*** Michigan has offered four underclassmen at South Florida powerhouse Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage, which I saw in action on Friday night against Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas. Perhaps the most impressive of the bunch was 2022 Rivals100 cornerback Earl Little Jr. The son of former Michigan defensive back Earl Little, who transferred to Miami during his freshman year, Earl Jr. is exactly what the Wolverines covet at the corner position. At 6-foot-2, 165 pounds, Little is a tall, lengthy prospect that plays a ton of man on the outside. Little has room to add weight to his frame and will do so with time, so I would expect his physicality to improve. However, he has super long arms and knows how to use his length to his advantage. Little also has excellent technique, which isn't a surprise since his dad spent several years in the NFL. Michigan is after a number of top defensive backs for next cycle, and Little is right up there as an elite level recruit in the secondary.
*** While I loved Little, it was hard to give him the nod as the most impressive of the Heritage four. After all, 2022 Rivals250 defensive end Marvin Jones Jr. really caught my attention. I actually saw Jones at a private workout in the summer, and I loved him there. While skinny, Jones showed elite athleticism and an array of pass rushing moves. Jones is listed at 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, but he's added some really good weight to his frame. I would say he's closer to 210. Jones loves using his violent hands to get around tackles and pressure the opposing quarterback. But he's more than just a pass rusher. Jones also impressed against the run and has more strength than his frame would indicate. He is extremely aggressive and has a super high ceiling. I think Jones, the son of former Florida State and NFL linebacker Marvin Jones, will continue to see his ranking go up moving forward.
*** Sticking with the 2022 class, Michigan also has an offer out to defensive lineman Richard Thomas. At 6-foot-3, 238 pounds, Thomas is listed as a strong-side defensive end. However, he looks heavier than listed and will likely continue to add weight and slide inside. In fact, Thomas spent most of the night as a defensive tackle, and I project him to be a three-technique in college. Thomas doesn't have the length or athleticism to play off the edge. He does, however, have a really compact build with a ton of brute strength. He plays with excellent leverage and was able to get a nice push in the interior. While he didn't make a ton of stops, he took on multiple blockers, got penetration and created a push upfront. A three-star prospect, Thomas would be a solid take. I think he's rated appropriately at a 5.7.
*** Lastly, Michigan was the first to offer 2023 linebacker David Vadala, who was actually the most productive prospect of the four on Friday night. Here is the thing with Vadala. He's very much on the small side. Vadala is listed at 5-foot-10, 215 pounds, but I would say that's being a little generous. He's only a sophomore, so he could still hit a growth spurt. If he does, he'll be one of the most sought after inside linebackers in the country. If he doesn't then he's going to be a difficult prospect to project. Right now, he's a tackling machine. Vadala lived in the STA backfield, plugged gaps in a hurry and played with a tenacious attitude. He's everything that I expected Michigan linebacker commit Jaydon Hood to be. Michigan obviously jumped on him early with the expectation that he will grow.
Side Note: I am absolutely shocked that Michigan hasn't offered 2023 running back Mark Fletcher. The dude looks like a young Derrick Henry and will be one of the most heavily recruited prospects nationally in a couple of years. In fact, he already holds offers from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Penn State and others.
*** While I loved Little, it was hard to give him the nod as the most impressive of the Heritage four. After all, 2022 Rivals250 defensive end Marvin Jones Jr. really caught my attention. I actually saw Jones at a private workout in the summer, and I loved him there. While skinny, Jones showed elite athleticism and an array of pass rushing moves. Jones is listed at 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, but he's added some really good weight to his frame. I would say he's closer to 210. Jones loves using his violent hands to get around tackles and pressure the opposing quarterback. But he's more than just a pass rusher. Jones also impressed against the run and has more strength than his frame would indicate. He is extremely aggressive and has a super high ceiling. I think Jones, the son of former Florida State and NFL linebacker Marvin Jones, will continue to see his ranking go up moving forward.
*** Sticking with the 2022 class, Michigan also has an offer out to defensive lineman Richard Thomas. At 6-foot-3, 238 pounds, Thomas is listed as a strong-side defensive end. However, he looks heavier than listed and will likely continue to add weight and slide inside. In fact, Thomas spent most of the night as a defensive tackle, and I project him to be a three-technique in college. Thomas doesn't have the length or athleticism to play off the edge. He does, however, have a really compact build with a ton of brute strength. He plays with excellent leverage and was able to get a nice push in the interior. While he didn't make a ton of stops, he took on multiple blockers, got penetration and created a push upfront. A three-star prospect, Thomas would be a solid take. I think he's rated appropriately at a 5.7.
*** Lastly, Michigan was the first to offer 2023 linebacker David Vadala, who was actually the most productive prospect of the four on Friday night. Here is the thing with Vadala. He's very much on the small side. Vadala is listed at 5-foot-10, 215 pounds, but I would say that's being a little generous. He's only a sophomore, so he could still hit a growth spurt. If he does, he'll be one of the most sought after inside linebackers in the country. If he doesn't then he's going to be a difficult prospect to project. Right now, he's a tackling machine. Vadala lived in the STA backfield, plugged gaps in a hurry and played with a tenacious attitude. He's everything that I expected Michigan linebacker commit Jaydon Hood to be. Michigan obviously jumped on him early with the expectation that he will grow.
Side Note: I am absolutely shocked that Michigan hasn't offered 2023 running back Mark Fletcher. The dude looks like a young Derrick Henry and will be one of the most heavily recruited prospects nationally in a couple of years. In fact, he already holds offers from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Penn State and others.
