five years on the pine until his eligibility expired, Harbaugh has made it clear that if you are not good enough to play after a certain period of time you may want to consider looking elsewhere or remaining at Michigan and not play football. It is all about competition. Compete to play. Winners play, losers don’t play. Everything is completely transparent between coaching staff and players. As one former Harbaugh player at Satnford said the other day, the players know where they are ranked vis-à-vis the other players. They are told every day. Heck, they were even drafted by the coaches for the spring game.
So under Harbaugh, some players will look elsewhere in order to gain playing time. Others will remain at Michigan on medical scholarships (interesting how this is used as an “elegant” way to guarantee and education for the non-performers. It seems to be pretty easy to document some sort of injury if a kid really wants to remain at the school). Michigan will not pull a scholarship for a non-performer, however than does not mean that the staff will not be up front with each and every plyer as to his future.
At the end of the day, the tangible benefit to Michigan football in properly managing attrition will be more scholarships to give out to PROSPECTS on Signing Day. Instead of years with 20 or less scholarships to had out, look for classes to regularly approach 25 as prospects who sign with Michigan cycle through the system, some developing into real players and others being processed out to focus on their education or play at a more suitable level. Such is competition.
Scholarships Available for the Class of 2017
With the departures of Dukes and Dawson Michigan currently has 67 scholarship players with eligibility to return in 2017. This translates to 18 current a available scholarships, a very high number for this early stage of the recruiting cycle and not taking into consideration projected future attrition, including fifth year kids not being invited back. Here is a list of players with eligibility remaining in 2017 who may be on the bubble depending on 2016 performance:
Shane Morris: Doubt he return for fifth year if he does not win the starting job
Andrew David: Will likely be passed up by Nordin. Has shown little thus far
Scot Sypniewski: Will Harbaugh keep a long snapper for a fifth year? Perhaps.
Wyatt Shallman: Can he pass up Poggi or Hill at FB as a running alternative?
Alex Malzone: Already far behind in the QB race
Brady Pallante: Has not shown much thus far but lack of DT depth in ’17 may help his cause
Freddy Canteen: Severe injury may see him processed out
Brandon Watson: Will Watson remain if Canteen processed and he is passed up by Washington?
Given the above, I could easily see this class numbering 25+ come Signing Day.
Fourteen Class of 2018 Prospects Most Likely to end up at Michigan
It is very, very early to project the Class of 2018, especially as Harbaugh tends to prolong the recruiting timeline as he scours coast-to-coast for the top prospect. Still, there are some low-hanging fruit who have the skill set to be offered and heavily recruited by Michigan. Ten of the below 14 prospects already have Michigan offers. Three, Woodard, Mallory and Hutchinson, are sons of former Michigan players. Two are from Detroit pipeline program Cass Tech. One, Finn Dirstine, is a stud teammate of A.J. Dillon. One, Johnson, is already committed and his teammate, Leonard Taylor, is considering committing soon. One, Cam Taylor, is from pipeline program Prattville and has tested through the roof this spring but Michigan offered him when he was a true unknown. One, McCall, is a teammate of '17 verbal Hall. Two are twins brothers from pipeline state New Jersey. how many eventually end up signing with Michigan? I would guess about 8, and a 50% plus hit rate at this very early stage of the '18 cycle would be quite impressive.
Name: Finn Dirstine
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: OL
Height: 6'5
Weight: 321
Forty: 4.81
City/School: Groton Lawrence Academy
State: Massachusetts
College Commitment:
Top Offers: BC, UMASS, MIA
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/Finn_Dirstine73 https://instagram.com/finn_dirstine/ Head coach (Paul Zukauskas): https://twitter.com/zukie66 Lawrence Academy, PO Box 992 Groton, MA | 01450 | Phone: 978-448-1580 | Fax: 978-448-1548
National Ranking Position: 16
Rating: 5
Freshman Local Honors: HM-ISL
Combines: 2015: Ht:6'4"Wt:321 lbs40:4.8 secsShuttle:4.9Vertical:20 inches
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4524227/finn-dirstine 8th:
News And Notes: Same program as Michigan verbal A.J. Dillon..............One of the top prospects in New England..............Sophomore starter at T & DT on a 8-3 5A team...........Freshman starter at T & DT on a 8-1 NEPSAC B team..........Great size, quick feet, aggressive. Breakout frosh season. Best projects as a guard. Power Five talent..............40YD DASH 4.81 SHUTTLE 4.90 VERTICAL 20.5".................Impressive at July 2015 Penn State camp...............Very impressive at summer 2014 Boston FBU.............His head coach is former Boston College and Cleveland Brown Offensive Lineman Paul Zukauskas.........As of June he had offers from Miami, BC and UMass and was also hearing from Michigan, Maryland, Syracuse and Penn State
Name: Marquan McCall
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: OL
Height: 6'3
Weight: 321
Forty: 5.88
City/School: Oak Park
State: Michigan
College Commitment:
Top Offers: MICH>AKRON, MIA (OH), CIN, WMU, CMU, TEN, MS, ILL
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/MccallMarquan Oak Park High, 13701 Oak Park Blvd Oak Park, MI 48237-2091 Phone: 248-691-8412 Fax: 248-691-8445
National Ranking Position: 17
Rating: 5
Sophomore Local Honors: 2-Detroit News-North (OL); 2-Oakland Press-County (OL)
Combines: May2015: Marquan McCall OL 18 MI Oak Park (MI) 6-1.5 321 5.88 33 19.8
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/6456505/marquan-mccall
News And Notes: One of the top prospects in Michigan.....................Sophomore starter on the OL.................He transferred from Detroit Cody to Oak Park after his freshman season...............Freshman starter on the line for a 5-4 team and in 6 games he had 9 tackles, 13 assists and 1 sack.............Good size, aggressive, strong, moves well laterally, fast, nasty demeanor on the field. Has huge hands. Thick build. Best projects as a guard. Road-grader. Has shed some bad weight as a sophomore. Power Five big-time talent.............His coach says that the sky is the limit for him................Very impressive at December 2015 Detroit Adidas Invitational................Very impressive at June 2015 Macomb (MI) Sound Mind Sound Body Camp (Michigan offer)..............He attended the May 2015 Columbus Nike The Opening Camp.............Very impressive at March 2015 McCook (IL) Adidas Top 10 Showcase............He visited Michigan in April 2015 for the spring game..............He visited Michigan and Michigan State in August 2015..........He visited Michigan for the September 2015 BYU game..............He visited Michigan for the October 2015 Northwestern game..........He visited Michigan for October 2015 Michigan State game.............As of October Michigan was his leader
Name: Cameron Rising
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: QB
Position: QB
Height: 6'1
Weight: 190
Forty: 4.80
City/School: Newbury Park
State: California
College Commitment:
Top Offers: WASH ST, CAL, ORE ST, FRES ST, AZ ST, HOU, AZ, MICH, LSU, SD ST, NEB
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/CameronRising https://www.facebook.com/cameron.rising Newbury Park High, 456 N Reino Rd Newbury Park, CA 91320 Phone: (805) 498-3676 Fax: (805) 499-3549
National Ranking Position: 7
Rating: 5
National Honors: 2-MaxPreps-Soph-AA (QB)
Sophomore Local Honors: Los Angeles Daily News-Area Newcomer of the Year; 1-CIF-Southern Section-Division (QB); CalHiSports.com All-State Nominee
Combines: February 2016 L.A. Nike The Opening: Cameron Rising QB 18 CA Newbury Park 6-1 190 4.80 4.41 37.0 28.9 81.99
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4457043/cameron-rising
News And Notes: One of the top QBs in California.....................As a sophomore QB on a 6-5 team he completed 191 of 319 passes for 3,213 yards (.599), 40 TDs and just 1 INT, and had 79 carries for 756 yards (9.6ypc) and 11 TDs............Key sophomore to watch (QB).................One of 2 freshmen on a 11-3 team (QB) and he was the freshman team starter..............Dual-threat QB. Nice frame, strong and accurate arm, runs well, athletic, humble. Breakout soph season. Power Five talent.........."He is pretty special," assistant coach Doug Dagan said in September 2015. "He is only gonna keep getting better and better."...............81.99 SPARQ at February 2016 L.A. Nike The Opening........................As a sophomore in a 58-34 win over Agoura he completed 13 of 17 passes for 388 yards and six touchdowns. He ran for 148 yards and one touchdown..............Plays basketball and participates in track and field.............As of July he was hearing from most of the Pac-10................His older brother Tyson committed to Arizona Stzate in December 2015..................As of September he had an offer from Washington State. Washington State also offered his older brother, Tyson, a 290-pound lineman at Ventura College...........As of December he had offers from WASH ST, CAL, ORE ST, FRES ST, AZ ST, HOU, AZ
Name: Cam Taylor
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: WR
Position: WR/DB/QB
Height: 6'0
Weight: 194
Forty: 4.56
City/School: Prattville
State: Alabama
College Commitment:
Top Offers: MICH, CIN
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/CamJuice4 Prattville High, PO Box 680810 Prattville, AL 36068 Phone: 334-365-8804 Fax: 334-358-0011
National Ranking Position: 18
Rating: 5
Combines: March 2016 Atlanta Nike The Opening: Cameron Taylor WR 18 AL Prattville 5-10 193 4.58 4.26 35.5 34.5 101.37
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3776586/cam-taylor
News And Notes: One of the top prospects in Alabama..................Sophomore contributor at WR on a 6-4 7A team and he had 1 reception for 26 yards and 1 carry for 5 yards...........One of 2 freshmen on a 11-3 7A team (QB/WR/SS).............Versatile skill athlete whois a dual-threat QB/WR/DB. Good speed and athleticism. Starting to emerge as a sophomore. Power Five talent................Great 101.37 SPARQ at March 2016 Atlanta Nike The Opening
Name: Al'vonte Woodard
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: WR
Position: WR
Height: 6'1
Weight: 180
Forty: 4.60
City/School: Houston Lamar
State: Texas
College Commitment:
Top Offers: KAN, HOU, TULSA
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/vonte_4 https://twitter.com/fastmoney__ https://www.facebook.com/alvonte.woodard Lamar High, 3325 Westheimer Rd Houston, TX 77098-1099 Phone: 713-535-3740 Fax: 713-535-3769
National Ranking Position: 29
Rating: 5
Sophomore Local Honors: 1-District-6A (WR)
Combines: March 2016 Dallas Nike The Opening: Al'vonte Woodard 18 WR TX Lamar (Houston) 6-1 180 4.60 4.64 35.0 33.4 83.76; March 2015: Alvonte Woodard WR 2018 Lamar High School TX 6-0.0 177 4.65 4.66 31.5 31.3 71.64
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4842779/alvonte-woodard
News And Notes: One of the top WRs in Texas....................Final soph stats on a 11-2 6A team: 21 receptions for 472 yards and 4 TDs.................Sophomore starter at WR on a 6-1 6A team and he had 16 receptions for 303 yards (18.9 avg) and 4 TDs...............One of 2 freshmen on a 10-3 6A team (WR).................Tall WR with great speed and ball skills. Runs great routes. Shifty and can make acrobatic catches. Breakout soph campaign. Power Five talent............Very impressive at the March 2016 Dallas Nike The Opening............Very impressive at March 2016 New Orleans Rivals Camp......................Very impressive at the February 2016 Houston Next Level Athlete Showcase................71.64 SPARQ at March 2015 Dallas Nike Combine..............40YD DASH 4.43 SHUTTLE 4.17 VERTICAL 34" BENCH PRESS 230lbs SQUAT 405lbs 100m 10.8 400m 49.7.........The son of former Michigan WR Allen Woodard.........As of September he liked Baylor, Michigan, Texas and Texas A&M
Name: Will Mallory
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: TE
Position: TE/WR/LB
Height: 6'6
Weight: 200
Forty:
City/School: Jacksonville Providence
State: Florida
College Commitment:
Top Offers: MICH
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/WillMallory_25 Providence High, 2701 Hodges Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32224-1264 Phone: 904-223-5270 Fax: 904-223-3028
National Ranking Position: 8
Rating: 5
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4445768/will-mallory
News And Notes: One of the top jumbo athletes in Florida...................Sophomore starter at WR/TE on a 3-7 3A team and in stats reported for 5 game he had 7 receptions for 251 yards (35.9 avg) and 3 TDs.................Freshman starter (TE/WR/OLB) on a 8-3 3A team................One of 3 freshmen on the preseason roster of a 6-5 3A team (OLB/TE)..................Great frame, good feet, soft hands, breakout frosh campaign. May best project as a TE once he fills out. Great bloodlines. Power Five talent..........Plays basketball...............The son of former Michigan LB Mike Mallory, the special teams coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and grandson of former college head coach Billl Mallory..........Offered by Michigan in April 2015 as a freshman.........He visited Michigan in May 2015
Name: Leonard Taylor
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: DL
Position: DL/OL/TE
Height: 6'5
Weight: 273
Forty: 5.10
City/School: Springfield
State: Ohio
College Commitment:
Top Offers: KY, LOU, MICH, PSU, CIN, NEB, PUR, PSU, TEN, OH ST, ND
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/Lenny_T_20 https://twitter.com/Money_Team937 https://www.facebook.com/leonard.taylor.7927 Springfield High School, 701 E. Home , Springfield, Ohio 45503 Tel: 937-505-4319 Fax (937) 342-4110
National Ranking Position: 8
Rating: 5
Combines: May2015: Leonard Taylor TE 18 OH Springfield (OH) 6-4.5 250 4.86 31.5 22.3
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4237664/leonard-taylor
News And Notes: One of the top prospects in Ohio............Sophomore starter on a 3-7 DI team and he was a starter (TE/DE).............One of 15 freshmen on a 2-8 DI team (TE/DE/QB) and he had 3 receptions for 16 yards and 4 carries for 2 yards. He started at TE & DE .............Great size, quick feet, moves well, very athletic. Power Five big-timer...........Measured in at 6'4 3/4'' 273 at the January 2016 Army All-American Combine...........He attended the May 2015 Columbus Nike The Opening Camp...............Forward in basketball and he is very talented.......Offered by Kentucky as a freshman to play TE..........As of April 2015 he was hearing from Kentucky (offer), Boston College and Cincinnati...............As of September he liked OH St over MICH ST, PSU, AL, and IA
Name: Aidan Hutchinson
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: DL
Position: DL/LSN
Height: 6'5
Weight: 234
Forty: 5.11
City/School: Dearborn Divine Child
State: Michigan
College Commitment:
Top Offers: LSU, MICH
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/aidanhutch28 Divine Child High, 1001 N Silvery Ln Dearborn, MI 48128-1596 Phone: 313-562-1990 Fax: 313-562-9361
National Ranking Position: 18
Sophomore Local Honors: 1-Dearborn Press and Guide-Dearborn; 2-Detroit Catholic League
Combines: February 2016 Orlando Nike The Opening: Aidan Hutchinson Divine Child DL 18 6-5.0 234 5.11 4.60 37.5 27.0 75.63
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4157812/aidan-hutchinson
News And Notes: One of the top prospects in Michigan.............One of 4 sophomores on a 4-5 team and he started at DE and recorded 51 tackles, nine of which went for a loss, along with two sacks and a pair of forced fumbles (DE/LSN).................As a freshman he moved up to varsity for the playoffs..............Great frame, quick feet, athletic, good bloodlines, good motor and intensity. Put together well. Power Five talent...............His coaches feel that he will be a high-level recruit. Divine Child coach John Filiatraut said Hutchinson was “tough, physical and relentless”...............The son of former Michigan DL Chris Hucthinson..........Visited CMU in February...............Will visit Michigan in the spring of 2016..........As of January he had heard from Michigan, Vanderbilt and Tennessee
Name: Jayson Ademilola
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: DL
Position: DL/LB/OL
Height: 6'3
Weight: 261
Forty:
City/School: Jersey City St. Peter's Prep
State: New Jersey
College Commitment:
Top Offers: BC, MIA, RUT, UVA, UCONN, MICH, GA, AUB, PSU, TEMP, MICH ST, MD
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/jaysonademilola St. Peter's Prep, 144 Grand St Jersey City, NJ 07302 Phone: 201-547-6450 Fax: 201-547-6479
National Ranking Position: 14
Rating: 5
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4278332/jayson-ademilola
News And Notes: One of the top prospects in New Jersey....................Sophomore starter at DE on a 5-2 Non-Public Group 4 team and he had 11 tackles, 4 assists, 3 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 hurries and 2 PBUs..........One of 4 freshmen on a 11-1 Group 4 team (DE/OLB/G) and he had 1 tackle, 2 assists and 3 hurries............Key freshman to watch...........Great frame, fast and strong. Rapidly filling out and growing into a DL. Strong hands and fine instincts. Power Five big-time talent..................Twin brother of Justin..........As an 8th-grader he threw the discus 96 feet and the shot put 41-9...........Offered by BC in January of his freshman year.........Visited Auburn in July 2015........Visited Michigan for August 2015 Barbecue at the Big House..........As of June he was very interested in Michigan
Name: Justin Ademilola
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: LB
Position: LB/DL/TE
Height: 6'3
Weight: 225
Forty:
City/School: Jersey City St. Peter's Prep
State: New Jersey
College Commitment:
Top Offers: UVA, BC, UCONN, RUT, MICH, GA, AUB, PSU, TEMP, MICH ST
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/justin4747 St. Peter's Prep, 144 Grand St Jersey City, NJ 07302 Phone: 201-547-6450 Fax: 201-547-6479
National Ranking Position: 5
Rating: 5
National Honors: 2-MaxPreps-Soph-AA (LB)
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4278339/justin-ademilola
News And Notes: One of the top prospects in New Jersey..............As a sophomore he recorded 46 tackles and two sacks............Sophomore starter at TE & OLB on a 5-2 Non-Public Group 4 team and he had 14 tackles, 6 assists, 4 TFL, 1 sack, 4 hurries and 1 FR.........One of 4 freshmen on a 11-1 Group 4 team..........Key freshman to watch............Great frame, fast and strong. Great instincts and nice burst. Fine upside. Power Five big-timer..................Twin brother of Jayson.........Visited Auburn in July 2015.................Visited Michigan for August 2015 Barbecue at the Big House...............As of June he was very interested in Michigan
Name: Antwuan Johnson
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: LB
Position: LB
Height: 6'1
Weight: 281
Forty: 4.79
City/School: Springfield
State: Ohio
College Commitment: Michigan
Top Offers: KY, LOU, BG, MICH, CIN
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/antwuan21 Springfield High School, 701 E. Home , Springfield, Ohio 45503 Tel: 937-505-4319 Fax (937) 342-4110
National Ranking Position: 9
Rating: 5
Sophomore Local Honors: 1-GWOC Central
Freshman Local Honors: 2-GWOC Central
Combines: May2015: Antwuan Johnson LB 18 OH Springfield (OH) 5-11 213 4.89 4.3 33 33.1 87.45.............2015: Ht:6'1"Wt:210 lbs40:5.2 secsShuttle:4.5Vertical:27 inches
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4237795/antwuan-johnson
News And Notes: One of the top prospects in Ohio..............He committed to Michigan on March 21, 2016................As a sophomore MLB on a 3-7 DI team he had 37 tackles, 69 assists and 4 PBUs.................Freshman starter at MLB on a 2-8 DI team and he had 26 tackles, 26 assists, 2 FFs and 2 FRs...........Talented two-way player. Outstanding MLB with a great frame and range. Can go StS. Tough against the run. Downhill LB with great size, good power, nice COD, solid speed. Power Five big-time talent...............Very impressive at the February 2016 Indianapolis Best of the Midwest Combine...............87.45 SPARQ the May 2015 Columbus Nike The Opening Camp...........Impressive at June 2014 MSR Showcase..............40yd Dash 4.59 Shuttle 4.29 Vertical 33" Bench Press 245lbs Squat 290lbs..............Varsity PF in basketball as a freshman...........As of April 2015 he favored Miami and had an offer from Kentucky............As of September he liked KY, LOU, MIA, LSU, AL, OH ST, and MICH ST...............As of March he favored Michigan
Name: DeAndre Square
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: LB
Position: LB/DB/ATH
Height: 6'1
Weight: 205
Forty:
City/School: Detroit Cass Tech
State: Michigan
College Commitment:
Top Offers: CIN, SYR
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/d_square10 Cass Tech High, 2421 2nd Ave Detroit, MI 48201-2601 Phone: 313-596-3900 Fax: 313-596-3877
National Ranking Position: 43
Rating: 5
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4088139/deandre-square 8th:
News And Notes: One of the top LBs in Michigan.........................Sophomore starter at LB on a 8-2 Class 1 team................One of 5 freshmen on a powerful 10-0 team (FS/SS)..................One of the top youth league players in Michigan............Skilled, speedy and athletic two-way player. Moves well laterally and has great instincts. Rapidly growing into an OLB. Long arms. Power Five talent.............Camped at Penn State in July 2015...................Very impressive at July 2015 Detroit Colts Invitational 7-on-7...............Very impressive at May 2015 Midwest Elite Exposure Camp (Second Team LB)...............Attended March 2015 Tom Lemming Ann Arbor Photo Shoot................As an 8th-grader on a 7-0 West 7 Rams team he rushed for 754 yards and 11 TDs and caught 15 passes for 283 yards...........3.2 GPA in junior high...............Visited Michigan for September 2015 Oregon State game
Name: Kalon Gervin
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: DB
Position: DB/WR
Height: 5'11
Weight: 175
Forty: 4.40
City/School: Detroit Cass Tech
State: Michigan
College Commitment:
Top Offers: MICH>AKRON, TOL, ILL, IA ST, PSU, UAB, USF, EMU, PITT, SYR, TEN, MICH ST, CAL
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/Kalon_Gervin https://www.facebook.com/kalon.gervin https://twitter.com/PursuingKG https://twitter.com/KalonGervin Cass Tech High, 2421 2nd Ave Detroit, MI 48201-2601 Phone: 313-596-3900 Fax: 313-596-3877
National Ranking Position: 22
Rating: 5
National Honors: MaxPreps Class of 2018 Top 100 Watch List (July 2014)
Combines: May2015: Kalon Gervin DB 18 MI Cass Tech 5-10.5 171 4.62 4.35 29.5 30.6 75.72..........6/28 Kalon Gervin White 8 Four Corners Montessori MI CB WR 5'9.5 69.5 155 4.66 4.68 8'10 27 118.5 91.5 ..........6/9 Kalon Gervin B24 8 Four Corners Montessori Academy MI CB WR 5'10 70 154 4.9 4.7 8'4 28 118 90
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4088089/kalon-gervin 8th:
News And Notes: One of the top prospects in Michigan.............Sophomore starter at CB on a 8-2 Class 1 team................He decided to remain at Cass Tech for his sophomore season after having announced that he would transfer to King in early August................Freshman contributor at CB for a powerful 10-0 team and he had 25 tackles, 4 PBUs and started 6 games.............OVery fast and athletic two-way prospect from Southfield. A sprinter in track who has fine speed and quickness. May best project as a CB with his fluid hips and great recovery speed. Real ball hawk and has a high football IQ. Nice frame, physical. Emerged early at powerful CT. Huge upside................Invited to January 2016 U.S. Army National Combine............Attended July 2015 Ohio State Friday Night Lights................Very impressive at July 2015 Penn State camp (4.4 forty)............Very impressive at June 2015 Toledo Camp (4.3 forty/offer)...............Very impressive at June 2015 Michigan State Camp.............75.72 SPARQ the May 2015 Columbus Nike The Opening Camp................Impressive at May 2015 Chicago Nike The Opening Camp................Attended March 2015 Tom Lemming Ann Arbor Photo Shoot.................One of the top freshman sprinters in Michigan: 9 kalon Gervin 11.26a MI Detroit Cass Tech MHSAA LP Regional 06-1 @ GP South Fri, May 15...................Ranked as one of the top top underclassmen at the 10 2014 NUC Five Star Camps.........Youth all-star.............One of the top junior high prospects in America................Key rising 8th-grader to watch (ATH).....................Rare 7th-grader to particpate at the July 2013 Norman (OK) NUC Ultimate 100 Top Prospect Elite Camp.............Among the top performers at the June 2013 NUC Ultimate 100 Midwest: 7th-9TH Grade DB MVP (8'11 Broad Jump, 27" Vertical 4.66 40).............June 2013 Ann Arbor NUC 8th-9TH Grade Fastest Man (8'4 Broad Jump, 28" Vertical 4.90 40 4.70 Shuttle)-............... 11.3 100 meters....................Cousin of former NBA star George Gervin...................He visited Michigan State in February 2015.............He visited Michigan for the April 2015 Spring game..............Visited Michigan for September 2015 Oregon State game............He visited Michigan for October 2015 Michigan State game.............He visited Illinois in October 2015.............As of February 2015 he was hearing from the likes of Michigan State, Tennessee, Cincinnati, Bowling Green, Ohio State, and Michigan.........As of January he favored Michigan
Name: Xavier Henderson
Class: 2018
Projected College Position: DB
Position: DB/WR
Height: 6'0
Weight: 175
Forty: 4.70
City/School: Pickerington Central
State: Ohio
College Commitment:
Top Offers: KY, CIN, TOL, MIA (OH), ESTN KY
Contact Information: https://twitter.com/Xhenn5 Pickerington Central High, 300 Opportunity Wy Pickerington, OH 43147 Phone: (614) 833-3025 Fax: (614) 833-3062
National Ranking Position: 45
Rating: 5
Combines: May2015: Xavier Henderson DB 18 OH Pickerington Central 5-11.5 170 4.92 4.43 34 33.7 75.72
Video Links: SO: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/4178336/xavier-henderson
News And Notes: One of the top prospects in Ohio..........................Sophomore starter at CB on a 8-3 DI team (CB/WR).............Will start as a sophomore on a 11-1 DI team..................One of 5 freshmen on a 11-1 DI team (RB/SS/CB).........................Great recovery speed, solid in coverage, fluid hips, can turn and run, solid open-field tackler, physical for his size, anticipates well. Power Five talent...........34.5 vertical...............75.72 SPARQ at the May 2015 Columbus Nike Combine............Michigan fan...........He visited Kentucky for October 2015 Tennessee game..............Plans to visit Michigan and Ohio State in spring 2016
