*** I was back in The Mitten this week and had a chance to get my first in-game look at 2022 Rivals250 Essexville (Mich.) Garber defensive tackle and Michigan commit Alex VanSumeren. The drive from Chicago to Bay City was a long one, but it was definitely worth it. VanSumeren made a statement on the first drive of the game — rag dolling the opposing quarterback on a read option then recording a tackle for loss on a broken play. VanSumeren lives for contact, is aggressive and downright mean. He's exactly the type of bully player you want in the trenches. At 6-foot-2, 280 pounds, VanSumeren is a true defensive tackle, and it's hard to find a higher floor kid at the position for next cycle.
*** VanSumeren finished the game with seven tackles despite facing constant double teams and Swan Valley basically game planning around him after the first drive. I know a Fort member started a thread about recently seeing VanSumeren and him not being dominant against weaker competition. Look, it's hard for VanSumeren to dominate when he's clearly the best player on the field, and he's schemed around and doubled. I'm not too concerned that Swan Valley went to the board, said this guy is legit and then spent the whole night avoiding him. Evaluating recruits goes beyond numbers. I love the physicality, brute strength and violent hands that VanSumeren brings to the table. His technique is terrific as well. On top of that, VanSumeren spent the whole night going both ways (he showed deceptive athleticism at fullback and scored a touchdown), so he didn't have the luxury of being well-rested for his time on defense.
*** Let's get back to those violent hands. I already knew VanSumeren was strong, and it's clear he added some good weight this offseason. On his sophomore tape, VanSumeren uses that power and leverage to beat his man. This season, however, VanSumeren has become a more versatile player. His get off is much faster, and he knows how to use his hands to get past opposing offensive linemen. He no longer has to just rely on bull rushes. His hands stood out to me the most throughout the night because it's something I saw VanSumeren put in a ton of work on during the two private training sessions I attended this summer. His work ethic is going to make him a great culture fit at Michigan, and it was awesome to see it transition to the field on Friday night.
*** This was my fourth in-game evaluation of 2021 Rivals250 Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech offensive lineman Raheem Anderson. It's crazy that I've seen him in action so many times, but his schedule works out so favorably with a lot of Saturday games. Anyway, I've obviously talked a ton about Anderson, so I won't rehash too much. But I'm still super high on Anderson. I think he's the superior prospect over Greg Crippen, especially after watching them in back-to-back weeks. Anderson is extremely strong and had some physical blocks throughout Cass Tech's blowout win over King. However, he has continued to improve his technique and hand placement. Crippen is great in those areas, too, but he's not nearly as quick off the snap and is definitely not as powerful as Anderson.
*** I can't state this enough, but Anderson has all the intangibles of a successful center. He's smart, makes adjustments and helps his fellow offensive linemen adapt to different looks. His attitude and leadership abilities are the best I've seen from any center recruit I've ever covered. He's the clear leader for one of the top programs in the Midwest, and his teammates absolutely love him. I have a feeling Anderson is going to command the same respect at Michigan down the line. He has quickly become one of my favorite recruits to cover this cycle. If Anderson does transition to guard, I feel like he can have a Michael Onwenu like career at Michigan. But again, I just love what Anderson brings to the table at center.
*** Rising 2022 Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech defensive tackle Deone Walker continues to be a stock up prospect for me. He's all of 300 pounds and is moving better and better every time I see him. Walker even saw a few snaps as a five-tech and didn't look out of place. He's getting quicker out of his stance, he's using his hands more and he doesn't look like just a big body clogging up the middle. Walker is still extremely raw, so I would grade him as a three-star prospect, but he has the chance to be a rankings riser. While he had a rough camp in the summer, he's looked the part in pads, and his best days are ahead of him.
*** It was a rough day for 2023 Detroit (Mich.) King quarterback Dante Moore. While he had a couple of flash plays, including a 50-yard touchdown toss late in the first half, Moore and the King offense just looked out of sync. Some of that had to do with play calling, but a lot of it had to do with Cass Tech dominating upfront. Moore couldn't even get past his first read without having someone in his face. He took hit after hit and was physically worn down by the end of the game. I admire his toughness, but I would have yanked him. He took a beating. A statistically unimpressive day was not Moore's fault at all, and I'm still a believer in the talent. I've seen enough of Moore to know that he has all the tools to be a top ranked quarterback nationally in the 2023 class.
*** VanSumeren finished the game with seven tackles despite facing constant double teams and Swan Valley basically game planning around him after the first drive. I know a Fort member started a thread about recently seeing VanSumeren and him not being dominant against weaker competition. Look, it's hard for VanSumeren to dominate when he's clearly the best player on the field, and he's schemed around and doubled. I'm not too concerned that Swan Valley went to the board, said this guy is legit and then spent the whole night avoiding him. Evaluating recruits goes beyond numbers. I love the physicality, brute strength and violent hands that VanSumeren brings to the table. His technique is terrific as well. On top of that, VanSumeren spent the whole night going both ways (he showed deceptive athleticism at fullback and scored a touchdown), so he didn't have the luxury of being well-rested for his time on defense.
*** Let's get back to those violent hands. I already knew VanSumeren was strong, and it's clear he added some good weight this offseason. On his sophomore tape, VanSumeren uses that power and leverage to beat his man. This season, however, VanSumeren has become a more versatile player. His get off is much faster, and he knows how to use his hands to get past opposing offensive linemen. He no longer has to just rely on bull rushes. His hands stood out to me the most throughout the night because it's something I saw VanSumeren put in a ton of work on during the two private training sessions I attended this summer. His work ethic is going to make him a great culture fit at Michigan, and it was awesome to see it transition to the field on Friday night.
*** This was my fourth in-game evaluation of 2021 Rivals250 Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech offensive lineman Raheem Anderson. It's crazy that I've seen him in action so many times, but his schedule works out so favorably with a lot of Saturday games. Anyway, I've obviously talked a ton about Anderson, so I won't rehash too much. But I'm still super high on Anderson. I think he's the superior prospect over Greg Crippen, especially after watching them in back-to-back weeks. Anderson is extremely strong and had some physical blocks throughout Cass Tech's blowout win over King. However, he has continued to improve his technique and hand placement. Crippen is great in those areas, too, but he's not nearly as quick off the snap and is definitely not as powerful as Anderson.
*** I can't state this enough, but Anderson has all the intangibles of a successful center. He's smart, makes adjustments and helps his fellow offensive linemen adapt to different looks. His attitude and leadership abilities are the best I've seen from any center recruit I've ever covered. He's the clear leader for one of the top programs in the Midwest, and his teammates absolutely love him. I have a feeling Anderson is going to command the same respect at Michigan down the line. He has quickly become one of my favorite recruits to cover this cycle. If Anderson does transition to guard, I feel like he can have a Michael Onwenu like career at Michigan. But again, I just love what Anderson brings to the table at center.
*** Rising 2022 Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech defensive tackle Deone Walker continues to be a stock up prospect for me. He's all of 300 pounds and is moving better and better every time I see him. Walker even saw a few snaps as a five-tech and didn't look out of place. He's getting quicker out of his stance, he's using his hands more and he doesn't look like just a big body clogging up the middle. Walker is still extremely raw, so I would grade him as a three-star prospect, but he has the chance to be a rankings riser. While he had a rough camp in the summer, he's looked the part in pads, and his best days are ahead of him.
*** It was a rough day for 2023 Detroit (Mich.) King quarterback Dante Moore. While he had a couple of flash plays, including a 50-yard touchdown toss late in the first half, Moore and the King offense just looked out of sync. Some of that had to do with play calling, but a lot of it had to do with Cass Tech dominating upfront. Moore couldn't even get past his first read without having someone in his face. He took hit after hit and was physically worn down by the end of the game. I admire his toughness, but I would have yanked him. He took a beating. A statistically unimpressive day was not Moore's fault at all, and I'm still a believer in the talent. I've seen enough of Moore to know that he has all the tools to be a top ranked quarterback nationally in the 2023 class.
