*** The last stop on my swing out West was arguably the most important as I had an opportunity to see Rivals100 Seattle (Wash.) Rainier Beach offensive lineman Josh Conerly live for the second time. Conerly, who remains one of Michigan’s most important targets for this cycle, really impressed at Michigan’s summer satellite camp in the Pacific Northwest. What I saw at the camp translated over to the field. Conerly is a big, athletic prospect that is just scratching the surface of his potential. Conerly moves extremely well for his size and has excellent feet. You can even go the cliché route and call him a dancing bear. There is a lot of athleticism and natural talent that can be molded into something special at the next level.
*** For as high as Conerly is ranked, he is still a bit of a work in progress from a technical standpoint. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Conerly has only been playing offensive tackle for three years. He arrived at Rainier Beach as a running back before moving over to tight end and eventually offensive tackle. Conerly hit a growth spurt early in his high school career, and his coaches told him if he focused on tackle, he could become an All-American. Because he’s still fairly new to the position, Conerly still needs to work on things like hand placement, remaining engaged with his blocks, bend in pass sets, etc. But again, his upside is off the charts. I’ve loved Conerly since before he even had a Michigan offer. In fact, I brought up Conerly to sources close to the U-M program right before he notched a scholarship last April. He has five-star upside.
*** Conerly won’t have to develop too much from a body standpoint. Again, he’s extremely athletic and carries his weight really well. He can basically play any spot along the offensive line other than center. Conerly used that size and athleticism as well as his brute strength to completely overpower inferior competition last night. Conerly also started at defensive tackle and commanded constant double teams. Cramps caused him to miss a lot of the second half, but that’s understandable considering he’s a lineman that almost never comes off the field — he forced his way back in the fourth quarter. Still, Conerly was so upset about it that he stormed off the field after the game and told me ‘sorry for wasting your time’ before coming out of the locker room about 20 minutes later and giving a great interview. Conerly is a fierce competitor with a high IQ on the field/in the classroom that would be a great fit at a place like Michigan.
*** Conerly wasn’t the only offensive line recruit I saw on my swing out West. This trip also gave me an opportunity to see three-star Michigan offensive line commit Connor Jones live for the second time. The first time was for a camp in the spring, where Jones was named OL MVP. Jones has continued to shape up his body since then, cutting some fat and adding more muscle. Jones lives in the gym and will add weight the right way once he arrives at U-M. Jones actually pointed to freshman Tristan Bounds in our post-game interview as a guy that arrived in Ann Arbor with a need for body development that quickly progressed in the Michigan strength and conditioning program. Jones sees himself in the same mold.
*** Development will be the biggest factor for Jones. From a technical standpoint, Jones checks all the boxes. He uses his hands well, he stays engaged and finishes off blocks and understands everything his team is trying to do schematically. While Jones was playing against very subpar competition, he did what he was supposed to do, especially when run blocking. Jones got a big push up front and buried defenders with a few pancakes. The Monument (Colo.) Palmer Ridge product also paved running lanes when pulling and looked athletic when getting to the second level — linebackers and defensive backs mostly got out of his way. I didn’t see too much of Jones in standard pass sets, but I like his length and overall profile as a tackle. However, Jones may start inside and work his way out at the next level. Again, it all depends on how his body develops under Ben Herbert.
*** There are three things I really want to mention with Jones. One, Jones is extremely coachable. His technique is superior because he puts in so much individual training with former NFL offensive lineman and top trainer Matt McChesney. He’s also directly applying some things future position coach Sherrone Moore has talked to him about. My first thought when seeing Jones on his opening drive was ‘man, this dude is killing people on down blocks.’ After the game, Jones told me Moore really honed in on his down blocking technique on their recent calls, which made me laugh and say ‘it worked!’ I love that Jones not only listens but applies. Two, Ed Warinner may have had his issues, but he was one hell of an evaluator. I don’t think any other coach was as meticulous with their evaluations last cycle than Warinner. The fact that he identified and took Jones so early speaks volumes of what he can become. Three, Jones has been a Michigan fan all his life and bleeds maize and blue. He’ll be a leader on and off the field. He loves the program and is going to be one of the hardest workers on the roster. I think that intangible will help him find even more success in Ann Arbor. He’s one of the more undervalued members of this class.
*** I sandwiched a trip to San Francisco between my stops in Denver and Seattle, so I could get a closer look at three-star Concord (Calif.) De La Salle defensive back and new Michigan target Zeke Berry. Unfortunately, Berry suffered a foot injury, and I spent the majority of a blowout gathering information, which I’m excited to share with y’all in Into The Blue. I can tell you that Berry has a thick, compact build. While not super tall or long, he has plenty of speed and plays with great instincts. I’ve seen some of his early season clips, and he makes so many plays on the ball. Michigan really likes Berry as an athlete in the secondary. Ron Bellamy is leading the way in his recruitment and views him as a safety/nickel type but can also play corner. Yes, it’s the same role that Michigan saw Dillon Tatum playing. I wish I would have been able to see Berry for a full game or even a full quarter. I’m told the staff absolutely loves his talent and ability. Flipping him from Arizona is a priority.
*** Let’s circle back to my time in Seattle. During my time in the Pacific Northwest, I also saw Rivals100 2023 Seattle (Wash.) Rainier Beach cornerback Caleb Presley. This is a kid Jim Harbaugh saw during his summer Seattle satellite camp and offered on the spot. Presley has decent length, but what really stands out about his game is his speed. He breaks on balls in a hurry and isn’t afraid to come up and make stops against the run. Presley is a pure athlete that also returns punts and lines up at wide receiver for his high school team. While he can play on an island on the outside, I like him as a nickel that can man up against slots and flex ends. I also like Presley’s swagger and willingness to get physical in press man. Unfortunately, Presley just didn’t see much action come his way last night. The opposition was afraid to test him. Presley basically took away his side of the field in a 33-0 blowout.
*** For as high as Conerly is ranked, he is still a bit of a work in progress from a technical standpoint. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Conerly has only been playing offensive tackle for three years. He arrived at Rainier Beach as a running back before moving over to tight end and eventually offensive tackle. Conerly hit a growth spurt early in his high school career, and his coaches told him if he focused on tackle, he could become an All-American. Because he’s still fairly new to the position, Conerly still needs to work on things like hand placement, remaining engaged with his blocks, bend in pass sets, etc. But again, his upside is off the charts. I’ve loved Conerly since before he even had a Michigan offer. In fact, I brought up Conerly to sources close to the U-M program right before he notched a scholarship last April. He has five-star upside.
*** Conerly won’t have to develop too much from a body standpoint. Again, he’s extremely athletic and carries his weight really well. He can basically play any spot along the offensive line other than center. Conerly used that size and athleticism as well as his brute strength to completely overpower inferior competition last night. Conerly also started at defensive tackle and commanded constant double teams. Cramps caused him to miss a lot of the second half, but that’s understandable considering he’s a lineman that almost never comes off the field — he forced his way back in the fourth quarter. Still, Conerly was so upset about it that he stormed off the field after the game and told me ‘sorry for wasting your time’ before coming out of the locker room about 20 minutes later and giving a great interview. Conerly is a fierce competitor with a high IQ on the field/in the classroom that would be a great fit at a place like Michigan.
*** Conerly wasn’t the only offensive line recruit I saw on my swing out West. This trip also gave me an opportunity to see three-star Michigan offensive line commit Connor Jones live for the second time. The first time was for a camp in the spring, where Jones was named OL MVP. Jones has continued to shape up his body since then, cutting some fat and adding more muscle. Jones lives in the gym and will add weight the right way once he arrives at U-M. Jones actually pointed to freshman Tristan Bounds in our post-game interview as a guy that arrived in Ann Arbor with a need for body development that quickly progressed in the Michigan strength and conditioning program. Jones sees himself in the same mold.
*** Development will be the biggest factor for Jones. From a technical standpoint, Jones checks all the boxes. He uses his hands well, he stays engaged and finishes off blocks and understands everything his team is trying to do schematically. While Jones was playing against very subpar competition, he did what he was supposed to do, especially when run blocking. Jones got a big push up front and buried defenders with a few pancakes. The Monument (Colo.) Palmer Ridge product also paved running lanes when pulling and looked athletic when getting to the second level — linebackers and defensive backs mostly got out of his way. I didn’t see too much of Jones in standard pass sets, but I like his length and overall profile as a tackle. However, Jones may start inside and work his way out at the next level. Again, it all depends on how his body develops under Ben Herbert.
*** There are three things I really want to mention with Jones. One, Jones is extremely coachable. His technique is superior because he puts in so much individual training with former NFL offensive lineman and top trainer Matt McChesney. He’s also directly applying some things future position coach Sherrone Moore has talked to him about. My first thought when seeing Jones on his opening drive was ‘man, this dude is killing people on down blocks.’ After the game, Jones told me Moore really honed in on his down blocking technique on their recent calls, which made me laugh and say ‘it worked!’ I love that Jones not only listens but applies. Two, Ed Warinner may have had his issues, but he was one hell of an evaluator. I don’t think any other coach was as meticulous with their evaluations last cycle than Warinner. The fact that he identified and took Jones so early speaks volumes of what he can become. Three, Jones has been a Michigan fan all his life and bleeds maize and blue. He’ll be a leader on and off the field. He loves the program and is going to be one of the hardest workers on the roster. I think that intangible will help him find even more success in Ann Arbor. He’s one of the more undervalued members of this class.
*** I sandwiched a trip to San Francisco between my stops in Denver and Seattle, so I could get a closer look at three-star Concord (Calif.) De La Salle defensive back and new Michigan target Zeke Berry. Unfortunately, Berry suffered a foot injury, and I spent the majority of a blowout gathering information, which I’m excited to share with y’all in Into The Blue. I can tell you that Berry has a thick, compact build. While not super tall or long, he has plenty of speed and plays with great instincts. I’ve seen some of his early season clips, and he makes so many plays on the ball. Michigan really likes Berry as an athlete in the secondary. Ron Bellamy is leading the way in his recruitment and views him as a safety/nickel type but can also play corner. Yes, it’s the same role that Michigan saw Dillon Tatum playing. I wish I would have been able to see Berry for a full game or even a full quarter. I’m told the staff absolutely loves his talent and ability. Flipping him from Arizona is a priority.
*** Let’s circle back to my time in Seattle. During my time in the Pacific Northwest, I also saw Rivals100 2023 Seattle (Wash.) Rainier Beach cornerback Caleb Presley. This is a kid Jim Harbaugh saw during his summer Seattle satellite camp and offered on the spot. Presley has decent length, but what really stands out about his game is his speed. He breaks on balls in a hurry and isn’t afraid to come up and make stops against the run. Presley is a pure athlete that also returns punts and lines up at wide receiver for his high school team. While he can play on an island on the outside, I like him as a nickel that can man up against slots and flex ends. I also like Presley’s swagger and willingness to get physical in press man. Unfortunately, Presley just didn’t see much action come his way last night. The opposition was afraid to test him. Presley basically took away his side of the field in a 33-0 blowout.
